Wednesday, May 12, 2010

New report on Sedona sinkholes


AZGS published Paul Lindbergh's extensive study of seven sinkholes in the Sedona area, with explanation of the geology and hydrology that produced them.

Paul reports that "Devils Kitchen sinkhole has historic records of collapse in the 1880s, 1989 and 1995, and it will continue to collapse in future years. Six additional sinkholes are in various stages of collapse from modern time and possibly to the end of the last Ice Age. While the danger
of future collapse is probably minimal to humans, unregulated septic leakage into hidden
sinkhole breccias within the town limits could contaminate groundwater being tapped for
municipal use or the contamination of the Page Springs outflow."

Paul provides detailed maps and cross sections of each sinkhole. The report can be downloaded at the AZGS web site.


Ref: "Sedona Sinkholes and Groundwater Flow: The Geologic History of Their Evolution Coconino and Yavapai Counties, Arizona," P.A. Lindberg, 2010, AZGS CR-10-C.