Splitsville: 2-Mile-Long Crack Opens in Arizona Desert

[rangerrebew]

Splitsville: 2-Mile-Long Crack Opens in Arizona Desert
By Jeanna Bryner, Live Science Managing Editor | January 27, 2017 02:32pm ET
 
 
A gaping, 2-mile-long crack has opened in the barren earth in Arizona, and it will likely continue to grow, geologists say.

Recent footage from a flyover by an Arizona Geological Survey drone revealed the extent of the huge fissure in Pinal County, between Casa Grande and Tucson, showing the enormous gash splitting the barren land. The crack is so big that it dwarfs people walking along its edges in the video.

http://www3.forbes.com/video/a-2-mile-crack-opens-up-in-arizona/?utm_source=PErecirc&utm_medium=referral

[Oceander]

What’s causing it?

[Suppressed]

What’s causing it?

Groundwater mining (using groundwater faster than it can recharge from precipitation and infiltration, meaning we're using up what's there and doing permanent damage to the subsurface).

We're doing that in a lot of places now, like the third world does.  You'd think we'd be more responsible than Mexico City, but nope.

[BassWrangler]

Groundwater mining (using groundwater faster than it can recharge from precipitation and infiltration, meaning we're using up what's there and doing permanent damage to the subsurface).

We're doing that in a lot of places now, like the third world does.  You'd think we'd be more responsible than Mexico City, but nope.

I think we're quietly slipping into third world status. Certainly our election process is.

[thackney]

https://www.livescience.com/57663-giant-crack-opens-in-arizona-desert.html

...Water withdrawal, primarily for agriculture, is the culprit, Cook said. As groundwater is pulled up, it leaves a void and the land above it subsides, leading to cracks. Arizona is full of these cracks, Cook said. "We see earth fissures forming around the margins of these subsidence areas and along mountain fronts within the subsidence areas," Cook said.

Cook and others with the AZGS have set up 26 study areas where they've mapped a total of 170 miles (275 km) of these earth fissures.

Not only does Cook expect the crack to lengthen, but the opening beneath the surface is likely bigger than what can be seen.

"I am sure the length of this fissure will increase over time, we are only seeing the surface crack of what collapsed, the underlying fissure is longer," Cook said....

[Cripplecreek]

Groundwater mining (using groundwater faster than it can recharge from precipitation and infiltration, meaning we're using up what's there and doing permanent damage to the subsurface).

We're doing that in a lot of places now, like the third world does.  You'd think we'd be more responsible than Mexico City, but nope.

We'll be called liberals for discussing it but the simple fact is that we need to live with sustainability according to our location. There are just too many people living and farming in the desert.

[driftdiver]

We'll be called liberals for discussing it but the simple fact is that we need to live with sustainability according to our location. There are just too many people living and farming in the desert.

@Cripplecreek
Too many people are being forced to live in population centers (aka cities) because of devastating liberal economic policies over the last 50 years.

[Cripplecreek]

https://www.livescience.com/57663-giant-crack-opens-in-arizona-desert.html

...Water withdrawal, primarily for agriculture, is the culprit, Cook said. As groundwater is pulled up, it leaves a void and the land above it subsides, leading to cracks. Arizona is full of these cracks, Cook said. "We see earth fissures forming around the margins of these subsidence areas and along mountain fronts within the subsidence areas," Cook said.

Cook and others with the AZGS have set up 26 study areas where they've mapped a total of 170 miles (275 km) of these earth fissures.

Not only does Cook expect the crack to lengthen, but the opening beneath the surface is likely bigger than what can be seen.

"I am sure the length of this fissure will increase over time, we are only seeing the surface crack of what collapsed, the underlying fissure is longer," Cook said....

We need to stop trying to grow water intensive crops in the desert and grow them in areas with abundant surface water and rainfall. Many of the things we're growing in the deserts had to be hybridized to grow there in the first place.

Spreading crops around also helps to insure against total industry failure. Apples are a great example. They grow great in the Pacific Northwest and in the great lakes region. A few years ago we had a near total crop failure in much of the great lakes region but the Pacific NW had a bumper crop