This earth cache is created in celebration of International Earth Cache day, October 9, 2016. Geocacher's/player's who log an earth cache find on that day will receive a souvenir
Geocacher's/player's are to compare the soil that makes up the solid ground or earth in no less than 3 areas and describe whether or not it is the same or different.
The Loess Hills are a formation of wind-deposited loess soil in the westernmost part of Iowa and Missouri along the Missouri River. These hills are located between 1 and 15 miles east of the Missouri River channel. and rise about 200 feet above the flat plains forming a narrow band running north-south 200 miles along the river.
During the last Ice Age, glaciers advanced into the middle of North America, grinding underlying rock into dust like glacial flour. the glaciers retreated and vast amounts of melt water and sediment flooded the Missouri River Valley. The sediment was deposited on the flood plain, creating huge mud flats. When melt waters receded, these mud flats were exposed. As they dried, the fine grained silt was picked up by strong prevailing westerly winds. Huge dust clouds were moved and redeposited over broad areas. The heavier, coarser silt was deposited close to the Missouri River flood plain, forming vast dune fields. The dune fields were eventually stabilized by grass. Due to the erosive nature of loess soil and its ability to stand in vertical columns when dry, the stabilized dunes were eroded into the corrugated, sharply dissected bluffs we see today.
These same glaciers carved out the various river and creek valleys, which include the Missouri River Valley. As the ice melted the water filled in the river valley which today is the Missouri River.
Sioux City, Iowa has at least two unique features that helps shape its landscape, the Missouri River and the Loess Hills. The city is literally built into the Loess Hills and along the bank of the Missouri River. The soil that makes up the river bank may or may not be the same as the loess soil. The river today is different than it was over 200 years ago and different than when the glaciers receded leaving behind the Loess Hills and Missouri Valley. The river at one time extended as much as 1/4 of a mile to the north from where the river bank is today.
Sources: Welcome to the Loess Hills web site, Sioux City Public Museum Research Center.
Instructions for this earth cache:
1. Geocacher's/player's must submit their answers to the tasks below to the CO via email or message through the geocaching web site, or you may submit via the option in the geocaching app on your smart hand held device..
2. DO NOT submit answers in the online log. Any that are will be deleted and the find will not count.
3. Geocacher's/player's must visit each set of coordinates posted for physical locations.
4. DO NOT take or collect any soil samples from any of the GPS coordinates posted, whether it is at a trail head, parking location or physical location.
5. DO NOT pull up, remove, or uproot any growing vegetation to get the bare soil. As you approach the physical GPS coordinates and locations you may have to search around a bit to find bare earth/soil.
6. The trail, parking and physical GPS coordinate locations are all on public property and are legally accessible by the general public.
7. There may be construction within the areas geocacher's/player's will need to access to complete the tasks temporarily blocking off certain parts of these areas to the public. Along with said construction there may be detours or areas where the general public can still access but times of day and the size of the area may be limited. Respect all construction boundaries and barriers if any are present.
8. Obey and respect all federal, state, county, and city laws and ordinances as to the use of and access of the various public properties and right of way's.
9. As geocacher's/player's approach and enter the areas required to complete these tasks please do so safely. In areas where there is an edge or bluff with a drop off please do not get too close to put yourself in danger of falling off.
10. Your answers must be in your own word as to whether or not the soil or earth in the three locations you are going to visit is the same. If it is not you will be asked to describe the differences.
11. OPTIONAL: There are other geocache's near the GPS coordinates for this earth cache placed by other CO's. If geocacher's/player's have not found and logged them they may want to do so while in the area.
12. HAVE FUN!!!
Geocacher's/player's please complete the following tasks as instructed above:
1. At the first physical stage find an area where there is bare soil. If you can do so close to the edge of the river bank. Be careful and be sure you have good and proper footing and do not get too close to the edge of the drop off for the bank. Crouch or bend down and touch the soil. Observe and note how it looks and feels. Note its color and texture. Provide a description in your own words as to the texture and color of the soil.
2. At the second set of GPS coordinates for the second physical stage do the same as you did for the first. In this general area bend or crouch down, if you are able to, observe and note the soil texture and color. Is it the same as what you observed at the first location? Please indicate any similarities or differences in your answer.
3. While along the river bank look around, especially near the edge before it drops to the river below. Do you think this is a natural land mass or man made? How do you think it was created or formed and why?
4. At the third location conduct the same exercise in the general area as the first two. Observe the texture and color of the soil. What if any differences are there? Please submit your answers in your own words.
5. OPTIONAL: On your own private property do the same as the other three locations. Is the soil that makes up your respective property different than the previous three locations. Please submit your answers in your own words.
6. OPTIONAL: Take a photo of you at any of the three locations and post it in the online log.