Australian researchers conducted an in-depth assessment of the Murray -Darling Basin using data from the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) satellite to understand the extent of the drought. Findings indicate that the basin has lost 200 cubic kilometers of water over the past six years.

The study, published in Water Resources Research, provides a more integrated approach for drought study that accounts for total water deficit from a wide area, taking into account the loss of surface water, soil moisture and groundwater. The regional study, at the water basin scale, provides a new understanding of severe drought conditions and their affect on groundwater.

Read more here on Science Alert.

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