Abstract
From 2003 to 2013, Enriquillo Lake, Dominican Republic, showed an increase in water level of 13 meters, with its level changing from 42 to 29 meters below sea level (BSL). In 2003, its maximum depth was approximately 24 meters; in 2013, it was 37.1 meters. The water surface coverage increased from 194.9 to 391 km2, flooding agricultural areas and leaving hundreds of people homeless. In addition, salinity increased from 105 ‰ to 23.4 ‰, a decrease of 4.47 times comparable to the volume change, which increased 4.48 times according to topographic and bathymetric maps. These changes began with Tropical Storm Odette and occurred progressively through 15 additional tropical cyclones (TC) or hurricanes that struck Lake Enriquillo between 2003 and 2011. Other climatic phenomena that have great influence on the Caribbean climate include the following: North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), Southern El Niño Oscillation (ENSO), the trade winds, North Atlantic Warm Pool, Multidecadal Oscillation, the anticyclone Caribbean Regulator Climate Centers (CRCCs), and the Bermuda-Azores High (Mendez-Tejeda et al. 2017). The sediment records deposited by the runoff from these phenomena were analyzed. These proxy records were used to determine the decadal fluctuations related to cyclonic systems and the resultant effect upon increasing the level of Lake Enriquillo (LE). The accumulation rate (TAS) was estimated by means of 210 (210Pb) lead radiochronology, elemental composition, and mineral and ignition loss. These results were correlated with the extreme climatic events that affected the Lake Enriquillo Basin (LEB) from 1900 and 2011.
Highlights
Enriquillo Lake is the largest, insular depression in the Caribbean region, located between latitudes 18.39-18.58° N and 71.49-71.84° W (Figure 1) in the southwestern part of the Dominican Republic (DR)
The type of influence on climatic factors is supported by the literature (Mendez-Tejeda et al 2016), wherein it discusses that any effect on the Caribbean climate would depend on several factors, such as the Caribbean Regulator Climate Centers (CRCCs)’s, the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), the El Niño Oscillation (ENSO), trade winds, the Warm Water Pool North Atlantic, Multidecadal Oscillation, and the Azores anticyclone
From 1979 to 2003, Lake Enriquillo (LE) received less rainfall every year than it lost due to evaporation; as a result, its level decreased -42 below sea level (BSL) and the area dropped to 194.9 km2
Summary
Enriquillo Lake is the largest, insular depression in the Caribbean region, located between latitudes 18.39-18.58° N and 71.49-71.84° W (Figure 1) in the southwestern part of the Dominican Republic (DR). It is an endorheic lake, with a watershed of 3,048 km, is hypersaline when its area is less than 300 km (Buck et al, 2005), and has maximum depth 68 (BLS). The lake possesses three islands: Cabrito, Barbarita, and the Islita (NASA, 2003).Some researchers (Benson and Paillet 1989, Carpenter et al, 2011, Comarazamy et al 2015) used indicators of climate and environmental change. In this case, all the hydrological variables of the lake reflected change, including the volume of the lake, the surface, and the salinity (Buck et al, 2003). The type of influence on climatic factors is supported by the literature (Mendez-Tejeda et al 2016), wherein it discusses that any effect on the Caribbean climate would depend on several factors, such as the CRCC’s, the NAO, the ENSO, trade winds, the Warm Water Pool North Atlantic, Multidecadal Oscillation, and the Azores anticyclone
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