Victor M Ponce

This paper describes the current groundwater situation and warns that the unsustainable use of groundwater stands to significantly impact a host of hydrological, ecological and other natural resources and services, including freshwater bodies, and aquatic, riparian, transitional, and terrestrial ecosystems. Baseflow will decrease and wetlands will disappear, streams and rivers will degrade, channel erosion will increase, and wildlife habitat will be reduced. Other impacts include drying up of wells, salt-water intrusion in coastal areas, and land subsidence.