Standing Rock is actually a part of the bluff that has been
separated from the rest of bluff by the erosion of the surrounding
material.
Over the years the rock has been marked to show the levels
reached by various floods of the Missouri River. It is not known
who has been making the markings. However the markings have been
checked and are accurate. Some of these markings are quite readable
and but others are no longer readable.
After considerable searching, I am still unable to find the
markings for the 1993 flood. Any information leading to identifying
that marking will be greatly appreciated.
As you probably know, the Katy Trail was created using an
abandoned railway line.
Given the possibility of flooding, why would anyone use a flood
plain for a railroad? Primarily because trains work best with land
that is flat or very gently sloping. Thus a flood plain is a place
where it is easy to run a railroad line.
Away from the flood plain, the railroad has to cross rivers and
hills. Such areas can have the railroad line follow a level path
along the sides of the hills. This results in a route that has many
twist and turns .
Alternatively, hills can be notched and valleys can be filled so
that the railroad line stays relatively level.
The cost of either of these two alternative is high enough that
the railroad considered the risk of occasional flooding to be worth
the risk.
To log this Earthcache please do the following:
A. Answer the following questions:
1. According to the information sign, which floods have their
heights and years marked on the rock?
2. Look at the rock and identify as many of the flood years as you
can. How are they grouped on the rock? Which floods, if any, would
be over your head?
3. Are there any signs of plant or animal life on the rock? What
are they?
4. What is the elevation at the base of the rock?
5. Also near Standing Rock is a sign about the Lewis and Clark
expedition. On what date did they pass this area while going
upstream? What was the condition of the river at that time?
B. Email me the answers to the above questions to claim credit for
the find.
C. Log your find as usual at geocaching.com.
Answers should be sent when the geocache is logged, so please
have the answers ready before logging your find.
Any logs that do not follow these requirements will be
deleted.
The Missouri Department of Natural Resources has given
permission for this cache. Many thanks to Superintendent Gast for
allowing this cache to be placed!
Congratulations to Reform676 for being FTF.