View of the Pacific Ocean from the Cotoni-Coast Dairies unit of the California Coast National Monument.
How much natural water is there?
Earth is estimated to hold about 1,386,000,000 cubic kilometers of water. The breakdown of where all that water resides is estimated as follows:
- Oceans (saline) 1,338,000,000 cubic kilometers
- Ice caps and glaciers (fresh) 24,064,000 cubic kilometers
- Groundwater (fresh and saline) 23,400,000 cubic kilometers
- Streams, lakes, swamps (fresh) 104,590 cubic kilometers
- Lakes (saline) 85,400 cubic kilometers
- Other--soil, atmosphere, biosphere (fresh) 330,520 cubic kilometers
Learn More: How Much Water is There on Earth?
Related
How much water is used by people in the United States?
Since 1950, the USGS has collected and analyzed water-use data for the United States and its Territories. That data is revised every 5 years. As of 2015, the United States uses 322 billion gallons of water per day (Bgal/day). The three largest water-use categories were irrigation (118 Bgal/day), thermoelectric power (133 Bgal/day), and public supply (39 Bgal/day), cumulatively accounting for 90...
What is the Earth's "water cycle?"
The water cycle, also known as the hydrologic cycle, describes where water is stored on Earth and how it moves. Water is stored in the atmosphere, on the land surface, and below the ground. It can be a liquid, a solid, or a gas. Liquid water can be fresh or saline (salty). Water moves between the places it is stored. It moves at large scales (through watersheds, the atmosphere, and below the Earth...
Is saline water used for anything?
In the U.S., about 13 percent of all water used is saline water. But saline water can only be used for certain purposes. The main use is for thermoelectric power-plant cooling. About 5 percent of water used for industrial purposes is saline, and about 53 percent of all water used for mining purposes is saline. Saline water can be desalinated for use as drinking water by putting it through a...
How do we benefit from USGS streamgages?
Information on the flow of rivers is a vital national asset that safeguards lives, protects property, and ensures adequate water supplies for the future. The USGS is the federal agency responsible for operating a network of about 7,000 streamgages nationwide. Data from this network are used by water managers, emergency responders, utilities, environmental agencies, universities, consulting firms...
View of the Pacific Ocean from Cotoni Coast Dairies
View of the Pacific Ocean from the Cotoni-Coast Dairies unit of the California Coast National Monument.
The Water Cycle (PNG)
This diagram, released in 2022, depicts the global water cycle. It shows how human water use affects where water is stored, how it moves, and how clean it is. This diagram is available in English and Spanish.
This diagram, released in 2022, depicts the global water cycle. It shows how human water use affects where water is stored, how it moves, and how clean it is. This diagram is available in English and Spanish.
All of Earth's water in a single sphere!
This image shows blue spheres representing relative amounts of Earth's water in comparison to the size of the Earth. Are you surprised that these water spheres look so small? They are only small in relation to the size of the Earth.
This image shows blue spheres representing relative amounts of Earth's water in comparison to the size of the Earth. Are you surprised that these water spheres look so small? They are only small in relation to the size of the Earth.
Sunrise over the Atlantic near Matanzas Inlet, FL
Sunrise over the Atlantic near Matanzas Inlet, FL. USGS was recovering seafloor platforms deployed to quantify storm effects on coastal inlet dynamics.
Sunrise over the Atlantic near Matanzas Inlet, FL. USGS was recovering seafloor platforms deployed to quantify storm effects on coastal inlet dynamics.
Drinking water from tap
The quality of the water we drink can potentially impact our health. The USGS has several programs and cooperative projects that characterize the quality of selected rivers and aquifers used as sources of drinking water to community water systems in the United States.
The quality of the water we drink can potentially impact our health. The USGS has several programs and cooperative projects that characterize the quality of selected rivers and aquifers used as sources of drinking water to community water systems in the United States.
PubTalk 8/2012 — Global Food Security in the 21st Century
--the increasing need for food production, cropland areas, and agricultural water
by Prasad Thenkabail, Research Geographer
--the increasing need for food production, cropland areas, and agricultural water
by Prasad Thenkabail, Research Geographer
Waterfall in Appalachian Forest
Waterfall in Appalachian Forest
Waterfall in Appalachian Forest
Related
How much water is used by people in the United States?
Since 1950, the USGS has collected and analyzed water-use data for the United States and its Territories. That data is revised every 5 years. As of 2015, the United States uses 322 billion gallons of water per day (Bgal/day). The three largest water-use categories were irrigation (118 Bgal/day), thermoelectric power (133 Bgal/day), and public supply (39 Bgal/day), cumulatively accounting for 90...
What is the Earth's "water cycle?"
The water cycle, also known as the hydrologic cycle, describes where water is stored on Earth and how it moves. Water is stored in the atmosphere, on the land surface, and below the ground. It can be a liquid, a solid, or a gas. Liquid water can be fresh or saline (salty). Water moves between the places it is stored. It moves at large scales (through watersheds, the atmosphere, and below the Earth...
Is saline water used for anything?
In the U.S., about 13 percent of all water used is saline water. But saline water can only be used for certain purposes. The main use is for thermoelectric power-plant cooling. About 5 percent of water used for industrial purposes is saline, and about 53 percent of all water used for mining purposes is saline. Saline water can be desalinated for use as drinking water by putting it through a...
How do we benefit from USGS streamgages?
Information on the flow of rivers is a vital national asset that safeguards lives, protects property, and ensures adequate water supplies for the future. The USGS is the federal agency responsible for operating a network of about 7,000 streamgages nationwide. Data from this network are used by water managers, emergency responders, utilities, environmental agencies, universities, consulting firms...
View of the Pacific Ocean from Cotoni Coast Dairies
View of the Pacific Ocean from the Cotoni-Coast Dairies unit of the California Coast National Monument.
View of the Pacific Ocean from the Cotoni-Coast Dairies unit of the California Coast National Monument.
The Water Cycle (PNG)
This diagram, released in 2022, depicts the global water cycle. It shows how human water use affects where water is stored, how it moves, and how clean it is. This diagram is available in English and Spanish.
This diagram, released in 2022, depicts the global water cycle. It shows how human water use affects where water is stored, how it moves, and how clean it is. This diagram is available in English and Spanish.
All of Earth's water in a single sphere!
This image shows blue spheres representing relative amounts of Earth's water in comparison to the size of the Earth. Are you surprised that these water spheres look so small? They are only small in relation to the size of the Earth.
This image shows blue spheres representing relative amounts of Earth's water in comparison to the size of the Earth. Are you surprised that these water spheres look so small? They are only small in relation to the size of the Earth.
Sunrise over the Atlantic near Matanzas Inlet, FL
Sunrise over the Atlantic near Matanzas Inlet, FL. USGS was recovering seafloor platforms deployed to quantify storm effects on coastal inlet dynamics.
Sunrise over the Atlantic near Matanzas Inlet, FL. USGS was recovering seafloor platforms deployed to quantify storm effects on coastal inlet dynamics.
Drinking water from tap
The quality of the water we drink can potentially impact our health. The USGS has several programs and cooperative projects that characterize the quality of selected rivers and aquifers used as sources of drinking water to community water systems in the United States.
The quality of the water we drink can potentially impact our health. The USGS has several programs and cooperative projects that characterize the quality of selected rivers and aquifers used as sources of drinking water to community water systems in the United States.
PubTalk 8/2012 — Global Food Security in the 21st Century
--the increasing need for food production, cropland areas, and agricultural water
by Prasad Thenkabail, Research Geographer
--the increasing need for food production, cropland areas, and agricultural water
by Prasad Thenkabail, Research Geographer
Waterfall in Appalachian Forest
Waterfall in Appalachian Forest
Waterfall in Appalachian Forest
Updated Date: January 16, 2025