Groundwater depletion in global plateaus over the past two decades: Insights from GRACE

Groundwater depletion in global plateaus over the past two decades: Insights from GRACE

Global plateau regions are significantly affected by climate change and human activities, presenting challenges for effective water resource management. This study evaluates groundwater storage variations in global plateau regions from 2002 to 2022 using GRACE satellite data. The results indicate a notable decline in groundwater storage at an average rate of -0.213 cm/a, with consistent spatiotemporal patterns observed across annual, seasonal, and monthly scales. Groundwater storage in these regions shows significant seasonal differences, but the overall trend is downward. Among plateau areas across six continents, South America exhibits the steepest reduction, reaching -0.816 cm/a. In contrast, plateau lake areas experienced a slight increase in water storage at 0.103 cm/a, despite a general decline in global lake storage. Correlation analyses reveal that population growth is a key driver of these changes, especially in densely populated regions. These findings underscore the urgent need for sustainable water management strategies to safeguard these vulnerable ecosystems.