Top of The Main Terrace at Canary Springs
The upper terraces at Canary Springs which are part of Mammoth Hot Springs are composed of calcium carbonate. The chalky white and gray colors show where there is no current hot springs flow or terrace building. Active terraces are colored by orange, yellows and cream colors caused by thermophilic organisms. The water for the hot springs comes from precipitation in the surrounding mountains that runs down into the subsurface. The water is heated at depth. As the water rises it dissolves limestone in the subsurface beneath Mammoth and the surrounding mountains. The hot carbonate rich water comes to the surface and forms the travertine terraces. Geologists estimate that at any given time about 10% of the water in Mammoth Hot Springs is on the surface. The other 90% remains underground.
Thermal features at Mammoth hot springs are always changing. Activity moves from place to place and active terraces grow quickly. Dead trees mark areas that were once vegetated before the springs moved on to it. Some features dry up while others appear or reactivate. Even with these changes the overall activity of the entire area and the volume of water discharge remain relatively constant.
Top of The Main Terrace at Canary Springs
The upper terraces at Canary Springs which are part of Mammoth Hot Springs are composed of calcium carbonate. The chalky white and gray colors show where there is no current hot springs flow or terrace building. Active terraces are colored by orange, yellows and cream colors caused by thermophilic organisms. The water for the hot springs comes from precipitation in the surrounding mountains that runs down into the subsurface. The water is heated at depth. As the water rises it dissolves limestone in the subsurface beneath Mammoth and the surrounding mountains. The hot carbonate rich water comes to the surface and forms the travertine terraces. Geologists estimate that at any given time about 10% of the water in Mammoth Hot Springs is on the surface. The other 90% remains underground.
Thermal features at Mammoth hot springs are always changing. Activity moves from place to place and active terraces grow quickly. Dead trees mark areas that were once vegetated before the springs moved on to it. Some features dry up while others appear or reactivate. Even with these changes the overall activity of the entire area and the volume of water discharge remain relatively constant.