Mount Baker: Tons of snow and ice atop a sleeping volcano

As the second-most glaciated mountain in the Cascades, an volcanic eruption on Mount Baker could produce deadly lahars in several populated river drainages. Photo: USGS.

Volcano Awareness Month and our countdown to the 33rd anniversary of the Mount St. Helens, May 18, 1980, eruption continue with a look at Mount Baker. The main hazards posed by this active volcano in central Whatcom County are debris flows and debris avalanches from its considerable glaciers and snowpack–events that can occur even without a volcanic eruption.

Mount Baker has been mostly quiet since the mid-19th century when several explosions were seen from Bellingham – a mere 30 miles due west. It perked up in 1975 with several large emissions of volcanic gases. As the second-most glaciated mountain in the lower 48 states, Mount Baker presents similar mudslide dangers as Mount Rainier (the mountain with the largest glacier cover in the lower-48 states).

It’s quiet… for now.  

Mount Adams: Majestic giant has been quiet lately but still poses a threat

Mount Adams as seen from Mount St. Helens in this aerial photo. Photo: USGS.

May is Volcano Awareness Month in Washington State. As we approach the 33rd anniversary of the May 18, 1980, eruption of Mount St. Helens, DNR Ear to the Ground is featuring one of the state’s five active volcanoes each day this week. Today the spotlight is on Mount Adams.

One of the largest volcanoes in the Cascade Range, Mount Adams has been less active during the past few thousand years than its neighbors (Mounts St. Helens, Rainier, and Hood). The most common type of eruptions over the long history of Mount Adams have been lava flows–streams of molten rock–which created a volcanic field that now covers about 500 square miles of the landscape in Skamania, Yakima, Klickitat, and Lewis counties and the Yakima Indian Reservation. Even if there is no eruption, landslides of weakened rock originating on the steep upper flanks of Mount Adams can spawn dangerous lahars, which are watery flows of volcanic rocks and mud that surge downstream like rapidly flowing concrete.

Here is the current alert status for Cascade Range volcanoes from the U.S. Geological Survey’s Cascades Volcano Observatory.

DNR and its Division of Geology and Earth Resources help map, monitor and educate the public, governments and others about geologic hazards, including volcanoes, such as Mount Adams.

Have you been to Mount Adams lately? Join in the discussion on DNR’s Facebook page.

Glacier Peak: A volcano that may be out of sight for most, but not out of mind

Glacier Peak viewed from the east. Photo: USGS.

May is Volcano Awareness Month in Washington State. In the week leading up to the 33rd anniversary of the May 18, 1980, eruption of Mount St. Helens, DNR Ear to the Ground is featuring one of the state’s five active volcanoes each day.

Tuesday, May 14, 2013: Glacier Peak. Located in a wilderness area in eastern Snohomish County, Glacier Peak is not easily visible from any major metropolitan centers, and so the hazards (and attractions) of this 10,451-foot peak may get overlooked. Yet, Glacier Peak has produced larger and more explosive eruptions than any other Washington volcano except Mount St. Helens. Glacier Peak is only 70 miles from Seattle, which puts it closer to the state’s largest metropolitan area than any volcano except Mount Rainier.

Eruptions of Glacier Peak have characteristically produced large volumes of volcanic ash and airborne pumice that could endanger the closest centers of population. The last major eruption of Glacier Peak was around the year 1700.

We want our awareness-raising about Washington State volcano threats to encourage preparation and not raise unnecessary alarm, so here is the very latest on alert levels for Cascade Range volcanoes from the U.S. Geological Survey Cascades Volcano Observatory.

DNR and its Division of Geology and Earth Resources help map, monitor and educate the public, governments and others about geologic hazards, including volcanoes.

Join our discussion on Facebook about your favorite volcano in Washington State.

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Washington Geologic Wonders: Dry Falls was really flowing during the last Ice Age

The Dry Falls formation in Grant County was created by massive flooding during the last Ice Age, 12,000-18,000 years ago. Photo: Rian Skov/DNR.

The majestic Dry Falls formation near Coulee City was created by the Missoula floods about 12,000-18,000 years ago during the last Ice Age. A cycle of damming and breaching of the ice surrounding Glacial Lake Missoula (a massive lake situated in current-day western Montana) produced numerous large floods. In their wake, the floods left the many large carved landforms (including Dry Falls) that we see today across parts of Montana, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington. The floods sculpted Dry Falls by cutting into the Columbia River Basalts rock formation. It is estimated that the volume of water coming over the falls during those Ice Age floods was about ten times greater than Niagara Falls.

This impressive spot is easy to visit and learn about, thanks to the Washington State Parks-maintained visitor center there. Dry Falls also is a principal stop along the proposed Ice Age Floods National Geologic Trail.

Learn more about the geology of Washington state by reading  Washington State Geology News, published by DNR’s Division of Geology and Earth Resources. Sign up for a free subscription

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Take Our Daughters and Sons To Work® at DNR

Kids had the chance to meet Smokey Bear at DNR’s Take Our Daughters and Sons To Work® Day event. Photo by: DNR/Jessica Payne

Yesterday the Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) celebrated Take Our Daughters and Sons To Work® Day with the children of state employees.

This year, the Take Our Daughters and Sons To Work® Foundation partnered with the National Association of State Foresters to introduce children to careers in forestry. Almost a hundred kids came out to learn about the jobs we do at DNR, the Department of Fish and Wildlife, and the Washington Department of Agriculture.

For half a day, the Natural Resources Building here in Olympia was transformed into an education fair featuring trees, bugs, and geodes. Kids had an opportunity to learn how foresters work in the woods and try to stump the forester with their questions. They got up close with bugs while learning about forest health from one of DNR’s entomologists.

This little girl is proud to show off a sparkly geode at the Washington Geology Library exhibit for the event. Photo by: DNR/Jessica Payne

At the Washington Geology Library, children learned the life-cycle of a rock and identified special rocks, from geodes to the Washington state gem:petrified wood. Many kids put their directional skills to the test by learning to use a compass and trying to complete the orienteering course mapped out by DNR’s recreation staff. They were given a noble fir seedling from DNR’s Webster Nursery and practiced proper planting with the Washington Conservation Corps Urban Forestry team.

These little girls got to get an up close look at the bugs that affect the health of Washington’s trees. Photo by: DNR/Jessica Payne

Participants also learned how Geographic Information System (GIS) specialists make maps and use technology to help DNR teams fight wildland fires.

They also experienced what it’s like to be a DNR firefighter by meeting some of the team, trying on personal protective equipment, and meeting Smokey Bear, who paid a special visit. Even Commissioner of Public Lands Peter Goldmark came down to meet the children, thank the volunteers, and snap a quick photo with Smokey.

View photos from the event on our Flickr page here.

DNR is happy to have had the opportunity to recruit our future generations of state land managers. If you are interested in finding out about the several types of careers that DNR has to offer, visit our jobs page and apply to work with DNR today.

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Great Alaskan earthquake hit 49 years ago; effects felt in Washington State, too.

Large waves generated by the 9.2 magnitude Alaskan earthquake in 1964 destroyed this bridge in Washington State.

Yesterday (while we were intently focused on the aftermath of Whidbey Island landslide), was the anniversary of the March 27, 1964, earthquake in south-central Alaska that caused about 143 deaths. The magnitude 9.2 earthquake lasted for almost three minutes and caused widespread destruction to buildings, bridges and other infrastructure. In addition to hitting many  Alaskan coastal communities, tsunami waves generated by the earthquake took lives and destroyed property in British Columbia, Oregon and California, including 12 people in Crescent City, California, and four at Beverly Beach State Park in Oregon.

Here’s more information about earthquakes in Washington.

The Washington Emergency Management Division says the best way to survive any type of disaster is to have a plan, keep informed, and have a mobile survival kit. Find out if you are in a tsunami inundation zone. Download a tsunami evacuation brochure for your community. DNR worked with local governments to produce these brochures.

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DNR weekend reading: The sand dune filtration system for polluted runoff water

The Fuzzy Top Trail takes hikers into the finest stand of old-growth trees in Capitol State Forest near Olympia, WA . Photo: Jessica Payne/DNR.

Here are links to articles about natural resources, climate, energy and other topics  published recently by universities, scientific journals, organizations, and other sources:

North Carolina State University: Researchers Devise Hidden Dune Filters To Treat Coastal Stormwater Runoff

When it rains, untreated stormwater can sweep pollutants into coastal waters, potentially endangering public health. Now researchers from North Carolina State University have developed low-cost filtration systems that are concealed beneath sand dunes and filter out most of the bacteria that can lead to beach closures.

Scripps Institution of Oceanography: Scripps Scientists Discover ‘Lubricant’ for Earth’s Tectonic Plates

Scientists at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego have found a layer of liquefied molten rock in Earth’s mantle that may be acting as a lubricant for the sliding motions of the planet’s massive tectonic plates. The discovery may carry far-reaching implications, from solving basic geological functions of the planet to a better understanding of volcanism and earthquakes.

Daily Bulldog: UMF’s biggest geothermal project set to begin May 19
Some 80 geothermal wells will be dug in the heart of the University of Maine at Farmington campus starting this May. The $1.55 million project, which is expected to save upwards of 30,000 gallons of fuel oil each year, is part of the university’s goal of reaching carbon neutrality by 2035.

Science Daily: Suggestions for a Middle Ground Between Unlogged Forest and Intensively Managed Lands

In the world’s forested regions, two management systems — retention forestry and agroforestry — are being used to alleviate conflicts between preserving biodiversity and addressing human needs in production landscapes. A new article draws a parallel between the ecological effects of the two systems.

Scientific American: Noisy Ships Creep Out Crabs (Podcast)

The cacophony of ships at sea is stressing shore crabs and could be bothering other marine life.

Nisqually magnitude 6.8 earthquake was 12 years ago today

The 2001 Nisqually Earthquake caused a building debris to fall into the street of downtown Olympia. Make sure you’re prepared for a natural disaster. Photo: Joe Dragovich/DNR.

It was 12 years ago, today that a magnitude 6.8 earthquake centered 11 miles north of Olympia shook much of Western Washington. The Nisqually Earthquake hit at 10:54 a.m. on February 28, 2001. The Seattle PI website just posted some previously unpublished photos of the damage.

To see more photos of the earthquake damage, take a look at DNR’s Nisqually earthquake information web page.

Recently, DNR worked with the Washington Emergency Managment Division and federal agencies to publish estimates of the potential losses from a magnitude 7.2 earthquake on the Nisqually fault zone. The fault runs beneath Pierce and Thurston counties but 15 other counties would feel this  impact, including King County, which would suffer significant damage along with Pierce and Thurston counties.

Download the report, “Modeling a Magnitude 7.2 Earthquake on the Nisqually Fault Zone near Olympia.” — the title sounds wonky but it is actually a somewhat quick read. And what you’ll come away with after reading the report is (we hope) a strong resolve to be prepared for a disaster wherever you are.

Develop a plan and a disaster supply kit for your household. Learn more from the Washington Emergency Managment Division.

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Our top five posts in January

Here are the five blogs posted in January that drew the most views by Ear to the Ground readers.

Volunteers step up to remodel DNR winter cabin in time for snowmobile season
Using a generous grant from the Washington State Snowmobile Association the Butte Busters Snowmobile Club and Association of Okanogan County Snowmobile Club led the way in a major remodel and update of the Hunters Meadow Cabin in Loomis State Forest in time for snowmobile and hunting seasons… more

‘Twas 313 years ago that the Northwest really, really shook; mega earthquake & tsunami hit on Jan. 26, 1700
And we mean: really shook. An estimated) magnitude 9.0 megathrust earthquake in 1700 on the Cascadia Subduction Zone off the coastlines of Washington, Oregon, Northern California, and British Columbia produced a tsunami that is noted in 18th century Japanese documents… more

DNR will hire seasonal wildland firefighters. Apply online
DNR’s recruitment for Forest Fire Fighter Crew members and Engine Leaders/Squad Boss positions for the 2013 summer season was a popular blog post. Visit the DNR Jobs Page where you can sign up for weekly emails of new job announcements… more

Goldmark keys in on forest health and climate change; begins second term as Commissioner of Public Lands
The complete Inaugural Remarks of Peter Goldmark as presented DNR staff on Wednesday, January 16, 2013, as Goldmark begins his second term as state Commissioner of Public Lands… more

Award honors two of DNR’s finest forest health program employees
The U.S. Forest Service honored DNR employees Aleksandar Dozic, forestry technician, and Glenn Kohler, forest entomologist, with its Regional Forester’s 2012 Team Award for Excellence in Safety and Health for their innovations that reduced flight time required for forest health aerial surveys… more

 

Stop by our Facebook page to comment on these blogs, or suggest topics that you would like to read more about on DNR’s Ear the Ground.

Rock Island mine site reclamation deemed ‘success’

DNR surface mining specialist Bryan Garcia inspects a former surface mine at Rock Island, Washington. Photo: DNR.

A successfully reclaimed mine site in Rock Island, southeast of Wenatchee, now has a beautiful second life as an orchard. DNR surface mining specialists performed their final inspection of the former sand pit in early December 2012 and determined that it met the reclamation standards of the state’s surface mining law (RCW 78.44). Now it is an especially nice orchard overlooking the mighty Columbia River.

DNR regulates mine reclamation,  which includes reviewing plans and issuing reclamation permits under the state’s Surface Mining Act (approvals of mine sites and operations are under the jurisdiction of local governments and other agencies).

Read more about geology and earth resources in the Washington State Geology News published by DNR.

Locate active surface mines and other earth resource operations on an interactive state map.

 

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