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From the air, scientists map fast paths for recharging California's groundwater

readonthegoapp 4y ago
https://archive.ph/N0aRj https://archive.ph/N0aRj
Kon-Peki 4y ago
It makes a lot of sense that these paleovalleys help get water into the ground quickly. But I am having trouble making the connection that they are automatically helping to get water into aquifers any faster or more efficiently. They are saying that millions of years ago, these valleys were carved into rock when the sea level was lower. Presumably, these valleys helped channel water out to sea? So how do we know that they aren’t doing exactly that right now, just underground and out of sight?
- readonthegoapp 4y ago
  I don't think the water went out to the sea but don't think that matters really -- ie doesn't necessarily address your question I think all they are saying is what almost seems too obvious to be said These areas allow for much faster water filtration down into the ground / aquifers Unlike most of the land, which is clay and basically impenetrable With the implications that, if water is going to be captured and possibly pumped or sent down into the ground somehow, then these areas do it 72 times better than other areas, so any collected water should be sent or pumped to these high filtration areas so the water is able to recharge the groundwater / aquifers most effectively I guess nonfiltrated water would evaporate or go into the sewer system or ??? I guess it is not as easy as putting a big drain in the middle of a rainwater catch? I saw a archeologist type on YouTube talking about the terrain of the badlands and the alluvial?? fans cool stuff I'll see if he has a video explainer
  - Kon-Peki 4y ago
    If they wrote about “paleobasins” or “paleolakes” I’d have fewer concerns. The articles states that these things were carved into rock. We definitely know that water doesn’t carve rock into valleys unless that water is moving quickly. We also know that rock is generally less permeable than clay soil. Millions of people with clay soil use French drains, and these things sound like naturally-made French drains, but without the pipe. French drains work without the pipe (just not as well). People use them to move water to some other location, not to hold it in place so it can percolate down into lower levels of the ground! Getting water under the surface is not automatically useful! It has to percolate into aquifers. Maybe the next step is to build underground dams and then drill holes into the rock under the “paleo valley”.

https://archive.ph/N0aRj https://archive.ph/N0aRj

It makes a lot of sense that these paleovalleys help get water into the ground quickly. But I am having trouble making the connection that they are automatically helping to get water into aquifers any faster or more efficiently. They are saying that millions of years ago, these valleys were carved into rock when the sea level was lower. Presumably, these valleys helped channel water out to sea? So how do we know that they aren’t doing exactly that right now, just underground and out of sight?

readonthegoapp 4y ago
I don't think the water went out to the sea but don't think that matters really -- ie doesn't necessarily address your question I think all they are saying is what almost seems too obvious to be said These areas allow for much faster water filtration down into the ground / aquifers Unlike most of the land, which is clay and basically impenetrable With the implications that, if water is going to be captured and possibly pumped or sent down into the ground somehow, then these areas do it 72 times better than other areas, so any collected water should be sent or pumped to these high filtration areas so the water is able to recharge the groundwater / aquifers most effectively I guess nonfiltrated water would evaporate or go into the sewer system or ??? I guess it is not as easy as putting a big drain in the middle of a rainwater catch? I saw a archeologist type on YouTube talking about the terrain of the badlands and the alluvial?? fans cool stuff I'll see if he has a video explainer
- Kon-Peki 4y ago
  If they wrote about “paleobasins” or “paleolakes” I’d have fewer concerns. The articles states that these things were carved into rock. We definitely know that water doesn’t carve rock into valleys unless that water is moving quickly. We also know that rock is generally less permeable than clay soil. Millions of people with clay soil use French drains, and these things sound like naturally-made French drains, but without the pipe. French drains work without the pipe (just not as well). People use them to move water to some other location, not to hold it in place so it can percolate down into lower levels of the ground! Getting water under the surface is not automatically useful! It has to percolate into aquifers. Maybe the next step is to build underground dams and then drill holes into the rock under the “paleo valley”.