Water in the desert

Large desert aquifers, like the Nubian Sandstone Aquifer System in North Africa, contain billions of cubic meters of water, enough to support human use for decades or even centuries.

However, many desert aquifers have low recharge rates due to limited rainfall, making them "fossil water" sources that are not easily replenished.

This means that while desert aquifers can be tapped for agriculture, drinking water, and industry, their usage must be carefully managed to avoid rapid depletion.