4/20/12, "'Huge' water resource exists under Africa," BBC, Matt McGrath, Science Reporter
"Scientists say the notoriously dry continent of Africa is sitting on a vast reservoir of groundwater.
They argue that the total volume of water in aquifers underground is 100 times the amount found on the surface.
The team have produced the most detailed map yet of the scale and potential of this hidden resource.
Writing in the journal Environmental Research Letters, they stress that large scale drilling might not be the best way of increasing water supplies.
Across Africa more than 300 million people are said not to have access to safe drinking water.
Demand for water is set to grow markedly in coming decades due to population growth and the need for irrigation to grow crops.
Freshwater rivers and lakes are subject to seasonal floods and droughts that can limit their availability for people and for agriculture. At present only 5% of arable land is irrigated.
Now scientists have for the first time been able to carry out a continent-wide analysis of the water that is hidden under the surface in aquifers. Researchers from the British Geological Survey and University College London (UCL) have mapped in detail the amount and potential yield of this groundwater resource across the continent.
Helen Bonsor is from the BGS is one of the authors of the paper. She says that up until now groundwater was out of sight and out of mind. She hopes the new maps will open people's eyes to the potential.
"Where there's greatest ground water storage is in northern Africa, in the large sedimentary basins, in Libya, Algeria and Chad," she said.
"The amount of storage in those basins is equivalent to 75m thickness of water across that area - it's a huge amount."
Ancient eventsDue to changes in climate that have turned the Sahara into a desert over centuries many of the aquifers underneath were last filled with water over 5,000 years ago.
The scientists collated their information from existing hydro-geological maps from national governments as well as 283 aquifer studies.
The researchers say their new maps indicate that many countries currently designated as "water scarce" have substantial groundwater reserves.
However, the scientists are cautious about the best way of accessing these hidden resources. They suggest that widespread drilling of large boreholes might not work.
Dr Alan MacDonald, lead author of the study, told the BBC: "High yielding boreholes should not be developed without a thorough understanding of the local groundwater conditions.
"Appropriately sited and developed boreholes for low yielding rural water supply and hand pumps are likely to be successful."
With many aquifers not being filled due to a lack of rain, the scientists are worried that large-scale borehole developments could rapidly deplete the resource.
According to Helen Bonsor, sometimes the slower means of extraction can be more efficient.
"Much lower storage aquifers are present across much of sub-Saharan Africa," she explained.
"However, our work shows that with careful exploring and construction, there is sufficient groundwater under Africa to support low yielding water supplies for drinking and community irrigation."
The scientists say that there are sufficient reserves to be able to cope with the vagaries of climate change.
"Even in the lowest storage aquifers in semi arid areas with currently very little rainfall, ground water is indicated to have a residence time in the ground of 20 to 70 years." Dr Bonsor said.
"So at present extraction rates for drinking and small scale irrigation for agriculture groundwater will provide
- and will continue to provide a buffer to climate variability.""
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This 2010 study shows Africa with little or no water.
9/29/2010, "Water map shows billions at risk of 'water insecurity'," BBC, Richard Black
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10/4/11, "An Open Letter to Climate Change Deniers and Skeptics: The Final [Chocolate] Straw," Forbes, Peter Gleick
"A new scientific study from the International Center for Tropical Agriculture, a research center of the world-renowned Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) has just published a new analysis that says the world will suffer a massive loss of area suitable for growing cocoa as temperatures continue to rise and rainfall patterns shift. Figure 1, below, shows the drastic potential decrease in the viable chocolate-growing areas of Ghana and the Ivory Coast by 2050 due to climate change. These two countries produce 60 percent of global cocoa, but by 2050 cocoa production by these two leading global producers
- will be crippled."...
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12/19/2009, Sudanese diplomat di-aping at Copenhagen global warming conference saying that lack of climate 'financing' would lead to
12/19/2009, "Sudan compares climate deal to the Holocaust," EuroNews,
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5/14/2009, "The Truth About Water Wars," SeedMagazine.com, Catalyst, by Maywa Montenegro
"In 2007 an 18-month study of Sudan by the UN Environment Program concluded that the conflict in Darfur had its roots in climate change and water shortages. According to the report, disappearing pasture and evaporating water holes—rainfall is down 30 percent over 40 years in some parts of the Sahel—had sparked dispute between herders and farmers and
- threatened to trigger a succession of new wars across Africa."
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1/11/2010, "Peter Gleick: Water, Climate Change, and International Security," Circle of Blue, Peter Gleick
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Peter Gleick, an admitted liar, in Washington DC to accept an award in 2011, briefs lawmakers and federal officials about catastrophic man-caused climate change and water shortages.
2011, "Peter Gleick briefs US Congress on vulnerability of water resources to climate change," hydrology.nl, Dutch portal to international hydrology
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2/20/12, "Peter Gleick Admits to Deception in Obtaining Heartland Climate Files," Dot Earth, Andrew Revkin
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US taxpayer dollars are volunteered to "transfer scientific" information about water security of rivers and streams across the planet as they "change" due to catastrophic American-caused climate change. No end to planetary rivers and streams needing 'testing' paid for by the US taxpayer.
March, 14, 2012, "CU researchers to help assess Himalayan water supplies," summitcountyvoice.com, B. Berwyn
"While about one-third of the world’s population depends to some degree on fresh water within the High Asia hydrological system"...
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'Water supply' of '2 billion' people might be at risk, violence might happen, $5.4 million US taxpayer dollars diverted to Himalaya area 'study.'
Dec. 2011, "CU researchers wade into effect of shrinking Himalayan glaciers on Asia's water supply," Denver Post, Bruce Finley
"The U.S. government is deploying Colorado scientists to lead a $5.4 million effort to gauge the impact of shrinking Himalayan glaciers on water supplies across Asia.
The question: Are rivers that sustain more than 2 billion people fed primarily by water from rainfall, by seasonal snowmelt or by the glaciers that are vulnerable to climate change?
A significant drop in water supply could lead to food shortages and, according to U.S. Agency for International Development officials (USAID), create new conflicts in already volatile areas."...
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