THE NEW  MEXICO GYPSUM KARST PROJECT (GypKaP)
Project Director: Blake Jordan                                    Chief Cartographer: Dave Belski

 
 

  The Project

The Southwestern Region sponsors the New Mexico Gypsum Karst Project (GypKaP), an NSS project to further the knowledge of the gypsum caves and karstlands in New Mexico.  This project is the largest of its kind in the United States, and has drawn cavers from as far away as New Hampshire, Italy, and even the Ukraine to its project weekends.  The GypKaP project began in 1987 for the purpose of exploring, mapping, studying, and understanding one of the largest, least-explored and least-understood karst regions in the United States.  Most of the GypKaP study area is located on (under) private land in New Mexico, and land access entry to those caves is prohibited except during specific (and landowner-approved) project weekends.

Since the inception of the Project, over 150,000 feet of cave survey has been completed, and over 150 new caves discovered and added to the New Mexico Cave Inventory.

If you are interested in joining the project or learning more about it, please contact:

Blake Jordan
Blandevoid@comcast.net
 

  The Project Reports

Three GypKaP project reports have been published, including maps, narratives, geological, biological and hydrological studies. When the Project was begun, virtually nothing was known of the subsurface features or resources of the region; the Project has taken a leadership role in documenting New Mexico gypsum karst.

Copies of the 3 GypKaP Reports are available.

• * GypKaP Report #1            $10

* GypKaP Report #2            $10
* GypKaP Report #3            $15
* plus shipping (per report) $  2

Make check or money order payable to Southwestern Region of the NSS and mail to:

Southwestern Region of the NSS
GypKaP Reports
c/o Patty Daw
PO Box 1952
Carlsbad, NM 88221