Ox Bel Ha Water Protection Project Sian Ka’an Exploration Expedition November, 2005 – June, 2006 Final Report for The Nature Conservancy Centro Investigador del Sistema Aquífero de Quintana Roo, A.C. Retorno Copan, Lote 85, Manzana 22, Playacar Fase 2 Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo, 77710, MÉXICO Tel/Fax +52 (984) 873-1239 [email protected] Sam Meacham, Project Coordinator This report compiled with the assistance of Fred Devos, Christophe le Maillot and Daniel Riordan September, 2006 This project and report are dedicated to the memory of The Honorable Ann W. Richards Friend and patron of CINDAQ 2 Table of Contents OX BEL HA WATER PROTECTION PROJECT ...................................................................1 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .........................................................................................................6 FIELD TEAM FOR THIS PROJECT:.......................................................................................7 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ..........................................................................................................8 OBJECTIVES: .................................................................................................................................8 PRINCIPLE ACTIONS REALIZED ....................................................................................................9 AREA OVERVIEW ...................................................................................................................11 INTRODUCTION............................................................................................................................11 FORMATION OF THE AQUIFER ....................................................................................................11 THE THREAT OF DEVELOPMENT................................................................................................12 THE IMPORTANCE OF EXPLORATION, OBSERVATION AND MAPPING......................................15 OX BEL HA WATER PROTECTION PROJECT 2005-2006 ...............................................18 AREA OF STUDY (THE NORTHERN BOUNDARY AREA OF THE SIAN KA’AN BIOSPHERE RESERVE).....................................................................................................................................18 CINDAQ AND MCEP .................................................................................................................19 PREPARATION AND LOGISTICS ...................................................................................................20 DIVING PROCEDURES..................................................................................................................21 CAVE SURVEY AND CARTOGRAPHIC METHODS........................................................................22 SURFACE MAPPING .....................................................................................................................23 RESULTS OF THIS PROJECT ........................................................................................................24 FUTURE WORK IN THIS AREA......................................................................................................25 NOVEMBER 2005.........................................................................................................................27 SURFACE EXPLORATION NOVEMBER 27TH, 2005 .......................................................................28 FEBRUARY 2006..........................................................................................................................32 SURFACE EXPLORATION FEBRUARY 7TH-8TH, 2006 ....................................................................33 DIVING OPERATIONS FEBRUARY 7TH, 2006................................................................................37 DIVING OPERATIONS FEBRUARY 8TH, 2006................................................................................43 DIVING OPERATIONS FEBRUARY 9TH, 2006................................................................................49 DIVING OPERATIONS FEBRUARY 10TH, 2006..............................................................................58 MARCH 2006 ...............................................................................................................................64 DIVING OPERATIONS MARCH 23RD, 2006 ...................................................................................65 DIVING OPERATIONS MARCH 24TH, 2006 ...................................................................................72 DIVING OPERATIONS MARCH 25TH, 2006 ...................................................................................80 APRIL 2006..................................................................................................................................90 SURFACE EXPLORATION APRIL 6TH-7TH , 2006 ...........................................................................91 DIVING OPERATIONS APRIL 5TH, 2006........................................................................................95 DIVING OPERATIONS APRIL 6TH , 2006.....................................................................................102 3 DIVING OPERATIONS APRIL 7TH, 2006......................................................................................111 DIVING OPERATIONS APRIL 8TH, 2006......................................................................................116 MAY 2006 ..................................................................................................................................121 SURFACE EXPLORATION MAY 9TH, 2006 ..................................................................................122 SURFACE EXPLORATION MAY 17TH-18TH, 2006 ........................................................................126 DIVING OPERATIONS MAY 16TH, 2006......................................................................................130 DIVING OPERATIONS MAY 17TH, 2006......................................................................................132 DIVING OPERATIONS MAY 18TH, 2006......................................................................................137 DIVING OPERATIONS MAY 19TH, 2006......................................................................................144 DIVING OPERATIONS MAY 20TH, 2006......................................................................................150 JUNE 2006.................................................................................................................................155 DIVING OPERATIONS JUNE 13TH, 2006......................................................................................156 DIVING OPERATIONS JUNE 14TH, 2006......................................................................................158 DIVING OPERATIONS JUNE 15TH, 2006......................................................................................163 DIVING OPERATIONS JUNE 16TH, 2006......................................................................................168 THE SIAN KA’AN BIOSPHERE RESERVE........................................................................173 OVERVIEW OF SIAN KA’AN BIOSPHERE RESERVE ..................................................................174 HABITATS FOUND IN THE SIAN KA’AN BIOSPHERE RESERVE.................................................175 SCIENTIFIC REPORTS .........................................................................................................178 DETECTING SUBSURFACE CONDUITS WITH ELECTROMAGNETICS ........................................179 BACKGROUND FOR THE PROJECT.............................................................................................179 ELECTROMAGNETIC GEOPHYSICAL SURVEYS .........................................................................180 THE VIGIA CHICO ROAD MEASUREMENT ...............................................................................182 THE HOLBOX FRACTURE MEASUREMENT...............................................................................183 THE CAAPECHEN MEASUREMENT ...........................................................................................185 FUTURE PLANS FOR RESEARCH IN THE AREA .........................................................................188 4 Acknowledgements CINDAQ A.C. wishes to express its gratitude to the following communities, individuals and institutions, without whose support this project would not have been realized. The Ejido Jose Maria Pino Suarez The Ejido Tulum Ms. Diana Bermudez and Ms. Marie Claire Paiz of The Nature Conservancy Biol. Gonzalo Merediz, Albino Tun and the entire staff of Amigos de Sian Ka’an Biol. Alfredo Arellano CONANP Biol. Francisco Ursua and Omar Ortiz of the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve The Mexican Cave Exploration Project Mr. Christian Thomas and the Fédération Française de Spéléologie Mr. Carlos Marin, Mr. Gavin Greenwood and the staff of Alltournative SA de CV PIXEL Press SA de CV The Honorable Ann W. Richards Mr. and Mrs. Alfredo Medina Technical University of Denmark El Centro para el Estudio del Agua Dr. Mario Rebolledo Dr. Luis Marin Mr. Mario Gongorra Lopez of INEGI Cancun CEMDA Aqua Exploration El Centro de Visitantes de Sian Ka’an Cooperativa U Yo Ochel Maya Global Underwater Explorers Ecocolors SA de CV Raga Tours Zero Gravity Dive Center Jim Coke The Explorers Club of New York Lic. Fernando Doblado Rueda and Lic. Antonella Vasquez Mr. Kenneth Johnson and Ms. Miriam Vega Mr. Daniel Tun Oy, Mr. Jose Tun Oy, Mr. Marcos Cahum Tun Mr Candido Caamal, Mr. Ismael Caamal