Wells Gray-Clearwater Volcanic Field facts for kids
The Wells Gray-Clearwater Volcanic Field is a special area in east-central British Columbia, Canada. It's a place where volcanoes were active a long time ago. Even though they are not erupting now, you can still see many signs of their fiery past!
Discovering the Wells Gray-Clearwater Volcanic Field
This amazing volcanic field is found in the Cariboo and Thompson Nicola regions of British Columbia. It's a large area, about 2,100 square kilometers (810 square miles). Imagine a giant puzzle made of old lava flows and volcanic rocks!
What is a Volcanic Field?
A volcanic field is different from a single volcano. It's a place with many small volcanoes and vents, which are openings where lava, ash, and gases come out. These vents are spread out over a wide area, instead of being focused on one big cone like Mount St. Helens.
How Volcanoes Shape the Land
Over millions of years, these volcanoes erupted many times. Each eruption added new layers of lava and ash. This created the unique landscape we see today, with flat-topped hills, deep valleys, and amazing waterfalls. The lava flows often blocked rivers, forming beautiful lakes and canyons.
The Age of the Wells Gray-Clearwater Volcanoes
The volcanoes in this field have been active for a very long time. The oldest eruptions happened about 3.5 million years ago! The most recent ones were much more recent, only about 400 years ago. That's like saying they were active when Shakespeare was writing plays!
Different Kinds of Eruptions
Most of the eruptions here were not explosive. Instead, they were "effusive," meaning lava flowed out slowly, like thick syrup. This type of eruption often creates shield volcanoes, which have gentle slopes, or flat lava plateaus.
Amazing Waterfalls and Lava Dams
Many of the famous waterfalls in Wells Gray Park were created by these ancient lava flows. When lava flowed across a river valley, it acted like a natural dam. Over time, the water found new paths, often creating stunning drops over the hard volcanic rock.
Examples of Lava-Formed Waterfalls
- Helmcken Falls: This powerful waterfall plunges over a cliff made of volcanic rock.
- Spahats Falls: Here, you can see amazing columns of basalt, a type of volcanic rock, formed as the lava cooled.
- Canim Falls: Another beautiful waterfall where the water flows over ancient lava.
Unique Rock Formations
As the lava cooled, it sometimes formed interesting shapes. One common shape is "columnar basalt," where the rock breaks into tall, six-sided columns. It looks like a giant's staircase! You can see this at places like the Dragon's Tongue lava flow.
Rock Roses Formation
Another cool formation is called "Rock Roses." These are circular patterns in the rock that look like giant flowers. They form when lava cools in a special way, creating these unique shapes on the surface.
Images for kids
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Clearwater Lake, a lava dammed lake in the Wells Gray-Clearwater volcanic field
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Canim Falls and lava flows
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Helmcken Falls and the deposits of volcanic rock
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Spahats Falls and deposits of volcanic rock
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Columnar basalt of the Dragon's Tongue lava flow
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Clearwater Valley
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Rock Roses formation on south side of White Horse Bluff
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Osprey Falls drops over the lava dam at outlet of Clearwater Lake
