New Jersey Is Sinking Into The Ground

Is New Jersey sinking deeper and deeper into the ground?

According to a new report from Virginia Tech, it seems to be the case and could be cause for some alarm.

I don't want to send anyone into panic mode first, this is more so just food for thought, and keep in mind that thanks to modern-day science and engineering solutions to problems are being found every day.

New Jersey And The East Coast Is Slowly Sinking.

I know that it's a hot-button issue, but part of the issue is the continuous rise of our sea levels by a few millimeters a year.

Photo by William Warby on Unsplash

But that's just a part of the problem.

The Seattle Times reports that it's groundwater depletion that's the main cause behind New Jersey, and the rest of the East Coast slowly sinking.

Apparently, there are these aquifers that run underneath the ground.

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They provide drinking water, and irrigation and are also useful for industrial purposes.

Over the years as these underground aquifers start to dry up, it causes the land above them to become unstable, and when that happens the land starts to crumble and sink.

These aquifers run from New Jersey to Florida and despite the fact that we see regular rainfall, it can take years and years and years for these aquifers to fill up again.

Photo Credit: Canva

How Much Is New Jersey Sinking Per Year?

It varies from state to state and city to city.

The Seattle Times report says that on average places like Jersey are sinking about one millimeter per year.

That may not seem like a lot to you and me, trust me, I saw that number and thought, "That's not that big of a deal".

However, according to this report, a millimeter of sinking to our infrastructure is a big deal and can start causing real-world issues.

Fortunately, several federal agencies are working on ways to prevent East Coast sinking and ensure that we'll be able to live happily and safely in the Garden State for many years to come

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Maybe all the snow we've gotten in the past can help refill those aquifers!