A global crisis is unfolding as countries, including the U.S., excessively pump groundwater, threatening future water security. Research by ETH Zurich and UCSB reveals a sharp decline in groundwater levels exacerbated by agriculture, climate change, and population growth. Despite some successful recovery efforts, urgent global action is needed to address this unsustainable usage and prevent long-term environmental impacts. Credit: SciTechDaily.
In an unprecedented feat of painstaking effort, the researchers have compiled and analyzed data from over 170,000 groundwater monitoring wells and 1,700 groundwater systems over the past 40 years. “We weren’t surprised that groundwater levels have fallen sharply worldwide, but we were shocked at how the pace has picked up in the past two decades,” Seybold says.
Heavy rainfall, which is occurring more frequently in some places as a result of climate change, is also not of any help. If the water comes in huge quantities, the soil often cannot absorb it. Instead, the water drains off at the surface without seeping into the groundwater. This problem is particularly acute in places with a high level of soil sealing, such as large cities.“The study also reveals good news,” says co-author Debra Perrone.
To preserve the shared water resource, politicians and authorities in both countries agreed to replenish the aquifer artificially with water from the Arve River. The intention was first to stabilize the groundwater level and later to raise it – and the intervention was a success. “While the water level in this aquifer may not have returned to its original level, the example shows that groundwater levels don’t always have to go only one way: down,” Seybold says.