The Earth is losing some of its major freshwater supplies. But these water resources are not lakes or rivers. They are called “aquifers.” They formed deep underground as the Earth developed. Some aquifers are so deep that water from very heavy rains cannot reach them through all the rock and dirt. Many aquifers provide irrigation water for crops. These freshwater deposits are helping farmers in many countries. A new report says some aquifers are being emptied. It warns this could affect food security and economies around the world. Irrigated agriculture is responsible for about 80 percent or more of freshwater use worldwide. A growing part of that comes from underground aquifers because of dry weather or farmers growing crops in areas with little rainfall. But researchers say taking water from aquifers is creating a large problem, which is not getting much attention. And even if it does receive attention, scientists warn, there is not much that can be done to repair them.
Title: Study: Earth’s Aquifers Being Emptied
Content: <div id='article-page'><div id='article-content' data-media-url='//news-app-staging.s3.amazonaws.com' data-base-url='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1790/aquifers.m4a' data-capture-url='//staging.analytics.lingraphica.com/events/capture_news' data-article-title='Study: Earths Aquifers Being Emptied' data-article-id='2307'><script src='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com/javascripts/getscripts.js'></script><link rel='stylesheet' href='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com/stylesheets/article.css' type='text/css' /><div class='article'><p><span data-start-time='0' data-end-time='6563'>The Earth is losing some of its major freshwater supplies.</span> <span data-start-time='6563' data-end-time='11938'>But these water resources are not lakes or rivers.</span> <span data-start-time='11938' data-end-time='15354'>They are called “aquifers.”</span> <span data-start-time='15354' data-end-time='21292'>They formed deep underground as the Earth developed.</span> <span data-start-time='21292' data-end-time='32458'>Some aquifers are so deep that water from very heavy rains cannot reach them through all the rock and dirt.</span> <span data-start-time='32458' data-end-time='37938'>Many aquifers provide irrigation water for crops.</span> <span data-start-time='37938' data-end-time='44646'>These freshwater deposits are helping farmers in many countries.</span> <span data-start-time='44646' data-end-time='51167'>A new report says some aquifers are being emptied.</span> <span data-start-time='51167' data-end-time='59063'>It warns this could affect food security and economies around the world.</span> <span data-start-time='59063' data-end-time='69188'>Irrigated agriculture is responsible for about 80 percent or more of freshwater use worldwide.</span> <span data-start-time='69188' data-end-time='82354'>A growing part of that comes from underground aquifers because of dry weather or farmers growing crops in areas with little rainfall.</span> <span data-start-time='82354' data-end-time='93146'>But researchers say taking water from aquifers is creating a large problem, which is not getting much attention.</span> <span data-start-time='93146' data-end-time='103625'>And even if it does receive attention, scientists warn, there is not much that can be done to repair them.</span> </p></div><div class='control-buttons-sticky' style='display:none;'><div class='control-buttons'><button title='Back' class='back' disabled='disabled'></button><button title='Play' class='play' disabled='disabled'></button><button title='Pause' class='pause' style='display:none;'></button><button title='Forward' class='forward' disabled='disabled'></button><button class='finished-reading' style='display:none;'>Done</button></div></div></div><div id='article-media'><div id='media-image'><img src='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1790/aquifers.jpg'/></div></div><div id='question-content' style='display:none;'><div class='vocabulary_question question-container' data-question-id=8426 data-hint-location='59063' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1790/what_does_agriculture_mean.m4a'>What does agriculture mean?</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='the practice of farming'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1790/under_the_earth.m4a'><span>under the earth</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1790/the_practice_of_farming.m4a'><span>the practice of farming</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1790/field_irrigation.m4a'><span>field irrigation</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1790/using_more_water.m4a'><span>using more water</span></div></div></div><div class='multiple_choice_question question-container' data-question-id=8427 data-hint-location='15354' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1790/where_are_they_formed.m4a'>Where are they formed?</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='deep underground'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1790/on_farms.m4a'><span>on farms</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1790/in_irrigation_fields.m4a'><span>in irrigation fields</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1790/deep_underground.m4a'><span>deep underground</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1790/in_the_ocean.m4a'><span>in the ocean</span></div></div></div><div class='sentence_completion_question question-container' data-question-id=8428 data-hint-location='37938' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1790/the_freshwater_deposits_are__blank_.m4a'>The freshwater deposits are <span class='blank'>helping farmers</span>.</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='helping farmers'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1790/helping_farmers.m4a'><span>helping farmers</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1790/overflowing.m4a'><span>overflowing</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1790/reaching_underground.m4a'><span>reaching underground</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/1790/growing_crops.m4a'><span>growing crops</span></div></div></div><div class='question-buttons'><button class='skip-button'></button><button class='hint-button'></button><button class='speak-button'></button></div></div></div>
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