GYPSUM KARST SPELEOGENESIS IN SOUTH-CENTRAL KANSAS

Karst features within the Permian Blaine Formation were documented on two ranches in Barber County, Kansas. The Permian Blaine Formation is known as a significant karst unit in Oklahoma; however, little work has been conducted in Kansas. The Blaine Formation thins from Oklahoma into Kansas from 27 to 15 meters thick. Karst features are developed dominantly in gypsum and include caves, sinkholes, losing streams, springs, and other surficial karst features. This study documents the local distribution of karst features and determine the controls on formation, distribution, and surface expression in the Blaine Formation. A simplistic model for this area’s gypsum speleogenesis is proposed. This survey of caves and karst landforms adds significantly to the basic knowledge of the geology of this region. Field observations indicate cave formation is dependent on the geologic contact between the Permian Blaine Formation and the underlying Flowerpot Shale, the amount and type of surficial mantle material, and solutionally enlarged fractures that enable water flow.