Possible Subterranean Entrance of Ocean Water into the Caño Tiburones Area in Northern Puerto Rico

Abstract

Data relative to the salinity of representative drainage water samples from the Caño Tiburones area, Puerto Rico, are presented in this paper. Practically all of these water samples contained large amounts of salts, which makes the water of Caño Tiburones undesirable for irrigation except in prolonged dry periods. The ratio of Na to Mg of 13 out of 15 water samples was similar to that of ocean water, namely, 8.34. This could be due either to the fact that the area was affected long ago by ocean water and the present pumping system has not been able to leach out a good part of the salts deposited; or to the possibility that ocean water is at present entering into the Caño Tiburones area through underground tectonic fractures or channels.