Tufa Towers
Mono LaKE, CALIFORNIA
photo: Srdjan Vejvoda
photo: Ivan Pešić
photo: Ivan Pešić
photo: ivan pesic
Mono Lake is a highly alkaline lake, or soda lake. Subsurface waters enter the bottom of Mono Lake through small springs. High concentrations of dissolved calcium ions in these subsurface waters cause huge amounts of calcite to precipitate around the spring orifices. The tufa originally formed at the bottom of the lake. It took many decades or even centuries to form the well-recognized tufa towers. When lake levels fell, the tufa towers came to rise above the water surface and stand as the majestic pillars seen today.
Wikipedia
