Ground-water Mining in the United States

Book excerpt: Abstract: Ground-water levels are declining from 6 inches to over 5 feet annually beneath 14 million acres of irrigated land in 11 States irrigated mainly by ground water. Pumping costs are rising, and well yields are declining, causing farmers to adjust their irrigation practices. Farmers are adopting new irrigation technologies to improve irrigation efficiency and are changing to crops with lower water requirements in some areas. However, techniques for conserving ground water may not extend the life of aquifers. State and local governments have passed laws severely restricting further irrigation development in about 45 percent of the irrigated area affected by ground-water mining.