**Pumping Groundwater Is Tilting the Earth and Raising Sea Levels**
*Popular Mechanics | November 15, 2025 | by Diana in Wisconsin*
Water has immense power. So much so that pumping Earth’s groundwater can actually change the planet’s tilt and rotation. This activity also contributes to sea-level rise and other climate change consequences more significantly than previously understood.
A recent study published in the journal *Geophysical Research Letters* reveals that, in less than two decades, groundwater pumping has caused the Earth’s axis to tilt by approximately 31.5 inches. This shift corresponds to about 0.24 inches of sea-level rise.
“Earth’s rotational pole actually changes a lot,” says Ki-Weon Seo, a geophysicist at Seoul National University and the lead author of the study. “Our study shows that among climate-related causes, the redistribution of groundwater actually has the largest impact on the drift of the rotational pole.”
As the Earth spins on its axis, the distribution of mass—including water—affects its rotation. The study explains this concept by comparing it to adding a tiny bit of weight to a spinning top, which causes it to spin differently.
NASA research published in 2016 first highlighted that changes in water distribution could influence Earth’s rotation. Building on this, the new study provides concrete data to better understand the scale of this effect.
“I’m very glad to find the unexplained cause of the rotation pole drift,” Seo adds. “On the other hand, as a resident of Earth and a father, I’m concerned and surprised to see that pumping groundwater is another source of sea-level rise.”
The study analyzed data from 1993 through 2010 and estimated that as much as 2,150 gigatons of groundwater pumping—primarily for irrigation and human consumption—has transported water underground to the oceans, causing the measurable changes in Earth’s tilt.
Researchers modeled observed changes in the drifting of Earth’s rotational pole alongside groundwater movement. Among various scenarios tested, only the model including the redistribution of 2,150 gigatons of groundwater matched the observed drift.
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**Topics:** Science, Climate Change
**Keywords:** climate change, Earth, tipping point, water
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