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Widespread and increased drilling of wells into fossil aquifers in the USA

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  • Merhawi GebreEgziabher

    (Bren School of Environmental Science and Management, University of California, Santa Barbara)

  • Scott Jasechko

    (Bren School of Environmental Science and Management, University of California, Santa Barbara)

  • Debra Perrone

    (Environmental Studies Program, University of California, Santa Barbara)

Abstract

Most stored groundwater is ‘fossil’ in its age, having been under the ground for more than ~12 thousand years. Mapping where wells tap fossil aquifers is relevant for water quality and quantity management. Nevertheless, the prevalence of wells that tap fossil aquifers is not known. Here we show that wells that are sufficiently deep to tap fossil aquifers are widespread, though they remain outnumbered by shallower wells in most areas. Moreover, the proportion of newly drilled wells that are deep enough to tap fossil aquifers has increased over recent decades. However, this widespread and increased drilling of wells into fossil aquifers is not necessarily associated with groundwater depletion, emphasizing that the presence of fossil groundwater does not necessarily indicate a non-renewable water supply. Our results highlight the importance of safeguarding fossil groundwater quality and quantity to meet present and future water demands.

Suggested Citation

  • Merhawi GebreEgziabher & Scott Jasechko & Debra Perrone, 2022. "Widespread and increased drilling of wells into fossil aquifers in the USA," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-12, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:13:y:2022:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-022-29678-7
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-29678-7
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. M. Rodell & J. S. Famiglietti & D. N. Wiese & J. T. Reager & H. K. Beaudoing & F. W. Landerer & M.-H. Lo, 2018. "Emerging trends in global freshwater availability," Nature, Nature, vol. 557(7707), pages 651-659, May.
    2. Mir, R. & Azizyan, G. & Massah, A. & Gohari, A., 2022. "Fossil water: Last resort to resolve long-standing water scarcity?," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 261(C).
    3. Scott Jasechko & Debra Perrone & Hansjörg Seybold & Ying Fan & James W. Kirchner, 2020. "Groundwater level observations in 250,000 coastal US wells reveal scope of potential seawater intrusion," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 11(1), pages 1-9, December.
    4. Debra Perrone & Scott Jasechko, 2019. "Deeper well drilling an unsustainable stopgap to groundwater depletion," Nature Sustainability, Nature, vol. 2(8), pages 773-782, August.
    5. Carole Dalin & Yoshihide Wada & Thomas Kastner & Michael J. Puma, 2017. "Groundwater depletion embedded in international food trade," Nature, Nature, vol. 543(7647), pages 700-704, March.
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    Cited by:

    1. Melissa Thaw & Merhawi GebreEgziabher & Jobel Y. Villafañe-Pagán & Scott Jasechko, 2022. "Modern groundwater reaches deeper depths in heavily pumped aquifer systems," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-9, December.

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