California’s depleted underground aquifers

Source: Reveal | Twitter

Hat tip to naked capitalism

This photo shows the huge subsidence of a tract of land in California because of the exhaustion of underground water reservoirs beneath.   It would be interesting to see how much more the land has subsided since this photo was taken.

In the current drought, Californians are increasing their draw on underground aquifers as a substitute for the water they are not getting from rivers fed by melting snow.  This cannot go on forever.

And, as Stein’s Law says, if something cannot go on forever, someday it will stop.

LINK

Vast areas of California are sinking as groundwater is pumped in drought by the Associated Press.  (Added 8/22/2015)   Hat tip to Bill Harvey.

Tags: aquifers, California, underground water reservoirs, Water supply