Category Waterfalls

What is fossil water?

Fossil water is the ancient freshwater that got trapped underground in huge reservoirs or aquifers. This water may have been locked in for over thousands of years and remain undisturbed. It can be found across the globe, be it in arid, semi-arid, humid regions, or even regions of permafrost.

Ever heard of fossil water? You may be aware of fossils. So going by the terminology of fossils, does fossil water mean that the water is really old?

Well, fossil water or petrowater or paleowater is the water that is trapped among the rocks underneath for millennia. It is the ancient freshwater that got trapped underground in a huge reservoirs or aquifer (a geological formation comprising an underground layer of porous rocks where water can be stored) in an undisturbed space.

One aquifer in Libya, has been carbon-dated to 40,000 years ago. It has only been a few decades since we started accessing fossil aquifers. In water-deprived areas and dry climates, these have become sources of water.

Presently, billions across the world are dependent on water from fossil aquifers for drinking as well as irrigation purposes.

Location and formation

Fossil water can be found across the globe, be it in arid, semi-arid, humid regions, or even regions of permafrost. An example of fossil water would be the Nubian Sandstone Aquifer System which is the biggest fossil aquifer in the world.

How and when did fossil water form? Fossil water formed during the last glacial ice age. Water got collected from melting ice and prehistoric lakes, as it seeped into the subterranean layers of rocks and sand in old aquifers.

As time went by, these got filled with sediment and thus got isolated, thereby sealing off the water from Earth’s surface. They remained there, unaffected and undisturbed for tens of thousands of years. But we don’t know how much of this water exists.

How sustainable is fossil water

Fossil water is trapped in layers of impermeable rocks and clay. As such they cannot absorb precipitation. So once depleted, they cannot be replenished easily.

Further, some pockets of fossil water are located in deserts and cannot be replenished due to the absence of enough annual precipitation. For instance, consider the Ogallala aquifer. Once it is fully mined, it is said that it would take over 6,000 years to replenish it.

Future of fossil water

The old groundwater is becoming an option in some water-strapped nations. If we continue extracting fossil water mindlessly, then the area’s water table goes down permanently.

As this water is non-renewable, there is always a risk of these aquifers going dry. Meanwhile, if it remains unaffected by human activities, then it can remain in equilibrium.

But can you drink ancient groundwater? Since this water has been around for thousands of years, like anything that has been around for millennia, this water would taste different too. Natural chemicals also get leached into it. They can be salty and contain contaminants such as iron and manganese. They need to be treated to be used for drinking purposes.

Picture Credit : Google 

Which is the highest waterfall in the world?

Located in the Guiana Highlands in Bolivar state of southeastern Venezuela, the Angel Falls is the world’s highest uninterrupted waterfall. It occurs on the Churun River, which is a tributary of the Caron, located 260 kilometres to the southeast of Ciudad Bolivar. This cataract drops 979 metres and is 150 metres wide at the base.

Angel Falls was not known to the outside world until 16th November, 1933 when Jimmie Angel, an American aviator, flew over them while he was searching for an ore bed, based on the directions given by the Spanish explorer Felix Cardona.

Once he located the falls, he returned on 9th October, 1937 to land his Flamingo monoplane El Rio Caroni on top of Auyantepui, a tabletop mountain. But his plane was damaged when its wheels sank into the marshy ground, leaving Angel and his three companions, including his wife Marie, stranded. They were forced to climb down the tepui, which took them 11 days. The news of this adventure spread across the world and the waterfall was named Angel Falls in his honour.

Since it is located in the Canaima National Park, the dense jungle surrounding it prevents it from being seen from the air. Angel Falls is one of Venezuela’s top tourist attractions, and its other name, “Salto del angel” was first published on a Venezuelan government map in December 1939.

Picture Credit : Google

What are the most wonderful waterfalls in the world ?

Waterfalls are nature’s magnificent creations. Nothing warms the cockles of your heart as watching the waters surging and leaping across mountains. From the world’s highest uninterrupted waterfall to the chocolate-coloured waterfall, we bring you the most dazzling sights from across the world.

GRAND FALLS- ARIZONA

Grand falls is a waterfall right in the midst of a desert. The Grand Falls in Arizona are taller than the Niagra Falls. The water falling in many tiers across the cliff is a delight to watch. Its muddy cascade has earned it the name Chocolate Falls.

NIAGARA FALLS- USA/CANADA

Surging forth with a thunderous force, these falls make for a resplendent sight. The name means ‘thunder of waters’, denoting the loud, roaring sound the waters make as they dive A part of the falls is located in Canada, while another is located in the United States. The former is called the ‘Horseshoe Falls’ courtesy of its curved shape and the latter ‘American Falls’.

ANGEL FALLS- VENEZUELA

Dropping from a height of 3,212 feet, the Angel Falls in Venezuela is the highest waterfall in the world. Pouring out from a flat-topped plateau Auyantepui, the falls are located in Canaima National Park. The falls are about 16 times the height of Niagara Falls. Set against the dense jungle and the green surrounds, the waterfalls are one of the major attractions in Venezuela. Angel Falls is named after Jimmy Angel, an American bush pilot, who crash-landed his four-seater airplane at the Auyantepui.

NOHKALIKAI FALLS, MEGHALAYA, INDIA

Plummeting from a height of 340 m. the Nohkalikai Falls is India’s tallest plunge waterfall. Located at Cherrapunji in Meghalaya, India, the waterfall is all about drama and grandeur. There is also a tragic legend that backs the name of the falls. The waterfalls are apparently named after Likai, a Khasi woman. When translated from the local Khasi language. Nohkalikai means Jump of Ka Likai’.

VICTORIA FALLS – ZIMBABWE

This curtain of waterfalls dropping from a height of 108m into the gorge below makes one of Earth’s greatest spectacles. Explorer David Livingstone named the falls after the reigning British monarch Victoria. The local name of the waterfall is ‘Mosi-oa-Tunya’ meaning ‘smoke that thunders. It is called so because the sound of the falls can be heard from a long distance.

Picture Credit : Google