* . *
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Privacy & Policy
  • Contact
Monday, May 12, 2025
Earth-News
  • Home
  • Business
  • Entertainment
    John Legend Says He’s Shocked by Ye’s ‘Descent’ Into ‘Antisemitism’ and ‘Anti-Blackness’ – Yahoo

    John Legend Expresses Shock Over Ye’s Troubling Descent into Antisemitism and Anti-Blackness

    Free Flowin’ Fest brings entertainment to Pascagoula’s Beach Park – WLOX

    Experience the Excitement: Free Flowin’ Fest Lights Up Pascagoula’s Beach Park!

    ‘Experimental entertainment venue’ sets sights on Austin area – MySA

    ‘Experimental entertainment venue’ sets sights on Austin area – MySA

    Taylor Swift’s team calls subpoena in Blake Lively-Justin Baldoni case ‘tabloid clickbait’ – Yahoo

    Taylor Swift’s Team Slams Subpoena in Blake Lively-Justin Baldoni Case as ‘Tabloid Clickbait

    The Weeknd made the apocalypse sexy at his 2025 tour launch in Arizona – Yahoo

    The Weeknd Turns Up the Heat at His 2025 Tour Launch in Arizona!

    Flutter Entertainment eyes U.S. prediction markets amid growing interest – Sports Business Journal

    Flutter Entertainment Sets Its Sights on U.S. Prediction Markets as Interest Soars

  • General
  • Health
  • News

    Cracking the Code: Why China’s Economic Challenges Aren’t Shaking Markets, Unlike America’s” – Bloomberg

    Trump’s Narrow Window to Spread the Truth About Harris

    Trump’s Narrow Window to Spread the Truth About Harris

    Israel-Gaza war live updates: Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh assassinated in Iran, group says

    Israel-Gaza war live updates: Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh assassinated in Iran, group says

    PAP Boss to Niger Delta Youths, Stay Away from the Protest

    PAP Boss to Niger Delta Youths, Stay Away from the Protest

    Court Restricts Protests In Lagos To Freedom, Peace Park

    Court Restricts Protests In Lagos To Freedom, Peace Park

    Fans React to Jazz Jennings’ Inspiring Weight Loss Journey

    Fans React to Jazz Jennings’ Inspiring Weight Loss Journey

    Trending Tags

    • Trump Inauguration
    • United Stated
    • White House
    • Market Stories
    • Election Results
  • Science
  • Sports
  • Technology
    Well completions per location more than double in Lower 48 states as technology advances – U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) (.gov)

    Revolutionizing Oil Production: Lower 48 States See Doubling of Well Completions Thanks to Technological Breakthroughs!

    Officials announce massive project that could reshape electric vehicle technology: ‘This is exactly the type of investment that will help us grow the economy’ – Yahoo Finance

    Game-Changer Ahead: Major Investment Set to Transform Electric Vehicle Technology and Boost the Economy!

    Federal agents raid Dymeng Technology Solutions in St. Augustine – Action News Jax

    Federal Agents Storm Dymeng Technology Solutions in St. Augustine: What You Need to Know

    SoundHound’s Amelia 7.0 Platform Delivers Agentic AI With Category Leading Voice Technology – Business Wire

    Unleashing the Future: SoundHound’s Amelia 7.0 Revolutionizes Voice Technology with Agentic AI

    Comings and goings: MPT hires VP of technology, NPR announces changes to Business Desk – Current – For people in public media

    Exciting Leadership Changes: MPT Welcomes New VP of Technology and NPR Revamps Business Desk!

    Harnessing emerging technologies to power a small business – The Oaklandside

    Unlocking Success: How Emerging Technologies Can Transform Your Small Business

    Trending Tags

    • Nintendo Switch
    • CES 2017
    • Playstation 4 Pro
    • Mark Zuckerberg
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Business
  • Entertainment
    John Legend Says He’s Shocked by Ye’s ‘Descent’ Into ‘Antisemitism’ and ‘Anti-Blackness’ – Yahoo

    John Legend Expresses Shock Over Ye’s Troubling Descent into Antisemitism and Anti-Blackness

    Free Flowin’ Fest brings entertainment to Pascagoula’s Beach Park – WLOX

    Experience the Excitement: Free Flowin’ Fest Lights Up Pascagoula’s Beach Park!

    ‘Experimental entertainment venue’ sets sights on Austin area – MySA

    ‘Experimental entertainment venue’ sets sights on Austin area – MySA

    Taylor Swift’s team calls subpoena in Blake Lively-Justin Baldoni case ‘tabloid clickbait’ – Yahoo

    Taylor Swift’s Team Slams Subpoena in Blake Lively-Justin Baldoni Case as ‘Tabloid Clickbait

    The Weeknd made the apocalypse sexy at his 2025 tour launch in Arizona – Yahoo

    The Weeknd Turns Up the Heat at His 2025 Tour Launch in Arizona!

    Flutter Entertainment eyes U.S. prediction markets amid growing interest – Sports Business Journal

    Flutter Entertainment Sets Its Sights on U.S. Prediction Markets as Interest Soars

  • General
  • Health
  • News

    Cracking the Code: Why China’s Economic Challenges Aren’t Shaking Markets, Unlike America’s” – Bloomberg

    Trump’s Narrow Window to Spread the Truth About Harris

    Trump’s Narrow Window to Spread the Truth About Harris

    Israel-Gaza war live updates: Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh assassinated in Iran, group says

    Israel-Gaza war live updates: Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh assassinated in Iran, group says

    PAP Boss to Niger Delta Youths, Stay Away from the Protest

    PAP Boss to Niger Delta Youths, Stay Away from the Protest

    Court Restricts Protests In Lagos To Freedom, Peace Park

    Court Restricts Protests In Lagos To Freedom, Peace Park

    Fans React to Jazz Jennings’ Inspiring Weight Loss Journey

    Fans React to Jazz Jennings’ Inspiring Weight Loss Journey

    Trending Tags

    • Trump Inauguration
    • United Stated
    • White House
    • Market Stories
    • Election Results
  • Science
  • Sports
  • Technology
    Well completions per location more than double in Lower 48 states as technology advances – U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) (.gov)

    Revolutionizing Oil Production: Lower 48 States See Doubling of Well Completions Thanks to Technological Breakthroughs!

    Officials announce massive project that could reshape electric vehicle technology: ‘This is exactly the type of investment that will help us grow the economy’ – Yahoo Finance

    Game-Changer Ahead: Major Investment Set to Transform Electric Vehicle Technology and Boost the Economy!

    Federal agents raid Dymeng Technology Solutions in St. Augustine – Action News Jax

    Federal Agents Storm Dymeng Technology Solutions in St. Augustine: What You Need to Know

    SoundHound’s Amelia 7.0 Platform Delivers Agentic AI With Category Leading Voice Technology – Business Wire

    Unleashing the Future: SoundHound’s Amelia 7.0 Revolutionizes Voice Technology with Agentic AI

    Comings and goings: MPT hires VP of technology, NPR announces changes to Business Desk – Current – For people in public media

    Exciting Leadership Changes: MPT Welcomes New VP of Technology and NPR Revamps Business Desk!

    Harnessing emerging technologies to power a small business – The Oaklandside

    Unlocking Success: How Emerging Technologies Can Transform Your Small Business

    Trending Tags

    • Nintendo Switch
    • CES 2017
    • Playstation 4 Pro
    • Mark Zuckerberg
No Result
View All Result
Earth-News
No Result
View All Result
Home Science

Humans are depleting groundwater worldwide, but there are ways to replenish it

January 28, 2024
in Science
Humans are depleting groundwater worldwide, but there are ways to replenish it
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Humans are depleting groundwater worldwide, but there are ways to replenish it

Groundwater is an essential but underappreciated resource worldwide. Credit: World Bank, CC BY-ND

If you stand at practically any point on Earth, there is water moving through the ground beneath your feet. Groundwater provides about half of the world’s population with drinking water and nearly half of all water used to irrigate crops. It sustains rivers, lakes and wetlands during droughts.

Groundwater is a renewable resource, but it can take decades or even centuries for some aquifers to recover after they are depleted. Current understanding of this challenge is based mainly on where and how frequently people record measurements of water levels in wells.

In a newly published study, a team of data scientists, water specialists and policy experts compiled the first global-scale dataset of these levels. We analyzed millions of groundwater level measurements in 170,000 wells located in over 40 countries and mapped how groundwater levels have changed over time.

Our study has two main findings. First, we show that rapid groundwater depletion is widespread around the world and that rates of decline have accelerated in recent decades, with levels falling by 20 inches or more yearly in some locations. Second, however, our research also reveals many cases where deliberate actions halted groundwater depletion. These results show that societies are not inevitably doomed to drain their groundwater supplies, and that with timely interventions, this important resource can recover.

Portrait of a thirsty planet

Many factors determine groundwater levels, including geology, climate and land use. But groundwater levels that are dropping deeper and deeper in a particular location often signal that people are pumping it out faster than nature can replenish it.

Some of the 300 million measurements we compiled were recorded by automated measuring devices. Many others were made in the field by people around the globe. And these measurements paint a worrying picture.

They show that groundwater levels have declined since the year 2000 in far more places than they rose. In many locations, especially arid zones that are heavily farmed and irrigated, groundwater levels are falling by more than 20 inches (0.5 meters) per year. Examples include Afghanistan, Chile, China, Peninsular India, Iran, Mexico, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Spain and the U.S. Southwest.

Communities in Bangkok, Tucson and Albuquerque have found ways to replenish their groundwater sources.

Our second and more concerning finding is that in about one-third of the areas where we compiled measurements, the rate of groundwater decline is accelerating. Accelerated groundwater decline is common in dry climates where large swaths of land are used for agriculture. This suggests a potential link between groundwater-fed irrigation and intensifying groundwater depletion.

What happens when groundwater is overused?

Rapid and accelerating groundwater-level declines have many harmful effects.

Drinking-water supplies from wells and springs can run dry when groundwater levels decline. People and communities who rely on those wells can lose access to what may be their sole source of accessible fresh water for drinking.

For example, wells that supply fresh water to homes are running dry in California’s San Joaquin Valley, where groundwater depletion has accelerated since the early 2000s. This problem is likely to continue and worsen unless action is taken to stabilize groundwater reserves.

Wells that run dry can also threaten crop production. Groundwater depletion has long been viewed as one of the greatest threats to global irrigated agriculture, because wells supply nearly half of the water used for irrigation globally.

In areas where groundwater typically drains to rivers, falling groundwater levels can reverse this flow and cause rivers to leak into the subsurface. This affects the river’s ecology and reduces water supplies downstream. In the U.S., leaky streams are more common where groundwater withdrawal rates are high, highlighting how groundwater pumping can directly reduce the amount of water that flows underground into nearby rivers.

Groundwater declines can also cause land surfaces to sink. Land subsidence has increased flood risks in dozens of coastal cities worldwide, including Jakarta, Tokyo, Istanbul, Mumbai, Auckland and the Tampa Bay area of Florida.

In wet years, water managers in Fresno, Calif., pump water out of rivers and canals into recharge basins. There, the water can sink slowly into the ground and recharge groundwater supplies.

Farther from the coast, land subsidence can damage infrastructure. It poses a critical challenge in areas where groundwater levels have declined, including Tehran and Mexico City. In many cases, the main culprit is excessive groundwater pumping.

Finally, falling groundwater can cause seawater to move inland underground and contaminate coastal groundwater systems—a process known as seawater intrusion. When seawater intrudes, coastal aquifers can become too saline to use for drinking water without energy-intensive desalination.

How to replenish groundwater supplies

We also found places where groundwater levels are recovering. The strategies that communities used to replenish their groundwater sources included developing new alternative water supplies, such as local rivers; adopting policies to reduce demand for groundwater; and intentionally replenishing aquifers with surface water.

The town of El Dorado, Arkansas, saw its groundwater levels drop by roughly 200 feet (60 meters) from 1940 through 2000 as local industries pumped water from the aquifer. In 1999, a new policy established a pumping fee structure, giving businesses an incentive to find a new water supply. By 2005, a pipeline had been built to divert water from the Ouachita River to El Dorado. This new source reduced demand for groundwater, and groundwater levels have risen in the area since 2005.

In Bangkok, so many private wells were drilled for domestic, industrial or commercial purposes between 1980 and 2000 that groundwater pumping doubled and groundwater levels fell. Officials responded by quadrupling groundwater extraction fees between 2000 and 2006. Total groundwater pumping declined, and levels began to recover as users found other water sources.

In a valley near Tucson, Arizona, groundwater levels declined by 100 feet (30 meters) as withdrawals for irrigation increased after the 1940s. To help replenish the depleted groundwater, leaky ponds were constructed. These ponds are filled with water from the Colorado River that is moved hundreds of miles to the area via canals. As these ponds leak, they refill the depleted aquifer. Because of these leaky ponds, groundwater levels in the valley have risen by about 200 feet (60 meters) in places.

Our analysis shows how important it is to monitor groundwater levels in many locations. With groundwater levels declining in many places, communities and businesses that depend on it need accurate information about their water supplies so they can act in time to protect them.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.The Conversation

Citation:
Humans are depleting groundwater worldwide, but there are ways to replenish it (2024, January 27)
retrieved 27 January 2024
from https://phys.org/news/2024-01-humans-depleting-groundwater-worldwide-ways.html

This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no
part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only.

>>> Read full article>>>
Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source : Phys.org – https://phys.org/news/2024-01-humans-depleting-groundwater-worldwide-ways.html

Tags: depletingHumansscience
Previous Post

Small ‘fortress’ parks aren’t the answer for Africa’s savannah elephants. They need room to roam

Next Post

What a UK Labour government will mean for Australia’s global interests

Pacers win to edge closer to Conference final – Yahoo Sports

Pacers win to edge closer to Conference final – Yahoo Sports

May 12, 2025
Towards synthetic ecology: strategies for the optimization of microbial community functions – Frontiers

Unlocking the Future of Synthetic Ecology: Innovative Strategies to Enhance Microbial Community Functions

May 12, 2025
12 reasons to ignore computer science degrees – cio.com

12 Compelling Reasons to Rethink Pursuing a Computer Science Degree

May 12, 2025
Don’t feel guilty about poaching scientists fleeing Trump, US science body tells Europe – Science|Business

Embrace the Brain Drain: Why Europe Should Welcome Scientists Leaving the Trump Era

May 12, 2025
Sagittarius Daily Horoscope Today (Nov 22- Dec 21), May 12, 2025: Lifestyle will improve! – India Today

Unlock a Brighter Future: Exciting Lifestyle Changes Await Sagittarius Today!

May 12, 2025
USA breaks mixed 4x400m championship record in Guangzhou – worldathletics.org

USA Shatters Mixed 4x400m Championship Record in Guangzhou!

May 12, 2025
Is the US economy about to collapse? – FreightWaves

Is a US Economic Collapse on the Horizon

May 12, 2025
John Legend Says He’s Shocked by Ye’s ‘Descent’ Into ‘Antisemitism’ and ‘Anti-Blackness’ – Yahoo

John Legend Expresses Shock Over Ye’s Troubling Descent into Antisemitism and Anti-Blackness

May 12, 2025
Merck Animal Health announces $895 million investment in Kansas – Reuters

Merck Animal Health Unveils Ambitious $895 Million Investment in Kansas!

May 12, 2025
How Dartmouth Has Avoided Trump’s Retribution So Far – The New York Times

How Dartmouth Has Skillfully Navigated Trump’s Retribution

May 11, 2025

Categories

Archives

May 2025
MTWTFSS
 1234
567891011
12131415161718
19202122232425
262728293031 
« Apr    
Earth-News.info

The Earth News is an independent English-language daily published Website from all around the World News

Browse by Category

  • Business (20,132)
  • Ecology (601)
  • Economy (613)
  • Entertainment (21,526)
  • General (15,211)
  • Health (9,655)
  • Lifestyle (618)
  • News (22,149)
  • People (616)
  • Politics (620)
  • Science (15,835)
  • Sports (21,124)
  • Technology (15,603)
  • World (603)

Recent News

Pacers win to edge closer to Conference final – Yahoo Sports

Pacers win to edge closer to Conference final – Yahoo Sports

May 12, 2025
Towards synthetic ecology: strategies for the optimization of microbial community functions – Frontiers

Unlocking the Future of Synthetic Ecology: Innovative Strategies to Enhance Microbial Community Functions

May 12, 2025
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Privacy & Policy
  • Contact

© 2023 earth-news.info

No Result
View All Result

© 2023 earth-news.info

No Result
View All Result

© 2023 earth-news.info

Go to mobile version