1. EISI Deschutes River Module - Summer 2009
Steve Taylor, Earth and Physical Sciences, Western Oregon University
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2. LEARNING OBJECTIVES To engage team building in the context of outdoor
adventure and experiential education
To acquire knowledge of the regional geologic,
hydrologic, and geomorphic setting of western
Oregon
To apply spatial and temporal scaling concepts to
watershed systems
To develop skills in field-based observation, data
collection, analysis, and hypothesis testing
To gain experience with techniques of landscape
analysis and interpretation of the geologic record

3. Ad = 26,860 sq. km N-S length ~ 300 km 3 hydroelectric dams
John Day Basin to east
Cascades to west
Geology
John Day and Clarno Forma-
tions (55-20 m.y. old)
Columbia River Basalts
(17-14 m.y.)
Deschutes Fm volcanics
(10-2 m.y.)
Pleistocene and Holocene
surficial deposits (< 1 m.y.)
Avg. rainfall < 1000 mm
Semi-Arid
Avg. Runoff = 0.19 m
Q range: cms To
HJA
Cascade Range
Ochoco
Mtns
Location of dams
EISI Float

4. Pacific Northwest Climate and Tectonics: Linked System Drivers
“Wet”
“Dry”
Westerly cyclonic storm systems
Deschutes
High Cascades
Western Cascades
HJA

5. Participant Deliverables And Assessment
Field Trip Content
Regional physiography of Cascades and central Oregon
Geology, geomorphology and hydrology of Deschutes Basin
Introduction to geologic observation and landscape analysis
Fundamental principles of hydrology and geomorphology
Fundamentals of fisheries, riparian habitat, watershed
assessment, and river restoration
Participant Deliverables And Assessment
Pre-trip reading questions
Active learning assignments
Post-trip reflection paper
Smiles, laughter, fun, friends, adventurous stories to tell

6. LOGISTICS Travel HJA to Trout Creek, Sunday, June 21, PM
3 nights camping; 2.5 days rafting, ~55 river miles
Field support: river guides, paddle boats, bag boats
Food: 3-a-day provided except for Trout Ck. Camp
Camp kitchen and staff cooks provided
Extra group coolers, snacks, specialty items = CYA
Personal gear stowed in dry bags / on bag boats
Tent teams encouraged
Dry and sunny, rain possible, cold water, WIND
Prepare for sunburn, dehydration, prickly vegetation
Other stuff: water shoes / river sandals, sleeping bag,
sleeping pad, tent, flashlight, closed shoes for hiking,
swimming / fly fishing, towel, soap/shampoo, river baths
Invasive plants are a pervasive problem and have been for a long time
In western Oregon
disruption of native habitats and annual economic losses
In the United States
annual losses of over $130 billion
Vegetative disturbance of natural ecosystems
soil substrate conditions, nutrient availability, canopy shading (solar influx), and riparian hydrology
Most abundant concentrations of invasive species
typically associated with human-related disturbance
disturbed zones on the landscape act as primary conduits
understanding the controls on spatial distribution of invasive plants in the context of disturbance regime is critical for designing effective watershed conservation and restoration plans

7. INTRODUCTION TO WATERSHEDS AND RIVERS
Energy Sources in the
Fluvial System
Gravitational
Solar (Climate)
Geothermal (Tectonics)
Work of the
Transfer of Energy
Transfer of Mass
Water
Sediment
Rafting People

8. WATERSHEDS: Scalable Routing Networks

9. The physical work of rivers: transport sediment and water
Ecological services
and riparian habitat
(Tectonics)

12. “Hey Taylor – note to self…now’s the time to show the video clip illustrating hillslope-valley bottom process-response mechanisms and the interaction between variables, including human impacts from geomorphic change…”
And now a message from our sponsor:
kayakingsucks.com

13. …increasing the scale of this example…
Columbia River Gorge: Bridge of
the Gods Landslide Complex
-Blocked river ca. 300 yrs ago
-Legacy effects on landscape

14. Landscape Analysis: Landform, Material, Process, Age
The record of past processes and tapestry of time…
Material: Sedimentary
Bedrock (Age = 20 m.y.)
Hillslope
Regime
Fault
Process:
Anthropogenic
Process: Colluvial
Transport
Process: Alluvial
Transport
Material: Igneous
Bedrock (Age = 100 m.y.)
Material: Gravel
(Age = 2000 yr)
Valley-Bottom
Regime
Material: Unconsolidated
Sandy Gravel (Age = last winter)
Material: Angular Cobbles
(Age = 10,000 yr)

15. Stream Processes and Floodplain Development
To view this animation, click “View” and then “Slide Show” on the top navigation bar.

16. Age of landscape features and rates of processes: the most elusive facets of study.
Geologically Relevant Time Scales: 10-5 to 109 Years
(minutes-hours-days-years-thousands-hundreds of thousands-millions-billions of years)
Engineering Time Scales? 100 to 102 yrs (then build another one…)
Age of Landforms (Surfaces)
River Terrace
Age of Deposits (Terrace Deposits)
How long since these gravels were
last transported by channel processes?

17. Synergistic extension to Eco-Informatics work at HJ Andrews Experimental Forest, “the home of long-term watershed research in the Pacific Northwest”?… 2009 EISI campers, academic enlightenment
is knocking at your door, seize the moment!