Standley Lake erosion Earthcache EarthCache
Standley Lake erosion Earthcache
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"This how the lake area formed: First, it was created by Glacial Formation. Snow fell in this area non-stop for years and it remained very cold for a long time. The snow compacted and over time it turned into ice. The ice piled up more and more until a glacier formed. The glacier moved from the pull of Earth's gravity, breaking off chunks of land as well as ice. The area eroded to form a valley and a river. The river further eroded the landscape into the rocky flats we know today. Standley Lake receives its water from a creek that flows into it. Again, gravity causes water to flow down from the mountains where it picks up sediments along the way. The abrasive water takes chunks out of the banks and carries the soil with the sediment down to the bottom of the lake. Over time, the buildup of sediment makes the water rise. Wind also helps move the soil. As it blows, it picks up soil and moves it from place to place. It can damage plants and reduce the soil around the area. The area to the northwest called Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge had a nuclear plant built on it (also called Rocky Flats) and was in production from 1959 to 1989. The nuclear plant unsuccessfully attempted not to contaminate the soil or lake, but the products they used to try to stop the contamination killed the plants and weakened the soil around the area causing more erosion which ended up in the lake. Enjoy the views of Standley Lake and its many amazing trails. Wildlife is everywhere and if you stop to look, you can see them. To log this earthcache message me the answers to these questions: 1. How many flats were created by the glacier river erosion? 2. Explain river erosion. 3. What is the name of the creek that flows into the lake? 4. How many rivers flow into the lake? 5. What is the process called when the wind moves the soil? 6. What happens if there are no plants to hold the soil in place? 7. Take a photo of yourself at the lake and submit it with your Log. Congrats to LostinDenver and WindAtMyBack for the co-FTF!"
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