Water is stored in the geosphere as glaciers & ice caps, lakes, rivers, streams and wetlands, in the soil, and as groundwater. Surface water (lakes, streams, rivers, etc.) only accounts for 0.3% of our planet's freshwater. Approximately 30% of Earth's freshwater is stored as groundwater, but the majority (approximately 69%) is locked up in glaciers and ice caps. The amount of water stored in glaciers changes over time, due to changing climate patterns. Warming temperatures have dramatically altered several glaciers, which you can explore in the images below.