Over the past 22 years, rapidly drying hotspots have expanded, becoming “super drying” areas. (Photo: Andrew Merry/Getty Images)
The continents have lost so much water since 2002 that they now have a greater impact on sea level rise than ice sheets, according to new data.
Research has shown that nearly 70 percent of that loss is due to uncontrolled groundwater extraction, which extracts water from deep aquifers and eventually sends it to the ocean. Combined with increased evaporation rates caused by climate change, that has led to the consolidation of rapidly drying hot spots into four “mega-dry” regions, the scientists noted.
“There are very few places left now that aren’t drying out,” study co-author Jay Famiglietti, a professor at Arizona State University’s School of Sustainability, told Live Science. “I’ve been watching this for two decades, and it’s getting worse.”
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Sourse: www.livescience.com
