Playa-lake basins on the Southern High Plains of Texas and New Mexico: Part II. A hydrologic model and mass-balance arguments for their development

Abstract

Research Article| August 01, 1987 Playa-lake basins on the Southern High Plains of Texas and New Mexico: Part II. A hydrologic model and mass-balance arguments for their development WARREN W. WOOD; WARREN W. WOOD 1U.S. Geological Survey, 431 National Center, Reston, Virginia 22092 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar W. R. OSTERKAMP W. R. OSTERKAMP 1U.S. Geological Survey, 431 National Center, Reston, Virginia 22092 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information WARREN W. WOOD 1U.S. Geological Survey, 431 National Center, Reston, Virginia 22092 W. R. OSTERKAMP 1U.S. Geological Survey, 431 National Center, Reston, Virginia 22092 Publisher: Geological Society of America First Online: 01 Jun 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2674 Print ISSN: 0016-7606 Geological Society of America GSA Bulletin (1987) 99 (2): 224–230. https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(1987)99<224:PBOTSH>2.0.CO;2 Article history First Online: 01 Jun 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation WARREN W. WOOD, W. R. OSTERKAMP; Playa-lake basins on the Southern High Plains of Texas and New Mexico: Part II. A hydrologic model and mass-balance arguments for their development. GSA Bulletin 1987;; 99 (2): 224–230. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(1987)99<224:PBOTSH>2.0.CO;2 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGSA Bulletin Search Advanced Search Abstract Hydrologic, geologic, geomorphic, and mass-balance data suggest that most of the ∼30,000 playa lake basins on the Southern High Plains have developed by a combination of dissolution of caliche and piping of surface material into the unsaturated zone rather than by eolian processes as has generally been stated. A conceptual model suggests that particulate organic material, much of which is sorbed on smectite clays, is carried downward from the surface into the unsaturated zone by recharging water. The organic material is oxidized to CO2, which dissolves in the water, forms carbonic acid, and dissolves lithologic carbonates. Because organic material is transported and oxidized deep in the unsaturated zone, CO2 concentrations are much higher at depth than in the soil zone, and recharging water remains thermodynamically subsaturated with respect to carbonates and thus able to dissolve them throughout the unsaturated zone. Dissolution promotes lithologic instability, leading to piping and eluviation of material within the unsaturated zone. Playa basins expand laterally as recharge is concentrated at the edge of the playa floor because of lowered permeability in the center that results from accumulation of clays and other fine sediment.Mass-balance calculations of gas, liquid, and solid fluxes beneath a playa basin suggest that sufficient mass is transported to account for the volume of the depression. Particulate flux is estimated by relating it to the CO2 flux out of the unsaturated zone. Solute flux is estimated from the difference between input values from the playa lake water and that observed in ground water. Gas flux is measured directly from gas samples at specific depths below the: surface. This content is PDF only. Please click on the PDF icon to access. First Page Preview Close Modal You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.