Two large groundwater reserves have been discovered beneath the Taklimakan Desert in northwest China Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, offering new insights into the potential for using underground water resources in desert regions.
The discoveries were made near a town in Minfeng County on the southern edge of the desert and in an area south of the Mazartag Mountains in the desert’s interior. The findings emerged from a groundwater exploration project conducted by the Xinjiang Geological Bureau’s Hydrology and Environmental Geology Survey Center.
Researchers used satellite remote sensing, aerial geophysical surveys, ground exploration and drilling to investigate the underground water systems. The survey found that the groundwater is not stagnant but is flowing and renewable, with both freshwater and saline water present in the explored areas.
The research team also developed three dimensional and hydrogeological models to map the distribution of freshwater and saline groundwater and assess the available resources and their potential uses.
As part of the project researchers have established a pilot station to test the safe use of brackish groundwater for irrigation. The trials are linked to efforts to contain the expansion of the Taklimakan Desert and could provide an additional water source for ecological restoration.
Zhang Lei, director of the survey center, said the project is focused not only on determining the amount of groundwater available but also on assessing whether the resources can be used sustainably to support long term development in desert regions.
The research is also intended to explore geological approaches to improving water security in southern Xinjiang where water availability is a major factor in ecological and economic development.
The Taklimakan Desert covers about 337,600 square kilometres and has a perimeter of around 3,046 kilometres according to Xinhua. It is China’s largest desert and one of the world’s largest shifting sand deserts.
Researchers will continue assessing the groundwater systems and their potential applications, particularly the sustainable use of brackish water for irrigation and ecological restoration.