AN INTEGRATED GROUNDWATER STUDY, CHASNIGUA, VILLANUEVA, HONDURAS: A GEOSCIENTISTS WITHOUT BORDERS PROJECT

In a Geoscientists Without Borders sponsored project, we have used a suite of geophysical tools to characterize subsurface water for the village of Chasnigua, Villanueva, Honduras. The village is small, with approximately 50 families (200 people) that rely on trucking their water to their homes. They had asked for assistance in developing a water well, along with a water storage and distribution system. Honduras is economically one of the poorest countries in the western hemisphere, with about half the population below the poverty line. Consequently, the people do what they can to subsist on the land. This location is one with economic hardships and complex geology and hydrology. The local geology includes volcanics, both weathered and unweathered, interfingered with carbonates. Geophysics has aided in the mapping of the contact between the unweathered and weathered volcanics, and in finding two locations for water wells in the unweathered volcanic terrain. The exploration tools employed included Magnetic and Magnetic Gradient measurements, Self Potential, DC resistivity, and Frequency Domain Electromagnetic Studies. Water sampling and testing augmented the geophysical data and aided in the interpretation. The technical challenges of locating a well were accompanied by challenges in community involvement. The human element is perhaps more important than the technical elements. First, our project was delayed because of a national government crisis in Honduras. After resolution of the crisis, a water well site was suggested. However, the landowners of this site, who had previously been helpful, did not want to cooperate with the village in allowing drilling. A second site was then located which was agreeable to both the owner and village. Finally, in addition to finding a location for a source of water, we developed a design for the water treatment, storage and distribution for the community. The overall project involved cooperation among U. S. undergraduate and graduate students, Honduran undergraduate students, faculty from both the U. S. and Honduras, as well as the community of Chasnigua.