aquifier depletion

aquifier depletion

Aquifer depletion is the cause of the water table being lowered and eventually draining an aquifer (Wiley, 2008).   Aquifers hold a large portion of the drinking and irrigation water on the earth. When aquifers are drained, the allotted water available for consumption is diminished. The problem of aquifer depletion is a global issue which seems to not allow for any immediate resolution.
    The encyclopedia of Earth (2005) describes an aquifer as, “a geologic formation, group of formations, or part of a formation that contains sufficient saturated permeable material to yield significant quantities of water to springs and wells.” The water at the top of an aquifer is called a water table (Wiley, 2008). When the water table is not replenished at the rate of depletion, the issue of aquifer depletion arises. Not all aquifers are drained at the rate of consumption, but many are. In the United States, China, and India, aquifer depletion levels are high and are causing issues with crops (Brown, L, 2005). The water available for irrigation purposes through wells and springs are drying at a high rate, not allowing for crops to grow. Aquifer depletion may cause a food shortage in the future.
    The plan I have to assist in alleviating aquifer depletion is education of issue in correspondence with use of cisterns built in areas of concern. Education of aquifer depletion will assist in farmers and consumers form abusing the water source. Digging and setting cisterns will collect water from rainfall and still allow water to sink into the water table (lcrep, 2008). Although the plan will take years to see favorable results, the effects of the plan will begin immediately upon implementation.
    The following table represents a breakdown of the plan in motion.
Action Items Action Steps Timeline of Events
Research the areas most affected by aquifer depletion and identify the largest source of the issue. Go to the nations where aquifer depletion is a large problem to...