Water Pools and Fluxes Data Tables Completed
How much water is stored in the atmosphere, on the land surface, or below the ground? How much precipitation falls over the ocean or over land each year?
Pools and Fluxes and Data VIZ
This interactive data visualization tool shows the size of global pools and fluxes of water, and includes examples of specific pools and fluxes for context.
Zoomable Water Cycle Diagram
Zoom in on our newest water cycle diagram and explore the different pools and fluxes of the water cycle. The zoomable diagram is available in both English and Spanish.
• Water Science School HOME • The Water Cycle
Pools are places where water is stored, like the ocean. Fluxes are the ways that water moves between pools, such as evaporation, precipitation, discharge, recharge, or human use. The table below provides estimates of the sizes of all major water pools and fluxes on Earth.
The volume of water pools is estimated in cubic kilometers [km3]. Flux rates, or the volume of water that moves between pools every year, are estimated in cubic kilometers per year [km3 yr-1]. For reference, we also provide the estimates in the equivalent number of Olympic swimming pools.
These data come from the scientific literature (Abbott and others, 2019). Abbott et al. note that the estimate for each pool or flux "represents the most recent or comprehensive individual estimate." The ranges for each estimate "represent the range of reported values and their uncertainties."
|
Pool |
Volume estimate (cubic kilometers [km3]) |
Range (cubic kilometers [km3]) |
Volume estimate (number of Olympic swimming pools, in millions) |
Range (number of Olympic swimming pools, in millions) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Ocean (deep water zone) |
1,206,000,000 |
1,100,000,000 to 1,300,000,000 |
482,400,000 |
440,000,000 to 520,000,000 |
|
Ocean (mixed zone) |
134,000,000 |
90,000,000 to 170,000,000 |
53,600,000 |
36,000,000 to 68,000,000 |
|
Ice sheets and glaciers |
25,800,000 |
24,064,000 to 29,200,000 |
10,320,000 |
9,625,600 to 11,680,000 |
|
Groundwater |
22,600,000 |
8,060,000 to 23,400,000 |
9,040,000 |
3,224,000 to 9,360,000 |
|
Permafrost |
207,000 |
22,000 to 300,000 |
82,800 |
8,800 to 120,000 |
|
Lakes (fresh) |
108,000 |
91,000 to 125,000 |
43,200 |
36,400 to 50,000 |
|
Lakes (saline) |
94,700 |
85,400 to 104,000 |
37,880 |
34,160 to 41,600 |
|
Soil moisture |
54,100 |
16,500 to 122,000 |
21,640 |
6,600 to 48,800 |
|
Wetlands (fresh and brackish) |
14,100 |
11,000 to 17,000 |
5,640 |
4,400 to 6,800 |
|
Reservoirs |
10,800 |
7,000 to 15,000 |
4,320 |
2,800 to 6,000 |
|
Atmospheric moisture (over ocean) |
10,000 |
8,000 to 12,000 |
4,000 |
3,200 to 4,800 |
|
Atmospheric moisture (over land) |
3,000 |
2,700 to 3,300 |
1,200 |
1,080 to 1,320 |
|
Snowpack |
2,900 |
2,600 to 3,500 |
1,160 |
1,040 to 1,400 |
|
Rivers |
1,900 |
1,250 to 2,120 |
760 |
500 to 848 |
|
Biological water |
940 |
600 to 1,120 |
376 |
240 to 448 |
|
Flux |
Flux rate estimate (cubic kilometers per year [km3 yr-1]) |
Range (cubic kilometers per year [km3 yr-1]) |
Flux rate estimate (number of Olympic swimming pools per year, in millions) |
Range (number of Olympic swimming pools per year, in millions) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Ocean circulation |
7,100,000 |
6,100,000 to 9,100,000 |
2,840,000 |
2,440,000 to 3,640,000 |
|
Ocean evaporation |
420,500 |
350,000 to 510,000 |
168,200 |
140,000 to 204,000 |
|
Precipitation over ocean |
380,500 |
320,000 to 460,000 |
152,200 |
128,000 to 184,000 |
|
Precipitation over land |
110,600 |
99,000 to 120,000 |
44,240 |
39,600 to 48,000 |
|
Evapotranspiration |
68,900 |
62,000 to 75,000 |
27,560 |
24,800 to 30,000 |
|
Transport of moisture from ocean to land |
46,000 |
35,00 to 50,000 |
18,400 |
14,000 to 20,000 |
|
Streamflow to ocean |
46,000 |
36,000 to 56,000 |
18,400 |
14,400 to 22,400 |
|
Groundwater recharge |
13,000 |
12,000 to 25,000 |
5,200 |
4,800 to 10,000 |
|
Grazing water use |
10,000 |
8,200 to 14,000 |
4,000 |
3,280 to 5,600 |
|
Agricultural water use |
10,840 |
7,850 to 12,000 |
4,336 |
3,140 to 4,800 |
|
Groundwater discharge to ocean |
4,500 |
100 to 6,500 |
1,800 |
40 to 2,600 |
|
Industrial water use |
1,130 |
840 to 1,390 |
452 |
336 to 556 |
|
Forestry water use |
960 |
800 to 1,200 |
384 |
320 to 480 |
|
Streamflow to closed basins |
800 |
600 to 1,100 |
320 |
240 to 440 |
|
Municipal and domestic water use |
590 |
380 to 680 |
236 |
152 to 272 |
Sources and more information:
-
Abbott, B.W., Bishop, K., Zarnetske, J.P. et al. (2019) Human domination of the global water cycle absent from depictions and perceptions. Nature Geoscience 12, 533-540.
- Overview
How much water is stored in the atmosphere, on the land surface, or below the ground? How much precipitation falls over the ocean or over land each year?
Pools and Fluxes and Data VIZ
This interactive data visualization tool shows the size of global pools and fluxes of water, and includes examples of specific pools and fluxes for context.
Zoomable Water Cycle Diagram
Zoom in on our newest water cycle diagram and explore the different pools and fluxes of the water cycle. The zoomable diagram is available in both English and Spanish.
• Water Science School HOME • The Water Cycle
Pools are places where water is stored, like the ocean. Fluxes are the ways that water moves between pools, such as evaporation, precipitation, discharge, recharge, or human use. The table below provides estimates of the sizes of all major water pools and fluxes on Earth.
The volume of water pools is estimated in cubic kilometers [km3]. Flux rates, or the volume of water that moves between pools every year, are estimated in cubic kilometers per year [km3 yr-1]. For reference, we also provide the estimates in the equivalent number of Olympic swimming pools.
These data come from the scientific literature (Abbott and others, 2019). Abbott et al. note that the estimate for each pool or flux "represents the most recent or comprehensive individual estimate." The ranges for each estimate "represent the range of reported values and their uncertainties."
Volume of Water Pools Pool
Volume estimate (cubic kilometers [km3])
Range (cubic kilometers [km3])
Volume estimate (number of Olympic swimming pools, in millions)
Range (number of Olympic swimming pools, in millions)
Ocean (deep water zone)
1,206,000,000
1,100,000,000 to 1,300,000,000
482,400,000
440,000,000 to 520,000,000
Ocean (mixed zone)
134,000,000
90,000,000 to 170,000,000
53,600,000
36,000,000 to 68,000,000
Ice sheets and glaciers
25,800,000
24,064,000 to 29,200,000
10,320,000
9,625,600 to 11,680,000
Groundwater
22,600,000
8,060,000 to 23,400,000
9,040,000
3,224,000 to 9,360,000
Permafrost
207,000
22,000 to 300,000
82,800
8,800 to 120,000
Lakes (fresh)
108,000
91,000 to 125,000
43,200
36,400 to 50,000
Lakes (saline)
94,700
85,400 to 104,000
37,880
34,160 to 41,600
Soil moisture
54,100
16,500 to 122,000
21,640
6,600 to 48,800
Wetlands (fresh and brackish)
14,100
11,000 to 17,000
5,640
4,400 to 6,800
Reservoirs
10,800
7,000 to 15,000
4,320
2,800 to 6,000
Atmospheric moisture (over ocean)
10,000
8,000 to 12,000
4,000
3,200 to 4,800
Atmospheric moisture (over land)
3,000
2,700 to 3,300
1,200
1,080 to 1,320
Snowpack
2,900
2,600 to 3,500
1,160
1,040 to 1,400
Rivers
1,900
1,250 to 2,120
760
500 to 848
Biological water
940
600 to 1,120
376
240 to 448
Flux Rate of Water Movement Flux
Flux rate estimate (cubic kilometers per year [km3 yr-1])
Range (cubic kilometers per year [km3 yr-1])
Flux rate estimate (number of Olympic swimming pools per year, in millions)
Range (number of Olympic swimming pools per year, in millions)
Ocean circulation
7,100,000
6,100,000 to 9,100,000
2,840,000
2,440,000 to 3,640,000
Ocean evaporation
420,500
350,000 to 510,000
168,200
140,000 to 204,000
Precipitation over ocean
380,500
320,000 to 460,000
152,200
128,000 to 184,000
Precipitation over land
110,600
99,000 to 120,000
44,240
39,600 to 48,000
Evapotranspiration
68,900
62,000 to 75,000
27,560
24,800 to 30,000
Transport of moisture from ocean to land
46,000
35,00 to 50,000
18,400
14,000 to 20,000
Streamflow to ocean
46,000
36,000 to 56,000
18,400
14,400 to 22,400
Groundwater recharge
13,000
12,000 to 25,000
5,200
4,800 to 10,000
Grazing water use
10,000
8,200 to 14,000
4,000
3,280 to 5,600
Agricultural water use
10,840
7,850 to 12,000
4,336
3,140 to 4,800
Groundwater discharge to ocean
4,500
100 to 6,500
1,800
40 to 2,600
Industrial water use
1,130
840 to 1,390
452
336 to 556
Forestry water use
960
800 to 1,200
384
320 to 480
Streamflow to closed basins
800
600 to 1,100
320
240 to 440
Municipal and domestic water use
590
380 to 680
236
152 to 272
Sources and more information:
-
Abbott, B.W., Bishop, K., Zarnetske, J.P. et al. (2019) Human domination of the global water cycle absent from depictions and perceptions. Nature Geoscience 12, 533-540.
-