# US almonds, walnuts and grapes depend on draining groundwater that isn't coming back

Source: [Biology News - Evolution, Cell theory, Gene theory, Microbiology, Biotechnology](https://phys.org/news/2026-11-almonds-walnuts-grapes-groundwater-isnt.html) · 2026-11-12 · Life
Page: https://themorning.science/story/us-almonds-walnuts-and-grapes-depend-on-draining-groundwater-that-isn-t-coming-b-317129261ee21e14
Kind: research · Impact: medium

## In brief

- Half of the groundwater used to grow US fruits, nuts, vegetables, seeds and greens is drawn from aquifers faster than they can refill, according to a new study.
- Groundwater irrigated about 75% of produce and specialty crops between 2008 and 2020.
- The study says groundwater use helped spare farms from larger losses, but the aquifers it draws on are not recharging.

## Why it matters

Heavy reliance on aquifers that are being depleted faster than they recharge puts long-term crop production at risk in regions that depend on them, which matters for anyone tracking water sustainability or food supply.

## Coverage

- [US almonds, walnuts and grapes depend on draining groundwater that isn't coming back](https://phys.org/news/2026-11-almonds-walnuts-grapes-groundwater-isnt.html) — Biology News - Evolution, Cell theory, Gene theory, Microbiology, Biotechnology, 2026-11-12

Tags: groundwater, aquifers, irrigation, agriculture, water-management

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Brief generated by AI (claude-haiku-5-5) from the reporting listed under Coverage. Headlines belong to their publishers. The Morning Science – https://themorning.science