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There's also ground compaction. People don't understand that when the underground water table drops, the ground compacts and you never get that capacity back, e
by KennyBlanken 3y ago
There's also ground compaction. People don't understand that when the underground water table drops, the ground compacts and you never get that capacity back, ever.
- elzbardico 3y agoIt is not like that. While ground compaction can happen in some circumstances, it takes quite some time to happen and its likelihood depends a lot on the type of soil.
- gumby 3y agoI think the GP was talking about underground aquifers not soil.
- robsh 3y agoHe’s referring to subsidence. The buoyant weight of soil is less than the dry weight, so it does compact when the groundwater is drawn down lower than ever before (as it has been for decades, getting lower and lower). It’s an irreversible process. The California Aqueduct is currently dealing with problems relating to subsidence - what used to be a smooth downhill grade is now slumping in the middle. The capacity of the canal is reduced and without intervention it would eventually be unable to flow uphill.