Assessing the Temporal Dynamics of Terrestrial Water Storage in Ten Large River Basins in China.

Understanding the temporal variations of terrestrial water storage (TWS) in large river basins is crucial for water resource management and ecosystem protection. Yet, the variations of TWS in large river basins are often been assessed in term of temporal trends with limited studies on the stationarity of TWS. In this study, we investigated the temporal trends and stability of TWS in then large river basins in China from 2004 to 2014 using the corrected Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) gravity satellite data. Key findings are: (1) the average TWS in China showed a significant downward trend during the study period; and (2) the TWS in ten large river basins was non-stationary across China. Water surpluses were observed in the Northeast and the Southeast, while water deficits were found in the Northwest and the Southwest. This study provides policy-makers with critical information to design adaptive strategies and plans for basin-scale water resources management.