A new study of 28 American cities finds Houston, Texas, is the city most affected by sinking. JMSilva / Istock / Getty images plus
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A new study has revealed that 28 of the most populated cities in the United States are sinking, which can increase flood risks and weaken infrastructure. In addition, the researchers determined that 80% of total sinking could be attributed to the removal of groundwater for human use.
In accordance with the study, published in the magazine Cities of NatureAround 34 million people in the largest cities in the US are affected by sinking, with at least 20% of all urban areas studied that show signs of sinking.
Eight cities in the United States represent 60% of the 34 million people living in land in reduction. According to the study, the thesis cities also have a sinking of more than 3 millimeters per year and have collectively experiments of more than 90 flood events since 2000.
The sinking is found in 25 of the 28 cities in the study, at least two thirds of the urban area. Houston is the most affected, with 42% of the city that sinks in more than 5 millimeters per year and 12% of the city that sinks into more than 10 millimeters per year. Some parts of the city sink into up to 5 centimeters, or around 2 inches, each year.
“As cities continue to grow, we will see that the cities expand to the regions in decrease,” Leonard Ohenhen, lead author of the postdoctoral researcher at the Columbia Climate School, said in a statement. “Approximately time, this sinking can produce tensions in the infrastructure that will go to its safety limit.”
While the use of groundwater is an important taxpayer to the sinking, the report indicated that the weight of buildings and infrastructure and activities such as extracting oil and gas also contribute to the sinking. In Texas, in particular, the sinking is affected by the extraction of fossil fuels.
Some cities, including Jacksonville, Florida; Memphis, Tennessee; And San José, California, are experiencing variations in sinking or differential movement. These cities can have areas that sink at different rhythm or can have areas that are increasing, while other nearby areas sink. The increase in land could be linked to aquifer recharge, the Columbia Climate School reported.
“Unlike the risks of surrounded surroundings, where the risks are manifested only when the high subsidy rates lower the elevation of the earth below a critical threshold, the damage due to infrastructure induced by the survey can also occur with changes in the explained changes.” The latent nature of this risk means that infrastructure can be seen silent over time, with only obvious damage when it is serious or cat power. This risk is exacerbated to quickly expand urban censors. “
The cities with the greatest risk of infrastructure damage because or differential movement include three cities in Texas – San Antonio (1 in 45 buildings face risks), Austin (1 in 71 buildings) and Fort Worthese (1 in 163), as well as Memphis Memphis.
The sinking is a broad problem that is also affecting rural areas and cities outside the United States, as Grist, agricultural around the California aqueduct in around 8.5 meters (27.89 Fetive) reported from 1926 to 1970. Drought events in the following years have led to an additional water pumping that continued to contribute to the sinking in the region. The sinking is more notable in Mexico City, where parts of the urban area are dropping so many 20 -inch axis per year, Grist reported.
The authors expect their findings to help cities to respond and prepare better for sinking, such as the installation of artificial wetlands and other drainage and modernization infrastructure solutions for greater resistance.
“Instead of saying that it is a problem, we can answer, address, mitigate, adapt,” said Ohenhen. “We have to go to solutions.”
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