ELSS

Question 1

How much groundwater accounts for the worlds annual freshwater withdrawals?

Answer 1

1/4-1/3

Question 2

What is groundwater used for?

Answer 2

Domestic, agricultural and industrial use.

Question 3

How much of earth’s large groundwater basins are being depleted?

Answer 3

1/3

Question 4

How many large aquifers are there in the world?

Answer 4

37

Question 5

How can underground water storage change?

Answer 5

Due to changes in precipitation, ice or permafrost melting, or changes in the surface water.

Question 6

How many of the largest aquifers are being depleted?

Answer 6

13

Question 7

How many of the aquifers are classified as “overstressed”?

Answer 7

8/13

Question 8

How many aquifers are classified as “highly stressed”?

Answer 8

5/13

Question 9

What factors will intensify this depletion?

Answer 9

Climate change and population growth

Question 10

How many people are reliant on the Arabian Aquifer system?

Answer 10

> 60 million

Question 11

What basin is suffering from rapid depletion?

Answer 11

California’s Central Valley