GROUNDWATER RESEARCH -View Program


Fifteen years of interdisciplinary hydrogeological work on island groundwater resources Groundwater research at WERI, begun in 1994, initially focused on numerical modeling of the Northern Guam Lens Aquifer, with the aim of obtaining more accurate estimates of recharge and vadose flow. Concurrent field studies of the coastal zone, aimed at improving our understanding of aquifer discharge, grew into a comprehensive study of the karst features of Guam, the nearby islands of Saipan, Tinian, Aguijan, and Rota in the Northern Mariana Islands, and eventually the remote island of Fais, in the Federated States of Micronesia. These studies have culminated in development of the Carbonate Island Karst Model, which provides the basis for more accuate conceptual models of island and coastal aquifers in geologically young limestones. Hydrogeological studies on Guam in the meantime have included the patterns and trends of saltwater contamination in the Northern Guam Lens Aquifer, and dye trace studies to gain better understanding of the modes of groundwater flow and interaction with coastal waters. Most recently, the modeling program was extended to the atoll island aquifers of the Caroline Island atolls.

ATOLL HYRDOLOGIC MODELING -View Program


Prolonged droughts in the western Pacific region, such as those associated with ENSO events, can leave island residents dependent on groundwater or imported water.  WERI researchers have developed an accurate and practical model of atoll aquifer response to rainfall for use by personnel in FSM state water resources agencies, as well as by instructors from the College of Micronesia and island high schools.  Workshops on the application and interpretation of the model will be delivered on Pohnpei, Chuuk, and Yap during the summer of 2009.  Uses may include forecasting the effects of changes in rainfall on islands affected by significant natural events such ENSO-driven droughts, tropical storms, or wash-over events.  A second objective is to establish an ongoing technical support relationship between the authors and end-users so that there will be a continuing dialogue to support continued successful use and application of the model in the FSM.  Improving water resource availability and sustainability on small island communities promotes economic and social stability, as well as preserving the preferred way of life for many current and future residents of the FSM.  Inclusion of island science educators in the training provides for improved long-term education of students as well as the public at large on island hydrology and sustainable water resources management.