Karst in Permian evaporite rocks of western Oklahoma

Conference · Mon Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 1993 · Geological Society of America, Abstracts with Programs; (United States)

OSTI ID:6002580

Johnson, K S ^[1]

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1. Oklahoma Geological Survey, Norman, OK (United States)

Bedded evaporites (gypsum and salt) of Permian age have been dissolved naturally by ground water to form a major evaporite-karst region in western Oklahoma. The Blaine Formation and associated evaporites comprise 100--800 ft of strata that dip gently into broad, structural basins. Outcropping gypsum, dolomite, and red-bed shales of the Blaine display typical karstic features, such as sinkholes, caves, disappearing streams, and springs. Large caves are developed in gypsum beds 10--30 ft thick at several places, and a major gypsum/dolomite karst aquifer provides irrigation water to a large region in southwestern Oklahoma, where salt layers above and below the Blaine Formation have been partly dissolved at depths of 30--800 ft below the land surface. Salt dissolution causes development of brine-filled cavities, into which overlying strata collapse, and the brine eventually is emitted at the land surface in large salt plains.

• OSTI ID: 6002580
• Report Number(s): CONF-9303212--
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Geological Society of America, Abstracts with Programs; (United States) Journal Volume: 25:1
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

58 GEOSCIENCES
580000* -- Geosciences
CAVES
CAVITIES
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
DISSOLUTION
EVAPORITES
GEOLOGIC AGES
GEOLOGIC FORMATIONS
GEOLOGY
GROUND WATER
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDROLOGY
NORTH AMERICA
OKLAHOMA
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PALEOZOIC ERA
PERMIAN PERIOD
ROCK-FLUID INTERACTIONS
ROCKS
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
USA
WATER