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What happens as a consequence of pore collapse due to groundwater depletion?

a) land subsidence
b) saline intrusion
c) contamination
d) flow reversal

1 Answer

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Final answer:

As a consequence of pore collapse due to groundwater depletion, land subsidence, saline intrusion, contamination, and flow reversal can occur.

Step-by-step explanation:

The consequence of pore collapse due to groundwater depletion include:

a) land subsidence: as the groundwater is pumped out from aquifers, the pore spaces in the rocks get empty causing the land to sink or subside.

b) saline intrusion: overpumping of fresh water aquifers near ocean coastlines can cause saltwater to infiltrate into the freshwater zones.

c) contamination: as groundwater flows and spreads the pollutants, the depletion of groundwater can lead to the dispersion of contaminants over a wider area, affecting water supplies for humans and wildlife.

d) flow reversal: the direction of regional groundwater flow can change due to the drop in the water table around a cone of depression in an unconfined aquifer, which can send nearby pollution toward the pumping well instead of away from it.

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