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As urbanization increases and natural soil surfaces are covered, the groundwater supply is reduced due to?

User Oneat
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2 Answers

5 votes

Final answer:

Urbanization leads to less groundwater recharge because impervious surfaces prevent rainwater infiltration, and extensive well pumping can cause groundwater mining, resulting in additional issues like saltwater intrusion and land subsidence.

Step-by-step explanation:

As urbanization increases and natural soil surfaces are covered, the groundwater supply is reduced due to a decrease in the infiltration of rainwater into the ground. This is because impervious surfaces such as pavement and buildings prevent water from naturally percolating down into the soil to recharge aquifers. Additionally, groundwater mining, a result of extensive well pumping, can lead to a regional drop in the water table, making it necessary to drill deeper wells. This can lead to other problems like saltwater intrusion, increased water salinity, and even land subsidence. Furthermore, water tables can be lowered by overuse of water resources for agriculture and industry, leading to soil erosion, desertification, and reduced water quality due to pollution.

User Giulio Genovese
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3 votes

Answer: Loss of recharge area

Step-by-step explanation:

Groundwater recharge or deep drainage or deep percolation is a major hydrologic method in which water get absorbed through the surface to undergeound. This is a process that recharges an aquifer.

This process is possible only if there is available ground surface, but when urbanization occurs ground surface is reduced as the place become covered by buildings.

Water needs to percolate through the surface to groundwater so in the absence of this surface ground then water can't percolate through to groundwater.

User Sprethepa
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