HARTMAN MULTIMEDIA
Nature Based Multimedia Information Systems
|
HARTMAN MULTIMEDIA
Nature Based Multimedia Information Systems |
|
|
Lake Cahuila Beachlines Freshwater Lake Cahuilla occupied up to approximately
5,200 square kilometers (2,000 square miles) of the Salton Basin during portions
of the Pleistocene and Recent epochs. The
last major marine-water flooding of the basin occurred during the late Miocene
or early Pliocene, though there may have been more recent minor incursions. The freshwater lake was created several times by the
Colorado River. As the river changed
course and drained to the Sea of Cortez, the lake rapidly evaporated, leaving
salt crusts on the basin floor. The
most recent filling, prior to the creation of the Salton Sea in 1905-07, may
have been as recent as 300 years B.P. At
the highpoint, the lake was 12 meters (40 feet) above sea level and some 90
meters (300 feet) deep. In this area, the beachline is clearly visible. The dark
desert varnish on the mountain face was eroded and has been replaced by lighter
deposits, and there is a lake-cut terrace. (See
also Travertine Rock Area.) Integrity: The
geological features are not disturbed. Use: Research,
educational, observational. Portion
private. January 1980
|
|
Send mail to naturebase@aol.com with
questions or comments about this web site.
|