A recent discovery of a large freshwater reserve beneath the sea floor off the coast of Malta has raised hopes that similar reserves may exist in other coastal regions of the Mediterranean. The discovery was made by a team of researchers from the GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research, who used geophysical and electromagnetic methods to locate the reserve. The reserve is believed to have formed during the last ice age, when the sea level was much lower, and is thought to be fed by rainwater that flowed from elevated coastal areas and seeped into the rock formations beneath the sea floor. While the reserve is not connected to the island’s aquifers, it is unclear whether it can be used as a sustainable source of drinking water.
Water scarcity is a major issue in many parts of the world, particularly in regions with low rainfall. Groundwater reserves are often overused, and many coastal regions are facing the threat of saltwater intrusion due to rising sea levels. However, recent research has shown that large reserves of freshwater may exist beneath the sea floor in some coastal regions. The latest discovery off the coast of Malta is a significant development in this field, as it suggests that similar reserves may exist in other parts of the Mediterranean.
The reserve off the coast of Malta is believed to have formed during the last ice age, when the sea level was much lower. Rainwater that flowed from elevated coastal areas seeped into the rock formations beneath the sea floor, creating a freshwater reserve that has been isolated from the surrounding seawater by layers of sediment. While the reserve is not connected to the island’s aquifers, it is unclear whether it can be used as a sustainable source of drinking water. The researchers caution that the reserve would only allow for limited extraction, and that the water supply is not self-regenerating. Nonetheless, the discovery is a promising development in the search for new sources of freshwater, and may lead to further discoveries in the future.
