In dozens of interviews in the United States, India, Peru and Morocco, many ideas for potential solutions emerged – ways people can work toward lessening overpumping and preventing groundwater from being progressively depleted. Some of the proposals are simple. Some are complicated. Some may be costly. And others are already being tried with varying degrees of success.

Here are some of those ideas – shared by scientists, farmers, water managers, government officials and others – about how people and institutions can prevent aquifers from declining further.

• Monitoring and measuring: If groundwater isn’t adequately monitored or measured, it’s difficult if not impossible to properly manage it.
• Assessing threats: Communities and regions first need to take stock of how seriously in overdraft their aquifers are, and what it would take to prevent further declines. Exploratory drilling and scientific studies, including mapping of aquifers, could help.
• Collective involvement, buy-in: Aquifers are common-pool resources that require collective management. It helps if communities engage collectively and across sectors to plan groundwater use. Some regions are using “aquifer contracts.” Others have long-term water management plans.
• Producing food with less water: The stresses on groundwater can be lessened if farms adopt more efficient irrigation systems and grow less water-intensive crops. Some areas are trying subsidies to encourage more farmers to invest in water-saving systems.

• Regulating and limiting pumping: In many places, preventing aquifers from falling further will require significant reductions in pumping. Rules need to be enforced by water agencies and governments.
• Pricing water: Where groundwater is free to pump, some suggest creating a fee structure as an incentive for people and businesses to conserve. The idea can be described as “pumper-payer” – if you pump, you pay for it.
• Protecting those most affected: If some can afford to keep drilling deeper and others can’t, the poor will continue to struggle as wells go dry. Some advocate assistance for small farmers and rural residents, as well as stricter rules to prevent big farms from leaving others dry.
• Delinking groundwater rights from property rights: Those who own land often can pump as much as they wish. Changing that approach to water rights could help.
• Building strong institutions: Conflicts over water erupt when there is a free-for-all of pumping or when regulators fail to establish order or enforce rules. Some say a strong “referee” is critical.
• Closing the awareness gap: In many parts of the world, people are using much more water than is available, and that’s leading to falling aquifers. If more people become aware of the seriousness of the problem, they may act with greater urgency to face it.

Have an idea to share about groundwater depletion and potential solutions? Join the conversation using the hashtags #Groundwater or #PumpedDry.