Throughout most of late Permian time the southeastern Permian Basin was part of a shallow barred lagoon located in an area of high evaporation and low rainfall. Refluxion to the open sea farther west was slowed by the intervening Capitan barrier reef during Guadalupian time, but free surface influxion of sea water occurred.

Dolomite and sand deposition during Grayburg time yielded to precipitation of anhydrite and halite in early Queen time. Deposition of fine-grained sand and clay from a lowland lying to the east and south alternated with anhydrite and halite during Queen and Seven Rivers times. A maximum of 550 feet of Queen and 600 feet of Seven Rivers sediments accumulated.

During Yates time 150 feet of fine-grained sand was spread across the area. Clastic deposition was interrupted at the beginning of Tansill time, during which 15–50 feet of anhydrite and halite were precipitated.

Regional uplift followed, and 20 feet of shale of Castile (?) age accumulated. After the sea returned, halite deposition ensued throughout Salado time except for short periods of polyhalite accumulation and one period of widespread anhydrite precipitation during which the Cowden Member was deposited as far east as Coke County.

Emergence and local erosion of Salado salt occurred in early Rustler time. Final transgression of the Permian sea allowed the marine deposition of 80 feet of Rustler sand and anhydrite and 100 feet of Dewey Lake sand. The sea then withdrew, ending Permian deposition in West Texas.