Episodic karstification, Edwards Plateau, central Texas
The Edwards Plateau and Llano Basin of central Texas form one of the largest contiguous regions of karst in North America (>80,000 km/sup 2/). Solutional phenomena show that several major episodes of karstification are documentable from late Cambrian to Holocene. Relict landforms representing intervals of solutional activity correlate well with the accepted geomorphic chronology for central Texas. Secondary porosity are vertically controlled by lithology, topographic incision of streams, position of the potentiometric surface, and attitude of bedding. Areally, development of karst is strongly influenced by the extent, density, and orientation of fractures and by hydrodynamic characteristics such as points of recharge and discharge, degree of integration of groundwater flow paths, and hydraulic gradients. Early episodes of karstification correspond to intervals of subaerial exposure of carbonate rocks during marine regression or following regional uplift. Paleokarst is prevalent in the Paleozoic and Mesozoic sequences. Infilled dolines and solution-collapse breccias have been exhumed by extensive regional denudation during the Cenozoic Era. Subaerial conditions during the middle Cretaceous account for infilled solutional cavities within lower Cretaceous carbonate beds. The most extensive karstification began with regional uplift in the early Miocene. Enhanced relief along the Balcones escarpment promoted incision of streams, lowering of water tables, steepened hydraulic gradients, and increases in discharge. Caves at various-elevations attest to sequential dissection of the plateau during the late Quaternary.
- Research Organization:
- Radford Univ., VA (USA)
- OSTI ID:
- 6458065
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-8510489-
- Journal Information:
- Geol. Soc. Am., Abstr. Programs; (United States), Vol. 17; Conference: 98. annual meeting of the Geological Society of America, Orlando, FL, USA, 28 Oct 1985
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
CARBONATE ROCKS
DISSOLUTION
HYDROLOGY
TEXAS
GEOMORPHOLOGY
CAVES
GEOLOGIC FRACTURES
GEOLOGIC HISTORY
GROUND WATER
ORIGIN
CAVITIES
FEDERAL REGION VI
GEOLOGIC STRUCTURES
GEOLOGY
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
NORTH AMERICA
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
ROCKS
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
USA
WATER
580100* - Geology & Hydrology- (-1989)