Surprising results of dye marker tests at Cenote Car Wash.

[Luxrok]

On Friday I attended a talk here in Akumal. Patricia Beddows gave a presentation about the results of her hydrology research at Cenote Car Wash near Tulum. I have written a summary of the talk.

My summary of an evening of talks about cave formation, GIS, and hydrology on the Yucatan.

You comments, corrections or questions are encouraged.

Hans
http://www.quietdiver.com

[LCF]

Thanks for writing this up and sharing the link. It's one data point, but very interesting, and I'm sure Ms. Beddows will be pursuing it.

[rjack]

Very Nice.

I suspect the concept that you want to flesh out is "net flow on a macro scale is towards the sea." Now defining "macro" and "net" are cave/system specific. Net may be on the order of a single tidal cycle or multiple years (wet years flowing and dry years not or even reversing). Macro may apply to one passage or it may be more appropriate to define it on a regional scale. The importance of the definition of "macro" chanes depending on whether you are talking about more diffuse development atop caves (housing, roads, etc.), a landfill, or a single drinking water well. Likewise net flow may mean flow always moves one direction in a system. Or it may mean that 5 months of the year it flow NW (inland) while 7 months of the year it flows SE (towards the sea). Or even more dramatic changes based on velocity.

I would love to see more water level information incorporated into our understanding of the cave systems down there. To begin to understand the hydrostatic forces involved. Rates of flow (esp. in karst) are way more complicated than elevation and it will be years before those are even halfway understood.

Richard