192 GEOLOGICAL RECONNAISSANCE OF THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC. 



Lake Rincon is a much smaller lake near the east end of Enriquillo 

 Basin. It differs from Lake Enriquillo in being only slightly brackish and 

 in lying nearly 5 meters above sea level. A channel at Cabral connects it 

 with Rio Yaque, through which the river water flows in times of flood. 

 The lake abounds in fish, affording a means of livelihood for the people of 

 neighboring villages. Lake Enriquillo, on the other hand, is reported to 

 contain no fish at all. Alligators are reported to live in both lakes, and 

 flamingoes and cranes of several species may be seen in large flocks along 

 the low, muddy shores. 



Lake Limon, which lies south of and only a few kilometers away from 

 Lake Enriquillo, is reported to contain fresh water. It is separated from 

 Enriquillo Basin by hills and occupies an independent depression that has 

 no outlet. 



Laguna de las Marias, shown on the map by Wells mentioned above 

 and on the de Moya map, is reported to be no longer in existence. Wells 1 

 describes it as a lagoon thickly studded with palm groves near a short range 

 of bare hills called Sierra de los Remedios. The altitude of the lake shown 

 on his map is 160 feet (49 meters) above sea level. This may be too high, 

 as the altitudes given on this part of his map do not appear quite consist- 

 ent. The map shows the area of overflow of Lake Enriquillo during the 

 rainy season. An altitude of 32 feet (9.7 meters) is given at a point in this 

 area near its eastern edge. If this is correct there was a rise of over 

 9 meters in the level of the lake during the rainy season, which is consider- 

 ably more than seems probable. 



SPRINGS. 



In the area covered by this report springs are rather numerous and many 

 of them are large. In some areas, notably in Enriquillo Basin, they are 

 used for irrigation. A few, such as those at El Puerto, near Las Matas de 

 Farfan, are reputed to have medicinal value, principally for the cure of 

 skin diseases and rheumatism. 



Sulphur springs are known at El Puerto, which is on Rio Macasfa near 

 Las Matas, as well as at several places along Rio Yaque between Villar- 

 pando and Boca Mula and near the head of Arroyo Quita Coraza, where 

 there is a spring known as Agua Montilla. There are springs at many 

 places on both sides of Enriquillo Basin. Many of them emit a strong odor 

 of hydrogen sulphide, which is probably a constituent of the water in all 

 these springs. Other sulphur springs are reported in many parts of the area. 



There are springs that discharge strongly saline water in Arroyo Quita 

 Coraza near the settlement of that name and there are others on the sea 

 coast about 4 kilometers south of Barahona. Salt springs are also reported 

 at Guanarate, at Fondo Negro, near Azua, between Barahona and Cabral, 

 and at other localities. 



i Wells, J. W., op. cit., p. 603. 



