[Geysers] Death Valley

[Lynn Stephens]

Scott--Thank you for the corrected information.  
 
With respect to the first item, I was using the example of Death Valley has having been formed by the dropping edge of a fault block and did not include the whole complex story.  Tom and Genean:  Would you print the portion of Scott's post dealing with the formation of Death Valley as a "Lettter to the Editor please."
 
Although I used several sources, including USGS, University of Berkely, and other university resources to cross-reference the statement that movements had dropped Badwater to the lowest spot in the Western Hemisphere, I completely missed the information that Badwater is no longer considered the lowest point in the Western Hemisphere.  Interestingly, even the Death Valley National Park website still includes the statement that Badwater Salt Flat is the lowest place in the western hemisphere on the hiking page on the website, although another page on the same site "Lowest Places on Earth" does show Laguna del Carbon in Argentina at -344 ft (-105m).
 
Tom and Genean:  I'll send a correction of the statement "Movements in the earth's crust have dropped Badwater in Death Valley to the lowest spot in the western Hemisphere" based on Scott's post to The Sput for inclusion in the February edition, probably using a table from the Death Valley nps website.  I'll credit Scott with pointing out the error.
 
Tom and Genean (and Joan Payne):  I was going to make one of the articles in the series experiences from readers, etc.  But since Jacque sent her experience directly to you, and only one other person has written me, I'll cancel that article and send you Joan Payne's story and you can print it in the February edition.
 
Although it's a little early--Merry Christmas everyone.  We (finally) had our first snowfall this weekend so it's actually beginning to look like Christmas here.
 
Lynn Stephens
 
 
 



From: TSBryan at aol.comDate: Sat, 13 Dec 2008 12:08:24 -0500To: geysers at lists.wallawalla.eduSubject: [Geysers] Death Valley
Since Lynn's latest article about the Hebgen Lake earthquake (Sput 22-6, December 2008) mentions the formation of Death Valley, I submit the following:
 
Yes, the valley has, in part, formed by "dropping" along a fault (the Black Mountain Fault, aka Central Death Valley Fault). However, it is more due to regional extension that has opened a series of basin, of which Badwater Basin is just one. See the two small attachment figures (one is a tif but both are small in size).
 
On the pull-apart diagram, the area of Badwater Basin is indicated by the pale orange arrows. Unfortunately, this diagram does not indicate other pull-apart basins, such as Mesquite Basin, Cottonball Basin, etc. this diagram also omits a number of faults that are important to the whole, highly-complex story.
 
The W - E line on the pull apart diagram shows the approximate line of the cross section. Notice that rather than being "straight" normal faults, the dip-slip faults in the Death Valley region flatten with depth (sometimes called listric faults). Also, note that the greater part of regional fault movement has been strike-slip on the Southern and Northern DV Fault Zones, where the fault motion might be as great as 50 miles. And yes, it is active.
 
I must also correct the fact that neither Badwater nor anyplace in DV is the lowest point in the Western Hemisphere. That used to be the belief but there is a Lago del Carbon in Argentina that is (I think, by recollection) at -344 feet. (Badwater is about 279 feet below sea level; North America's low points of 282 b.s.l are about 2 miles to the west of Badwater [and some people (but not the NPS) claim those spots to actually be at -289].)
 
Finally and related to this -- I have had three people tell me their opinions that the car I had posted a few days ago is a Dodge, probably 1926. Thanks!
 
Scott Bryan


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