Groundwater Aquifers | Our most precious resource?
Our most precious resource?
Water is a natural but limited resource. Most of the water on Earth is saltwater; 97 percent of the world's water supply is located in the oceans. That means that only 3 percent is freshwater, and two-thirds of that is frozen in the polar icecaps, icebergs, and glaciers. Only the remaining 1 percent is groundwater or surface waterWater in lakes, rivers, ponds, and streams. in lakes, ponds, and streams.
Today, about three-quarters of the cities in the United States depend on groundwater for part or all of their drinking water. Wells also withdraw groundwater to irrigate crops, keep golf courses green, and meet other recreational needs.
When water is pumped out of an aquifer into a well, the water level drops. If rainfall does not replace that water, the aquifer becomes overdrawn. When water is pumped out faster than it is...
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