Inland Tidal Oscillations Within the Yucatan Peninsula

AbstractThe Yucatan Peninsula is composed of highly porous, karstified limestone, resulting in scarce surface water bodies. Portions of the peninsula have fracture zones throughout the subsurface. We present water level measurements from four inland locations, previously assumed to be hydrologically isolated from the regional aquifer, or at most leaky with a weak connection. At all locations, tidal oscillations were detected, and verified by performing significance testing. We argue that the presence of cave passages and fracture zones in the limestone allows for much further inland penetration of the tidal signal, compared to classical Richards equation based predictions. The analysis of lacustrine sediment‐based paleoclimate records from across the Yucatan Peninsula assumes low to no interchange between the water bodies and the aquifer, and this assumption may need to be revisited based on our results. Increased connectivity of aquifer to inland water bodies also suggests greater flood risk from sea level rise.

Inland Tidal Oscillations Within the Yucatan Peninsula Journal Articles