Two large groundwater sources discovered in Taklamakan Desert

Two large groundwater sources have been discovered in the Taklamakan Desert in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, according to a CCTV report. The finding represents a breakthrough for the Xinjiang Geological Bureau, as it breaks the traditional understanding that the desert only contains stagnant and saline groundwater.

Kang Jian, who leads the water exploration project, explained that the water was located using a model that combines multiple survey methods. Satellites were used to observe the geological structure from above, aerial geophysical exploration scanned the surface, and ground-based geophysical exploration and drilling verified the results. According to Kang, the findings showed that the groundwater is flowing and renewable, containing both freshwater and saltwater.

Zhang Lei, director of the hydrological and environmental geological survey center at the bureau, emphasized that the project's importance extends beyond simply determining how much water is available. He said the key question is whether the water resources can sustainably support the long-term development of desert areas and provide geological solutions for rebuilding the water security pattern in southern Xinjiang.

The water exploration team has also built a test station for the Taklamakan Desert border locking project, enabling safe irrigation and use of the desert's bitter and salty water while providing new water sources.

The Taklimakan Desert, located in the center of the Tarim Basin, is China's largest desert and the world's second-largest mobile desert, covering about 330,000 square kilometers. Often called the "Sea of Death", its ecological environment has gradually improved through recent governance efforts. By the end of 2024, a 3,046-km green sand barrier protection belt had been completed along the desert's edge. In 2025, Xinjiang widened the protective belt to 7500 meters, earning the project recognition on the "Top Ten Global Engineering Achievements of 2025" list from the Chinese Academy of Engineering's journal Engineering.