Geology of the Cayman Islands: Evolution of Complex Carbonate Successions on Isolated Oceanic Islands

Today, the hydrology of the islands is of critical importance because the ever-increasing population has out stripped the water that can be supplied from the water lenses and capture of rainwater. Thus, desalinization plants that are located at various sites on Grand Cayman and Cayman Brac are producing much of the water needed by the population of the islands. Development of these water plants requires an intimate knowledge of the hydrogeology of the islands. This book is based on an extensive data base that I have assembled over the last 40 years. Noteworthy aspects of this database include: Approximately 60 visits to the islands over last 40 years – sampling and documentation of virtually every accessible outcrop on the islands (including some that no longer exist). Many of the outcrop samples have been fully documented petrographically and geochemically. Data from 120 wells that have been drilled to depths up to 800 ft (most less than 400 ft). Wells have been cored and/or chip sampled. Full documentation of drilling histories, XRD analyses of samples, extensive geochemical data for major and minor elements, stable isotopes, 87SR/86Sr ratios from numerous samples, REE from numerous samples. Extensive thin section petrography and scanning electron microscope analyses. Numerous electron microprobe analyses for accurate documentation of compositions of dolomite. Samples and data collected from numerous caves on Grand Cayman and Cayman Brac. Numerous samples of speleothems and internal sediments collected. Samples of phosphates collected from Little Cayman – fully analyzed. Numerous samples of terra rossa collected from each of the islands and fully analyzed. Modern sediments mapped and sampled in many lagoons around Grand Cayman. This included coring of the sediments.