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The Hill
a day ago
- Science
- The Hill
Freshwater is disappearing from the Earth at alarming rates: Study
The planet has endured massive freshwater losses over the past two decades due to the combined effects of climate change, overconsumption and drought, a new study has found. Arid land areas are expanding at a rate roughly twice the size of California each year, according to the study, published in Science Advances. Dry spots are now drying up faster than wet areas are getting wetter — reversing historic hydrological patterns, per the research. This continental-scale phenomenon of 'mega-drying,' the study authors warned, could have severe consequences on water security, agriculture, sea level rise and global stability. Describing their results as 'staggering,' the researchers determined that 75 percent of the world's population lives in 101 countries that have been losing freshwater for the past 22 years 'These findings send perhaps the most alarming message yet about the impact of climate change on our water resources,' principal investigator Jay Famiglietti, a professor at Arizona State University's School of Sustainability, said in a statement. 'Continents are drying, freshwater availability is shrinking, and sea level rise is accelerating,' Famiglietti added. To evaluate changes in terrestrial water storage, the researchers combed through more than two decades of satellite observations — from April 2002 through April 2024 — from NASA's Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) and GRACE Follow-On missions. They defined terrestrial water storage as all of Earth's surface and vegetation water, soil moisture, ice, snow and groundwater stored on land. Ultimately, the researchers identified robust changes in these water storage levels since previous global studies. These declines, they found, have been driven by high-latitude water losses in Russia and Canada, extreme in Central America and Europe and groundwater depletion — responsible for 68 percent of the losses alone. The researchers also identified a 'tipping point' in 2014-2015, years that meteorologists generally characterize as 'mega El-Niño.' In North America, El-Niño years typically involve dryness and warmth in the northern U.S. and Canada, with increased flooding in the South. Near the tipping point, climate extremes began accelerating, leading to a surge in groundwater use and continental drying-up that surpassed the rates of glacier and ice sheet melting, per the study. Evaluating their 22 years of data, the scientists also determined that certain water storage loss 'hotspots' previously assumed to be isolated were actually interconnected. These places, they concluded, make up four continental-scale, mega-drying regions. The first region spans the U.S. Southwest, Mexico and Central America and includes many major food-producing regions. The second, meanwhile, includes Alaska and Northern Canada, which are stricken by snow and permafrost melt, as well as drying in agricultural zones. Northern Russia, per the study, is the third region and is also undergoing considerable snow and permafrost melting in high latitude zones. The fourth area, the Middle East-North Africa region and Pan-Eurasia, houses multiple major desert cities, food producing hubs, shrinking seas and urban cities, the researchers noted. 'It is striking how much non-renewable water we are losing,' lead author Hrishikesh Chandanpurkar, a research scientist at Arizona State, said in a statement. 'Glaciers and deep groundwater are sort of ancient trust funds,' he added. 'Instead of using them only in times of need such as a prolonged drought, we are taking them for granted.' Chandanpurkar also lamented the fact that humans are failing to replenish groundwater reservoirs during wet years and are thereby nearing 'an imminent freshwater bankruptcy.' Describing their findings as 'a planetary wake-up call,' the authors stressed a need for ongoing research that can help inform policymakers about these dire water challenges. The researchers also advocated for community-level opportunities to make meaningful change, particularly when it comes to excessive pumping of groundwater. The consequences of overusing the remaining groundwater, Famiglietti warned, could threaten 'food and water security for billions of people around the world.' 'This is an 'all-hands-on-deck' moment — we need immediate action on global water security,' he said.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Science
- Time of India
Satellites reveal a hidden global water crisis that could change life on Earth
For more than 20 years, satellites have been quietly watching Earth's most vital resource disappear, and the data is alarming. A new study led by Arizona State University and published Friday in Science Advances reveals that Earth's continents are drying out at unprecedented rates, threatening water security for billions and accelerating sea level rise. 'We are edging toward an imminent freshwater bankruptcy,' warned Hrishikesh Chandanpurkar, the study's lead author. 'Glaciers and deep groundwater are like ancient trust funds. Instead of saving them for times of real need, we are draining them.' Explore courses from Top Institutes in Please select course: Select a Course Category others Management MCA Healthcare Cybersecurity PGDM Finance Data Analytics healthcare Technology Design Thinking Project Management Operations Management Digital Marketing Artificial Intelligence Others Product Management Data Science CXO Leadership Public Policy MBA Degree Data Science Skills you'll gain: Duration: 16 Weeks Indian School of Business CERT - ISB Cybersecurity for Leaders Program India Starts on undefined Get Details What the satellites saw Researchers analyzed over two decades of data from NASA 's GRACE and GRACE-Follow On missions, which measure subtle shifts in Earth's gravity to track changes in water storage underground, in soils, snow, and glaciers. The findings stunned even veteran scientists: Drying regions are expanding by an area twice the size of California every year. 75 percent of the world's population, in 101 countries, has lived through continuous freshwater loss since 2002. Groundwater depletion now contributes more to sea level rise than melting ice sheets in Greenland and Antarctica combined. Four mega-drying regions The research identifies four massive belts of continental-scale drying, all in the Northern Hemisphere: Live Events Southwestern North America & Central America: From California's farmlands to Mexico City. Alaska and Northern Canada: Accelerated melting of glaciers and permafrost. Northern Russia: Snow and ice losses across Siberia. Middle East–North Africa into Eurasia: Spanning from the deserts of the Arabian Peninsula through Ukraine and northern India to China's North Plain. These regions include some of the planet's most critical agricultural zones and densely populated cities, places where water stress could trigger food shortages, migration, and political instability. The study found 68 percent of land water loss came from groundwater alone, a largely invisible crisis. Why it matters now The researchers warn that without immediate, coordinated policies to slow groundwater pumping, improve recharge, and share water data, the crisis will deepen. 'We can't negotiate with physics,' Famiglietti said. 'Water is life. When it's gone, everything else unravels.' The findings will feed into a forthcoming World Bank report on water security and global economic stability.
Newsweek
21-07-2025
- Science
- Newsweek
Map Reveals 'Accelerating' Water Loss Affecting 40 Million Americans
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The Colorado River Basin has seen an extensive loss of groundwater loss over two decades, with more than half of the loss being in Arizona, according to a new map drawn from NASA satellite data. Analysis by Arizona State University (ASU) researchers has revealed "rapid and accelerating" groundwater loss in the basin's underground aquifers between 2002 and 2024. Some 40 million Americans rely on water from these aquifers, including in parts of Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming. The team has warned that "climate change is causing more frequent and intense droughts around the world, including in the Colorado River Basin—which supplies water to seven U.S. states and Mexico—and is facing severe water shortages." The basin lost 27.8 million acre-feet of groundwater over the past two decades, which is roughly equal to the storage capacity of Lake Mead, according to paper author and ASU geoscientist Karem Abdelmohsen. Around 68 percent of the losses occurred in the lower part of the basin, which lies mostly in Arizona. Drag slider compare photos "Lots of attention has gone to low water levels in reservoirs over the years, but the depletion of groundwater far outpaces the surface water losses. This is a big warning flag," said Abdelmohsen in a statement. During the first decade of the study period between 2002 and 2014, parts of the basin in western Arizona (in the La Paz and Mohave counties) and in the southeast of the state (Cochise County) lost groundwater at a rate of around 0.2 inches per year. However, this rate more than doubled, to 0.5 inches per year, in the following decade. Scientists say the acceleration of the groundwater loss is likely down to two factors, including the arrival of a "triple-dip" La Niña between 2020 and 2023. (La Niña is an oceanic phenomenon that sees cooler than normal sea-surface temperatures in the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean. La Niña typically leads to reduced rainfall over the Southwest and slows the replenishment of aquifers, NASA explained. A "triple dip" is when we get three consecutive years of La Niña conditions.) A second factor at play may be an increase in the amount of groundwater used for agriculture. Arizona saw a rise in agricultural activity in 2014, when large alfalfa farms arrived in La Paz and other southern parts of the state. Dairies and orchards as well as other popular "thirsty" crops grown in the state, such as cotton, corn, and pecans, likely impacted groundwater supplies, Famiglietti said. According to data from the Arizona Department of Water Resources, 72 percent of the state's available water supply is used for irrigated agriculture. Many farms use "vast" amounts of groundwater, Famiglietti said, partly because they use flood irrigation, where water is released into trenches that run through crop fields. The long-standing practice, commonly used for alfalfa and cotton, tends to be the cheapest option but can lead to more water loss and evaporation than other irrigation techniques, such as overhead sprinklers or dripping water from plastic tubing. The latest study also found evidence that managing groundwater can help keep Arizona aquifers healthier. For example, the active management areas and irrigation non-expansion areas formed as part of the Arizona Groundwater Management Act of 1980 cut down water losses in some areas. The designation of a new active management area in the Willcox Groundwater Basin is also likely to further slow groundwater losses. "Still, the bottom line is that the losses to groundwater were huge," Abdelmohsen said. Do you have a tip on a science story that Newsweek should be covering? Do you have a question about water shortages? Let us know via science@ Reference Abdelmohsen, K., Famiglietti, J.S., Ao, Y. Z., Mohajer, B., Chandanpurkar, H.A., (2025). Declining Freshwater Availability in the Colorado River Basin Threatens Sustainability of Its Critical Groundwater Supplies. Geophysical Research Letters.
Boston Globe
08-07-2025
- Politics
- Boston Globe
Democratic contenders vie for Dominick Ruggerio's state senate seat
Advertisement But Ranglin-Vassell and Cioe are running spirited campaigns to the left of Famiglietti, with each making the case that the district should elect a more-progressive senator. The challenge is they are drawing from the same base. Taveras, the brother of former Providence Mayor Angel Taveras, is considered a longshot, although he has been mentioned as a potential candidate for Famiglietti's council seat if Famiglietti wins the race. When it comes to turnout numbers, 1,089 people had voted early (either in-person or by mail) as of Monday. That's a larger number than the early vote in the Democratic primary between Ruggerio and Cioe last year, but today's vote is expected to fall short of last year's turnout. Senate leadership isn't likely to see any changes as a result of the Senate District 4 race, although Famiglietti is likely to align himself with the current leadership (especially Majority Leader Frank Ciccone and Whip David Tikoian ). That could be worth monitoring after next year's elections. Advertisement Polls close at 8 p.m. Dan McGowan can be reached at
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
North Providence councilman joins race for Ruggerio's Senate seat
NORTH PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — North Providence District 2 Town Councilman Stefano Famiglietti has thrown his hat into the ring to seek the late Senate President Dominick Ruggerio's Senate seat. 'This community is my home,' Famiglietti said in his announcement. 'And while no one can replace Senate President Ruggerio, I believe I can be a strong advocate for the issues that matter most to the people of District 4.' RELATED: Senate President Dominick Ruggerio dies at 76 Famiglietti, 33, is the third Democrat to enter the race. Former Providence state Rep. Marcia Ranglin-Vassell and Manny Taveras, the younger brother of former Providence Mayor Angel Taveras, both announced their candidacies earlier this month. Ruggerio, who died last month after battling cancer and other illnesses, had held the seat since 1985. A primary is scheduled for July 8 and the general election will take place Aug. 5. (Candidates have until May 30 to file the necessary paperwork.) The district contains parts of North Providence and Providence. Famiglietti was first elected to the council in 2018. He is a lawyer, having recently opened his own firm, and he also chairs the North Providence Democratic Town Committee. ALSO READ: Special election dates set for Ruggerio's Senate seat The councilman listed responsible budgeting, protecting core municipal services, and 'ensuring that local communities are not left behind' in statewide decisions as policy goals he'll focus on during his campaign. Famiglietti's candidacy comes after a conversation with North Providence Town Council President Dino Autiello, who was also considering running for the seat. Autiello told 12 News Famiglietti will have his 'full support.' Two other Democrats seen as potential candidates are R.I. Democratic Party National Committeewoman Nicole Verdi and Lenny Cioe, a nurse who unsuccessfully ran against Ruggerio three times. No Republicans or independents have announced plans to run at this time. The last time a Republican ran for the seat was in 2008. NEXT: RIPEC looking to overhaul Housing Resources Commission Download the and apps to get breaking news and weather alerts. Watch or with the new . Follow us on social media: Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
