Newsome Sinks Karst Area
| Newsome Sinks Karst Area | |
|---|---|
 | |
  Map of Alabama | |
| Location | Morgan County, Alabama |
| Coordinates | 34°26′27″N 86°35′50″W / 34.440833°N 86.597222°WCoordinates: 34°26′27″N 86°35′50″W / 34.440833°N 86.597222°W |
| Area |
9,925 acres (4,017 ha) NNL 1,700 acres (690 ha) |
| Designated | 1973 |
Newsome Sinks Karst Area is a privately owned karst formation in Morgan County, Alabama. It was listed as a National Natural Landmark in November 1973.[1][2]
Description
The valley was named for William Newsome who settled in the area in 1838. It is approximately 4 miles (6.4 km) long and up to .75 miles (1.21 km) wide. The NNL covers 1,700 acres (690 ha), but the total karst area is around 9,925 acres (4,017 ha).[2] There are more than forty caves in the region extending almost 9.5 miles (15.3 km) and up to 400 feet (120 m) deep. The land is part of the Cotaco Creek watershed. The underlying rock is Bangor Limestone formed in the Mississippian Age.[3]
There are over 15 rare species in the area, such as the southern cavefish, gray bat, Indiana bat, American Hart’s-tongue fern and Tennessee bladderfern.[2]
References
- ↑ "Newsome Sinks Karst Area". National Park Service. Retrieved 14 October 2012.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Barbour, Michael S. "Middle Coosa River, Upper Coosa River, Eightmile Creek, and Cotaco Creek Nonpoint Source Prioritization Project: Volume 3 Cotaco Creek". December 2004. Retrieved 14 October 2012.
- ↑ "Sinkholes in Alabama". Geological Survey of Alabama. Retrieved 14 October 2012.