A photo from open sources
Deep in Africa, in one of our driest places planets are areas of huge reserves of water – freshwater aquifers containing 60 times more water than all American Great Lakes combined.
A photo from open sources
These aquifers have a size of about 410,000 cubic miles and contain 100 times more fresh water than existing reserves on the surface of the continent. And since the population of Africa rapidly increasing, these aquifers can be used in increasing food production, reducing impacts of climate change and significantly reduce poverty. And in this is their critical value. In the image above, from World Policy Journal showing these water resources along with regions where historically drought, in an attempt to identify huge features of this vital resource. However, these resources can only be used in perspective. Alan MacDonald, a hydrogeologist from the British Geological Survey and groundwater lead author explains that these waters are not “treasures to pounce on,” but instead you need to find smaller aquifers and use them. Sahara water reserves are deep underground, making them very expensive water to retrieve and deliver as directed. Also, unlike their “cousins” on the surface, these aquifers are not renewable – they are not recover over 5,000 years.
Africa Water
