Estimated freshwater lens thicknesses for atoll islands in the Federated States of Micronesia under severe drought

Figure 2-15 Low islands are highly vulnerable to stresses on their freshwater resources in times of drought. Shown here is a plot of the estimated modeled freshwater lens thickness (meters) among atoll islands in the Federated States of Micronesia for drought conditions similar to the severe 1998 event that followed a large El Niño. Under simulated drought conditions, only 6 out of 105 islands will have freshwater lenses thick enough to provide groundwater. (From Bailey & Jenson, 2011.)