a) Overdrafting of aquifers is the major cause of subsidence in the southwestern United States, and as ground-water pumping increases, land subsidence also will increase. In many aquifers, ground water is pumped from pore spaces between grains of sand and gravel. Land subsidence is the lowering of the land-surface elevation from changes that take place underground. Common causes of land subsidence from human activity are pumping water, oil, and gas from the underground. It happens in nearly every state in the United States of America.
b) Land subsidence causes many problems including changes in elevation and slope of streams, canals, and drains. Also, there is damage to bridges, roads, railroads, storm drains, sewers, and canals. It can cause damage to private and public buildings. In some coastal areas, subsidence has resulted in tides moving into low-lying areas that were previously above high-tide levels.
c) In an effort to prevent further land subsidence, we could establish alternate ways to deal with water underground which will help cut down the risk of subsidence becoming an issue. If we cut back on projects like digging holes and uprooting tress it would hopefully help prevent the possibility of subsidence. There's no real way to stop subsidence that we know of, all we can really do is try new things to avoid being enveloped by the Earth in a sad ending to humanity.
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