Our groundwater use is destroying freshwater ecosystems

Enlarge (credit: World Meterological Organization)

Huge numbers of people depend on water drawn from the ground, especially in drier regions, but these water resources are being steadily depleted. Less water in the ground doesn't just mean less water for us-it also means less water to flow into the rivers and streams that support freshwater ecosystems.

These dwindling supplies are set to have a devastating impact. A paper in Nature this week takes a close look at the use of groundwater around the world, estimating the point at which it becomes unsustainable. The news is dire: in many places, we're already there, and for many more, the limit will be hit within the next thirty years.

A delicate balance

Groundwater "is the world's largest freshwater resource," write hydrologist Inge de Graaf and her colleagues. It's used heavily in agriculture, which means it's important for food security, and it plays a particularly crucial role for people in arid areas or during droughts.

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