Groundwater depletion threatens agricultural sustainability in South Korea.
Groundwater levels in South Korea's agricultural areas are affected by intensive winter extraction for greenhouse cultivation. Nearby rivers play a role in this process, with artificial structures impacting water flow. Groundwater levels decrease during winter extraction but increase in spring and summer due to rainfall and river recharge. A simulation model showed an average annual groundwater decline of 2.5 cm at the study site. The study suggests injecting water into aquifers using riverside wells as a method to maintain groundwater levels.