Multiple lava dams and correlating lakes impacted the Quaternary evolution of the Owyhee River. Sediment records from lava-dammed lakes were investigated to understand effects of the West Crater (WC) lava dam (~70 ka), the Saddle Butte 2 lava dam (~144 ka), and the Bogus Rim lava dam (~1.9 Ma). Evidence from the WC lava dam and related features indicates that dam duration consisted of five stages (1) dam and lake formation at ~70 ka; (2) dam overflow and lake sedimentation from ~70–46 ka; (3) removal of lava dam and lake termination from ~46 ka to at least 36 ka; (4) incision of underlying units from ~36–15 ka; and (5) incision to modern river level from ~15–0 ka. The WC lava dam lasted ~24,000 yrs and ~31,000 yrs of incision was needed to reestablish the river. This information gives perspective on the effects of lava dams on fluvial landscapes.
","abstract_html":"<p>Multiple lava dams and correlating lakes impacted the Quaternary evolution of the Owyhee River. Sediment records from lava-dammed lakes were investigated to understand effects of the West Crater (WC) lava dam (~70 ka), the Saddle Butte 2 lava dam (~144 ka), and the Bogus Rim lava dam (~1.9 Ma). Evidence from the WC lava dam and related features indicates that dam duration consisted of five stages (1) dam and lake formation at ~70 ka; (2) dam overflow and lake sedimentation from ~70–46 ka; (3) removal of lava dam and lake termination from ~46 ka to at least 36 ka; (4) incision of underlying units from ~36–15 ka; and (5) incision to modern river level from ~15–0 ka. The WC lava dam lasted ~24,000 yrs and ~31,000 yrs of incision was needed to reestablish the river. This information gives perspective on the effects of lava dams on fluvial landscapes.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Orem, Caitlin Anne"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Master of Science (MS)","degree_level":null,"degree_discipline":"Geological Sciences","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Lisa Ely","Beth Pratt-Sitaula","Marie Ferland"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2010,"date_issued":"2010-01-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2010-01-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T01:37:54Z","subjects":["lacustrine","sediment","lava dams","Owyhee River","oregon","Geology","Geomorphology","Hydrology","Sedimentology","Volcanology"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://digitalcommons.cwu.edu/etd/1459","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Lisa Ely","Beth Pratt-Sitaula","Marie Ferland"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Orem, Caitlin Anne"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2020-12-18T08:00:00Z"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Text"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Geological Sciences"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science (MS)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["lacustrine","sediment","lava dams","Owyhee River","oregon","Geology","Geomorphology","Hydrology","Sedimentology","Volcanology"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://digitalcommons.cwu.edu/etd/1459"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Multiple lava dams and correlating lakes impacted the Quaternary evolution of the Owyhee River. Sediment records from lava-dammed lakes were investigated to understand effects of the West Crater (WC) lava dam (~70 ka), the Saddle Butte 2 lava dam (~144 ka), and the Bogus Rim lava dam (~1.9 Ma). Evidence from the WC lava dam and related features indicates that dam duration consisted of five stages (1) dam and lake formation at ~70 ka; (2) dam overflow and lake sedimentation from ~70–46 ka; (3) removal of lava dam and lake termination from ~46 ka to at least 36 ka; (4) incision of underlying units from ~36–15 ka; and (5) incision to modern river level from ~15–0 ka. The WC lava dam lasted ~24,000 yrs and ~31,000 yrs of incision was needed to reestablish the river. This information gives perspective on the effects of lava dams on fluvial landscapes.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Lacustrine Sediment Record of Multiple Quaternary Lava Dams on the Owyhee River, Southeastern Oregon"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Lisa Ely","Beth Pratt-Sitaula","Marie Ferland"],"dc:creator":["Orem, Caitlin Anne"],"dc:date.available":["2020-12-18T08:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["Multiple lava dams and correlating lakes impacted the Quaternary evolution of the Owyhee River. Sediment records from lava-dammed lakes were investigated to understand effects of the West Crater (WC) lava dam (~70 ka), the Saddle Butte 2 lava dam (~144 ka), and the Bogus Rim lava dam (~1.9 Ma). Evidence from the WC lava dam and related features indicates that dam duration consisted of five stages (1) dam and lake formation at ~70 ka; (2) dam overflow and lake sedimentation from ~70–46 ka; (3) removal of lava dam and lake termination from ~46 ka to at least 36 ka; (4) incision of underlying units from ~36–15 ka; and (5) incision to modern river level from ~15–0 ka. The WC lava dam lasted ~24,000 yrs and ~31,000 yrs of incision was needed to reestablish the river. This information gives perspective on the effects of lava dams on fluvial landscapes.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://digitalcommons.cwu.edu/etd/1459"],"dc:subject":["lacustrine","sediment","lava dams","Owyhee River","oregon","Geology","Geomorphology","Hydrology","Sedimentology","Volcanology"],"dc:title":["Lacustrine Sediment Record of Multiple Quaternary Lava Dams on the Owyhee River, Southeastern Oregon"],"dc:type":["Text"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Geological Sciences"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Science (MS)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T01:37:54Z"}