Activity

Name: Dating Erratic Boulders: How Long Ago Were the Floods?
Start: 2026-03-24T18:00:00-07:00
End: 2026-03-24T19:30:00-07:00
Location: Deer Park Library

March 2026
Nick Zentner Pop-up Geology

March 1 @ 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm PST

Dry Falls Visitor Center 35661 HWY 17 North, Coulee City, WA, United States

XLentCOOL happenings…, a Rockstar , geologist, Nick Zentner, Nick on the Rocks | PBS, Science Outreach and Education Coordinator, Central Washington University, has announced a Pop-Up Geology program at 1pm on Sunday March 1st at Dry Falls Visitor Center. Folks are encouraged to bring a folding chair to enjoy a short lecture about Ice Age Flood Geology and learn about the unique features found at Dry Falls Heritage Area! Or watch it on YouTube - Pop-Up Geology this Sunday, March 1, 2026 at 1:00 pm! - YouTube The last time Nick Zentner did a Pop-Up Geology event was on Sunday December 31st, 2023 (New Year’s Eve). With only 48 hours’ notice, we spontaneously had over 80 people arrive and enjoy the afternoon! Some folks traveled as far as Portland, OR for a chance to see Nick in person. Nick on the Rocks | Dry Falls | Season 1 | Episode 6 | PBS The Dry Falls Visitor Center will be OPEN for the day. Interpretive Staff will be available for questions and information. We have been busy packing to move for the BIG renovation/rehabilitation project, starting this Spring 2026.
Puget Lobe Lecture: Getting a Feel for Ice Sheet Hydrology and Channeled Scabland Geomorphology

March 2 @ 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm PST

Bellevue College Building T Room 117 3000 Landerholm Cir SE, Bellevue, WA, United States

Dr. Joel Gombiner Joel Gombiner, Washington Geological Survey, "Getting a feel for ice sheet hydrology + Channeled Scabland geomorphology" This presentation connects modern observations of ice sheet hydrology, the geomorphology of the Channeled Scabland, and recent publications on Washington’s Ice Age floods. The presentation consists of three parts: (1) an explanation of a new lidar-based, semi-realistic oblique visualization and interpretive poster of Dry Falls (released 2025 by WGS); (2) an intuitive overview of ice sheet hydrology with visits to Greenland, Iceland, and Antarctica; (3) an update on recent Channeled Scabland science including evidence for subglacial tunnel channel floods from the Okanogan lobe and refined estimates of Missoula flood magnitudes. The in-person meeting will be held at Bellevue College T building Room 118 on Monday, March 2, 2026 at 7:00 PM. The live presentation will also be available on Zoom. Click this link shortly before the meeting begins: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82985244730
The Missoula Floods and the SVRP Aquifer

March 3 @ 6:45 pm - 8:00 pm PST

Zoom Meeting

The Lake Lewis chapter of the Ice Age Floods Institute will host a free Zoom lecture on March 3rd exploring the dramatic creation of the Spokane Valley - Rathdrum Prairie (SVRP) Aquifer!
The Ice Age Floods History of the Cheney Area

March 10 @ 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm PDT

Cheney Community Library 610 1st St, Cheney, WA

The landscape upon which the town of Cheney has been built bears silent witness to one of the greatest series of catastrophic floods that has ever been documented on our planet. In this talk, we delve into how the leading scientists, both past and present, have interpreted this landscape as a consequence of one immense glacial lake pouring into another glacial lake, which then overflowed and breached the southern shoreline to create the vast channeled scablands. Presented by Dr. Linda McCollum, professor emeritus of geosciences at EWU and president of the Ice Age Floods Institute (IAFI), Cheney-Spokane Chapter Registration is required.
Combined Chapter Hike – Escure Ranch / Towell Falls

March 14 @ 10:00 am - 3:00 pm PDT

Escure Ranch Washington

The Palouse Falls and Cheney-Spokane Chapters of the IAFI invite you to a hike at Escure Ranch on the BLM Rock Creek Recreation Site on Saturday, March 14. The hike will start at 10:00 a.m. It will be led by Don Chadbourne, geologist and board member of the Cheney-Spokane Chapter, and Lloyd Stoess, president of the Palouse Falls Chapter. You will meet the leaders at the trailhead. Description of the Escure Ranch Hike The hike will begin and end at the Escure Ranch parking area, of the Bureau of Land Management, Rock Creek Recreation site. The hike will follow an old ranch road to Towell Falls and return on the same route. The out and back hike will be about 6.5 miles. The trail is mostly double track over dirt and rock, with an elevation gain and loss of about 160 feet. The hike is a pleasant trek through a remote scabland canyon. Features will include rock benches and basins, flood bars, Mima mounds, mesas and waterfalls. This hike is included in the book, On the Trail of the Ice Age Floods – Northern Reaches, by Bjornstad & Kiver. Directions to the trailhead will be provided to hikers after registration. Click on the Register button to sign up for the hike. The hike will be limited to 30 hikers. Items to bring with you: appropriate shoes, day pack, water, snacks, appropriate clothing for changes in the weather, sun protection, emergency items, camera and binoculars. Walking poles will be helpful. The hike is free; however, donations for support of Chapter activities will be accepted. For additional questions, contact Don at 509-891-5875, or Lloyd at 509-954-3927. Map available for download: 11 x 17 LIDAR map of Escure Ranch Area showing our hiking route to Towell Falls (downloadable PDF)
Sandhill Crane Festival

March 20 @ 6:30 am - March 22 @ 9:00 pm PDT

Othello, WA WA, United States

At the Sandhill Crane Festival, March 20-22, 2026 in the beautiful Columbia Basin, Othello, WA, you’ll have the chance to explore the Ice Age Floods story through presentations and field trips, and see thousands of Sandhill Cranes, ducks, and geese as they gather against the stunning backdrop of the Saddle Mountains and sprawling cornfields. There is a fantastic lineup of geology and wildlife viewing opportunities, along with engaging talks, fun tours, hikes, and workshops for everyone to enjoy. Registration is now open with a registration deadline of March 15 at noon (No refunds after this date). All Events are offered on a first-come, first-served basis. Reservations are filled in the order received. Please note, Lectures, tours and hike participants must purchase a General Admission Ticket for $10.00.

$10 – $165
Mega-Floods of the World – The Legacy of Dr. Bretz’ Work

March 20 @ 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm PDT

Ritzville Public Library 302 West Main Street, Ritzville, Washington

Researchers have established, based on the pioneering work of Dr. J Harlen Bretz and JT Pardee, that over 140 Ancient Mega-Flood, including Noah's Flood are discussed in oral traditions worldwide. Professional geologist Bill Burgel will briefly discuss how the research related to the Missoula Floods and Bonneville Flood has opened up the possibility of mega-floods being the most likely explanation for the formation of the Mediterranean Sea, the Persian Gulf, The Bosphorus Straits, the English Channel, Chimu in Peru and the floodwaters on Mars. Mega-flood events are also being cited for the draining of Glacial Lake Agassiz, Glacial Lake Iroquois and the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone.
Mega Floods, Ice Ages, Volcanic Eruptions, Earthquakes, and other things that could keep you awake at night but probably shouldn’t

March 21 @ 10:00 am - 11:00 am PDT

McFarland Middle School 790 S. 10th Avenue, Othello, Washington, United States

This presentation will begin by defining what an Ice Age is and then looking at our dynamic planet and those major events that can lead to dramatic temperature changes. Also included will be a look at hazards here in the Pacific Northwest and why they occur.
Moses Coulee Field Trip

March 22 @ 8:15 am - 4:00 pm PDT

McFarland Middle School 790 S. 10th Avenue, Othello, Washington, United States

This field trip will head north from Othello along the eastern edge of the Quincy Basin with stops on the Ephrata Fan and Soap Lake at the mouth of Grand Coulee. Moses Coulee parallels Grand Coulee to the west and has puzzled scientists to this day. Several plausible explanations to its origins have been proposed. This off-the-beat coulee is always a surprise to first time visitors. On the way back to Othello, there will be stops at Potholes Coulee and Drumheller Channels which were two of the four outlets for the Missoula Floods exiting the Quincy Basin. Go to www.othellosandhillcranefestival.com to sign up for this trip.

$70
Dating Erratic Boulders: How Long Ago Were the Floods?

March 24 @ 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm PDT

Deer Park Library 208 S Forest Ave, Deer Park, WA

How do geologists know when the ice age floods actually occurred in the Spokane area? One method is to date the large flood-rafted erratic boulders. We explore the ages of the floods and the methods used to determine their dates and present newly gathered dates from the Spokane region revealing when the floods happened. Presented by Glenn Cruickshank, vice president of the Ice Age Floods Institute (IAFI), Cheney-Spokane Chapter Registration is required.

Activity

March 2026

Nick Zentner Pop-up Geology

Puget Lobe Lecture: Getting a Feel for Ice Sheet Hydrology and Channeled Scabland Geomorphology

The Missoula Floods and the SVRP Aquifer

The Ice Age Floods History of the Cheney Area

Combined Chapter Hike – Escure Ranch / Towell Falls

Sandhill Crane Festival

Mega-Floods of the World – The Legacy of Dr. Bretz’ Work

Mega Floods, Ice Ages, Volcanic Eruptions, Earthquakes, and other things that could keep you awake at night but probably shouldn’t

Moses Coulee Field Trip

Dating Erratic Boulders: How Long Ago Were the Floods?

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