Total water storage is a measurement of the entire volume of water contained across the multiple reservoirs in a region—including surface waters like lakes and rivers, moisture in the soil, groundwater stored in aquifers, and frozen water trapped in snowpack and glaciers.
Quantifying the total water availability and fluctuations in storage over seasons or years provides crucial information for water managers to understand cycles of regional drought and flood risks. Satellite monitoring now enables scientists to estimate total water storage anomalies by measuring subtle changes in gravity that indicate depletions or growth in water volumes compared to long-term averages.
Water managers can use this bigger picture view of the various pools where water is stored to plan for anticipated water availability, infrastructure capabilities needed, and when use restrictions may become necessary during contractions in storage.
