Groundwater and the Rising Seas
Provided by: The National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF)|Published on: May 20, 2021|Last updated: September 26, 2026
Grades: 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
Type: Articles/Websites
Subjects: Earth and Space Sciences
Authors: The National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF), Nick Bradford
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
Synopsis
- This article discusses threats to groundwater resources in the United States.
- Students will learn how sea level rise, overdrawing, and precipitation changes can lead to groundwater depletion.
Teaching Materials
Positives
- This article thoroughly explains the importance and sources of groundwater, using effective visuals to convey the threats that US groundwater stores face.
- Helpful links are included throughout the article, providing opportunities for further exploration of groundwater topics, data, and conservation.
Prerequisites
- Students should be familiar with the water cycle.
- Students may require assistance in interpreting the Saltwater Intrusion graphic. Consider asking students to first describe what they think is happening in the pictures, then support them in analyzing the different causes of saltwater intrusion if necessary.
Differentiation & Implementation
- Teachers could ask students to compare the two groundwater depletion maps and discuss the fact that the first map shows the change in groundwater depletion that took place in one hundred years and that the other shows the change in seven years.
- Students could make a list of ways that groundwater can be recharged and ways that it can be depleted. After, students could write a paragraph explaining ways people can protect groundwater.
- Other resources on this topic include this interactive global map of urban water supplies, this TED-Ed video on why water scarcity is a problem for so many people, and this article on how forests can protect water supplies in cities.
There is no contradiction in the resource. The data is properly cited and it is recommended for teaching.
Teaching Tips
Standards
Resource Type and Format
Scientist Reviewed
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Our review process ensures that every resource in our library reflects the current state of climate science.
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