Climate change and growing pressure on natural resources pose significant threats to humanity and nature. These challenges demand ambitious responses. Reservoirs, essential for water storage, energy production, and irrigation, are increasingly under strain due to rising demand, population growth, and economic expansion. At the same time, climate change is altering water availability, reducing supply, and intensifying both droughts and floods.

These growing pressures on reservoirs undermine water security, threatening livelihoods, ecosystems, and sustainable development. Reliable data on water resources is critical to managing these risks effectively and ensuring the long-term sustainability of water resources.

Global Water Watch is transforming how water resource data is accessed and utilized.

Supported by Google.org, the Water, Peace, and Security Partnership and the European Space Agency, Global Water Watch provides free, globally accessible, near-real-time information on over 70,000 reservoirs worldwide. Using Earth observation data, this platform empowers decision-makers with critical insights to manage reservoirs more sustainably, equitably, and efficiently.

Key benefits of Global Water Watch include:

1) Near-real-time monitoring: High-resolution, near-real-time data helps identify changes in reservoir conditions, enabling responses to challenges such as water shortages or extreme weather events.

2) Open access: By making reservoir data publicly available, Global Water Watch promotes transparency and accountability, supporting more equitable water management practices.

3) Climate resilience: The platform equips governments, businesses, and communities with the data needed to adapt to changing water availability, enhancing resilience to climate risks.

The platform currently provides near-real-time information on:

– Reservoir water area time series (m²)

– Reservoir water storage time series (m³)

By harnessing open Earth observation-based data, Global Water Watch is helping stakeholders around the globe monitor, manage, and protect vital reservoirs, ensuring water security and supporting a more climate-resilient future.