A mudpot, mud pool or paint pot is a sort of hot spring or fumarole consisting of a pool of usually bubbling mud.
Mudpots form in high-temperature geothermal areas where water is in short supply. The little water that is available rises to the surface at a spot where the soil is rich in volcanic ash, clay and other fine particulates. The thickness of the mud usually changes along with seasonal changes in the water table.
The mud takes the form of a viscous, often bubbling, slurry. As the boiling mud is often squirted over the brims of the mudpot, a sort of mini-volcano of mud starts to build up, sometimes reaching heights of 3-5 feet. Although mudpots are often called "mud volcanoes", true mud volcanoes are very different in nature.
The mud is generally of white to greyish color, but is sometimes stained with reddish or pink spots from iron compounds. When the slurry is particularly colorful, the feature is then called a "paint pot".
East of the Salton Sea and west of Niland, California
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mudpot
http://www.flickr.com/photos/slworking/sets/72157609249389829/with/4602883073/
http://www.yelp.com/biz/salton-sea-mud-pots-and-geothermal-mud-volcanoes-calipatria
http://www.imperialcounty.com/phototur/photo15.htm
Grand reopening of the Salton Sea History Museum. Now located at 72-120 S. Lincoln Street (end of road across creek), Mecca, CA 92254
News video: http://www.kesq.com/video/30403959/index.html
Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Salton-Sea-History-Museum/125597164130869
Museum homepage: http://www.saltonseamuseum.org/
