Preliminary Draft Tables
Seven Largest
Version 2.1
Date:
Editor: John M. Wilson – wilsonjml@msn.com
These three tables are intended to help people understand the relative significance of the large lava cave systems. This information will be used in a presentation intended to support conservation of signification lava caves.
Some of the data is inconsistent due to the lack of standardized definitions, different priorities of data gathering, and different levels of research.
An appreciation of these lava cave systems can be conveyed in this easy to compare format even though it is incomplete, and a little inconsistent. Perhaps making these tables available to more cavers will lead to clarification of definitions and more complete reporting of lava cave system information. For example, there is no universal agreement as to what constitutes a break in a lava cave. Factors such as puka size, trench length, overburden in puka, degree of breakdown, man made obstacles, etc. are yet to be resolved. This presentation seeks to make the information available prior to the resolution of all of these issues.
English units of measurement units are used in these tables to save space in these early drafts. Metric units can be added at the appropriate time.
Information for these tables has been provided by: Don Coons, Nevin Davis, Bob Gulden, Doug Medville, Bob Richards, and John Rosenfeld
Caves connected by lava flows, pukas,
trenches, etc.
|
Rank
by System Length |
|
Flow
Dates |
Country |
State |
County |
System Length Miles |
Cave System/ Flow Depth Feet |
Highest
Elevation of Cave Flow Feet |
Lowest
Elevation of Cave/ Flow Feet |
Est. Lava
Flow Length Miles |
Caves
in System |
Entrances |
Volume Cubic
feet |
|
1 |
|
1400
to 1600 AD |
|
|
|
41.15 |
3614 4000 |
4000 4000 |
0 -0 |
46 ? |
2 |
101 |
|
|
2 |
Kipuka Kanohina |
900
to 1300 AD |
|
|
|
21.09 |
800 6397 |
6397 6397+ |
0 -0 |
15 |
19 |
55 ? |
|
|
3 |
Emesine Cave (1881 System) |
1881
AD |
|
|
|
17.74 |
9000+ 9842 |
10170 |
328 328 |
25 ? |
10 |
24 ? |
|
|
4 |
|
3000
to 8000
BC |
|
|
|
15.72 |
1349 1400+ ? |
2021 2021 |
672 |
25 ? |
12 |
126 |
79,696,891 |
|
5 |
Cueva del Viento-cueva |
|
|
|
|
11.185 |
1699 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
6 |
|
|
|
|
|
9.942 |
1150 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
7 |
Complejo de la Cueva de los Jameos - Verdes |
|
|
|
Lanzarote |
9.211 |
984 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Longest
A lava cave is defined as a continuous connected cave by
traditional cave definition.
|
System
Rank |
Cave
Length Miles |
Cave Depth Feet |
Entrances |
Other
Caves and Major Sections in the |
|
|
1 |
|
40.85 |
3673 |
100 |
Kazumura Section, Sexton Section, Ola`a Section, Fern Forest Section, Lower Kazumura Section, etc; |
|
2 |
Kula
Kai Caverns |
18.7 |
774 |
25? |
Kula
Kai Caverns Section, Eli’s Section, Poha Section,
Maelstrom Section, Cordwinder Section, Gale,
Penelope, Emily, Big Mama, Gourdman, Cliff, Nice,
Loner, Hornito, High Goat Jump, Butterfly, Leilani,
March to Sea, Hawkes, Lovebird, CCofH
#1 & #2 |
|
3 |
Emesine Cave (1881 System) |
13.64 |
1430 |
14? |
Emesine, Kaumana, Tree
Planting Road #1 & #2, Blister, Channel #1 & #2, Honey Moon, |
|
4 |
|
7.64 |
? |
50? |
The
|
|
5 |
Cueva del Viento-cueva |
11.185 |
1699 |
|
|
|
6 |
|
9.942 |
1150 |
|
|
|
7 |
Complejo de la Cueva de los Jameos - Verdes |
9.211 |
984 |
|
|
Lava Cave System Clusters of
the Seven Largest
Clusters include all the known lava caves from the same general lava source area. It may include many different lava flows that occurred over extended periods of time.
|
System
Rank/ Cluster
rank |
Cluster
Name Flow
Name |
Cluster Length Miles |
Cluster/ Flow Depth Feet |
Highest
Elevation of Cave Flow Feet |
Lowest
Elevation of Cave/ Flow Feet |
Caves
in Cluster |
Entrances In
Cluster |
Other
Caves in Cluster in Addition to Caves Listed In the Longest Cave System Table And background notes |
|
1/1 |
Aila`au Flow |
75+? |
3614 ? 4000 |
4000 4000 |
0 -0 |
10 + ? |
150 +? |
It
covers half of Puna District and also shoots a
large arm southward down through the park.
This flow simple Loved to make tubes.
It includes Kaz, Blairs,
D-Road, Epperson, Keala, John Martin, Pohala #1 & #2, and even Ainaho
Ranch. Kaz
has 40+ miles. Add in another 30+
miles for the caves listed here. A
conservative estimate for length of tubes surveyed in the Aila`au
Flow would be 75+ miles. Don |
|
2/4 |
Kipuka Kanohina Cluster |
21+ ? |
800 ? 6397 |
6397 6397+ |
0 -0 |
19 + ? |
20 + ? |
|
|
3/3 |
North
Mauna Cluster 1880
and 1881Flows |
43.41 |
9842 ? 9842 ? |
10170 ? |
328 328 |
124 |
250 + |
Emesine is not so clear cut as this data would represent
either. There are actually two
separate flows in this event. They
both erupted in Nov of 1880 and both flowed well into 1881. They do not connect on the surface, but we
have surveyed tubes in both units. I
did not include this info below. The
top flow broke out at 10,600 feet elevation.
We have nearly a mile of cave surveyed up there now. It’s lowest point
is a SERIES OF VERTICAL SHAFTS. They
plunge (apparently down a rift) to a depth of more than 150 feet below the
surface. We were short roped half way
down a pitch blowing beaucooo air. If this thing goes on down and then
horizontal it could conceivably be the source of the breakout that formed the
Emesine Flow.
We’d have to cross under about ¼ mile of prehistoric flows on the
surface to do this, but hey, it’s a hollow mountain after all. Don |
|
4/2 |
Cluster |
54.64 |
1349 1400+ ? |
2021 ? 2021 ? |
672 ? |
141 |
280 + |
Christmas
Present, Better Half, etc |
|
5 |
Cueva del Viento-cueva |
11.185 ? |
1699 ? |
|
|
|
|
|
|
6 |
|
9.942 ? |
1150 ? |
|
|
|
|
|
|
7 |
Complejo de la Cueva de los Jameos - Verdes |
9.211 ? |
984 ? |
|
|
|
|
|