Researchers at Northern Arizona University have created detailed 3D maps of cave systems that feed Roaring Springs, the main water source for Grand Canyon National Park visitors and ecosystems.
The team used mobile LiDAR scanners to document more than 10 kilometers of underground passages over 45 days. High-resolution models captured cave walls, ceilings, and fracture patterns that show how water moves from the surface to the springs. Blase LaSala, a Ph.D. student leading parts of the work, said the caves act like oases for plants and animals. Professor Temuulen Sankey noted that Grand Canyon's caves had never been mapped in 3D before. The next phase of the project, which involves airborne LiDAR and satellite data on snowmelt and sinkholes, is scheduled to begin in early 2026. The research aims to trace how snowmelt from the Kaibab Plateau reaches the springs and to identify risks from contamination. More than one billion people worldwide rely on karst springs for water. The Grand Canyon findings could help improve management of similar systems elsewhere.