- Land subsidence is majorly caused by the over drafting of aquifers and is steadily getting worse as ground-water pumping increases
- Pumping water, oil and gas from underground reservoirs
- Dissolution of limestone aquifers also called sinkholes
-Collapse of underground mines
- Drainage of organic soils
- Hydrocompaction, which is the initial wetting of dry soils
Land subsidence has been getting worse over the past recent years as global warming is altering the weather patterns and seasons, many States in America suffer from drought and immense water shortage and aquifers are being overused and abused and not pertaining enough time to collect more water before it compresses resulting in land subsidence.
b) Potential impacts of Land Subsidence
Issues and dangers that can be arisen from land subsidence are changes in elevation and slope of streams, canals and drains, damage to infrastructure such as railroads, bridges, storm drains, sewers etc, as well as damage to private and public buildings. Some more damages that can be caused due to this issue are failure of well casings from forces generated by compaction of fine grain materials in aquifer systems.
c) Ways to prevent further Land Subsidence
Possible solutions to preventing further and extensive Land Subsidence in various part of the US are switching to alternate methods of receiving water such as surface-water supplies, importation of water or creating wells or large water storage vats or drums. Reducing usage from aquifers to allow them time to replenish ground water levels and spreading awareness among communities of the dangers of Land Subsidence to use precautions against excess unnecessary water use.
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