The water cycle, or hydrologic cycle, is the continuous circulation of water within the Earth–atmosphere system, driven primarily by solar radiation and gravity. It encompasses phase changes and fluxes such as evaporation and transpiration from surface and biotic reservoirs, condensation in the atmosphere, cloud formation, and subsequent precipitation as rain, snow, or other hydrometeors. Infiltration, percolation, and groundwater flow redistribute water within subsurface reservoirs, while surface runoff and riverine transport return water to oceans and lakes. The water cycle regulates climate, controls energy and mass exchanges, and governs biogeochemical transport across terrestrial, aquatic, and atmospheric compartments.
California doesn't have a water scarcity problem. It has a distribution problem, according to Nícola Ulibarrí, whose new research is reshaping how policymakers think about one of the state's most pressing challenges.
Environment
Feb 6, 2026
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21
Against the backdrop of climate change and dwindling water resources, supplying water to large metropolitan areas is becoming an increasingly challenging task for public authorities, who must find urgent solutions. One of ...
Environment
Feb 4, 2026
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15
When extreme weather strikes, the preparations of emergency planners can have life-or-death consequences. In July 2025, central Texas flooded with disastrous consequences, killing more than 130 people.
Earth Sciences
Feb 2, 2026
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Water vapor (H2Ov) is an essential component of Earth's atmosphere, playing critical roles in climate regulation, weather patterns, and the water cycle. Its sources primarily come from natural processes such as ocean evaporation ...
Earth Sciences
Feb 2, 2026
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Dalhousie researchers have revealed how Arctic aquifers—permeable layers of the ground that store and transmit water to rivers, lakes and terrestrial ecosystems—behave today and how these vital resources will change with ...
Earth Sciences
Feb 2, 2026
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62
Researchers at Concordia have developed a new method of measuring the amount of usable water stored in snowpacks. The comprehensive technique, known as snow water availability (SWA), uses satellite data and climate reanalysis ...
Earth Sciences
Jan 29, 2026
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44
The Nature Conservancy in Nevada (TNC in Nevada), DRI, and the University of Wisconsin—Madison (UW-Madison) have developed the Nevada GDE Water Needs Explorer Tool. This new online resource helps land and water managers understand ...
Earth Sciences
Jan 27, 2026
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83
The world is now using so much fresh water amid the consequences of climate change that it has entered an era of water bankruptcy, with many regions no longer able to bounce back from frequent water shortages.
Environment
Jan 21, 2026
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The world is entering an era of "global water bankruptcy" with rivers, lakes and aquifers depleting faster than nature can replenish them, a United Nations research institute said on Tuesday.
Environment
Jan 21, 2026
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28
What's the shape of water? In 2022, NASA launched the Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) satellite to answer this question by precisely measuring the height and extent of bodies of water. Virginia Tech geoscientists ...
Earth Sciences
Jan 19, 2026
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