Web Page Research & Design

Minnha Tran and Paris Rogers

Land of Wood and Water

Caves are predominate in Jamaica and a limestone plateau covers the country, so that karst formations dominate the island.  These karst are formed by erosion of the limestone in solutions, which causes the features. JCO states this causes things such as, “sinkholes, caves and caverns, disappearing streams, hummocky hills and terra rosa (red) soils.” (JCO 2007)

 

One of these type of cave formations is located in St. Ann’s parish and is called the Dunn’s Hole Cave. The coordinates are: 18° 21’ 43.4”; 77° 26’ 50.8”  It is known as the deepest cave on the island said to have a depth of 230m. (Jamaican Caving Notes)

 

The opening of the cave, which was measured by JCO stated Dunn’s Hole is, “ 52m wide x 171m tall.”  As seen in the center picture above, a section east from the entrance area of the cave chamber starts out higher and dryer and floored with mud.  JCO tells us, “some of the fissures in this surface are 15 cm across and over 60 cm deep.  They all join to form irregular polygons and curving triangles.” (JCO 2007)

                                                             

JCO tell us that the caves of the White Limestone which is located north of central Jamaica are divided into the classes,they are:“ quiet-water solution caves, stream caves, and vertical caves.” The way to disinguish the differences is by their origin. JCO also tell us that there are three hydrologic conditons in caves such as, steeply inclined movement, gently inclined movement, and static storage.” (JCO 2007)

            

 JCO notes and studies suggest that vertical shafts, solution tubes, joints and  honeycomb limestone need futher research in regards to how they transport water.  JCO states,”Stream caves are the prime agents for the lateral movement of ground water.” (JCO 2007)

            

Sinkholes and Caverns JCO tells us that they,“are a natural depression in the surface topography caused by the removal of soil or bedrock by water.”  They also say that they vary in size and form and can be formed “gradually or suddenly.” (JCO 2007)

            

This tells us that Caves, Sinkholes and Caverns dominate Jamaica in topgraphical features and are formed by erosion of limestone in solutions. We find these depressions are classified and divided by classes and hydrological conditions to to able to distinguish these caves from each other and also tells us that further study needs to be done in how these depressions  transport water and they vary in size and form.

Entrance to the Cave

Mud Floor

Pictures from JCO

Location  of  Dunn’s Hole

Map from JCO 2007