Trends in water balance components across the Brazilian Cerrado

Significant increases in evapotranspiration, terrestrial water storage, and runoff decreases have been observed across the Brazilian Cerrado from 2003 to 2010. The study leverages remotely sensed data—precipitation (TRMM), evapotranspiration (MOD16), and terrestrial water storage (GRACE)—to assess trends in the region's water balance. By evaluating budget closure with measured discharge data and applying the Mann-Kendall test, researchers identified a 51 ± 15 mm/year rise in annual evapotranspiration, a 11 ± 6 mm/year increase in terrestrial water storage in the northeast Cerrado, and a 72 ± 11 mm/year decline in runoff in isolated areas of Mato Grosso. While uncertainties persist due to data limitations, this approach offers valuable insights into large-scale water balance dynamics, dry periods, and land-use impacts on hydrology.

Oliveira, P. T. S., Nearing, M. A., Moran, M. S., Goodrich, D. C., Wendland, E., & Gupta, H. V. (2014). Trends in water balance components across the Brazilian Cerrado. Water Resources Research, 50(9), 7100–7114. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1002/2013wr015202