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Fintry Falls EarthCache

Hidden : 9/8/2014
Difficulty:
1.5 out of 5
Terrain:
2.5 out of 5

Size: Size:   other (other)

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Geocache Description:

Enjoy climbing up the 400 stairs for a great view of Fintry Falls. GZ is along the staircase. The ‘Friends of Fintry Provincial Park Society’ has done a great job with the signage explaining how James Cameron Dun-Waters harnessed the power of the water to provide irrigation, running water, and electricity; as well as to directly power a grist mill and a saw mill on his property. Please explore the nearby traditional geocaches while you are so close. GC14XXM is the closest.


Shorts Creek begins its journey west of Terrace Mountain. It makes its way down to the delta, forming three cataracts within Fintry Park.  The first is fairly sedate, the second is more enthusiastic and the third, closest to the delta, is spectacular. The falls have eroded through granite. This erosion started during the post-glaciation period about 11,000 years ago. Similar erosion formed the canyons around KLO Creek, BX Creek, Bellevue Creek, Deep Creek, and Trout Creek.

The sediment, mostly sand and gravel, which was carried by Shorts Creek until it reached Okanagan Lake, was deposited forming the delta. The delta is between 2 and 6 meters above the current level of the lake, which indicates that it was first formed when the lake level was that much higher than it is today.

To log this cache email the cache owner with your answers to the following questions, but do not post the answers in your log.

<1) Estimate the height of the lowest of the three falls. 2) Estimate the volume of the concrete structure behind you as you face the falls at GZ.3) Is it reasonable to assume that this container is a water reservoir to be used during low-flow months?

References:

Friends of Fintry Provincial Park Society webpage. http://www.fintry.ca

British Columbia Ministry of the Environment, BC Parks http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/explore/parkpgs/fintry/

Origin of Okanagan Lake. Roed, Murray A. http://www.shuswapwatershed.ca/teacherguide/A-Teaching%20Aids/originsoflakeokanagan.pdf

Okanagan Geology. Roed, Murray A. and Greenough, John D., Eds. Kelowna Geology Committee, 2004.

Additional Hints (No hints available.)