DOCUMENTATION OF SURFACE FEATURES ASSOCIATED WITH THE CONTINUED DEVELOPMENT OF THE WINK SAG, WINKLER COUNTY, TEXAS

Over the past 30 years two sink holes and several sag areas have developed in Winkler County, Texas. They are believed to be the result of the combination of geologic and historic dissolution of the underlying Permian Salado Salt Formation. Increasing surface deformation of the areas associated with the sinks and sags are causing concern and increasing risk to the governmental infrastructure as well as potential safety concerns for the citizens of Winkler County, Texas. Using a global positioning system (GPS), the tension and compression features in and surrounding the large sag area east of Wink Sink Two were documented. The south and west sides of the sag area show extensive surface fractures, with fractures being found for the first time on the north side of the sag, however no fractures were found on the east side of the sag. This data has provided a more complete assessment and understanding to the underlying subsurface area of the large Sag area which suggests a more complex subsurface picture with less competent surface and subsurface on the north and east sides of the sag. The results also provide definitive correlation with proposed tension and compression features associated with the large sag area and the area east of Wink Sink One, and a more complex subsurface model for Wink Sink One then had previously been thought.