The Ice Age Floods Institute, Cheney-Spokane Chapter, is sponsoring a free public lecture Thursday, April 28. “Cheney-Palouse Scabland Tract From Top to Bottom,” will take place at 7 p.m., Room 135 at the Science Building on Eastern Washington University's Cheney campus.
The lecture will include an overview of the Cheney-Palouse Scabland from its beginning south of the West Plains to its termination south of Palouse Falls at the confluence of the Palouse and Snake Rivers. Important geologic concepts that help understand the evolution of the Channeled Scabland include generation of nickpoints (cataracts, now dry falls), development of canyons or coulees produced by cataract retreat and long-term deepening and stripping of the rock layers producing different landforms as erosion continues.
The institute's annual spring field trip is also taking place Saturday, April 30 from 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. The field trip starts in Cheney near the beginning of the Cheney-Palouse Scabland Tract and progress southward to Rock Lake and south along the east edge of the Scabland Tract to the Palouse River valley.
From there participants travel west across the Rock Creek and Cow Creek Coulees to Benge and south to Hooper, Washtucna, and Palouse Falls where the Cheney-Palouse Scabland ends at the Snake River, viewing examples of cataract canyons, dry falls, basalt buttes and mesas, streamlined- and scarped- loess islands, and divide crossings caused by the monstrous Missoula Floods. The return trip will follow the west edge of the Cheney Palouse Scabland Tract to finish with a variety and complexity of the Cheney-Palouse Scabland.
Deluxe-chartered buses will leave from EWU's Parking Lot P18 at the Red Barn off Washington Street at 8 a.m. and return prior to 6 p.m. Buses begin loading at 7:30 a.m. Registration fee is $50 for current 2011 institute members; $65 for non-members; $20 for teachers; and $15 for students.
The field trip fee includes outstanding and knowledgeable field trip leaders, a bound, very detailed and well-illustrated Field Trip Guidebook with color photos, a delicious custom box lunch prepared by Lenny's of Cheney and a comfortable bus. Seating is limited so early registration is recommended.
Detailed information, registration form and liability release form are available at http://www.iceagefloodsewa.org, calendar tab. For more information, contact Melanie Bell at iaficheneyspokane@gmail.com or call 509-954-4242.
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