Geology Reference
In-Depth Information
Diatomite processing mill near Christmas Valley in northern Lake County (photo Oregon Dept.
Geology and Mineral Industries)
basin, Mickey Springs discharges boiling water through
vents into several pools and a boiling mud pot. In the
Hot springs are common a few miles north of
same region, the Alvord Hot Springs group has an
Lakeview and in Warner Valley where a 50-foot wide
average temperature of 169 degrees Fahrenheit and a
zone of faults bordering Warner Peak connects to
flow rate of 132 gallons per minute. Many of the
subterranean geothermal sources. Calcite, gypsum, and
Alvord basin hot springs contain sodium bicarbonate
several other alkaline minerals precipitate as a white
and sodium chloride along with concentrations of
crust along fractures where hot springs reach the
fluoride, arsenic, and boron compounds.
surface. Several of these warm mineral springs, where
One interesting feature seen on Alvord Lake
temperatures average 100 degrees Fahrenheit, are used
and Guano Lake to the west are gigantic fissures in
as public facilities. Hunters Hot Spring north of
polygonal patterns ranging from 50 to 1,000 feet in size
Lakeview has been drilled and cased. It erupts in a
and up to 15 feet deep. These huge mud cracks develop
geyser-like pulsating manner, spurting about every 30
in clay layers of the dry lake beds once the water level
seconds from levels only a few feet above the well
has dropped enough to cause shrinkage and contraction
casing to 40 or 50 feet in the air. Issuing from the
at depths. The fissures form irregular polygon shapes
ground at 180 degrees Fahrenheit, the waters and
so large that they may not be obvious when standing
surroundings have been commercially developed,
nearby on the ground. The mud cracks on Guano Lake
The Crump Geyser, which first erupted in
are up to 100 feet across making them the largest
1959, is located a short distance north of Adel in
polygon structures of this type known in North Ameri-
Warner Valley. It is a drilled well that formerly explod-
ca.
ed
with considerable violence.
