[onlooker]

http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2014/1 ... er-crisis/

Well certainly if NASA a central government agency is saying this we are at a point where the groundwater in countries like the US, China and India is rapidly being used up. When these ground wells or aquifers run dry, what will happen?

[ritter]

When these ground wells or aquifers run dry, what will happen?

We will have a food crisis.

[sparky]

.
water price rise , delivery decrease , bad for the farmers , bad for industry , bad for the population
the biggest users are the farmers usually

[Timo]

And we will be very thirsty.

And the fracking industry will go dry.

And thousands of smaller towns throughout the nation, and the world, will die.

And there will be a marked increase in military conflicts over surface water rights.

And States will sue each other in the US over abuse of assumed inherent water rights granted to each State.

And mayhem will ensue.

[Timo]

And Republicans in Congress will insist that they are not scientists, but that they do not belive in global water shortages.

[onlooker]

And their will be lots of people with end of the world signs and still the Republicans will be saying "Let us have hearings to get to the bottom of this see if it is true"

[Timo]

And their will be lots of people with end of the world signs and still the Republicans will be saying "Let us have hearings to get to the bottom of this see if it is true"

And then claim that the findings are bunk because they did not confirm what they wanted to hear.

[ROCKMAN]

"An alarming satellite-based analysis from NASA finds that the world is depleting groundwater — the water stored unground in soil and aquifers — at an unprecedented rate." Well, welcome to the club, NASA. LOL. At least in the US the boys at the space flight center have discovered what state hydrologists have been monitoring for decades. In Texas the critical aquifer is the Edwards: it supplies San Antonio and south Texas Ag. The Texas state hydrologists have been measuring the loss via hundreds of monitoring wells for more than 40 years. And not just for fun: it’s been a huge legal issue for a very long time: who gets how much of that water. The situation was known to be “alarming” in Texas decades ago. I’m sure the state boys up in the Ogallala have been doing the same

NASA might have some pretty photos to share but this isn’t a sudden Aha! moment. Except, perhaps, for the MSM.

[onlooker]

Yes well kudos to NASA and MSM for revealing the state of the freshwater supply around the world albeit even if their a little late in this revelation

[Logic]

While many have been aware of the issue for some time, this is very helpful.
Humans are visual creatures.
Being able to see the huge scale of this issue, and see that it isn't just one region, I am hoping will open a few more eyes.

[onlooker]

Yes Logic, we do respond to the visual , what do they say a picture says one thousand words.

[dinopello]

Yes well kudos to NASA and MSM for revealing the state of the freshwater supply around the world albeit even if their a little late in this revelation

Will the masses believe it enough to seriously consider any policy that might help the situation ? I mean before the taps start spewing dust.

I remember reading about Boon Pickens trying buy up the water rights a few years ago. This is a recent article but not sure about the source

[Farmboy0]

We will limit our consumption more, and use desalination plant, where we are enough rich to pay for water, the place that are poor will have to migrate elsewhere, or make war

[americandream]

Yes well kudos to NASA and MSM for revealing the state of the freshwater supply around the world albeit even if their a little late in this revelation

Will the masses believe it enough to seriously consider any policy that might help the situation ? I mean before the taps start spewing dust.

No. Social relations do not allow for this.

[ROCKMAN]

"Will the masses believe it enough to seriously consider any policy that might help the situation ? "
The "masses" don't give a crap about the ground water problems in Texas. And Texans don't give a crap about ground water problems in Nebraska. And folks in NY don't give a crap about ground water problems in CA. And by "don't give a crap" I mean they'll do nothing but make comments about how bad the situation is and that it should be fixed. As we say in Texas: all hat and no stock. LOL. Or as others might say: words are easy and cheap...actions aren't. NASA posts some illustrative photos. And nothing will change: the folks who are responsible for reacting to these situations have known about them for decades in much greater detail they those satellite pics show.

But everyone cares about the global ground water problems. Why? because no one can do anything to address the "global problem" so they get a pass. Essentially they are free to rant and rave but don't have to lift a finger to change the situation because they aren't in a position to do anything globally. The "masses" aren't going to make policies on ground water usage in Texas, Nebraska, CA, etc. These are all local issues. The "masses' aren't going to have any effect on the policies in African Country X that may be on the verge of depleting most of their ground water resources. Being aware of that country's situation does nothing to help it.

[dinopello]

"Will the masses believe it enough to seriously consider any policy that might help the situation ? "
The "masses" don't give a crap about the ground water problems in Texas. And Texans don't give a crap about ground water problems in Nebraska. And folks in NY don't give a crap about ground water problems in CA. And by "don't give a crap" I mean they'll do nothing but make comments about how bad the situation is and that it should be fixed.

Good stating of the obvious. No matter what the problem - , climate change, global nuclear war, the moon crashing into earth, the problems are experienced and the solutions (maybe) are enacted locally. The global situation is good to know for investors though (AWK, XYL)! Localities may be able to learn from what other localities have done to address similar problems and evaluate their effectiveness and determine if it is appropriate for their own similar issues. That is, if they give a crap enough to pay attention.

I was more thinking of the local masses, but I guess this is more a global thread...so please continue with your not giving a crap.

[Gorm]

From one living i a country (Sweden) were water only is a problem when there is to much of it (kind of common)... this must really be terrible in so many ways.

I guess go vegan is really of the table for people since its culturally important to eat meat, and lots of it, but as things develop well I guss that meat will become more and more expensive. When there is to little water fore both cattle and humans, the rich will still eat their steaks.

[Tanada]

Farmers, the main users of the Ogalalla, used to look to the next generation as inheritors of the land and seek to leave it in good shape for their descendents. Modern American farming has become strictly business and is driven by short term monetary factors. Borrow money for equipment, seeds, fertilizers, herbicides, harvest the crop and hope you can pay off the loans from this cycle so you can get new loans for the next cycle. Such a money cycle precludes worrying about 20 years in the future, or 5 years in the future. Maybe 2 years if you are lucky.

[jedrider]

Farmers, the main users of the Ogalalla, used to look to the next generation as inheritors of the land and seek to leave it in good shape for their descendents. Modern American farming has become strictly business and is driven by short term monetary factors. Borrow money for equipment, seeds, fertilizers, herbicides, harvest the crop and hope you can pay off the loans from this cycle so you can get new loans for the next cycle. Such a money cycle precludes worrying about 20 years in the future, or 5 years in the future. Maybe 2 years if you are lucky.

Good point. Another point demolishing the notion that unalloyed Capitalism is really the best of all the evil options

There must be a good property rights argument in their, too. Unfortunately, the structure of the Supreme Court does appear to lean towards supporting Corporate ownership of everything, including the court itself.