Residents of a coastal community rely on a local aquifer for fresh water. If the rate at which they draw water from the aquifer becomes greater than the rate at which the aquifer is recharged, problems can arise. What serious problem can this situation lead to?

Question

Residents of a coastal community rely on a local aquifer for fresh water. If the rate at which they draw water from the aquifer becomes greater than the rate at which the aquifer is recharged, problems can arise. What serious problem can this situation lead to?
Responses
A	hypoxic watershypoxic waters
B	rising water tablerising water table
C	saltwater intrusionsaltwater intrusion
D	agricultural run-off

GPT-4o mini · Answer

C. saltwater intrusion

When the rate of water withdrawal from an aquifer exceeds the rate of recharge, it can lead to a drop in the water table. In coastal areas, this can create a situation where saltwater from the ocean intrudes into the aquifer, contaminating the fresh groundwater supply. This phenomenon is known as saltwater intrusion, which can significantly affect the availability and quality of drinking water for the community.