With memories of the wettest U.S. spring on record still fresh, it seems strange to hear that in many parts of the nation, groundwater supplies – the water stored underneath our feet, in rocks and sediments – are lower than normal. This includes places with wet climates, such as southern Georgia, coastal Maryland and Cleveland. How is this possible? Although groundwater and surface water interact, they differ in key ways, including the processes through which rain and snowmelt replenish them. Because groundwater supplies drinking water to more than 120 million Americans, provides nearly half of all water used for irrigation and is used for industrial purposes such as energy production, it is a critically important resource. Until recently, no one had mapped groundwater well locations and information across the nation. We are a water resources engineer with training in water law, and a water scientist and large-data analyst. In a recently published study, we produced the first map of groundwater wells across the United States, and show that groundwater wells are being drilled deeper than ever. Although this seems like a logical response when usable water supplies are scarce, we see deeper drilling as a band-aid solution that cannot go on forever. To view the full article visit the Telegraph.
