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Rapidly depleting groundwater aquifers are a slow-moving, but impending humanitarian disaster. In particular, Western US states have seen particularly rapid d
by mr_overalls 8y ago
Rapidly depleting groundwater aquifers are a slow-moving, but impending humanitarian disaster.
In particular, Western US states have seen particularly rapid depletion in recent years that could threaten the viability of cities and agriculture in the coming decades.
Popsci overview: Cadillac Desert by Marc Reisner
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56140.Cadillac_Desert https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56140.Cadillac_Desert
USGS Report: https://pubs.usgs.gov/sir/2013/5079/ https://pubs.usgs.gov/sir/2013/5079/
Fictional horrorshow: The Water Knife by Paolo Bacigalupi
- e40 8y agoCame here to say this. Kudos on the links. I'll just add: and with fracking, it only gets worse. 500+ chemicals injected into the aquifer, that took millions of years to become what it is... it's hubris thinking this isn't a problem.
- space_fountain 8y agoThey aren't being injected into aquafers we use for water. They already have a bunch of nastyness in them
- piyh 8y agoFracking is about 5000 ft down, aquifers are generally 500 to 2000. What's the mechanism for the contamination?
- pixl97 8y agoThe reinjection of waste fracking water is the common issue. "Oops, we broke containment"
- e40 8y agoYou just pointed out that the drilling is through the aquifer. And, as pointed out, they reinject waste products. Does anyone believe there is zero contamination?
- Latteland 8y agoYes, of course there can be contamination, but it's not guaranteed. First, you are drilling through the ground water. Second, you broke through those layers to go do. Hopefully the tech and practices in the field prevent this. But we know it does happen because some people have had their water ruined. Plus, we know it has strong potential because of state legislatures being encouraged to make laws protecting the drillers (not the home owners).