NASA study reveals human impact on Earth’s water cycle

A NASA study utilizing over two decades of satellite data has revealed the significant impact of human activity on Earth’s water cycle. By analyzing subtle changes in Earth’s gravity via the GRACE and GRACE-FO satellite missions, researchers have mapped how terrestrial water storage has shifted between 2002 and 2025.

Scientists identified 40 regions where changes in water storage align with human actions such as irrigation, land-use changes, and reservoir impoundment. These anthropogenic factors were found to be significantly related to water storage trends on every nonpolar continent except Australia. In four specific continental regions, human-driven variables showed a stronger relationship with storage trends than any climate-related variable.

Notable examples include California’s Central Valley and northern India, where heavy groundwater reliance has caused significant drawdowns in storage. In northern India, the depletion is occurring faster than previous estimates suggested. Conversely, certain types of water management and farming practices in other areas have resulted in opposite effects.