Zuñi Salt Lake facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Zuñi Salt Lake |
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c. 2000
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 Zuñi Salt Lake
Location in New Mexico
Zuñi Salt Lake
Location in the United States
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| Location | Catron County, New Mexico, United States |
| Coordinates | 34°27.0′N 108°46.1′W / 34.4500°N 108.7683°W |
| Type | Maar |
| Primary outflows | Evaporation |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Surface elevation | 6,224 ft (1,897 m) |
Zuñi Salt Lake, also known as Zuni Salt Lake, is a special high desert lake in New Mexico, United States. It's located in Catron County, about 60 miles (97 km) south of the Zuni Pueblo, New Mexico. This lake is a unique type of volcanic crater called a maar. It has been an important place for many people for a very long time.
What is Zuñi Salt Lake Like?
Zuñi Salt Lake is quite shallow. During the wet season, it's only about 4 feet (1.2 m) deep. When the weather gets dry, much of the water disappears. This leaves behind large, flat areas covered in salt, called salt flats.
Life in the Lake: Tiny Creatures That Thrive
Even though the lake's conditions change a lot, some amazing creatures live there. You can find tiny brine shrimp (Artemia salina). There are also alkali flies (Ephydra hians). Small plant-like organisms called cyanobacteria (Anacystis) also call the lake home. These living things are very tough! They can handle the big changes between wet and dry seasons.
How Was the Lake Formed?
Zuñi Salt Lake fills a maar. A maar is a shallow, bowl-shaped volcanic crater. It forms when hot magma (melted rock from deep underground) meets groundwater. The water turns into super-hot steam very quickly. This steam then explodes, breaking apart the surrounding rock. It also blasts pieces of rock and magma into the air.
The Zuñi Salt Lake maar erupted a very long time ago. This happened between 114,000 and 86,000 years ago. This period is known as the Late Pleistocene era. The lake is part of the Red Hill volcanic field.
Where Does the Salt Come From?
The salt in the lake comes from two main places. Some salt washes into the lake from surface runoff (rainwater flowing over the land). The other source is ancient salt beds. These beds are from the Permian Supai Formation. They are buried deep beneath the maar. Groundwater flows up through these salt beds. It then comes out through cracks in the volcanic rock under the lake. The salt builds up because the lake has no natural way for water to flow out.
History and Importance of Zuñi Salt Lake
For hundreds of years, Native American groups have visited Zuñi Salt Lake. These include the Zuni, Acoma, Laguna, Hopi, and Taos people. They make yearly trips to collect salt. They use this salt for cooking and for special ceremonies.
Sacred Site and Ancient Roads
The lake itself is considered a very sacred place. It is believed to be the home of the Salt Mother deity. The Zuni people call her Ma'l Okyattsik'i. Early Hispanic settlers in the area also called the lake Las Salinas.
Ancient roads spread out from the lake. These roads connect it to many different pueblo villages. They also lead to old pueblo sites, like Chaco.
Salt Trade in Ancient Times
Salt from Zuñi Salt Lake was very important for trade. It was traded a lot within the Chaco culture. Scientists have found salt grains from Zuñi Salt Lake. They were inside corn husk wrappers at old archaeological sites in the San Juan Basin. Even when the first Spanish explorers arrived, the Zuni were still trading this salt widely.
Early European Encounters
In 1598, Juan de Oñate sent Captain Marcos Farfán to explore the lake. The captain was amazed by what he saw. He wrote that he was "certain that neither in all Christendom nor outside of it, is there anything so grand."
Geronimo's Story
The famous Apache chief Geronimo also spoke about the lake. In his book, Geronimo's Story of His Life, he wrote about getting salt from a lake in the Gila Mountains. He said that when his people visited this lake, they were not allowed to hunt or fight. All creatures were free to move around safely.
Returning the Lake to Zuni Control
The Zuñi Salt Lake was not originally part of the Zuni reservation. However, in 1985, the U.S. government returned the lake to Zuni control. They also returned about 5,000 acres (2,000 ha; 20 km2) of land around it. This was an important step in recognizing the lake's cultural significance.
National Recognition
In 1999, Zuñi Salt Lake was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it is recognized as a very important historical site in the United States.
