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Stable isotopic study of the groundwater of the Martha Brae River Basin, Jamaica
Author(s) -
Ellins K. K.
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
water resources research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.863
H-Index - 217
eISSN - 1944-7973
pISSN - 0043-1397
DOI - 10.1029/91wr02519
Subject(s) - groundwater recharge , groundwater , karst , aquifer , hydrology (agriculture) , geology , structural basin , drainage basin , meteoric water , environmental isotopes , groundwater flow , stable isotope ratio , geomorphology , geography , geotechnical engineering , paleontology , physics , cartography , quantum mechanics
The hydrology of a small karst drainage basin in Jamaica, the Martha Brae River basin, was examined using stable isotopes. Variations in the isotopic composition of the groundwaters sampled and their positions relative to the local meteoric water line on a δD/δ 18 O diagram permitted the identification of two distinct groundwater types. The isotopic data also provided evidence that the most productive portion of the aquifer is divided by a major fault, which impedes groundwater flow. Information regarding the mechanisms and elevation of recharge was inferred from the δD versus δ 18 O relationships and differences in isotopic composition, respectively.