Overview
- The University of Malta–led team reports roughly 250 cubic kilometers of freshwater sealed beneath the gulf for about 800,000 years.
- Mapping shows reservoirs from roughly 15 to 700 meters below the seafloor, with pockets just 15–100 meters deep east of the Alkyonides islands.
- Researchers combined offshore drilling, seismic imaging and computer simulations to delineate the subsurface system.
- The estimated volume could cover Greece’s drinking-water demand for at least two decades, as the country faces intensifying drought and soaring consumption.
- Scientists warn of ecological risks and say no extraction is planned, while the government continues a €535 million river-transfer project slated for completion by mid-2029.