Dry Falls Washington
by Charles Robinson
Title
Dry Falls Washington
Artist
Charles Robinson
Medium
Photograph - Landscape Photograph
Description
What is now Dry Falls just south of Coulee City in north central Washington is thought to have once been the largest waterfall in the world. During the last Ice Age, a large glacier dammed the Columbia River, creating Lake Columbia, draining south through what became Lower Grand Coulee and over Dry Falls. At the same time another glacial dam blocked the Clark Fork River near present day Sandpoint, Idaho creating what became known as Lake Missoula in northern Idaho and western Montana. This dam was breached releasing the waters of Lake Missoula, which raged across eastern Washington, flooding Lake Columbia and sending the water rushing over Dry Falls and covering the Lower Grand Coulee Canyon as seen today. The flood roared across the state in a wall of water over 900 feet high traveling at 60-70 miles per hour.
Once the glaciers melted at the end of the Ice Age, the Columbia River returned to its original channel, flowing westerly to the Cascade Mountain Range and then southerly along the eastern base of the mountain range.
Dry Falls and the deep canyon to the south bear witness to the cataclysmic flooding and the 400 foot plunge over the 3.5 mile long basalt cliffs of the diverted Columbia River during the Ice Age.
Uploaded
July 1st, 2014
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