Snake River Plain facts for kids
The Snake River Plain is a large, flat valley in the U.S. state of Idaho. It stretches across most of the southern part of the state. The famous Snake River flows right through it.
This plain was formed a very long time ago. It happened because hot, melted rock called magma pushed up from deep inside the Earth. This magma was under the North American Plate, which is a huge section of the Earth's outer layer. As this plate slowly moved west, the magma melted rocks beneath it. This melting caused the land above to sink down, creating the flat area we now call the Snake River Plain.
Underneath the plain, there's a huge underground water storage area called the Snake River Aquifer. This aquifer gets its water from the Snake River and all the smaller rivers that flow into it. The ground in the Snake River Plain is very fertile, meaning it's great for growing plants. Because of this, the main activity for people living on the plain today is agriculture, or farming.
Images for kids
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The Snake River cutting through the plain leaves many canyons and gorges, such as this one near Twin Falls, Idaho
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Snake River Plain across southern Idaho
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The eastern Snake River Plain, image from NASA's Aqua satellite, 2008
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Location of Yellowstone Hotspot in Millions of Years Ago
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Precipitation Map
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Natural vegetation on the Snake River Plain near Twin Falls
See also
In Spanish: Planicie del río Snake para niños
