For 15 Years, GRACE Tracked Freshwater Movements Around the World

In 2016, NASA's GRACE mission observed significant changes in global freshwater storage due to water management, climate change, and natural cycles. The mission used satellite data to track water movement and identify trends. Key findings include glacier melting in Greenland, drought impacts in the Western US, increased rainfall in the Okavango Delta, and aquifer depletion in Saudi Arabia. Unexplained water loss in Northwest China was linked to agricultural redirection. The original GRACE satellites ceased in 2017, but a new mission, GRACE Follow-On, launched in 2018 to continue monitoring freshwater trends.

What significant shifts in freshwater storage were observed by NASA satellites in 2016?

How did NASA scientists combine different data sources to identify causes of regional trends in freshwater storage?

What were the major trends classified by the science team as driving changes in freshwater storage?

What factors contributed to the depletion of groundwater in California?

What was the impact of the Grace mission on understanding freshwater storage in the Okavango Delta region?