Historically, the solution to ground water overdraft has almost always been to develop supplemental supplies to substitute for the diminished extractions that are necessary to stabilize an aquifer and maintain it sustainably. Indeed, China plans large-scale water transfers from the south, where water is plentiful, to the north, where urban and agricultural demands are concentrated, in an effort to offset the projected consequences of continued ground water overdrafting. However, these transfers are planned only to alleviate scarcity in urban regions such as Beijing. Elsewhere in China, there is insufficient water either locally or remotely to offset overdraft.