Accelerated Decline of Groundwater Levels in the 21st century, globally

Groundwater is a vital resource for direct consumption as well as for agriculture, particularly in arid and semiarid climates where groundwater is often a primary water source for irrigation. Here, we analyze more than 170,000 groundwater level timeseries across the globe. We show that groundwater level declines accelerated over the past four decades. Accelerated declines are especially widespread in dry regions with extensive cropland. However, our study also reveals that there are areas where interventions have led to groundwater levels to recover.  This result provides a ray of hope for sustainable management of vital groundwater resources in the decades to come.