Ultra-large "Underground Reservoir" Found in Tarim

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Monday, January 07, 2002

Ultra-large "Underground Reservoir" Found in Tarim

An underground reservoir, with 36bn cubic meters of water resources, it compares well to the Three Gorges Reservoir under construction. A geological survey conducted into northwest China's groundwater resources reveals the reservoir on the north fringe of arid Tarim told Chinese geologists lately.

With an annual groundwater recharge of 1bn cubic meters, the "reservoir" keeps a water reserve of 36bn cubic meters, almost an equivalent of 39.2bn cubic meters of Three Gorges Reservoir's storage under construction.

Arid weather with a dearth of water supply has long been the main cause and scourge detrimental to local eco-environment, people's life and economic development. In view of this, a new round of geological survey has been carried out into local hydrologic geological resources in western China.

Tarim Basin has been the focus of fieldwork of Chinese geologists as a part of Taklamakan Desert, making sure that underground water supply is to be locally drawn, potentials developed, with a conceptual model of hydrologic geological resources built in directing West China development.

So far, hydrologic geological investigation by Chinese geologists has culminated in data collection and comprehensive research. Hydrologic geological survey at a ratio of 1:250000 has been up to over 260,000 square kilometers, comprehensive surface physical sectional survey over 110 kilometers, hydrologic geologic drilling to a depth of 900 meters.

Chinese geologists told that the newly-found "groundwater reservoir" outstanding for its large size and big storage of water supply is located in the catchment area of Weigan River on the northern fringe of Tarim Basin. As shown by hydrologic geological surveys carried out in three areas in Tarim, underground water recharge resources come to an annual amount of as many as 1 billion cubic meters.

By People's Daily Online

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