Global hydrological models (Herbert and Döll, 2019) show that human-induced groundwater depletion at rates exceeding 20 mm yr–1 (2001–2010) is occurring in the major aquifers systems such as the High Plains and California Central Valley aquifers (USA), Arabian aquifer (Middle East), North-Western Sahara Aquifer System (North Africa), Indo-Gangetic Basin (India) and North China Plain (China)