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Around Tulum and the Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve
by Melissa Hendrickson and Dr. Patricia Beddows
The local environmental quality is tightly tied to that of the groundwater resources, near-shore waters and coral reefs, all of which are also cornerstones of the local population health and also the foundation of the local tourism based economy. At risk are increased infant mortality, incidence of waterborne disease (also among the tourists), secure food chains notably with respect to seafood, and the sustainability of the tourism sector in making a long-term contribution to the GDP of México.
Cave diving exploration continues even today among those eager to provide the necessary knowledge of the flooded caves linking the inland jungle through to the coastal waters and reefs. Cave diving exploration however is logistically challenging and inherently slow. The maps produced clearly document the existence of the caves but only suggest what the hydrological function of the cave system may be.
There are three specific questions that must be answered:-
Direction – Where does the water come from, and where does it flow to?
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Velocity – What are the travel rates of the water between two points, such as the new city of Tulúm and the SKBR?
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Volume – What are the volumes of water in the groundwater system, and therefore what is the sustainable carrying capacity (population) of this unique aquifer system?
The proven hydrogeological method of choice in karst landscapes, to answer all of the above questions, is through the use of quantitative fluorescent dye tracing. An amount of non-toxic fluorescent dye (common ingredient in shampoos, detergents, facial makeup, etc.) is released into the groundwater where it then mixes into the underground river flows until it is invisible. Small water samples are collected at downstream sampling sites, and changes in dye concentration over time reveal the water flow direction, the velocity, and also the volumes of water (discharge, m3/s) where the cross sectional area of the flooded cave can be measured.
This work is being coordinated by Melissa Hendrickson, a karst hydrologist, from the United States. This is her first time to the Yucatán, but she is distance-collaborating with Dr. Patricia Beddows in Canada, who has 10 years of experience in the area. Concurrent to the dye tracing, Melissa will also be inventorying as many cenotes as possible that fall within the new development plan for Akumal.
Para leer este articulo en español, favor de haga clic aquí.
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