Water wells at more risk of drying up; researchers have recommendations to help

As drought grips much of the Western U.S., farmers and municipalities increasingly rely on groundwater wells. But many are in danger of going dry, Debra Perrone and Scott Jasechko write for The Conversation. Both are assistant professors at the University of California Santa Barbara.

Perrone and Jasechko write: "We are a water resources engineer with training in water law and a water scientist and large-data analyst. In a recent study, we mapped the locations and depths of wells in 40 countries around the world and found that millions of wells could run dry if groundwater levels decline by only a few meters. While solutions vary from place to place, we believe that what’s most important for protecting wells from running dry is managing groundwater sustainably – especially in nations like the U.S. that use a lot of it."

In previous studies, Perrone and Jasechko estimated that as many as 1 in 30 wells are already going dry in the western U.S., and as many as one in five are going dry in the southern Central Valley and southeastern Arizona. Wells are also running dry in states such as Maine, Illinois and Oregon.

They recommend several tactics for households whose wells have run dry, including:

• Dig a new, deeper well
• Sell the property if digging a new well is unaffordable
• Divert or haul water from alternative sources like a nearby river or lake
• Reduce water use to slow or halt groundwater level declines
• Limit or abandon activities that require a lot of water, such as irrigation

Perrone and Jasechko also recommend proactive steps households and communities can take to keep wells from running dry. Read more here.