Fissure in Arizona is the largest of it's kind

The fissures in Arizona started showing up in 1929. They have been increasing in depth and size in recent years because of the growing population mining the underground water in the state for human use and agriculture. When you remove the ground water in hot, dry areas, the surface, above ground, which is exposed to heat and dryness simply cracks apart from total lack  of moisture, above and below. The residents of the state have become worried about this phenomenon. And so they have formed a committee of scientists to monitor these fissures.  As they grow longer and deeper they become extreme hazards because they can open up anywhere.

Just imagine what fracking for natural gas might do in this state. Hydraulic fracturing of the shale rock below the surface uses millions of gallons of precious water and forces it, mixed with toxic chemicals into the ground to fracture the shale. The waste products are left to leach into water sources and sink holes and earthquakes are quite common.

Right now there is conflict in the Sahara desert in Algeria as the people in the area fight the oil companies to keep them from fracking.  The fracking will destroy the little water they have and leave them with toxic waste which could destroy livestock and their fragile agriculture situation. Humans always seem to change the planet for worse not better.