One of the largest bodies of water in the United States, the Ogallala Aquifer, lies underground. Crucial to life in the U.S. Great Plains, it's one of many aquifers around the world under stress as water demands increase. Satellite data are now painting a richer picture of how these water stores are evolving.

States are having to make tough decisions regarding their water use and their interaction with water. NCAR scientists are involved in collaborative projects in Colorado, Louisiana, and Oklahoma to evaluate the long-term effects of today’s decisions.

An engineer and water policy expert, David Behar is one of the nation’s leading voices on ways to weave weather and climate knowledge into water management.

Whether you’re looking at the next few weeks or the next few decades, many parts of the United States are likely to face the silent but devastating impacts of drought.

Even if climate mitigation efforts succeed, current warming trends commit us to centuries of sea level rise.