[meteorite-list] Re: Recent Flash Floods

From: Robert Verish <bolidechaser_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 10:29:54 2004
Message-ID: <20030911211828.24041.qmail_at_web80505.mail.yahoo.com>

Hello List,

Over the past several weeks I've had the opportunity
to "visit" 14 dry lakes in CA and NV. I'm here to
report that I have some good news. All of the 14 dry
lakes that I recon'd were in "typically good" shape
with only a couple having experienced marginal
flooding and minor resurfacing. None of the lakes
experienced total inundation. And only two lakes were
still wet with standing water (mostly pond-sized, and
close to the shore that is leeward of the summertime
predominant wind direction).

So, for those people who were changing their travel
plans, because of recent news reports about
flash-flooding, I hope this message lessens your
concerns.

That's not to say that the news reports were
exaggerated. Clearly, the inundation of Zzyzx was at
least a "25-year flood", caused by a cloudburst that
was localized over a single "dry" wash. My original
message was a request for information in order to tell
whether any of these storms were producing 50-year, or
up to 500-year, flood effects in these basins.

Here are some images I took of large rocks on a dry
lake, the only evidence remaining of the catastrophic
effects of a 50- to 500-year flood surge:

http://www.geocities.com/bolidechaser/drylakes/ca030905.jpg

I've coined the term "rock-garden" to describe this
unique type of (boulder-sized) lag gravel. The "finer
clasts" (pebbles, sand, silt, and mud) have long since
been dispersed across the lake by succeeding
high-water wave action:

http://www.geocities.com/bolidechaser/drylakes/ca030905b.jpg

Again, thanks to those who shared with me their pre- &
post-flood observations.

Bob V.

----------------------------------------
[meteorite-list] Re: Recent Flash Floods
Paul lenticulina1_at_yahoo.com
Fri, 22 Aug 2003 09:25:55 -0700 (PDT)

On Thu, 21 Aug 2003 12:30:11 -0700 (PDT)
Robert Verish

>This most recent influx of moisture
>into the deserts has caused severe
>flash-flooding. Up until now, the
>"dry" lakes have been overly wet with
>standing water, but flash-flooding
>has the energy to bring large volumes
>of mud and rock with that water, out
>into the middle of these playas and
>bury any promising surface with a new
>layer of sediment.

First, the flooding is not going to carry
any rock of any size into the playa.
====== message truncated ======




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Received on Thu 11 Sep 2003 05:18:28 PM PDT