Everything about Valles Caldera National Preserve totally explained
Valle Grande, known to geologists as the
Valles Caldera and the
Jemez Caldera, is a scenic area in the
Jemez Mountains of northern
New Mexico in the
United States. It is the south-east part of what remains of a very large
volcano, or
supervolcano, which erupted in ancient times and helped shape the Jemez Mountains.
History
Until recently, it was part of the Baca Ranch, property of the Dunigan family; however, the owners sold the surface estate of 95,000 acres (380 km²) and seven-eighths of the
geothermal mineral estate to the
federal government, which is trying to find a way to let the public enjoy the land without spoiling it.
Valles Caldera National Preserve
On
25 July,
2000, The Valles Caldera Preservation Act, 16 U.S.C. Sections 698v-698v-10, created the
Valles Caldera National Preserve. Noting that the careful husbandry of the Baca Ranch by its private owners, including selective timbering, limited grazing and hunting, and the use of
prescribed fire, had preserved a mix of healthy range and timber land with significant species diversity, including New Mexico's largest herd of
elk, thereby serving as a model for self-sustaining land development and use. Funds for the purchase came from the
Land and Water Conservation Fund derived from royalties the US government receives from offshore oil and gas drilling. Under the terms of the Act, the Preserve will have to produce sustaining income; environmentalists had lobbied for the more inclusive protections of
National Park status instead.
Geology and science
Scientists are studying this area to learn about the fundamental processes in
magmatism,
hydrothermal systems, and
ore deposition. With nearly 40 deep cores examined, resulting in extensive subsurface data, the Valles Caldera is the best explored
caldera complex in the
United States. It is the younger of two calderas in the region, having collapsed over and buried the
Toledo Caldera (which might have collapsed over yet older calderas). These two large eruptions took place 1.4 million and 1 million years ago. The circular topographic expression of the Valles caldera measures 22 kilometers (14 miles) in diameter. The Jemez Volcanic Field, including the calderas, lies above the intersection of the
Rio Grande Rift, which runs north-south through New Mexico, and the Jemez Lineament, which extends from southeastern
Arizona northeast to the westernmost part of
Oklahoma. The volcanic activity is related to the tectonic movements along this intersection.
The volcanic properties of the Valles Caldera make it a likely source for renewable and nonpolluting
geothermal energy. However, some people oppose development of the geothermal energy, considering it destructive to scenic beauty and recreational and grazing use.
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The lower
Bandelier tuff which can be seen along canyon walls west of the Valles Caldera, including San Diego Canyon, is related to the eruption and collapse of the Toledo Caldera. The upper Bandelier tuff is believed to have been deposited during eruption and collapse of the Valles Caldera. The now eroded and exposed orange-tan, light-colored Bandelier tuff from these events creates the stunning
mesas of the
Pajarito Plateau.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Valles Caldera National Preserve'.
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