Underground aquifer in Oregon's Central Cascade Mountains holds trillions of gallons of water. What it means for the state

Explore Oregon Podcast: The state's most beautiful places and biggest issues

In this episode, host Zach Urness talks with two Oregon researchers that just published a study about a massive underground aquifer below the Central Cascade Mountains east of Salem and Eugene. Leif Karlstrom, a University of Oregon earth scientist, and Gordon Grant, a hydrologist with the U.S. Forest Service, discuss an aquifer they estimate as containing 81 cubic kilometers of freshwater — or roughly as much water contained in three Lake Meads, the largest reservoir in the United States. Karlstrom and Grant talk about how the aquifer is formed, where it's located (roughly between Mount Jefferson and south of McKenzie Pass) and why it's important in a warming future. They also talk about how it fuels many of Oregon's most famous rivers and spurs dramatic volcanic eruptions at places such as Sand Mountain.