Near Hansen in Twin Falls County, Idaho — The American West (Mountains)
Ancient Lake Bonneville
"Southern Idaho's Largest Flood in World History"
The Flood that Reshaped Southern Idaho
The Snake River Canyon is one of Idaho's most recognizable geologic features. Volcanic forces dating back more than 10 million years ago created the canyon. But it took the second largest flood in the history of the world to reshape it and to give the canyon its unique appearance as we see it today.
The Second Largest Flood in the World
Imagine standing here as a four hundred-foot tall wall of water racing at 177,000 cubic feet per second approached. The first hint of the advancing flood would have been gusts of wind, and the sound of a loud roar in the far distance. As the torrent raced through the canyon, it would have passed you traveling at nearly 100 miles per hour. More than likely you would have been standing here in water, as the entire canyon would have been submerged. The sound would have been deafening from the crash of boulders the size of a semi truck.
The Bonneville Flood, which lasted for nearly eight weeks, reshaped the entire length of the Snake River Canyon as it raced to the Pacific Ocean. Lake Bonneville once occupied one-third of Utah. Today the Great Salt Lake and the Bonneville Salt Flats are a vast landscape silently marking the site of one of the world's greatest glacial lakes.
Ancient Lake Bonneville
During the last Ice Age, prehistoric Lake Bonneville at 32,000 square miles (52,000 sq. kilometers) was larger in size than today's Lake Michigan. About 15,000 years ago an alluvial dam made of gravel located at Red Rock Pass near Pocatello, Idaho suddenly gave way rapidly draining Lake Bonneville into southern Idaho.
Petrified Melons
When farming began in southern Idaho near the Snake River during the early 1900's, farmers discovered a peculiar sight--rounded rocks scattered across the land. The rocks ranged in size from as small as a baseball to a half-buried boulder weighing hundreds of tons. Removing the rocks to clear the land for planting proved to be a daunting taks--quickly becoming a nuisance. The nuisance rocks, because of their round shape were humorously named: Idaho "petrified watermelons".
The "petrified melon" looking rock is river gravel deposited by the Lake Bonneville Flood. As the rocks traveled hundreds of miles in the fast moving torrent they became rounded much as rocks are rounded and deposited as gravel in creeks and rivers today. Where the floodwater slowed, it deposited its cargo of rocks across the land. Lake Bonneville Flood gravel is scattered across southern Idaho to the Oregon border.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Natural Features.
Location. 42° 33.957′ N, 114° 18.068′ W. Marker is near Hansen, Idaho, in Twin Falls County. Marker can be reached from State Highway 50, 0.3 miles north of County Road E3900N, on the left when traveling north. Marker may be accessed from the parking lot at the Hansen Overlook at the southwest end of the Hansen Bridge. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Hansen ID 83334, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 4 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. The Desert Bloomed (here, next to this marker); Hansen Bridge (within shouting distance of this marker); Rock Creek Station (approx. 2.3 miles away); Hansen (approx. 2.3 miles away); First Trading Post (approx. 2.3 miles away); Snake River Canyon Gold Rush (approx. 3.3 miles away); Before there were potatoes, there was GOLD (approx. 3.3 miles away); History Through the Eyes of a Camera (approx. 3.3 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Hansen.
More about this marker. Marker is part of the Thousand Springs Scenic Byway.
Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on November 28, 2013, by Duane Hall of Abilene, Texas. This page has been viewed 1,336 times since then and 31 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on November 28, 2013, by Duane Hall of Abilene, Texas. 4. submitted on December 25, 2012, by Duane Hall of Abilene, Texas.
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