Growin by the Gallon EarthCache
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At the listed coords you’ll find an overlook to one of the most
beautiful sights in Central Oklahoma; Turner Falls. This is
a public parking area off of Highway 77, just south of Davis.
Turner Falls
Underlying the Arbuckle Mountains is the Arbuckle Simpson aquifer,
housing some of the purest spring water in the world and providing
water to the Blue River and Honey Creek which flows over Turner
Falls. Water, rich in calcium carbonate flows over the Falls and
forms the mineral, travertine. Technically, when carbon
dioxide-rich water percolates through rocks in limestone areas, the
water dissolves the limestone and becomes saturated with it. When
the water resurfaces later, the sudden drop in pressure (by
falling) and the change in temperature cause the water to release
the carbon dioxide gas, much like fizzy drinks. The calcium
carbonate then recrystallizes, forming Travertine.
Usually the water in a waterfall wears the rock away, but not so
here. The water actually deposits Travertine on the falls and
builds the rock out in the honeycomb formations we see here. This
is a very unique occurrence. There are only a few places in the
world we can find travertine. There are similar falls in the Grand
Canyon, and the city of Rome, Italy, is built on travertine. This
is another wonderful example of nature at work in the Arbuckle
Mountains. The largest waterfall in Oklahoma, it cascades
tumultuously down a seventy-seven foot fall to a shimmering pool at
a rate of 5.5 million gallons per day.
To get credit for this cache, do the
following:
1. Take a picture with your GPS at the lookout
with Turner Falls behind you.
2. Email the answers to each of these questions:
a. Describe the build up of Travertine on each sides of the falls
and its texture/appearance.
b. What color is pure Travertine?
c. What color is Travertine here? (Color will be truer on a cloudy
day)
CONGRATS to Langly for
FTF!
Congrats to bennet for #4000 right here
at Turner Falls!
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Geniregvar vf abeznyyl oevtug juvgr