An incredible discovery has resulted in an incredible find of a huge underground aquifer in the very arid Turkana area of Kenya.
The discovery could change the fortunes of the people living in the area. The acquifer was spotted through satellite imagery.
Scientists were able to map the underground reservoirs that are hidden below the surface. Apparently there are vast aquifers that lie under the majority of the African territory.
Namibia also was fortunate enough to discover such a source, and never more needed it is than now, since Namibia has experienced a drought that could bring a devastating famine to the region. The aquifer in Namibia, however, lies beneath another water source that is salty, so that if unauthorized pumping occurs the salty water could contaminate the aquifer below.
The Turkana region is one of the most arid and degraded territories in Kenya. To make matters worse, the region was hit by a relentless drought last summer.
Since most of the inhabitants of the region are migratory herders, the lack of rain has devastated their lives and that of the herds that sustain them.
The aquifer is believed to hold at least 200 billion liters of water. Considering that almost half of Kenya's population has no access to safe water, the news is seen as a game-changer for the economy and the region.
The water in aquifers is usually under pressure, so that a simple reverse well can extract it cheaply and efficiently.
The aquifer found in Namibia could support the region for 400 years at the current rates of consumption.
The water could be thousand of years old and have been imprisoned below ground during great climatic and land shifts more than 10,000 years ago.
Source : BBC / 9.11.13
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