Groundwater

The Southwest, Great Plains, and Southeast are particularly vulnerable to changes in water supply and demand. Changes in precipitation and runoff, combined with changes in consumption and withdrawal, have reduced surface and groundwater supplies in many areas. These trends are expected to continue, increasing the likelihood of water shortages for many uses.

Over 68 percent of Earth's freshwater is locked up in ice and glaciers; and another 30 percent is in groundwater.

Snow is very good for the groundwater levels.

With groundwater levels dropping due to overuse, drought and climate change, the challenge to get enough water daily was becoming harder.

The experts say swelling cities are adding to the pressure by weighing down the deltas and sucking up groundwater.

A new study by Potsdam University and the German Research Centre for Geosciences GFZ finds recent droughts in central Europe have seriously depleted groundwater resources that forests depend on, leaving a major deficit despite winter rains.

Japanese scientists are trying to develop a new toxin-free solder that will not damage the groundwater.

Algeria has plenty of groundwater in the Sahara Desert.

Algeria extracts its groundwater.

Other projects being developed include mobile salt-removal systems for remote Aboriginal communities where supplies from groundwater wells are contaminated by high concentrations of saline and nitrates.