Underground River Channel Found Beneath Prayagraj-Kanpur Stretch

Scientists from the CSIR-National Geophysical Research Institute in Hyderabad have identified an ancient underground river channel beneath the Prayagraj-Kanpur stretch in Uttar Pradesh. The buried channel is described as a palaeo-channel, a term used for an old river course preserved below the present land surface.

Palaeo-channel and buried river systems

A palaeo-channel is an abandoned or buried river course that may remain filled with sand, silt, or groundwater. In this case, the channel lies about 10 to 15 metres below the surface and extends for nearly 200 kilometres from Prayagraj to Kanpur.

Survey methods and geological confirmation

The identification used airborne geophysical surveys conducted with helicopters and was followed by drilling at locations including Sarai Akil, Sirathu, Manjhanpur, Fatehpur, and Balwant Tola. The drilling found sandy deposits that match ancient riverbed material.

Hydrogeology and water storage

The buried river system is part of an aquifer and still contains water. Its estimated storage capacity is nearly 3,500 to 4,000 million cubic metres, and the channel width is about 4 to 5 kilometres.

Important Facts for Exams

• The Ganga and Yamuna rivers meet at Prayagraj, and the confluence is known as the Triveni Sangam.
• The Saraswati River is a river of Vedic tradition, and its identification remains a subject of geological and archaeological study.
• Managed Aquifer Recharge is a groundwater management method that stores water in aquifers through recharge structures.
• CSIR-NGRI is a national research institute under the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research and is based in Hyderabad.

Water management applications

More than 150 Managed Aquifer Recharge sites have been identified for groundwater improvement and river baseflow support. Around 20 to 25 sites are planned for initial development by CSIR-NGRI.

Relation with Saraswati studies

The channel has been linked with traditional references to the Saraswati River near the Triveni Sangam. Scientists have stated that further evidence from the Himalayan region is needed before any definitive identification with the Saraswati River.