More Fresh Water Flowing Into the World’s Oceans, Study Says

The amount of freshwater streaming into the world’s oceans has increased significantly since 1994 as the planet warms and the acceleration of the planet’s hydrological cycle has caused more frequent and intense storms, according to a new study. Using satellite technology to track sea level rise, precipitation, and evaporation over a 13-year period, researchers at the University of California Irvine determined that 18 percent more water reached the oceans in 2006 than in 1994. “That might not sound like much — 1.5 percent a year — but after a few decades it’s huge,” said Jay Famiglietti, an earth science professor and lead researcher on the study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The researchers say warming temperatures in the air over the oceans have accelerated the rate of evaporation, causing more cloud formation and triggering an increase in extreme monsoons and hurricanes. But the study said that while many high-rainfall regions are getting wetter, semi-arid regions are becoming drier. The study suggests that additional research is necessary given the relatively short time-frame of the research.