Surface geology of the NORTHEASTERN margin of the

Enriquillo basin
Team: The Sidewinders
By: Embely Luzn (2013-1443), Sal Almonte (2013-1473), Derian Acosta
(2013-1433), Juan Ramn Mateo (2013-1472),Vctor Daniel Mieses (20131430)

Introduction
The Enriquillo`s lake is the largest natural water reserve in the Dominican
Republic, with an area of 375 square kilometers by October 2011. Its waters
are shared between Independencia and Bahoruco provinces. It is part of
National Park Enriquillo Lake and Cabritos Island and Biosphere Reserve of
Jaragua-Bahoruco-Enriquillo.
The Surface Geology Division conducts the traditional work of a state
geological survey: surface geologic mapping and research into the geology,
paleontology, stratigraphy, water depth, mineral resources of the state and
stratal geometry .

1. Stratigraphy
The Northeastern margin of the Enriquillo basin in the valley of the Rio
Yaque del Sur consists of north to nortwesr-dipping beds of four sedimentary
rock formations: the Trinchera, Quita Coraza, Arroyo Blanco, and Arroyo
Seco.

The formations crop out on the southern limb of the los Guiros Syncline
separating the anticlinal sierra Martin Garcia to the south from the anticlinal
Sierra de Neiba to the north.

The four formations have been previously correlated by McLaughlin with

outcrops in the Loma Sal y Yeso and in the Azua and San Juan basis. The
facies and micropaleontology of outcrops of the Trinchera and Quita Coraza
formations in the valley of the Rio Yaque del Sur have benn studied in detail
by Mclaughlin(1991).
Sedimentary facies in the overlyin shallow marine and non-marine rocks of
the Arroyo Blanco and Arroyo Seco formations have only mapped in a
reconnaissance manner by cooper (1983) and form the basis of detailed
description that follows.

2. Structure
Studies of the sedimentary structures, sand-stone petrography and
conglomerate clast counts of arroyo Blanco and arroyo Seco formations
have been carried out 50 to 100 km to the north in the San Juan basin by
Harms(1989)
The resistant beds of Upper Miocene sandstone and conglomerate of the
upper trinchera formation form the easterm edge of the meander belt of The
Rio Yaque del Sur. Rocks of the Pliocene quita coraza formation occupy the
meander belt of the river because they are easly erodible and lack resistant
sandstone or conglomerate interbeds.

3. Facies associations of the Arroyo Blanco and

Arroyo Seco Formations
For the purpose of this study, sedimentary rocks of the arroyo Seco and
arroyo Blanco formations and the overlying arroyo Seco formation are
grouped into four facies associations shown on the map.
On those formations the use of the terms shallow marine and deep
marine are relative. There are few constraints on the absolute water
deep in wich each of the four facies associations.
In order to document the nature of the seven units of the arroyo Blanco
formation five measured sections were measured oven an-along-strike
distance of 20 km.

4. Subdivision of the arroyo Blanco Formation

In order to facilitate description and interpretation, the arroyo Blanco
formation in the map area shown in the figure is subdivided into six units
wich are numbered 2-7.

Units 3 and 6 are deep marine facies associations characterized by the

presence of marine fossils, units 2,5, and 7 are shallow marine- marine
facies associations characterized by the presence of gypsum, and units 4
and 7 are shallow marine facies associations characterized by the presence
of oolitic limestone.

5. El Granado section
The el granado section is 143 m thick and lies within unit 3 of the deep
marine facies associations, unit 4 of the shallow marine oolite facies
association, and unit 5 of the shallow marine gypsum facies association. The
granado section can be reached by driving north from Santana on the road
to el Granado. Beacause thre is no named stream nearby, the section was
named after El Granado, the nearest village.

6. Arroyo Barrero section

This section is interpreted as two shoaling-upward cycles. The base of the
section is marked by a coral debirs horizon of unit 3 wich can be correlated
on aerial photographs to resistant clinoforms of calcarenite and coral debris
beds to the northeast.