[Geysers] Black Diamond 6/12

[Cathy_Bell at nps.gov]

Hi all,

We received a visitor report of a large, black, explosive eruption at
Biscuit Basin on Tuesday, June 12, at approximately 12:30 PM.  I didn't
talk to the reporting party myself, so unfortunately I don't have a lot of
details of what they witnessed.

Joanne Kearney and I went out to Biscuit after work that evening, and the
whole Wall Pool-Black Diamond-Black Opal complex looked markedly changed.
Instead of the opalescent water that had been there, the pools were now
muddy and murky.  Sections of thermophiles had been thrown and overturned
and were strewn about the shallows between the pools.

The main overflow channel running down to the Firehole close to the
boardwalk seemed to have shifted; mats of thermophiles there were crinkled
and torn as from the passage of a large volume of water.  By the time we
were there, however, most of the runoff was heading down towards Salt and
Pepper, with very little remaining in the usual channel.  Salt and Pepper
continued spouting, as ever, but with a grayish, muddy cast.

I haven't been back to check since Tuesday evening.

Sorry this report is a few days late.  I haven't had much opportunity to
get online recently.

Happy gazing,
Cathy

--
Cathy Bell
Park Ranger
Old Faithful
Yellowstone National Park