When one thinks of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) what comes to mind is nuclear weapons and the associated danger of radiation. For the mainstream, little is known about the many applications that nuclear science and technology have been supporting.

The Water Resources Management Agency (WRMA) is participating in a national project funded by the IAEA and the Government of Saint Lucia titled “Strengthening Institutional Capacities in Nuclear Technology Application”. The activities under this project involves isotope hydrology.

According to the Director of the WRMA, Jason Ernest, isotope hydrology is useful in characterizing the origin and movement of water across watersheds. The isotopes of hydrogen (tritium), carbon (carbon-14) and noble gases (helium-3, helium-4, krypton-81) are used for age dating of groundwater to estimate the rate of replenishment, depletion and volume of aquifers. Also, the Isotopes of oxygen (oxygen-18) and hydrogen (deuterium and tritium) in precipitation are used to understand climate impacts on the water cycle in the present climate and in the Earth’s history. Isotopes of oxygen, hydrogen, carbon and nitrogen are used to trace the source of pollutants (domestic and industrial discharges, irrigated agriculture, etc.) and to monitor or manage the water quality of rivers and groundwater.

This project is opportune at this time as the Agency is looking for cost effective measures to monitor and ultimately quantify the island’s groundwater resources as well as to beef up its water quality monitoring regime. This is critical as the impacts of climate change and climate variability are increasing the vulnerability of surface water resources.

Project activities officially kicked off in August 2022 and staff will be trained on how to collect rainfall and surface water samples for testing. Jamaica is at the forefront of the application of this technology in English speaking Caribbean and the WRMA will look to partner with them moving forward. Mr. Ernest went on to add that the process will be a long one but in the end, a concrete picture will be painted that will lend to the quick and decisive decision making in the protection and management of our water resources.