I think the distinction is between rainwater runoff vs aquifer depletion. They are related, and if we were collectively smarter we would do a better job of managing the runoff to help restore the aquifers.

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DaveZale 4 days ago | parent [-]

in some parts of the country (US), interstate water agreements promise a certain volume of water to be delivered from one state to another, in which cases, runoff is sometimes required. Legal agreements.

	▲	pstuart 3 days ago \| parent [-]
		Yes, it's not about capturing every drop -- more about slowing it down so a fair amount can percolate in. The recent tragedy in Texas is a key example -- way more water than could be "handled", and if there were mitigations in place it could have been win/win (temper flooding and replenish aquifers. I follow a youtuber who's trying to rehabilitate desert land by slowing the water down to let some percolate in -- it's a wonderful dream: https://www.youtube.com/@dustupstexas