Dry Groundwater Wells in the Western United States

Debra Perrone and co-author Scott Jasechko validate concerns of many California homeowners in areas like Ceres and Denair that domestic wells are more susceptible to drying. The researchers analyzed millions of well depth records in 17 western states and found that during 2013 to 2015, about 1 in 30 wells were dry. Further, dry wells tended to be concentrated in rural communities. In some rural areas, the research suggests that as many as 1 in 5 wells were dry at certain times.