Key Details
The WMO’s State of Global Water Resources 2025 combines observations, satellite measurements and hydrological models to assess rivers, reservoirs, groundwater, soil moisture, snow, glaciers and other parts of the water cycle.
Indicator | 2025 finding |
|---|---|
Global river discharge | 36% of assessed catchment area was below normal, 36% normal and 21% above normal; around 7% was not modelled |
India’s major river basins | Above- to much-above-normal discharge in the Ganges, Godavari, Krishna and Indus |
Reservoir inflows | Above to much above normal across India and much of South and Southeast Asia |
Reservoir storage | Many Indian reservoirs remained normal to below normal despite higher inflows |
Soil moisture | Above or much above normal across India during both winter and summer assessment periods |
Groundwater | Persistent below- to much-below-normal levels in north-western India |
Terrestrial water storage | Below normal across northern India |
Global glaciers | Lost 408 ±132 gigatonnes of mass during the 2025 hydrological year |
Water-related disasters | Asia and Africa accounted for over 80% of reported deaths during 2021–2025 |
Global river-discharge estimates were derived primarily from hydrological models. Where validation was possible, modelled anomalies agreed with observations in 63% of basins, including parts of India such as the Godavari basin.
A Wet Year for Major Indian Basins
A predominantly negative Indian Ocean Dipole contributed to increased rainfall over parts of Asia, including northern India. Above-normal precipitation translated into stronger river flows across several major Indian basins.
The report identifies above- to much-above-normal discharge in the:
Ganges;
Godavari;
Krishna; and
Indus, particularly its upper reaches.
India also recorded above- or much-above-normal soil moisture during the December-February and June-August periods. This indicates greater water availability in the root zone—the part of the soil from which crops and vegetation draw moisture.
These are annual and seasonal conditions, however, and do not mean that every district or month experienced adequate rainfall or freedom from flooding.
Higher Inflows Did Not Consistently Raise Reservoir Storage
Reservoirs across India received above- to much-above-normal inflows, broadly matching the stronger river flows. Yet many recorded only normal or below-normal storage.
The difference is significant:
Higher inflow → reservoir operations and withdrawals → storage that may still remain below normal
Storage reflects not only how much water enters a reservoir, but also release schedules, irrigation and drinking-water withdrawals, hydropower operations and the timing of rainfall. Strong monsoon inflows therefore do not automatically produce a comparable improvement in year-round water availability.
The finding also shows why river flow and reservoir storage should not be used interchangeably when assessing water security.
North-Western India Remains a Groundwater Pressure Point
Wetter surface conditions did not reverse India’s longer-term groundwater problem. The WMO identifies persistent and widespread groundwater deficits in north-western India during 2022–2025, with some deficits intensifying in 2025.
The report links persistent groundwater decline in several world regions partly to over-abstraction. It does not quantify how much of India’s deficit arose from pumping rather than climatic conditions, but the multi-year pattern indicates cumulative stress that a single wet season may not resolve.
Northern India also remained among the regions with below-normal terrestrial water storage—the combined water held in soil, groundwater, surface water, snow and ice. This wider measure reinforces the distinction between temporarily stronger river flows and recovery of the total water reserve.
Global Water Conditions Became More Uneven
Globally, 2025 was one of the driest years for river discharge since 1991, even as parts of South and Southeast Asia experienced unusually high flows. This coexistence of excess and scarcity is a defining feature of the report.
Other findings point to continuing pressure:
65% of monitored groundwater stations recorded levels outside their normal range: 34% below normal and 31% above normal.
Glaciers lost mass for the fourth consecutive year.
The share of global basin area with normal river discharge has remained below its historical average in every year covered by the five-report series.
Asia and Africa remain among the least represented regions in global hydrological observations, despite being highly exposed to floods and droughts.
These figures reflect areas with available observations or model coverage; they are not a complete census of global water conditions.
Better Coverage Has Not Closed the Data Gap
The 2025 edition covers 15 hydrological variables, compared with three when the series began. River-discharge observations expanded to 3,115 stations in 52 countries, while groundwater coverage rose to 43,529 stations across 51 countries.
Satellite products—including data from the Surface Water and Ocean Topography mission—and 13 global hydrological models help fill geographic gaps. Their inclusion broadens coverage but does not eliminate uncertainty: models may disagree with local observations, particularly where gauging networks are sparse.
For India, the report provides basin- and region-level signals rather than a complete national water account. The findings should therefore complement, not replace, reservoir, river, groundwater and rainfall data maintained by Indian agencies.
Policy Relevance
India’s 2025 experience shows why surface water, reservoir storage and groundwater must be assessed together. A strong rainfall year can improve rivers and soil moisture without restoring depleted aquifers or ensuring that reservoirs retain more water.
Reservoir operations: The gap between high inflows and weaker storage warrants basin-level examination of withdrawals, release schedules and competing uses.
Groundwater recovery: North-western India requires sustained monitoring of whether wet years produce aquifer recharge or are offset by continued extraction.
Integrated reporting: Linking rainfall, river discharge, reservoir storage, groundwater and agricultural demand would provide a clearer picture than any single indicator.
Disaster readiness: Above-normal annual flows can increase water availability while also raising flood exposure, requiring simultaneous storage and flood-management planning.
Follow the Full Report Here: WMO, State of Global Water Resources 2025