@article{fdi:010087769,
  title = {{C}urrent availability and distribution of {C}ongo {B}asin's freshwater resources},
  author = {{T}ourian, {M}. {J}. and {P}apa, {F}abrice and {E}lmi, {O}. and {S}neeuw, {N}. and {K}itambo, {B}. and {T}shimanga, {R}. {M}. and {P}aris, {A}. and {C}almant, {S}t{\'e}phane},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{W}ater storage-discharge analysis shows that {C}ongo {B}asin's {T}otal {D}rainable {W}ater {S}torage amounts to 476-502 km(3), is unevenly distributed, with 63% in the southern sub-basins, and would take approximately 4.3 months to drain entirely. {T}he {C}ongo {B}asin is of global significance for biodiversity and the water and carbon cycles. {H}owever, its freshwater availability and distribution remain relatively unknown. {U}sing satellite data, here we show that currently the {C}ongo {B}asin's {T}otal {D}rainable {W}ater {S}torage lies within a range of 476 km(3) to 502 km(3), unevenly distributed throughout the region, with 63% being stored in the southernmost sub-basins, {K}asai (220-228 km(3)) and {L}ualaba (109-169 km(3)), while the northern sub-basins contribute only 173 +/- 8 km(3). {W}e further estimate the hydraulic time constant for draining its entire water storage to be 4.3 +/- 0.1 months, but, regionally, permanent wetlands and large lakes act as resistors resulting in greater time constants of up to 105 +/- 3 months. {O}ur estimate provides a robust basis to address the challenges of water demand for 120 million inhabitants, a population expected to double in a few decades.},
  keywords = {{CONGO} {CUVETTE}},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{C}ommunications {E}arth and {E}nvironment},
  volume = {4},
  numero = {1},
  pages = {174 [13 p.]},
  year = {2023},
  DOI = {10.1038/s43247-023-00836-z},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010087769},
}