Soil fertility is similar to irrigation. As fertility decreases, it can be compensated (to a point) by fertilizer, but at an increased cost. As the aquifers a

Soil fertility is similar to irrigation. As fertility decreases, it can be compensated (to a point) by fertilizer, but at an increased cost. As the aquifers are pumped faster than they are replenished, water can be pumped from deeper depths, but also at an increased cost. Both impact the economics of farming. And for many communities where agriculture is the economic foundation, decades of non-sustainable practices have created economic headwinds. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ogallala_Aquifer https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ogallala_Aquifer (primary aquifer in the midwest) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Optima_Lake https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Optima_Lake (lake never filled due to decrease in aquifer depth)