Posted on 07/20/2007 1:31:07 AM PDT by indcons
Deep beneath the desert and scrub of northern Darfur, Sudan, lies a vast hidden cache of water, experts said this week.
The newfound aquifer could turn the arid conflict zone into a broad oasis of farms and watering holes, according to Farouk El-Baz, director of Boston University's Center for Remote Sensing.
In April El-Baz's team had announced that they had found signs of a huge ancient lake in Darfur. At that time they had speculated that the long-gone lake's water may be lurking underground.
After further testing, El-Baz said, "we know there's water."
However, "we don't yet know how much," said El-Baz, an Egyptian-born pioneer of using satellite imagery in geological and archaeological research.
El-Baz's team found the underground pool by analyzing infrared, radar, and other images taken by satellites.
Slim Promise of Peace?
Desertification and competition for natural resources are among the underlying causes of the recent Darfur conflict. More than 200,000 people have been killed and 2.5 million others chased from their homes during the four-year strife.
So if there is enough water, "it could change the course of events in that region," El-Baz said.
"You could have mechanized farms there to feed and provide training and jobs to the people there."
The Sahara desert's steady creep into Sudan's western region could also be stopped, El-Baz said.
But a French researcher who has also scanned the region using satellite imagery said the underground water is unlikely to be significant.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.nationalgeographic.com ...
Pong
Is this thread considered to be within GGG’s purview?
dripPING
Islam, not water, is the problem there and dozens of other places.
Yeah, a lake will do it alright...Water will stop the muslims from slaughtering christians...
Or maybe a dictator will figure out how to control access to it so he can starve people better.
All he has to do is ask the UN. They'll be happy to help!
***Islam, not water, is the problem there and dozens of other places.****
You mean like the destruction of an ancient dam in Yemen because the tribesmen were more interested in spreading Islam than in upkeep on the dam causing it to break?
I don’t remember the link or name.
Too bad it wasn’t oil.
“My peoples know-how in this area is unsurpassed on this continent. We have reduced the white man’s imposition of 3 growing seasons a year to none. Zero sum is the name of the game here and we are the best.”
“North Korean advisers are welcome as they have decades of experience in eating dirt, sticks, and grass. We have much to learn from these vegans.”
I’ll check... ;’)
Call to tap hidden water under desert
Gulf News | July 01, 2007 | Emmanuelle Landais
Posted on 07/02/2007 12:23:15 PM EDT by SunkenCiv
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1859671/posts
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