The finding reported in the journal Environmental Research Letters, suggest that the dry African continent could very well be sitting on a vast treasure trove of ground water beneath.

Scientists of the British Geological Survey and University College London have found vast groundwater reserves in the Sahara. Considered as the driest place on the globe this treasure trove beneath the surface could very well aid the country’s prospects if utilized properly. Researchers have prepared a map of the aquifers or groundwater in Africa, say the volume of water found beneath the driest parts of the continent is around 0.66 million cubic kilometres - 100 times the volume found on the surface. They argue that the total volume of water in aquifers underground is 100 times the amount found on the surface.

"The largest groundwater volumes are found in the large sedimentary aquifers in the North African countries of Libya, Algeria, Egypt and Sudan," said a scientist associated with the research, the journal Environmental Research Letters reports. The research, however, points out that not all these reserves - some of which are as deep as 100-250 metres - can be accessed, according to the Daily Mail.

The researchers in detail have given detailed ways of utility of this treasure trove without depleting the reserves at alarming levels. They felt by over utility this could lead to some other unknown problem in the environment. Due to changes in climate that have turned the Sahara into a desert over centuries many of the aquifers underneath were last filled with water over 5,000 years ago. The positive fact observed in the research is that the vagaries of climate could be controlled with these excessive treasure troves of nature. (With inputs from internet- AarKay)