# Where has all the fresh water gone?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-has-all-the-fresh-water-gone/724622>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [July 8, 2015, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-has-all-the-fresh-water-gone/724622 "2015-07-08T23:20:47Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![jimbuff314](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c57346/32.png) [@jimbuff314](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jimbuff314)\
**Post date:** [October 18, 2015, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-has-all-the-fresh-water-gone/724622/21 "2015-10-18T01:16:02Z")

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> [@Kedikat](#):
>
> Also.  
> When aquifers are drained, the land often subsides. Will that destroy the aquifer for all time? Can a compacted layer be refilled, or will the water that used to go into it, find new paths?

This is talking about CA’s Central Valley.

> [@](#):
>
> Subsidence will make it harder to replenish the aquifers once the rains come. That’s because subsidence effectively compacts the soil, making it harder to store water underground.
> 
> Read more here: [http://www.sacbee.com/news/state/california/water-and-drought/article31527953.html#storylink=cpy](http://www.sacbee.com/news/state/california/water-and-drought/article31527953.html#storylink=cpy)

This is probably applicable on an aquifer-by-aquifer basis, given each aquifer’s geology. I haven’t seen any claims that parts of Kansas and Nebraska are sinking, despite the water in the Ogallala Aquifer being drawn out for decades.

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