Scientists have discovered huge reserves of freshwater kilometres out to the sea, providing new opportunities to stave off a looming global water crisis.

A new study, published in the international scientific journal Nature, reveals that an estimated half a million cubic kilometres of low-salinity water are buried beneath the seabed on continental shelves around the world.

The water, which could perhaps be used to eke out supplies to the world’s burgeoning coastal cities, has been located off Australia, China, North America and South Africa.

“The volume of this water resource is a hundred times greater than the amount we’ve extracted from the Earth’s sub-surface in the past century since 1900,” says lead author Dr Vincent Post of the National Centre for Groundwater Research and Training (NCGRT) and the School of the Environment at Flinders University. “Knowing about these reserves is great news because this volume of water could sustain some regions for decades.”

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Riff-in-Thyme said:

Scientists have discovered huge reserves of freshwater kilometres out to the sea, providing new opportunities to stave off a looming global water crisis.

A new study, published in the international scientific journal Nature, reveals that an estimated half a million cubic kilometres of low-salinity water are buried beneath the seabed on continental shelves around the world.

The water, which could perhaps be used to eke out supplies to the world’s burgeoning coastal cities, has been located off Australia, China, North America and South Africa.

“The volume of this water resource is a hundred times greater than the amount we’ve extracted from the Earth’s sub-surface in the past century since 1900,” says lead author Dr Vincent Post of the National Centre for Groundwater Research and Training (NCGRT) and the School of the Environment at Flinders University. “Knowing about these reserves is great news because this volume of water could sustain some regions for decades.”

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Oh, goody. We can start to exploit yet another non-renewable resource.

Tamb said:

Riff-in-Thyme said:

“The volume of this water resource is a hundred times greater than the amount we’ve extracted from the Earth’s sub-surface in the past century since 1900,” says lead author Dr Vincent Post of the National Centre for Groundwater Research and Training (NCGRT) and the School of the Environment at Flinders University.

Oh, goody. We can start to exploit yet another non-renewable resource.

The volume available makes it a better source than our current ones, especially if this could ease the pressure on waterways like the Murray Darling…….

What is wrong with the water in the oceans? We have the technology to make it drinkable…

Riff-in-Thyme said:

Tamb said:

Riff-in-Thyme said:

“The volume of this water resource is a hundred times greater than the amount we’ve extracted from the Earth’s sub-surface in the past century since 1900,” says lead author Dr Vincent Post of the National Centre for Groundwater Research and Training (NCGRT) and the School of the Environment at Flinders University.

Oh, goody. We can start to exploit yet another non-renewable resource.

The volume available makes it a better source than our current ones, especially if this could ease the pressure on waterways like the Murray Darling…….

The only long term solution is global population reduction.

Tamb said:

The only long term solution is global population reduction.

We have to deal with what we have first.

furious said:

What is wrong with the water in the oceans? We have the technology to make it drinkable…

Expense of processing

Tamb said:

Riff-in-Thyme said:

Tamb said:

Oh, goody. We can start to exploit yet another non-renewable resource.

The volume available makes it a better source than our current ones, especially if this could ease the pressure on waterways like the Murray Darling…….

The only long term solution is global population reduction.

That would reduce the number of consumers which would reduce the market which would reduce growth.
Are you mad or something, Tamb.

Riff-in-Thyme said:

furious said:

What is wrong with the water in the oceans? We have the technology to make it drinkable…

Expense of processing

And carbon footprint.

Riff-in-Thyme said:

furious said:

What is wrong with the water in the oceans? We have the technology to make it drinkable…

Expense of processing

More expensive than drilling offshore and bringing the water to thirsty mainlanders?

Peak Warming Man said:

Tamb said:

Riff-in-Thyme said:

The volume available makes it a better source than our current ones, especially if this could ease the pressure on waterways like the Murray Darling…….

The only long term solution is global population reduction.

That would reduce the number of consumers which would reduce the market which would reduce growth.
Are you mad or something, Tamb.

Or something PWM.

The only long term solution is global population reduction.

the global birthrate is declining.

Divine Angel said:

Riff-in-Thyme said:

furious said:

What is wrong with the water in the oceans? We have the technology to make it drinkable…

Expense of processing

More expensive than drilling offshore and bringing the water to thirsty mainlanders?

Might give oil companies something else todo ;)

Riff-in-Thyme said:

Divine Angel said:

Riff-in-Thyme said:

Expense of processing

More expensive than drilling offshore and bringing the water to thirsty mainlanders?

Might give oil companies something else todo ;)

The greenies will still get upset if the freshwater spills into the sea. All those critically endangered sea creatures and their upsetting of salinity levels…

What about a desalination plant powered by renewable energy?

furious said:

What about a desalination plant powered by renewable energy?

Solar desal. That’d work but to achieve very large quantities of fresh water would present a problem disposing of the salt.

Tamb said:

would present a problem disposing of the salt.

Send it to Mars for seasoning our eventual food crops.

Divine Angel said:

Tamb said:

would present a problem disposing of the salt.

Send it to Mars for seasoning our eventual food crops.

Use it for slalary.

Divine Angel said:

Tamb said:

would present a problem disposing of the salt.

Send it to Mars for seasoning our eventual food crops.

We’d better send some of the water too.

• to achieve very large quantities of fresh water would present a problem disposing of the salt

Put it back in the ocean…

looks like sibeen is having a ‘ell of a time in tassie.

furious said:

• to achieve very large quantities of fresh water would present a problem disposing of the salt

Put it back in the ocean…

You’d be disturbing the salinity levels and upsetting the greenies.

Divine Angel said:

furious said:

• to achieve very large quantities of fresh water would present a problem disposing of the salt

Put it back in the ocean…

You’d be disturbing the salinity levels and upsetting the greenies.

Use it to melt the polar ice caps.

• You’d be disturbing the salinity levels and upsetting the greenies

Just make sure that all drains lead to the ocean. That’ll balance it out…

furious said:

• You’d be disturbing the salinity levels and upsetting the greenies

Just make sure that all drains lead to the ocean. That’ll balance it out…

Now you’ve got it. Gotta keep Nemo & friends happy.

anybody here able to provide an estimate of Australian productivity if our river systems always flowed at a healthy rate?

Riff-in-Thyme said:

anybody here able to provide an estimate of Australian productivity if our river systems always flowed at a healthy rate?

78.3%

Divine Angel said:

Riff-in-Thyme said:

anybody here able to provide an estimate of Australian productivity if our river systems always flowed at a healthy rate?

78.3%

if that is a productivity increase then we are way under performing…

I may have pulled that number from my butt.

Divine Angel said:

I may have pulled that number from my butt.

I’m sure you did but I wouldn’t be surprised if it were somewhat accurate.

the other question is, how long would it take to de-salinate the Murray-Darling system?

Riff-in-Thyme said:

the other question is, how long would it take to de-salinate the Murray-Darling system?

From my understanding, the salts leech into the Murray from the country it passes through, therefore you may never stop it, but might be able to control the worse areas.

PermeateFree said:

Riff-in-Thyme said:

the other question is, how long would it take to de-salinate the Murray-Darling system?

From my understanding, the salts leech into the Murray from the country it passes through, therefore you may never stop it, but might be able to control the worse areas.

The salt is brought up to the surface when the flow is too low. If the level could be kept at a constant healthy level it would return to normal.

PermeateFree said:

Riff-in-Thyme said:

the other question is, how long would it take to de-salinate the Murray-Darling system?

From my understanding, the salts leech into the Murray from the country it passes through, therefore you may never stop it, but might be able to control the worse areas.

Make that leach.

Riff-in-Thyme said:

PermeateFree said:

Riff-in-Thyme said:

the other question is, how long would it take to de-salinate the Murray-Darling system?

From my understanding, the salts leech into the Murray from the country it passes through, therefore you may never stop it, but might be able to control the worse areas.

The salt is brought up to the surface when the flow is too low. If the level could be kept at a constant healthy level it would return to normal.

It is also caused by erosion, another result of land clearing.

PermeateFree said:

Riff-in-Thyme said:

PermeateFree said:

From my understanding, the salts leech into the Murray from the country it passes through, therefore you may never stop it, but might be able to control the worse areas.

The salt is brought up to the surface when the flow is too low. If the level could be kept at a constant healthy level it would return to normal.

It is also caused by erosion, another result of land clearing.

Well to minimise complication I will rephrase the question as, how much improvement to the surrounding environment could be achieved were the Murray-Darling flow stabilised to a healthy level?

Riff-in-Thyme said:

PermeateFree said:

Riff-in-Thyme said:

The salt is brought up to the surface when the flow is too low. If the level could be kept at a constant healthy level it would return to normal.

It is also caused by erosion, another result of land clearing.

Well to minimise complication I will rephrase the question as, how much improvement to the surrounding environment could be achieved were the Murray-Darling flow stabilised to a healthy level?

You would obviously need to locate the worst areas of salt contamination, which can be a long way from the river, but brought down via creeks. You would need massive earthworks and plantings of salt tolerate vegetation, also you would need to stop wasteful irrigation and otherwise reduce the demand for water. The above would at considerable cost and take a considerable amount of land out of production and effect the lives of many, so the chances of success would be very slim indeed. However if it could be implemented and money was forthcoming the means of regeneration are generally known, so I would think perhaps 2-4 generations.

PermeateFree said:

Riff-in-Thyme said:

PermeateFree said:

It is also caused by erosion, another result of land clearing.

Well to minimise complication I will rephrase the question as, how much improvement to the surrounding environment could be achieved were the Murray-Darling flow stabilised to a healthy level?

You would obviously need to locate the worst areas of salt contamination, which can be a long way from the river, but brought down via creeks. You would need massive earthworks and plantings of salt tolerate vegetation, also you would need to stop wasteful irrigation and otherwise reduce the demand for water. The above would at considerable cost and take a considerable amount of land out of production and effect the lives of many, so the chances of success would be very slim indeed. However if it could be implemented and money was forthcoming the means of regeneration are generally known, so I would think perhaps 2-4 generations.

It would be a genuinely worthy endeavor for us.

they ought to create a google map of the murray darling system specifically for the purpose of identifying strategies for it.

Riff-in-Thyme said:

PermeateFree said:

Riff-in-Thyme said:

Well to minimise complication I will rephrase the question as, how much improvement to the surrounding environment could be achieved were the Murray-Darling flow stabilised to a healthy level?

You would obviously need to locate the worst areas of salt contamination, which can be a long way from the river, but brought down via creeks. You would need massive earthworks and plantings of salt tolerate vegetation, also you would need to stop wasteful irrigation and otherwise reduce the demand for water. The above would at considerable cost and take a considerable amount of land out of production and effect the lives of many, so the chances of success would be very slim indeed. However if it could be implemented and money was forthcoming the means of regeneration are generally known, so I would think perhaps 2-4 generations.

It would be a genuinely worthy endeavor for us.

It would only return the river to health, but as it is currently over-used, the production from surrounding country would need to change radically or be considerably reduced.

PermeateFree said:

It would only return the river to health, but as it is currently over-used, the production from surrounding country would need to change radically or be considerably reduced.

How so if you had a source that you could keep it topped up with?

Riff-in-Thyme said:

they ought to create a google map of the murray darling system specifically for the purpose of identifying strategies for it.

These things can be done if there is a will to do so. The River Thames in the UK was devoid of life 50 years ago, but now they even have salmon swimming up it.

Riff-in-Thyme said:

PermeateFree said:

It would only return the river to health, but as it is currently over-used, the production from surrounding country would need to change radically or be considerably reduced.

How so if you had a source that you could keep it topped up with?

Unless you did, then the river would be quickly stressed again as would everything that uses it. You need a decent flow of water to flush out the system, but if people are taking too much out, as they are doing at present, the river slowly dies.

PermeateFree said:

Riff-in-Thyme said:

they ought to create a google map of the murray darling system specifically for the purpose of identifying strategies for it.

These things can be done if there is a will to do so. The River Thames in the UK was devoid of life 50 years ago, but now they even have salmon swimming up it.

If ever there was an example of an environment that has changed it would be Britain. I still find it hard to get my head around an entire population drinking beer for 600 years cause the water was crap……

Riff-in-Thyme said:

PermeateFree said:

Riff-in-Thyme said:

they ought to create a google map of the murray darling system specifically for the purpose of identifying strategies for it.

These things can be done if there is a will to do so. The River Thames in the UK was devoid of life 50 years ago, but now they even have salmon swimming up it.

If ever there was an example of an environment that has changed it would be Britain. I still find it hard to get my head around an entire population drinking beer for 600 years cause the water was crap……

They had a lot of pollution from people and business to stop, but salt contamination is something again.

PermeateFree said:

Riff-in-Thyme said:

PermeateFree said:

It would only return the river to health, but as it is currently over-used, the production from surrounding country would need to change radically or be considerably reduced.

How so if you had a source that you could keep it topped up with?

Unless you did, then the river would be quickly stressed again as would everything that uses it. You need a decent flow of water to flush out the system, but if people are taking too much out, as they are doing at present, the river slowly dies.

My point is that this new source of fresh water doesn’t have to be directly drawn on as alternative but could be used to regulate our waterways…….

Riff-in-Thyme said:

PermeateFree said:

Riff-in-Thyme said:

How so if you had a source that you could keep it topped up with?

Unless you did, then the river would be quickly stressed again as would everything that uses it. You need a decent flow of water to flush out the system, but if people are taking too much out, as they are doing at present, the river slowly dies.

My point is that this new source of fresh water doesn’t have to be directly drawn on as alternative but could be used to regulate our waterways…….

Cost of transporting it to were it was required might create a few headaches.

PermeateFree said:

Riff-in-Thyme said:

PermeateFree said:

Unless you did, then the river would be quickly stressed again as would everything that uses it. You need a decent flow of water to flush out the system, but if people are taking too much out, as they are doing at present, the river slowly dies.

My point is that this new source of fresh water doesn’t have to be directly drawn on as alternative but could be used to regulate our waterways…….

Cost of transporting it to were it was required might create a few headaches.

Fuck me, they run pipelines across whole oceans for gas and oil. Water can’t be harder.

Riff-in-Thyme said:

PermeateFree said:

Riff-in-Thyme said:

My point is that this new source of fresh water doesn’t have to be directly drawn on as alternative but could be used to regulate our waterways…….

Cost of transporting it to were it was required might create a few headaches.

Fuck me, they run pipelines across whole oceans for gas and oil. Water can’t be harder.

If water was worth the same as gas or oil, you might have a point, also water is very heavy and needs considerable energy to move it around.

PermeateFree said:

If water was worth the same as gas or oil, you might have a point, also water is very heavy and needs considerable energy to move it around.

Where does California get its potable water from?

Divine Angel said:

PermeateFree said:

If water was worth the same as gas or oil, you might have a point, also water is very heavy and needs considerable energy to move it around.

Where does California get its potable water from?

Everything you ever wanted to know about California’s potable water.
http://www.nature.org/media/california/california_drinking-water-sources-2012.pdf

The River Thames in the UK was devoid of life 50 years ago,
———————————————————————————-

Thats not true, I caught a stickleback.

Back in the summer of 69…

Mr Ironic said:

The River Thames in the UK was devoid of life 50 years ago,
———————————————————————————-

Thats not true, I caught a stickleback.

Back in the summer of 69…

Alright, make that 60 years ago, but no more!

PermeateFree said:

Riff-in-Thyme said:

PermeateFree said:

You would obviously need to locate the worst areas of salt contamination, which can be a long way from the river, but brought down via creeks. You would need massive earthworks and plantings of salt tolerate vegetation, also you would need to stop wasteful irrigation and otherwise reduce the demand for water. The above would at considerable cost and take a considerable amount of land out of production and effect the lives of many, so the chances of success would be very slim indeed. However if it could be implemented and money was forthcoming the means of regeneration are generally known, so I would think perhaps 2-4 generations.

It would be a genuinely worthy endeavor for us.

It would only return the river to health, but as it is currently over-used, the production from surrounding country would need to change radically or be considerably reduced.

All the above has been in process for some time. Notably, all the while the climate has also been changing. Input levels are also changing.
The bigger problem is that the population level keeps escalating beyond our capacity to repair.