Earth's Reservoirs


Reservoir in Colorado. Photo courtesy of Scott Ingram Photography/Flickr.



The majority (97%) of all of Earth's water is found in the ocean. That means only 3% of Earth's water is freshwater. Other reservoirs of the global water supply include lakes, rivers, clouds, organisms, glaciers, and in the ground. Only a small percentage of Earth's water is available for use by humans. Humans use Earth's freshwater surface and groundwater resources for drinking and irrigation.
Last modified: Thursday, 3 February 2011, 1:14 PM