aquifer depletion
Credit: Jimmy Emerson, DVM/Flickr
Water crisis looms in Oklahoma panhandle as pork processing booms
A pork processing plant has revitalized Guymon’s economy but has accelerated the depletion of the region’s vital groundwater supply.
In short:
- Seaboard Foods' pork processing plant has markedly increased groundwater depletion in the Oklahoma panhandle, exacerbating an already declining water supply.
- Weak state water laws and lack of enforcement have allowed unchecked water use, creating a looming crisis for local agriculture and residents.
- Guymon officials are concerned about the sustainability of water resources, with new wells needed to support continued economic activity.
Key quote:
“Seaboard takes a lot of water, but if we didn’t have the feedstuff to feed the million-plus pigs, Seaboard would not be there and Guymon would dry up and blow away, as with the rest of the panhandle.”
— Oklahoma senator, Casey Murdock
Why this matters:
The depletion of the Ogallala Aquifer threatens both the economic stability and future viability of agriculture in the region, impacting food production and local livelihoods. Read more: As hog farms grow in size and number, so do Iowa water problems.
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Credit: VectorMine/BigStock Photo ID: 325356871
Europe's groundwater crisis deepens
Europe's groundwater, once considered abundant, is now facing a critical decline in both quality and quantity due to climate change and industrial overexploitation.
Zeynep Sentek, Jelena Prtorić, Sarah Pilz report for Under the Surface.
In short:
- More than 15% of Europe's aquifers are in poor condition, impacting major crop-producing countries like Spain, France, Belgium, and the Netherlands.
- Many countries fail to provide comprehensive data on groundwater status, hindering the assessment of the full extent of the crisis.
- The EU is criticized for not enforcing stricter water management laws, often succumbing to agricultural and chemical industry pressures.
Key quote:
“Water is difficult to find and expensive. It is no longer sustainable this way. More and more growers are giving up.”
— Bart Trybou, Belgian farmer
Why this matters:
Groundwater depletion and contamination threaten food security, public health, and economic stability across Europe. The failure to address this issue could lead to severe shortages and broader environmental crises. Read more: Farming for a small planet.
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Credit: Malcolm K./Flickr
Mexico city's metro system faces sinking crisis due to subsidence
A dire study reveals that Mexico City's metro system is sinking rapidly due to subsidence, posing risks to its infrastructure and passenger safety.
In short:
- Subsidence, caused by the compaction of land due to groundwater extraction, is sinking Mexico City at rates of up to 20 inches per year.
- The uneven sinking poses threats to infrastructure, with nearly half of the elevated segments of the Metro experiencing differential subsidence.
- Flooding, electrical system disruptions, and increased rail slopes are among the potential dangers.
Key quote:
“Trains can get derailed very easily if there is a slight change in the leveling of the railways.”
— Manoochehr Shirzaei, environmental security expert at Virginia Tech.
Why this matters:
As cities face subsidence due to over-extraction of groundwater and global sea levels continue their inexorable rise, infrastructure risks and public safety concerns amplify. Can we adapt to climate change in ways that solve other problems too?
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Credit: kaninw/BigStockPhotos ID: 430959740
Recent court rulings bolster state power to safeguard groundwater
In a significant shift, western states are gaining ground in the battle to conserve their precious groundwater resources.
In short:
- Recent court decisions in Idaho, Nevada and Montana have empowered states to enforce stricter groundwater usage rules to combat overpumping.
- The rulings are part of a broader movement that includes California's steps to penalize over-extraction and the White House's consultation with scientists on federal support.
- These measures address the critical decline in groundwater levels, a vital source for drinking water and agriculture exacerbated by climate change.
Key quote:
"This is truly exciting. There has been stuff like this off and on, but not in such a short period of time across the western states."
— Upmanu Lall, director of both the Water Institute at ASU and the Columbia Water Center at Columbia University.
Why this matters:
Groundwater depletion poses a threat to the sustainability of drinking water supplies, agricultural productivity and urban development. Whereas deference to water rights established in a bygone era have maintained a legacy of water injustice, these recent court decisions signal a pivotal shift to more equitable water considerations.
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Top Story
Credit: VectorMine/Flickr
The world’s essential aquifers are in deep trouble
New research finds that the groundwater systems that hydrate your life are in rapid, sometimes accelerating decline around the globe. Here’s how to stop the retreat.
Credit: Donna S/Flickr
Talbert Cypress: In Florida Everglades, our tribal conservation plan will end drilling in Big Cypress for good
The Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida has a plan to stop the drilling and protect the aquifer.
Credit: Colin/Flickr
Some California farmers pay for groundwater. Is that workable?
A conversation with Coral Davenport, a climate reporter, about a novel water payment system in the Pajaro Valley.
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