Controls of tufa development in Pleistocene Lake Bonneville, Utah

Prominent tufa localities along the Provo level (∼14,000 14C yr B.P.) shoreline in Pleistocene Lake Bonneville have been characterized in detail. Three types of tufa are recognized: capping tufa, beachrock, and capping tufa over beachrock. Capping tufa and beachrock are end members of a continuum based on variable clastic content. All three types typically occur on headland environments that had stable substrate and little sediment input. Tufa development correlates with bedrock exposure and landform orientation, which in turn are correlated (R2=0.89) with the longest fetch directions in the basin. Tufa also tends to be located at major subbasin divides and in the western portion of the basin.