Airborne Electromagnetic Survey Detects Ancient Underground River Channel

Scientists have discovered a massive ancient underground river channel beneath the Prayagraj–Kanpur stretch in Uttar Pradesh. The discovery is for groundwater resources, palaeochannel studies, and geophysical exploration.

Palaeochannel Discovery in Uttar Pradesh:

Dimension	Key Details
Discovery	A massive ancient underground river channel has been discovered beneath the Prayagraj–Kanpur stretch in Uttar Pradesh.
Mapped By	The palaeochannel has been mapped by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research.
CSIR	CSIR was established in 1942 and functions under the Ministry of Science and Technology through a network of 37 laboratories.
Geographical Stretch	The channel extends nearly 200 km between Prayagraj and Kanpur at a depth of about 10–15 metres below the surface.
Drilled Sites	Drilling sites include Sarai Akil, Sirathu, and Fatehpur.
Dimensions	The channel is approximately 4–5 km wide with groundwater holding capacity of around 3500–4000 million cubic metres.
Technology Used	Airborne Electromagnetic Geophysical Surveys using helicopters were used and later validated through deep drilling.
Survey Findings	The survey confirmed fluvial sandy deposits associated with ancient river beds.
Palaeochannel	A palaeochannel is a river channel that is no longer part of an active river system.
Formation	Palaeochannels form when rivers change course due to tectonic movement or severe floods.
Buried Channels	Many palaeochannels remain buried beneath younger sediments.
Economic Importance	Palaeochannels are important for groundwater exploration, artificial recharge, and groundwater storage.
Mineral Significance	Palaeochannels help in locating mineral deposits such as uraniferous ores, gold, silver, and placer deposits.