Mono Lake at Sunrise, California

Large limestone formations, known as tufa, rise from Mono Lake in eastern California. The tufa result from calcium-rich springs that flow up from the bottom of the lake. The calcium bonds to carbonates in the water, forming calcium carbonate, a type of limestone. The calcium carbonate builds on itself, gradually forming towering columns. Those columns grow only when under water; they stop growing when the lake level drops and they are exposed.

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Large limestone formations, known as tufa, rise from Mono Lake in eastern California. The tufa result from calcium-rich springs that flow up from the bottom of the lake. The calcium bonds to carbonates in the water, forming calcium carbonate, a type of limestone. The calcium carbonate builds on itself, gradually forming towering columns. Those columns grow only when under water; they stop growing when the lake level drops and they are exposed.