Across America, Big Cities Are Sinking. Here's Why.

[Zorro]

A major reason is too much groundwater is being pumped out, new research shows, threatening buildings and infrastructure nationwide.

A new analysis of America’s 28 largest population centers found that all but three are sinking overall, and in many cases significantly.

Several of the most affected areas are in Texas, particularly around Fort Worth and Houston. But the problem is nationwide, affecting cities as scattered as Seattle, Detroit and Charlotte, N.C.

The sinking of land, also called subsidence, can worsen the effects of sea-level rise, intensify flooding and strain the very foundations of urban infrastructure.

The new research, published in the scientific journal Nature Cities, built on previous work using satellite measurements to paint a detailed picture of rising and falling land. It also closely examined the connection between changes in land elevation and changes in groundwater, using data from individual monitoring wells.

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2025/05/08/climate/sinking-cities-us-causes-groundwater.html?unlocked_article_code=1.F08.rHEO._BQlbM0krsTr&smid=url-share