Iran Sinking as Groundwater Resources Disappear

Iran's insatiable demand for water, which is being drawn out of aquifers far faster than it can be replenished, is causing large chunks of farmland to sink and buildings to crack, according to a new study.

Estimates suggest the water levels in Iranian aquifers have declined by an average of nearly 1.5 feet (half a meter) every year over the last 15 years.

As the water is removed, soil and rock lose their support, leading to compaction and sinking.

Satellite radar observations—collected by Mahdi Motagh from GFZ, the German Research Centre for Geosciences based in Potsdam, Germany, and his colleagues—are showing just how serious the problem is.

Combining satellite radar images of the land surface dating back to 1997 with water level data, the team has shown that water withdrawal from aquifers is creating a major dilemma.

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