Total Water Stored

Figure 3. Variation in total water stored in the Rum River watershed for the period 2002 to 2017, as measured by the signal from the GRACE satellite. The total stored water includes all water stored in groundwater, soil moisture, lakes/wetlands, and streams/rivers. Gains in water storage originate from precipitation, while losses include evapotranspiration, river discharge, and consumptive use by human activities. The variation is presented as relative to the reference level of 5 m of stored water. Image courtesy of John L. Nieber.