New research: Droughts may affect groundwater more than expected
Seeking to better comprehend the relationship between droughts and groundwater, researchers at the University of California, Riverside examined decades worth of groundwater data from more than 250 wells across the United States. In contrast, previous research on the effects of drought on groundwater has mostly relied on modeling studies. By observing the timing and extent to which the various unconfined aquifers were affected by multiyear droughts, the researchers found considerable delay between the start and end of a drought and the point at which groundwater levels begin to decline and recover.