Earth Sciences Commons^™

Fluvial Response To Intra-Canyon Lava Flows, Owyhee River, Southeastern Oregon, Cooper Cooke Brossy

All Master's Theses

At least six lava flows have entered the Owyhee River Canyon north of Rome, Oregon, since the Pliocene and directly impacted the Owyhee River. The effects on the river of the two youngest lava flows, the West Crater (60–80 ka) and Saddle Butte (> 60–90 ka), are readily apparent. These two lava flows entered a paleo-Owyhee Canyon several kilometers wide via three different tributary drainages. The flows dammed the Owyhee River, created lakes, and effectively confined the river to the opposite side of the valley from the flows’ entrance. Lava from these flows filled a paleo-Owyhee Canyon to depths of …