The Veins of the Earth: Tourism Puts Mexico's Underwater Wonders at Risk Jane Cowan - ABC News
go to original March 15, 2013

Cancun is America’s Bali. It’s loud and brash and party-central. But under all those stomping feet is the spectacular silence and epic grandeur of the pristine Yucatan Aquifer, described by some as the world’s largest underground river.

The aquifer is a vital resource for thirsty Mexico. It also nourishes vast tracts of rainforest, is home to unique flora and fauna and serves an integral role in the function of other ecosystems. Intriguingly, the aquifer also holds a treasure trove of prehistoric skeletons, and bones from the time the Mayan people held sway in this strikingly beautiful part of the world.

Environmentalists are deeply concerned about the future of the aquifer, as resort development continues unabated above. Limestone quarries gouge the filtering bedrock to provide cement for construction while sewerage and run-off threatens to leach into and taint the crystal clear waters.

On her debut assignment for Foreign Correspondent, reporter Jane Cowan plunges into the seemingly bottomless canyons of the aquifer to learn its secrets and to assess arguments about the scale of the threats to its sanctity, and the economic necessities of the tourism push in Cancun and beyond.

Read the whole story at ABC News

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