Intrastratal karst at the WIPP site, southeastern New Mexico
— Carol A. Hill

The possibility of intrastratal karst at the WIPP site has been evaluated with respect to karst principles and processes and to dissolution/hydrological studies. While little direct evidence exists for intrastratal karst at the WIPP site, many indirect lines of evidence suggest the possible presence of karst: surface topographic depressions, negative gravity anomalies, lack of surface runoff, collapse breccias, insoluble residue horizons, WIPP-33 sinkholes and caves, anomalous drawdowns, and salinity variations within boreholes. Intrastratal karst, if it exists, would bypass slow matrix flow in the Culebra Dolomite aquifer and be subject to fast flow in cave conduits.