Arizona is using triple the amount of groundwater compared to a decade ago

TEMPE, AZ (AZFamily) — Water is a precious resource in Arizona, and many people use groundwater for their homes, businesses and fields.

New research from Arizona State University shows that water is now being used faster than it can naturally refill.

“There is not something to be very scared about,” said lead researcher Karem Abdelmohsen. He analyzed data from a NASA satellite that can measure the amount of groundwater in an area and found that groundwater use in Arizona has tripled in the past 10 years.

“What we found actually from our research is that groundwater was being used faster than we are expecting in the whole lower basin or in Arizona.”

To put it into perspective, Abdelmohsen said from 2015 to 2024, the amount of groundwater used in Arizona was equivalent to the storage capacity of Lake Mead, the largest reservoir in the U.S. “What we found out is that groundwater is getting depleted in rates that are much higher than what we observed from surface water. So, maybe this is the time that we have to give more attention for groundwater and see how we can manage this in a way that we can slow down the depletion,” said Abdelmohsen.

Their research found that groundwater represents 70% of the water being used in Arizona. “Of course this is concerning,” said Abdelmohsen. “Groundwater represents our backup during the drought time.”

Whether it’s because of agriculture, construction, or the overall expansion of cities, Abdelmohsen says it’s hard to point the finger at what industry is putting Arizona in this situation, but it’s something being researched.

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