Causes of sinks near Tucson, Arizona, USA |
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Authors: | John P Hoffmann Donald R Pool A D Konieczki Michael C Carpenter |
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Institution: | (1) US Geological Survey, Water Resources Division 520 N. Park Ave. Suite 221, Tucson, Arizona 85719, USA Fax: +1-602-670-5592 e-mail: jphoffma@usgs.gov, US |
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Abstract: | Land subsidence in the form of sinks has occurred on and near farmlands near Tucson, Pima County, Arizona, USA. The sinks
occur in alluvial deposits along the flood plain of the Santa Cruz River, and have made farmlands dangerous and unsuitable
for farming. More than 1700 sinks are confined to the flood plain of the Santa Cruz River and are grouped along two north-northwestward-trending
bands that are approximately parallel to the river and other flood-plain drainages. An estimated 17,000 m3 of sediment have been removed in the formation of the sinks. Thirteen trenches were dug to depths of 4–6 m to characterize
near-surface sediments in sink and nonsink areas. Sediments below about 2 m included a large percentage of dispersive clays
in sink areas. Sediments in nonsink areas contain a large component of medium- to coarse-grained, moderately to well sorted
sand that probably fills a paleochannel. Electromagnetic surveys support the association of silts and clays in sink areas
that are highly electrically conductive relative to sand in nonsink areas. Sinks probably are caused by the near-surface process
of subsurface erosion of dispersive sediments along pre-existing cracks in predominantly silt and clay sediments. The pre-existing
cracks probably result from desiccation or tension that developed during periods of water-table decline and channel incision
during the past 100 years or in earlier periods.
Submitted, April 1997 · Revised, November 1997 · Accepted, April 1998 |
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Keywords: | USA subsidence compaction unconsolidated sediments |
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