Drought, groundwater use, and subsidence in California

As California’s drought continues and intensifies, groundwater is ever more heavily exploited. Groundwater withdrawals are happening much faster than natural recharge will ever occur, and the consequences can literally move the ground beneath your feet. This video from the USGS is a nice explainer:

For more on California’s climate and water woes, check out my review of the book “The West Without Water,” which was published last spring in Earth Magazine.