Question

select the statement that is supported by the data.
groundwater was not depleted any further after 1980. this is because the volume of groundwater withdrawn per year did not continue to increase after 1980.
groundwater depletion continued to increase after 1980 even though the volume of groundwater withdrawn per year did not. this is because groundwater was still being withdrawn.

Explanation:

The graph shows the volume of groundwater withdrawn over time. If groundwater is still being withdrawn (even if the rate of increase in withdrawal volume stops), depletion (which is the cumulative effect of withdrawal) would continue. The first statement is incorrect as it wrongly assumes no further depletion if withdrawal volume increase stops. The second statement is correct because depletion is cumulative - as long as any groundwater is withdrawn (even if not increasing in volume per year), depletion (total amount taken out over time) continues.

Answer:

Groundwater depletion continued to increase after 1980 even though the volume of groundwater withdrawn per year did not. This is because groundwater was still being withdrawn.