Crop Irrigation Is Closely Tied to Groundwater Depletion Around the World

  • Released Wednesday, March 29, 2017
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The irrigation that grows crops, especially in dry countries, can also be responsible for taxing aquifers beyond their capacities. Groundwater depletion is embedded in the international food trade, with countries exporting crops grown from overexploited aquifers and setting up potential future food crises if the aquifers run dry.

Music credit: Time Is Passing by Theo Golding [PRS]

Narrated by Michael Puma

From 2000 to 2010, groundwater depletion from irrigation increased 22 percent globally.

From 2000 to 2010, groundwater depletion from irrigation increased 22 percent globally.

Using Earth observations and models, scientists can understand and predict where groundwater depletion will be most severe.

Using Earth observations and models, scientists can understand and predict where groundwater depletion will be most severe.

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Music credit: Time Is Passing by Theo Golding [PRS]

Narrated by Michael Puma

Complete transcript available.

Complete transcript available.

Narrated by Katy Mersmann

Credits

Please give credit for this item to:
NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center

This page was originally published on Wednesday, March 29, 2017.
This page was last updated on Wednesday, May 3, 2023 at 1:47 PM EDT.

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