91快播

Environmental Science students from the 91快播 take measurements from Ayuyu Cave earlier this summer to gather information on the volume of fresh water discharging into the ocean.

Over several weeks this summer, 91快播 scientists and graduate students measured the freshwater outflow from Ayuyu Cave to gather information on the volume of fresh water discharging into the ocean from Guam鈥檚 primary aquifer.

The results showed that 2.3 million gallons of freshwater flows daily into the ocean from Ayuyu Cave, located on the island's rocky northwestern coast. This significant finding was part of Ida Shalilian鈥檚 thesis research for her master鈥檚 degree in Environmental Science.

Shalilian defended her thesis in January and returned to Guam to gather more data after receiving a travel grant from the Research Corporation of the University of Guam. She graduated with a Master of Science in Environmental Science in May 2017.UOG graduate Ida Shalilian presents the findings of her research to representatives from local resource management agencies in June.

Shalilian presented her updated research findings as well as related information on associated geological features to Guam Waterworks Authority (GWA) professionals on June 8, 2017.

鈥淭he freshwater discharge from Ayuyu Cave can only be measured during the low tides of May and June, which is the end of Guam鈥檚 dry season,鈥� said Dr. John Jenson, Director of the Water and Environmental Research Institute of the Western Pacific (WERI). 鈥淩ainy seasons may produce higher volumes of freshwater discharge, so this finding is of significant value to Guam.鈥�

Freshwater resources are critically important to island communities. Information about the natural plumbing of the northern Guam aquifer provides local resource managers, such as GWA, with valuable insights.

This information will be published in a WERI technical report, a refereed research paper, and made available to the public on .

鈥淚da鈥檚 work is just one example of the valuable research produced by graduates of the Environmental Science program at UOG,鈥� Jenson said.

For more information contact Dr. John Jenson at jjenson@triton.uog.edu.