When we think about the deserts of the world, water abundance is one of the last things that come to mind. But that might change for the Taklamakan Desert in northwest China.
There is a huge underground ocean that has more water than all of the great lakes in North America combined. "Never before have people dared to imagine so much water under the sand," said professor Li Yan.
A basin is, a valley that collects water from drainage systems, like water that has melted and is running down the face of nearby, snow-capped mountains. But, if you look at the Tarim basin, you won't see any water.
That's partly because locals collect most of the melt water to irrigate crops. The rest either seeps into the ground or evaporates into the dry desert air.
So how did this desert have such huge water? It dates back to 2,000 years ago when farmers in the region began irrigating the land. And the soil of the local farmlands is salty, like the ocean. "As a result, agricultural development over human history has enhanced the carbon sink," they write in their report.
They estimate that as much as 10 times the amount in all of the great lakes could be down there. The scientists don't advise locals to go digging for it, though, because it's extremely salty.
本时文内容由奇速英语国际教育研究院原创编写，禁止复制和任何商业用途，版权所有，侵权必究！
13980503458
13980503458
admin@qisuen.cn
