A well is said to have gone dry when water levels drop below a pump intake. ... Amount and rate of pumping that occurs in the aquifer. Permeability and porosity of the underground rock. Amount of recharge occurring from precipitation or artificial recharge.

What happens if a well runs dry?

When your well starts to run dry, you might notice reduced water pressure, sputtering faucets, and/or sediment in the water. The pump might run, but fail to draw water. It's rare for a well to run dry permanently. ... Doing so could damage the well and contaminate your water supply.

Is it common for wells to run dry?

With even moderate declines in groundwater levels, researchers have found, millions of wells could run dry. The researchers analyzed records for about 39 million wells in 40 countries or territories and found that between 6% and 20% of wells are no more than 5 meters (16 feet) deeper than the water table.