groundwater pumping can result in desiccation of natural reserves as seen in the netherlands and contribute to the drying up of wetlands as seen in southern europe with significant loss for water quality filtering hellegers et al in mexico and western united states it has resulted in significant land collapses foster sneed et al intensive pumping in coastal aquifers or aquifers connected to saline water bodies is a significant source of salinization of groundwater affecting the crop choice for agriculture and ecosystems in particular in the wetlands rivers ponds springs and streams to which it is connected schoengold and zilberman fuentes unece amores et al farmers using groundwater beyond recharge may lose a source of future income an option value eg howitt et al