NASA: World's largest aquifers being sucked dry

Mary Bruno

Mary Bruno Jun 28, 2025

Feb 6, 2018

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                <h1>NASA: World's largest aquifers being sucked dry</h1>
                <h2><p>New satellite data from NASA shows that the world’s largest aquifers, which provide fresh water for the planet's seven billion people, are being drained at "alarming rates," according to the Washington Post. In 21 of the largest aquifers, researchers found that water was being harvested</p></h2>
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               <p>By <a href="/author/mary-bruno-crosscut-com/">Mary Bruno</a></p> 
              <p><time datetime="2025-02-04T05:00:00-08:00">Feb 6, 2018</time></p>
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            <figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><a href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/2015WR017349/abstract?ref=dev.cascadepbs.org"><img src="https://dev.cascadepbs.org/content/images/sites/default/files/images/article/gallery/aquifer-depletion_550_water-resources-research.jpg" class="kg-image" alt="Aquifer depletion_550_Water Resources Research" loading="lazy" width="550" height="409"></a></figure><p><a href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/2015WR017349/abstract?ref=dev.cascadepbs.org">New satellite data from NASA</a> shows that the world’s largest aquifers, which provide fresh water for the planet's seven billion people, are being drained at "alarming rates," according to the <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2015/06/16/new-nasa-studies-show-how-the-world-is-running-out-of-water/?ref=dev.cascadepbs.org"><em>Washington Post</em></a>. In 21 of the largest aquifers, researchers found that water was being harvested faster than it could be replaced — a serious problem that promises to get worse. “The situation is quite critical,” said NASA scientist Jay Famiglietti, a principal investigator of the University of California Irvine-led research.</p>
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Aquifer depletion_550_Water Resources Research

New satellite data from NASA shows that the world’s largest aquifers, which provide fresh water for the planet's seven billion people, are being drained at "alarming rates," according to the Washington Post. In 21 of the largest aquifers, researchers found that water was being harvested faster than it could be replaced — a serious problem that promises to get worse. “The situation is quite critical,” said NASA scientist Jay Famiglietti, a principal investigator of the University of California Irvine-led research.

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By Mary Bruno

Mary was Crosscut's Editor-in-Chief and Interim Publisher. In more than 25 years as a journalist, she has worked as a writer, editor and editorial director for a variety of print and web publications,