Scientists find vast hidden water reserves beneath Oregon’s volcanic Cascades

Oregon’s Cascade Range(Representative image by Canva) Beneath the forested slopes of Oregon’s Cascade Range, scientists have uncovered a vast, hidden reservoir of water locked inside volcanic rock. By analysing temperature data from geothermal drill holes, a University of Oregon-led team estimated that at least 81 cubic kilometres of water are stored in the region’s subsurface, nearly three times the capacity of Lake Mead, the largest reservoir in the United States. The discovery, announced by the university, reshapes how researchers think about water storage in volcanic mountains and could have implications for everything from regional water budgets to volcanic hazard assessment.A surprise hidden in old drill dataThe finding did not come from new drilling or expensive field campaigns, but from a fresh look at existing data. The team, led by University of Oregon geosciences professor Leif Karlstrom, focused on temperature measurements collected from geothermal exploration wells drilled decades ago across the Oregon Cascades.These drill holes were originally used to assess geothermal energy potential, not to map groundwater. But the researchers realised that the way heat moves throu...