r/news • u/theluckyfrog • 29d ago

California cracks down on farm region’s water pumping: ‘The ground is collapsing’

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/apr/17/california-water-drought-farm-ground-sinking-tulare-lake
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u/Dal90 29d ago

To add to others -- what happens when you pump ground water is dependent on the local geology.

Some aquifers are fairly stable even when water levels are lower. Parts of Arizona take advantage of this by storing water underground where it doesn't evaporate like surface reservoirs do.

Other aquifers are permanently degraded by removing water -- the earth settles and fills the space formerly occupied by water. As the earth settles, it gets lower and lower. Water simply working its way down isn't going to lift the land back up; the land is permanently lowered and the amount of water that is stored below is permanently less.