Mr. Chávez's government blames relatively low rainfall this year for low water levels at Guri and for declining water supplies for Caracas.
Many farmers here say that because of low corn prices and a declining water table, they are shifting from corn to cotton, which uses less water.
India's extensive groundwater resources are also rapidly being depleted, with 58% of wells in the drier north-west India experiencing declining water levels.
Tobacco leaf farming in Lombok, Indonesia, was not only contributing to deforestation but also to declining water supply on the island.
The consequences for development would be severe, as crop yields decline, water resources shift, communicable diseases move into new geographical ranges, and sea levels rise," he said.
The declining water levels took further pressure off emergency crews and residents who had been braced since last week for potentially catastrophic floods.
Not surprisingly, critics have questioned the agencies' science, although it is hard to see how the suckerfish would not be harmed by declining water levels.
However the various social, religious and ethnic wars play out, in the coming years and decades the region will feel the stress of declining water resources".
Scientists have long been aware of problems in the lagoon, where residential and commercial development has led to declining water quality and loss of habitat.
Already implemented are GPS tracking logs of vehicle movements, and smart water systems that notify operators about declining water supplies or pipes degrading to the point where they will need repair.
