Comment by defrost

> The level of unsustainable groundwater extraction and inefficient consumption by agriculture and industry in Iran is just wild.

It's an important note that middle America is also currently speedrunning unsustainable levels of groundwater extraction and inefficient consumption by agriculture and industry.

They've just not yet hit dust .. but they have achieved significant depletion and the projections aren't good.

Interestingly both the Saudi's and the Chinese operate sizable ag operations in the US and export that s/water/food/ back to their home countries.