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BLM NM Carlsbad Field Office Karst Potential Areas

Published by Bureau of Land Management | Department of the Interior | Catalog Last Checked: May 05, 2026 at 07:28 PM | Dataset Last Updated: January 17, 2025 at 08:08 PM
Karst is a topography formed from the dissolution of soluble carbonate rocks such as limestone, dolomite, and gypsum. It is characterized by features like poljes above and drainage systems with sinkholes and caves underground. It has also been documented for more weathering-resistant rocks, such as quartzite, given the right conditions. Subterranean drainage may limit surface water, with few to no rivers or lakes. In regions where the dissolved bedrock is covered (perhaps by debris) or confined by one or more superimposed non-soluble rock strata, distinctive karst features may occur only at subsurface levels and can be totally missing above ground.

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