Columbia River Gorge – 50 Million Years of Geologic Tumult
8700 SW Sweek Dr
Tualatin, OR 97062
USA
The place we now see as a peaceful, idyllic Columbia River Gorge retreat is the exceptional product of over 50 million years of violent volcanic activity, immense floods of lava and raging iceberg-laden waters. Join a journey back in time with the eye of a geologist to explore the bleak background of this boneyard of devastation that we now consider a playground.
We’ll consider back-arc basins where ~20 million years of exotic plants and animals are entombed in volcanic debris. We’ll explore enormous outpourings of searing hot lava that now stack up to 3 miles thick from the Idaho border all the way to the Oregon coast and beyond. Then there is the later gargantuan uplift and outpouring of lava that built our deceptively beautiful Cascades, even as the Columbia River tore its way across the spine of the rising mountain chain.
And of course, we’ll dig into the devastatingly massive floods of water, ice, and debris that repeatedly scoured the Gorge, exposing to our sharp eyes and inquiring minds the tumult beneath the beautiful surface of this scenic gem. We may even look into the heart of geology to realize that geologists can be as much sleuth and storyteller as they are scientist.
About the speaker:
Lloyd DeKay is a marine geologist and sedimentologist who worked on Bonneville Dam, then in oil, gas, and geothermal exploration in various places around the world for over 30 years before retiring to White Salmon, WA. He is still learning about the remarkable geology of the Columbia River Gorge and the Pacific Northwest region in general, and sharing his knowledge through field trips and talks on behalf of the Columbia River Gorge Chapter of the Ice Age Floods Institute. You too can learn more about the captivating geologic history of the region at IAFI.org.