A new study shows Americans are drilling deeper than ever for fresh water.
A new study shows Americans are drilling deeper than ever for fresh water.
Groundwater may be out of sight, but for over 100 million Americans who rely on it for their lives and livelihoods it’s anything but out of mind. Unfortunately, wells are going dry and scientists are just beginning to understand the complex landscape of groundwater use.
Now, researchers at UC Santa Barbara have published the first comprehensive account of groundwater wells across the contiguous United States. They analyzed data from nearly 12 million wells throughout the country in records stretching back decades. Their findings appear in the journal Nature Sustainability.
In tackling the work, Debra Perrone and Scott Jasechko had a number of different questions about groundwater usage they wanted to address. First they set out to determine both where in the country wells are located and what purposes they serve — domestic, industrial or agricultural. They also wanted to track the depths of wells in different areas and test to see if wells are being drilled deeper over time.
Read more at: University of California - Santa Barbara
Groundwater well drilling equipment in California's Central Valley. (Photo Credit: Chad Ress)
