Water-resources reconnaissance of Ile de la Gonave, Haiti
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Abstract
Île de la Gonâve is a 750-km2 island off the coast of Haiti. The depth to the water table ranges from less than 30 m in the Eocene and Upper Miocene limestones to over 60 m in the 300-m-thick Quaternary limestone. Annual precipitation ranges from 800-1,400 mm. Most precipitation is lost through evapotranspiration and there is virtually no surface water. Roughly estimated from chloride mass balance, about 4% of the precipitation recharges the karst aquifer. Cave pools and springs are a common source for water. Hand-dug wells provide water in coastal areas. Few productive wells have been drilled deeper than 60 m. Reconnaissance field analyses indicate that groundwater in the interior is a calcium-bicarbonate type, whereas water at the coast is a sodium-chloride type that exceeds World Health Organization recommended values for sodium and chloride. Tests for the presence of hydrogen sulfide-producing bacteria were negative in most drilled wells, but positive in cave pools, hand-dug wells, and most springs, indicating bacterial contamination of most water sources. Because of the difficulties in obtaining freshwater, the 110,000 inhabitants use an average of only 7 L per person per day.
Study Area
| Publication type | Article |
|---|---|
| Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
| Title | Water-resources reconnaissance of Ile de la Gonave, Haiti |
| Series title | Hydrogeology Journal |
| DOI | 10.1007/s10040-003-0309-x |
| Volume | 12 |
| Issue | 2 |
| Publication Date | March 16, 2004 |
| Year Published | 2004 |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | SpringerLink |
| Description | 13 p. |
| First page | 224 |
| Last page | 236 |
| Country | Haiti |
| Other Geospatial | Ile de la Gonave |
| Online Only (Y/N) | N |
| Additional Online Files (Y/N) | N |
| Google Analytic Metrics | Metrics page |