Abstract: According to the terrestrial water storage anomaly (TWSA) inversed by GRACE(Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment) satellite data and normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) generated by MODIS remote sensing satellite in Yangtze River basin, the variations of terrestrial water storage and vegetation cover in the Yangtze River Basin are analyzed from aspects of trend, correlation, temporal and spatial variation characteristics. Results indicate strong correlation between TWSA and NDVI, which both reach the minimum in February and the maximum in August; the values of TWSA and NDVI are greatest in summer, followed by those in autumn, spring, and winter in sequence. By least square fitting between TWSA and NDVI together with grey prediction model, we conclude that in the Yangtze River Basin 2016 is the relatively wet year. The results would offer reference for the planning and pre-warning of water resources in the Yangtze River basin.

Key words: GRACE satellite, Yangtze River basin, terrestrial water storage(TWS), normalized different vegetation index(NDVI), grey prediction method