Arbuckle Mountains
Arbuckle Mountains | |
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Highest point | |
Elevation | 430 m (1,410 ft) |
Coordinates | 34°27′24″N 97°15′14″W / 34.45667°N 97.25389°W |
Dimensions | |
Area | 1,000 sq mi (2,600 km2) |
Geography | |
Country | United States |
State | Oklahoma |
Counties |
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Age of rock | |
Type of rock | granite, gneiss, limestone, dolomite, sandstone, shale |
The Arbuckle Mountains are an ancient
The Arbuckles contain the most diverse suite of mineral resources in Oklahoma: limestone, dolomite, glass sand, granite, sand and gravel, shale, cement, iron ore, lead, zinc, tar sands, and oil and gas; all these minerals are, or have been, produced commercially.[2]
History
The Arbuckle Mountains are the oldest known formations in the United States between the Appalachian and Rocky Mountains. They contain a core of
They were named indirectly for
Geology
Hydrology and karst features
Underlying the Arbuckle Mountains is the Arbuckle-Simpson aquifer, housing freshwater which emanates at springs to provide the base flows of the Blue River and Honey Creek, which flows over Turner Falls south of Davis.
As a result of the karst topography, standing water is rarely found atop the Arbuckle Mountains, the water seeps through fractures and planes of separation in the limestone bedrock, dissolving the rock to produce a network of caves and solution conduits throughout the limestone formations. Organizations such as the Arbuckle Karst Conservancy and Arbuckle Mountains Grotto of the National Speleological Society actively study the karst features of the Arbuckle Mountains to preserve the biological ecosystems and groundwater resources. The organizations currently maintain databases of more than 1,000 caves and springs in the Arbuckle Mountains.[7] The Arbuckles have gradually eroded to their present heights of 300–500 feet above the surrounding terrain or 1300–1400 feet above sea level.
Recreation and access
Popular recreation areas in the Arbuckle Mountains include
The area is also the location of several campgrounds, including the YMCA's Camp Classen and the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma's Falls Creek Baptist Conference Center, which hosts 55,000 campers each summer.
References
- ^ Splinter, Dale K. and Richard A. Marston. Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture. "Arbuckle Mountains." Retrieved October 7, 2013.
- ^ a b ""America's Volcanic Past: Oklahoma:Arbuckle Mountains."". Archived from the original on 2008-05-17. Retrieved 2006-11-07.
- ^ Bickford, M. E. and Richard D. Lewis, U-Pb geochronology of exposed basement rocks in Oklahoma, Geological Society of America Bulletin, 1979;90;540-544
- ^ Fritz, Richard; Medlock, Patrick; Kuykendall, Michael; Wilson, James (2013). "The Geology of the Arbuckle Group in the Midcontinent: Sequence Stratigraphy, Reservoir Development, and the Potential for Hydrocarbon Exploration". AAPG Data Pages. Retrieved 11 June 2022.
- ^ Taff, J.A.; Bain, H.F. (1904). "Preliminary report on the geology of the Arbuckle and Wichita mountains in Indian Territory and Oklahoma, USGS Professional Paper 31". USGS Publications Warehouse. Retrieved 11 June 2022.
- ^ "General Geologic Sections of Oklahoma and Northern Arkansas". Oklahoma Corporation Commission. Retrieved 11 June 2022.
- ^ Blackwood, Kevin W. (2012). "The Arbuckle Karst Conservancy". Archived from the original on 2016-12-23.
Bibliography
- James S. Aber, Arbuckle Mountains, Oklahoma
- Robert W. Allen, 2002, Complex Structural Features of the Ardmore Basin
- USGS America's Volcanic Past: Oklahoma
External links
- Arbuckle Mountains - Video footage of the area and a list of local activities and resources.
- Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture - Arbuckle Mountains
- Oklahoma Digital Map Collection at Oklahoma State University