The water bore of Oranjestad 1942-1943, and its implication as to the geology and geohydrology of the island of Aruba (Netherlands West Indies)

In 1942-1943 a water test well was drilled by the Government of Curacao within the limits of Aruba's capital Oranjestad, following the "discovery" of an underground fresh water flow by two French friars operating a detector or divining rod. A depth of 927' was reached without encountering the predicted fresh water. However, abundant salt water under pressure was stuck in a sand bed at 830'. Its salt concentration proved to be twice that of sea water. It may be assumed that rain water enterig the outcrop area of weathered diorite and diorite detritus further inland, percolates down through a dipping sand bed, locked in impervious clay layers, thus constituting an artesian water system. The high salinity of this water is tentatively explained by a process of solution of salts adsorbed in the sands and clays during their deposition in a marine or coastal environment.