<p>Subsidence in environments like Jakarta has several causes, as described in <a href="https://d-nb.info/1142926850/34" rel="noreferrer">Abidin et al, 2015</a>.</p>
<ol>
<li>Natural processes of compaction of relatively 'young' alluvial soils
under their own weight</li>
<li>Loading due to construction of buildings,
roads etc.</li>
<li>Groundwater abstraction.</li>
</ol>
<p>The first two processes are pretty much irreversible.</p>
<p>Pumping water back into the aquifer would slow the rate of subsidence, but even if pore water pressures were completely restored to the natural, pre-pumping, levels  it would be very unlikely to reverse the subsidence. In aquifers such as sandstones where the rock matrix is rigid the aquifer can expand and contract linearly with pore pressures, but the total amount of subsidence is generally low. However in alluvial and deltaic settings where there are layered aquifers and aquitards, reducing pore pressure in the aquitards causes irreversible deformation of the structure of clays and silts. It is this deformation of the aquitards that is responsible for high rates of subsidence, and the resulting compaction is largely irreversible. <a href="https://pubs.usgs.gov/circ/circ1182/" rel="noreferrer">USGS Circular 1182</a> provides a good overview of process and case studies.</p>
<p>Numerous case studies have shown that rebound when levels are restored may be as little as 10% of the subsidence caused by pumping.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-08-16T08:40:24.440Z
2022-08-16T08:40:24.440Z
Andy M
<p>Indonesia decided to relocate the capital, in part due to environmental struggles facing Jakarta:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>one of the fastest sinking cities in the world due to the over extraction of groundwater</p>
<p>Source: <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/jan/18/indonesia-names-new-capital-nusantara-replacing-sinking-city-of-jakarta" rel="nofollow noreferrer">theguardian.com</a></p>
</blockquote>
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/VnvQY.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/VnvQY.png" alt="enter image description here" /></a>
Source: <a href="https://www.trtworld.com/in-depth/rising-tides-and-sinking-cities-161804" rel="nofollow noreferrer">trtworld.com</a></p>
<p>If the city is sinking due to the extraction of groundwater, maybe it is possible to reverse <em>(or at least stabilize)</em> the process by pumping the water back in?</p>

<geophysics><groundwater>
Can pumping water into the aquifiers reverse the sinking of cities like Jakarta?
Mars Robertson
# Can pumping water into the aquifiers reverse the sinking of cities like Jakarta?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2022-08-15)

Indonesia decided to relocate the capital, in part due to environmental struggles facing Jakarta:

> one of the fastest sinking cities in the world due to the over extraction of groundwater
>
> Source: [theguardian.com](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/jan/18/indonesia-names-new-capital-nusantara-replacing-sinking-city-of-jakarta)

[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/VnvQY.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/VnvQY.png)
Source: [trtworld.com](https://www.trtworld.com/in-depth/rising-tides-and-sinking-cities-161804)

If the city is sinking due to the extraction of groundwater, maybe it is possible to reverse *(or at least stabilize)* the process by pumping the water back in?

**Tags:** geophysics, groundwater


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2022-08-16. Score: 6

Subsidence in environments like Jakarta has several causes, as described in [Abidin et al, 2015](https://d-nb.info/1142926850/34).

1. Natural processes of compaction of relatively 'young' alluvial soils
   under their own weight
2. Loading due to construction of buildings,
   roads etc.
3. Groundwater abstraction.

The first two processes are pretty much irreversible.

Pumping water back into the aquifer would slow the rate of subsidence, but even if pore water pressures were completely restored to the natural, pre-pumping, levels it would be very unlikely to reverse the subsidence. In aquifers such as sandstones where the rock matrix is rigid the aquifer can expand and contract linearly with pore pressures, but the total amount of subsidence is generally low. However in alluvial and deltaic settings where there are layered aquifers and aquitards, reducing pore pressure in the aquitards causes irreversible deformation of the structure of clays and silts. It is this deformation of the aquitards that is responsible for high rates of subsidence, and the resulting compaction is largely irreversible. [USGS Circular 1182](https://pubs.usgs.gov/circ/circ1182/) provides a good overview of process and case studies.

Numerous case studies have shown that rebound when levels are restored may be as little as 10% of the subsidence caused by pumping.


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