The Caprock Escarpment is a term used in West Texas and Eastern New Mexico to describe the geographical transition point between the level High Plains of the Llano Estacado and the surrounding rolling terrain.[1] In Texas, the escarpment stretches around 200 mi (320 km) south-southwest from the northeast corner of the Texas Panhandle near the Oklahoma border. The escarpment is especially notable, from north to south, in Briscoe, Floyd, Motley, Crosby, Dickens, Garza, and Borden Counties. In New Mexico, a prominent escarpment exists along the northernmost extension of the Llano Estacado, especially to the south of San Jon and Tucumcari, both in Quay County, New Mexico. Along the western edge of the Llano Estacado, the portion of the escarpment that stretches from Caprock to Maljamar, New Mexico, is called the Mescalero Ridge.[2][3]
The Caprock Escarpment marking the edge of the Llano Estacado is clearly visible in this shaded relief image. The escarpment can be seen on the eastern edge of the Llano, running roughly in a north–south line through the middle of the Panhandle of Texas.
The escarpment is made of caliche—a layer of calcium carbonate that resists erosion.[1] In some places, the escarpment rises around 1,000 ft (300 m) above the plains to the east. The escarpment's features formed by erosion from rivers and streams, creating arroyos and highly diverse terrain, including the large Palo Duro Canyon southeast of Amarillo, Texas.[1] One will notice the change in elevation of several hundred feet while crossing the Caprock Escarpment on Interstate 40 between Adrian, Texas and San Jon, New Mexico.
The overall slight upslope, and in some areas, convergent, terrain of the Caprock is implicated in altering local weather and climate, such as enhancing precipitation and promoting thunderstorm initiation and organization.[4][5]
^ abcCarroll, H.B. "Caprock". Handbook of Texas Online. Retrieved March 1, 2013.
^Price, A.P. 1977. Mescalero Sandhills of Cochran and Yoakum Counties, Texas. Master's thesis, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, 253 pp.
^Henderson, D. 2006. An Introduction to the Mescalero Sands Ecosystem. Master's thesis, Texas A&M University, 42 pp.
^Walter, Kevin R.; C. C. Weiss; A. H.P. Swift (25 Oct 2005). "The Moisture Route of Palo Duro Canyon". 11th Conference on Mesoscale Processes / 32nd Conference on Radar Meteorology. Albuquerque, NM: American Meteorological Society.
^Marshall, Timothy P. (1980). Topographic Influences on Amarillo Radar Echo Climatology. M.S. thesis. Lubbock, TX: Texas Tech University. hdl:2346/22163.
External linksedit
Media related to Caprock Escarpment at Wikimedia Commons
Public domain images of the Llano Estacado, West Texas, and Eastern New Mexico
October 27, 2023
caprock, escarpment, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, decemb. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Caprock Escarpment news newspapers books scholar JSTOR December 2009 Learn how and when to remove this template message The Caprock Escarpment is a term used in West Texas and Eastern New Mexico to describe the geographical transition point between the level High Plains of the Llano Estacado and the surrounding rolling terrain 1 In Texas the escarpment stretches around 200 mi 320 km south southwest from the northeast corner of the Texas Panhandle near the Oklahoma border The escarpment is especially notable from north to south in Briscoe Floyd Motley Crosby Dickens Garza and Borden Counties In New Mexico a prominent escarpment exists along the northernmost extension of the Llano Estacado especially to the south of San Jon and Tucumcari both in Quay County New Mexico Along the western edge of the Llano Estacado the portion of the escarpment that stretches from Caprock to Maljamar New Mexico is called the Mescalero Ridge 2 3 Caprock EscarpmentEscarpmentCaprock Escarpment Garza County TexasThe Caprock Escarpment marking the edge of the Llano Estacado is clearly visible in this shaded relief image The escarpment can be seen on the eastern edge of the Llano running roughly in a north south line through the middle of the Panhandle of Texas Coordinates 34 54 35 N 104 04 08 W 34 90972 N 104 06889 W 34 90972 104 06889LocationNew Mexico and Texas United StatesAgeQuaternaryGeologyCalicheElevation502 m 1 647 ft Northwest escarpment of the Llano Estacado overlooking Alamogordo Valley of Quay and Guadalupe Counties New Mexico Contents 1 Description 2 Parks 3 See also 4 References 5 External linksDescription editThe escarpment is made of caliche a layer of calcium carbonate that resists erosion 1 In some places the escarpment rises around 1 000 ft 300 m above the plains to the east The escarpment s features formed by erosion from rivers and streams creating arroyos and highly diverse terrain including the large Palo Duro Canyon southeast of Amarillo Texas 1 One will notice the change in elevation of several hundred feet while crossing the Caprock Escarpment on Interstate 40 between Adrian Texas and San Jon New Mexico The overall slight upslope and in some areas convergent terrain of the Caprock is implicated in altering local weather and climate such as enhancing precipitation and promoting thunderstorm initiation and organization 4 5 Parks editCaprock Canyons State Park and Trailway located near Quitaque opened in 1982 A 65 mi 105 km trail was developed within the park in 1992 Along the trail is Clarity Tunnel home to a large colony of Mexican free tailed bats See also editBlanco Canyon Canyon Valley Caprock Chief Double Mountain Fork Duffy s Peak Eastern New Mexico Geographical regions in Texas Little Red River Mount Blanco Mushaway Peak Palmer Divide Palo Duro Canyon Prairie Dog Town Fork Red River Ransom Canyon Salt Fork Brazos River Yellow House Canyon West TexasReferences edit a b c Carroll H B Caprock Handbook of Texas Online Retrieved March 1 2013 Price A P 1977 Mescalero Sandhills of Cochran and Yoakum Counties Texas Master s thesis Texas Tech University Lubbock 253 pp Henderson D 2006 An Introduction to the Mescalero Sands Ecosystem Master s thesis Texas A amp M University 42 pp Walter Kevin R C C Weiss A H P Swift 25 Oct 2005 The Moisture Route of Palo Duro Canyon 11th Conference on Mesoscale Processes 32nd Conference on Radar Meteorology Albuquerque NM American Meteorological Society Marshall Timothy P 1980 Topographic Influences on Amarillo Radar Echo Climatology M S thesis Lubbock TX Texas Tech University hdl 2346 22163 External links edit nbsp Media related to Caprock Escarpment at Wikimedia Commons Caprock from the Handbook of Texas Online Public domain images of the Llano Estacado West Texas and Eastern New Mexico Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Caprock Escarpment amp oldid 1155819863, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
