Tufa (Lacustrine)
“Lake limestone shaped by chemistry”
Lacustrine tufa is a variety of freshwater limestone that precipitates in alkaline lakes, often forming dramatic towers, mounds, and shoreline terraces. It develops where calcium-rich spring water interacts with carbonate-saturated lake water, creating structures that grow outward like underwater mineral chimneys.
calcite, aragonite, biofilm (cyanobacteria), clay minerals, diatom frustules
Mono Lake (California, USA), Pyramid Lake (Nevada, USA), Lake Van (Turkey), Lake Abbe (Djibouti), Lake Bogoria (Kenya)
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Mono Lake's tufa towers grow at underwater spring vents — when the lake level was artificially lowered by water diversion to Los Angeles, these ghostly towers were exposed, sparking a landmark environmental battle.
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What environmental event exposed the famous tufa towers at Mono Lake?
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