Soda Dam Hot Spring

The Soda Dam was formed by calcium carbonate and travertine deposits from thermal spring water that was built up over the course of 7,000 years. The river flows through the dome-like bridge created by the deposition of these minerals across the river. There is also a waterfall at the site. It is over 300 feet long, 50 feet high, and 50 feet wide at the base.[1][3]

The hot spring water is heated by volcanic magma of the Valles Caldera. The water percolates through shale and limestone, following cracks in the Jemez geological fault zone to emerge at the springs. Because algal filaments are contained within the carbonate rock, the site is used to study ways in which possible ancient life on Mars may be detected through examination of rocks.[4]

The springs were used by local indigenous people before the arrival of settlers. Artifacts and archaeological finds have been discovered at Jemez Cave near Soda Dam; evidence of human use as long ago as 2,500 B.C.[5] In the 1960s, New Mexico state highway #4 was built which involved blasting the rock to build the road. The course of the spring water changed at that time, and now most of it flows into ditches on either side of the road.[6] Some of the springs stopped flowing entirely.[1]

The maximum water temperature of the spring system is 117 °F (47 °C).[7][8]

The geographic coordinates are N 35.79445 W 106.68669.[9]

• List of hot springs in the United States
• List of hot springs in the world