This Should Be Great News For Kenya

[Annie]

BBC - Homepage

11 September 2013 Last updated at 14:51 ET

Kenya aquifers discovered in dry Turkana region

A huge water source has been discovered in the arid Turkana region of northern Kenya which could supply the country for 70 years, the government says.

The discovery of two aquifers brings hope to the drought-hit region, tweeted Environment Minister Judi Wakhungu.

They were found in the Turkana Basin and Lotikipi Basin using satellites and radar.

Last year, scientists released a map detailing the vast reservoirs which lie under much of Africa.
Continue reading the main story
“Start Quote

This newly found wealth of water opens a door to a more prosperous future for the people of Turkana and the nation as a whole”

End Quote Judi Wakhungu Environment Minister

Another aquifer was found in Namibia - the continent's driest country.

Turkana is one of the hottest, driest and poorest parts of Kenya and was hit by a devastating drought last year.

Many of the region's inhabitants are nomadic herders, who are especially vulnerable to a lack of rain.

Test drilling confirmed there was water under the ground.

The discovery was announced by Ms Wakhungu at a meeting of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, Unesco.

"This newly found wealth of water opens a door to a more prosperous future for the people of Turkana and the nation as a whole. We must now work to further explore these resources responsibly and safeguard them for future generations," she said.
'Irrigation and industry benefits'

The aquifers are said to hold some 250bn cubic metres of water.

Ms Wakhungu said Kenya currently uses about 3bn cubic metres a year.

"We're hoping with the two test boreholes, the water should be available within a month. The first priority is to supply water to the people of the area, who have always been water insecure."

 

[ScienceRocks]

Good for Kenya

I hope they can drill into the ground to get it.

 

[Mr. H.]

Good for Kenya

I hope they can drill into the ground to get it.

They already have. It will transform entire nations.

 

[CrusaderFrank]

Maybe this will call Obama back home

 

[waltky]

2 Giant aquifers found in Kenya...

Water Discovery Brings Hope to Arid Kenya Region
September 11, 2013 — Satellite technology has revealed that the drought-stricken Turkana region of northern Kenya lies atop two giant underground lakes, or aquifers. Estimates indicate the finds could solve the barren region's water problems and provide all of Kenya with enough water for the next 70 years.

The government of Kenya and the U.N. agency UNESCO on Wednesday announced huge new water finds in one of the most arid parts of the country. Kenya’s minister of environment, water and natural resources, Judi Wakhungu, said the two aquifers in Turkana -- a northern region long mired in poverty and conflict from a lack of water -- could not only transform the lives of local communities, but also the country. “What we found in Turkana basin and Lotipiki basin is very exciting because it’s over 200 billion cubic meters of water," she said. "This means that if we use this water sustainably we will have enough water for the next two generations.”

Exploration company Radar Technologies International found the underground lakes using satellite technology. RTI’s General Manager Alain Gachet said that the huge estimates could be the tip of the iceberg. “It’s a complex model but we based our estimation only on the superficial, on the first 300 meters," he said. "And the lake is one-and-a-half kilometers deep, maybe completely soaked with water. So I consider we were very conservative with these reserves, as we considered only the first 300 meters.”

Local area Chief, Mrs. Elamach, undertakes rapid quality assessment at the test pumping site in Napuu Borehole, Kenya.

Gachet says the resource could turn pastoralists from beggars embroiled in cross-border water conflicts with South Sudan and Uganda into potential thriving and peaceful communities able to grow their own food. That would be welcome news to residents of Turkana, where the malnutrition rates can soar as high as 37 percent. Gachet admits that there could be some environmental damage to the area, but that people came first. “You know, when people are dying of thirst, you don’t think of the environmental impact, besides the fact that you are going to give water to these people and their cattle," he said. "The first impact is positive. So for sure, better have water than no water.”

Gretchen Kalonji, assistant director-general for natural sciences at UNESCO, which protects areas of scientific and natural interest, also stressed the human need. “It’s an area which as you know is extremely short in water and you know, it witnessed the worst drought in 60 years in 2011, where I think 12 million people ended up displaced, and a large number fo people ended up dying, so that’s important to keep in mind,” she said.

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[editec]

That'll change the nature of Kenya for sure.

 

[smileandmobile]

some good news

 

[smileandmobile]

agreed this is a good move