The Grand Canyon – What a Tiny Slice of the Road Trip Revealed to Me

My wife and I visited the Grand Canyon in Arizona last week. Truly unique on Planet Earth, the Grand Canyon is an awe-inspiring spectacular vista, revealing the geologic history of that region going back hundreds of millions of years. The mighty Colorado River cut through layers of rock nearly a mile deep for 277 miles. The water from the Colorado River serves over 30 million people and thousands of farms and ranches in the Southwestern United States.

As important as this ecosystem is, what struck me during the nearly 300-mile drive each way from Las Vegas, Nevada, was the vast stretches of amazing, open land. Beautiful valleys surrounded by rugged, snow-capped mountains. Wide open spaces that have remained so for millennia. The only thing lacking is water.

The population of Earth is now nearing eight billion people. For decades, some pundits have warned about overpopulation with catastrophic consequences. Recently, others have reversed course and are warning about population collapse, starting with developed economies due to lower birthrates and fertility.

But as I drive across Arizona and view a tiny slice of the planet, I am reminded that Earth is not overpopulated. There is plenty of habitable room. Indeed, in the United States alone, 28% of the territory is owned by the Federal government, and it is largely empty space – 640 million acres, an extra two acres for nearly every man, woman, and child in the U.S. just from that territory alone. There are huge open land tracts like this around the globe.

What is lacking are the fundamental elements to build a prosperous society. Of course, that starts with the most basic element, fresh water. The good news is, there is plenty of it, even in some regions where others say there is none. Now, I’m not advocating building megacities across our open spaces, but the belief that nothing can be done about population, quality of life, and the well-being of people due to lack of water needs to be re-examined.

Are There Options to Supply More Fresh Water?

Yes. It’s time to increase the number of options available to solve this problem. From water-smart appliances and agricultural tools at the delivery end, to utilizing the ocean of fresh water that exists right below our feet for additional supply.

One of the most intriguing solutions is to include the vast supplemental source of fresh water that is available as groundwater. The US National Groundwater Association estimates there is 6,000 years of global water supply in the upper two kilometers of the earth’s crust. It is now available economically and quickly through AquaterreX’s combination of space-based technology, geospatial data and patented instrumentation.

Can This Source of Water Help Solve the Water Crisis?

Yes. Deep Seated Water (DSW), is groundwater, typically sourced from deep aquifers that are located lower than shallow aquifers. Such deep aquifers are supplied not only from local catchment basins but also by subsurface inflows across basin boundaries. Deep Seated Water also encompasses water created at the mantle level of the Earth under extreme heat and pressure as confirmed by this recent report on mantle rain. Contamination does not occur in these deep water aquifers as modern pollution has not reached these deeper levels. And the best news is that this water is accessible and plentiful.

Deep Seated Water fits the environmental sustainability model as it would supply vast amounts of fresh water to regions while also allowing the existing sources to replenish. It is the “Missing Piece” that can solve the water crisis puzzle. The good news is, Deep Seated Water is a source that can supply the needs of the planet for thousands of years.

An example of huge new sources of fresh groundwater being discovered came within the last year in Texas. The newly named Maverick Basin Aquifer is known to be at least 3,000 square miles and averages 1,000 feet thick in most places. This comes years after Texas water experts concluded their deeper aquifers are brackish (salty) at best. Water tests on this new aquifer show it comes out of the ground already meeting or exceeding federal and state drinking water standards! Deep aquifer (texas.gov) These discoveries fly in the face of the commonly accepted beliefs of most hydrogeology professionals.

AquaterreX has been at the forefront of this effort, employing 21st-century technology to locate Deep Seated Water.

Where Does Deep Seated Water Fit In?

Deep Seated Water is the Missing Piece that can solve the water crisis puzzle – contamination, drought, scarcity. Many water strategies focus on conservation, rather than additional supply. Other solutions such as desalination and wastewater treatment are potential answers for some, but they also come with trade-offs such as high cost, high energy usage, long planning periods, and toxic waste. Deep Seated Water is located almost everywhere on the planet, and it can be added to the mix of solutions as a supplemental freshwater source that is not subject to contamination, is fast and easy to implement, and is economical and scalable. And, tapping Deep Seated Water allows both surface water and shallow aquifer sources to recharge, making the total system more environmentally sustainable.

About AquaterreX

AquaterreX (www.aquaterrex.com) is a global environmental services organization with a mission to broadly implement effective water and food security solutions. AquaterreX maintains offices in Florida, California, and Australia, and has representation in the United Arab Emirates. The name AquaterreX comes from the Latin, aqua (water) and French, terre (earth, land) which is a derivative of the Latin, terra, and “X” for exploration. Thus, AquaterreX encompasses water and land solutions for the planet.

The company possesses proprietary technology to locate Deep Seated Water, which is fresh water situated below the shallow groundwater that supplies the majority of fresh water on the planet. This vast new source of water can help solve the water crisis facing billions of people.

Author: James D. D’Arezzo, AquaterreX Chairman & CEO
Grand Canyon trip March 2023