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Aquafornia news November 18, 2022 Los Angeles Times

Hidden riverbeds may be key to recharging aquifers

Thousands of years ago during the last Ice Age, rivers flowed from giant glaciers in the Sierra Nevada down to the Central Valley, carving into rock and gouging channels at a time when the sea level was about 400 feet lower. When the glaciers retreated, meltwater coursed down and buried the river channels in sediment. These channels left by ancient rivers lie hidden beneath California’s Central Valley. Scientists call them paleovalleys, or incised valley fill deposits. As much as 100 feet deep and more than a mile wide in places, they are filled with coarse-grained sand, gravel and cobbles. Because these paleovalleys are highly permeable, scientists have pointed to them as ideal pathways for water to quickly percolate down and recharge groundwater.

Related articles: 

  • SJV Water: Stanford scientists uncover ancient “super highways” to increase groundwater recharge
  • Scientific American: Hidden ‘Paleo Valleys’ Could Help California Survive Droughts 
  • Bay City News: Scientists use imaging technology in quest to recharge state’s shrinking groundwater table
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Aquafornia news November 18, 2022 Los Angeles Times
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