Английская Википедия:Bottomless Lakes State Park
Шаблон:Short description Шаблон:Use mdy dates Шаблон:Infobox protected area
Bottomless Lakes State Park is a state park in the U.S. state of New Mexico, located along the Pecos River, about Шаблон:Convert southeast of Roswell. Established in 1933, it was the first state park in New Mexico.[1] It takes its name from nine small, deep lakes located along the eastern escarpment of the Pecos River valley.
Lakes
Most of the nine lakes are almost completely surrounded by cliffs, with the notable exceptions being Lea Lake and Lazy Lagoon. Lea Lake has a large, sandy shoreline on the western side and tall cliffs on the eastern side. The cliffs around Lazy Lagoon have been completely eroded away by the Pecos River, and the lake sits in a former channel of the river.
Lazy Lagoon is the largest of the lakes, with a surface area of approximately Шаблон:Convert. Although it is a single lake, it is made up of three separate sinkholes. The surface of the Lazy Lagoon is nearly level with the surrounding salt flats, which makes it look very shallow. Despite the name, the deepest of its three sinkholes is Шаблон:Convert deep.[2][3]
Lea Lake is the only lake in which swimming is allowed. It has a beach and concession area that is popular in the summer.
Devil's Inkwell is the smallest lake with a surface area of Шаблон:Convert. Its name stems from the water's dark color, caused by the steep sides of the cenote and algae growth within the lake.
In pure geologic terms, Figure Eight Lake is two lakes separated by a thin strip of land. When the water is very high the strip of land is covered, and the two nearly circular lakes join and take the shape of a figure eight. Irrigation in the Pecos Valley has lowered the water table, so the two lakes of Figure Eight lake rarely join to form a single lake anymore.
Pasture Lake is the shallowest lake at Шаблон:Convert deep with a surface area of Шаблон:Convert.
| Lake | Maximum depth | Surface area | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lazy Lagoon[2] | Шаблон:Convert | Шаблон:Convert | Largest by area |
| Cottonwood Lake[2][3] | Шаблон:Convert | Шаблон:Convert | |
| Mirror Lake (north)[2][3] | Шаблон:Convert | Шаблон:Convert | |
| Mirror Lake (south)[2][3] | Шаблон:Convert | Шаблон:Convert | |
| Devil's Inkwell[2][3] | Шаблон:Convert | Шаблон:Convert | Smallest; dark algae color |
| Figure Eight Lake (north)[2] | Шаблон:Convert | Шаблон:Convert | |
| Figure Eight Lake (south)[2] | Шаблон:Convert | Шаблон:Convert | |
| Pasture Lake[2] | Шаблон:Convert | Шаблон:Convert | Shallowest |
| Lost Lake[2] | — | Шаблон:Convert | "less than Шаблон:Convert"[2] |
| Lea Lake[2][3] | Шаблон:Convert | Шаблон:Convert | Only lake allowing swimming. Daily spring flow of about Шаблон:Convert.[3] |
| Dimmitt Lake | — | Шаблон:Convert | Private lake made up of two basins covering about Шаблон:Convert. |
The lakes are not fed by streams, and the evaporation rate of the lakes in the hot desert climate exceeds the rate at which rainwater refills them. The lakes are fed by underground water percolating through the rocks and into the lakes. The high evaporation rate produces brackish water in the lakes.
Seven of the lakes are protected, although in recent years the lakes have been contaminated by trash that has been thrown into the lakes by careless visitors. The ninth and southernmost lake, Dimmitt Lake, is not a part of the state park and is owned by the Fin and Feather Club, a local hunting and fishing club
Origin of the lakes
The Bottomless Lakes occur at the base of an escarpment formed by the gypsum-rich Seven Rivers Formation. Ground water in the underlying San Andres artisan aquifer rises along faults at the escarpment and dissolves the gypsum thereby creating sinkholes or cenotes.[2]
Wildlife
Four endangered species can be found in the park—the Pecos pupfish, the Rainwater Killifish, the cricket frog, and the Eastern Barking Frog.
In the winter, Devil's Inkwell and Cottonwood Lake are both stocked with Rainbow Trout.
See also
- List of sinkholes of the United States
- The Blue Hole, a similar waterbody also in New Mexico
References
External links
Шаблон:Protected Areas of New Mexico
- Английская Википедия
- Страницы с неработающими файловыми ссылками
- State parks of New Mexico
- Parks in Chaves County, New Mexico
- Protected areas established in 1933
- 1933 establishments in New Mexico
- Sinkholes of the United States
- Landforms of Chaves County, New Mexico
- Landforms of New Mexico
- Bodies of water of Chaves County, New Mexico
- Lakes of New Mexico
- Ramsar sites in the United States
- Страницы, где используется шаблон "Навигационная таблица/Телепорт"
- Страницы с телепортом
- Википедия
- Статья из Википедии
- Статья из Английской Википедии
