Chapter 04 of 5
The Sinking Megacity
The geography of subsidence and the collapse of the clay foundation.
- Physical Legacy
A Foundation of Mud
Beneath Mexico City lies a layer of volcanic ash and water-saturated clay up to 100 meters thick. This 'jelly-like' soil was once the floor of Lake Texcoco.
- Geological Process
Compaction Action
As water is pumped out of the subsoil, the clay particles collapse and pack tightly together. This irreversible shrinkage causes the ground above to drop.
- Scale
The Global Record
Mexico City is the fastest-sinking city in the world. Some districts are dropping by as much as 50 centimeters every year.
17 more cards in this chapter
Could you answer this?
What is the primary cause of the ground surface sinking in Mexico City?
🛶 A City Built on Mud
- 01The Basin of AnáhuacExplore the unique endorheic lake system at 2,240 meters high.
- 02Tenochtitlan: The Amphibious CityHow chinampas and dikes turned Lake Texcoco into a food machine.
- 03The Great Drain (El Desagüe)The catastrophic shift from living with water to fighting it.
- 04The Sinking MegacityThe geography of subsidence and the collapse of the clay foundation.
- 05The Thirsty ParadoxSurrounded by water legacy, yet starving for a drop to drink.