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Posted By: Marty Marco Gonzalez Reserve Flooded, Closed - 09/19/13 11:36 AM
[Linked Image]
125ft in to the site and completly underwater

Marco Gonzalez Reserve Temporarily Closed Due to Flooding

Jan Brown, Director of the Marco Gonzalez Reserve located south of San Pedro Town submitted the following :

"I went to Marco entrance this morning (Sept 18). What a trip! The southern road is badly flooded from Victoria House to the end. I only went to Marco at Mile 5.25. Finally took out my camera to capture some of it. I've never seen this much water on the road. Thankfully, SPTC has added some hardcore from Croc Lagoon to almost the Dump road. Thanks Kendrick and crews!

Marco Gonzalez Reserve will be closed for next few days. The boardwalk is underwater for quite some way. I didn't wade into the site, but if it's this high on the walkway, I know the water level will have encroached at the site entrance, Plaza 2 will be flooded and for sure the west side pathway will be underwater. I'll investigate on Thursday."

Photos HERE
Low pressure system over the area, full moon, high tide and tons of rain ....... each can raise the water level a lot and when they combine - wow.
thankfully this is not high tourist season!
And its Sept, when we have the highest tides; Municipal airstrip is sometimes closed for that reason every Sept and Oct.
Posted By: Marty Re: Marco Gonzalez Reserve Flooded, Closed - 09/25/13 10:33 AM
Marco Gonzalez Archaeological Site Remains Closed

As of September 19th, the Marco Gonzalez Archaeological is temporarily closed due to all the high water from a recent tropical depression and unusually high tides helped along by a full moon cycle. Jan Brown, President of the MGMSAC, Ltd., walked or rather waded into the site on Thursday only to find the boardwalk over 50% flooded. "As a safety precaution, I've put a sign at the first of the walkway asking people to not enter the boardwalk," says Brown. "I found the water had floated several boards as well as caused several pallet sections to become loose from the base. And the biggest concern I have is that one of our resident crocs will have found a place to rest on the flooded boards. That's an adventure I surely don't want a visitor to have!"

A walk about the site revealed the water was still encroached on some of the pathway on the west and south sides. "There is a certain area on the NW side where I didn't even have to visit as that is low and prone to normal tidal activity." But, Brown noticed that some brave soul had wandered in as evidenced by footprints in the wet pathway. Who came first - the human or the resident raccoon? And how about the fact that the footprints only went one way?

Brown says to give it a few days of dry weather and receding water and she'll have a crew working on the boardwalk for the safety of all. The non-profit organization is in a co-management agreement with Institute of Archaeology to oversee the Park operation. Safety is a priority along with the general maintenance of the Maya site.

Click here for the rest of the story and more pictures in the San Pedro Sun!
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