Ancient river channels with groundwater found beneath Taklamakan in China — ECNS
Chinese geologists have discovered buried channels of ancient rivers beneath the Taklamakan Desert in China’s Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, containing fresh, brackish and saline groundwater. Researchers also outlined two large groundwater sources, ECNS reports, citing the Xinjiang Geological Bureau.
Discovery sites
One of the discoveries was made near the settlement of Andier in Minfeng County, on the southern edge of the desert. The other discovery site is located south of the Mazarteg Mountains in the interior of the Taklamakan.
The results challenge the established view that groundwater beneath the desert is exclusively stagnant or saline.
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How the water was searched for
Hydrogeological conditions were studied at depths of up to 500 metres. To do this, specialists combined airborne transient electromagnetic surveying, satellite remote sensing, ground-based geophysical surveys, drilling and water analyses.
The project aims to provide water resources for desert greening and the development of southern Xinjiang.
