Geology: The Science of the Earth's CrustMiller, William J. (William John)
Philosophy
Geology: The Science of the Earth's Crust
Miller, William J. (William John)
Geology
What is termed stream "piracy" is of special interest in connection
with stream work. By this is meant the stealing of one stream or
part of a stream by another. We shall here explain only one of the
various ways by which stream capture may be effected. One of two
fairly active streams, flowing roughly parallel to each other, is more
favorably situated and has cut its channel deeper. Its tributaries
are, therefore, more favorable to extension of headwaters and, in
time, one of its tributaries eats back far enough to tap a branch of
the less favorably situated stream so that the waters of this branch
are diverted into the more favorably situated stream. The Shenandoah
River of Virginia has been such a pirate. This river developed as a
tributary of the Potomac. By headward extension toward the south, the
Shenandoah finally tapped and diverted the upper waters of the smaller,
less favorably situated Beaverdam Creek. The notch or so-called "wind
gap" through which the upper waters of Beaverdam Creek formerly flowed
across the Blue Ridge is still plainly visible. Such abandoned water
gaps, known as "wind gaps," are common in the central Appalachian
Mountain region.
A remarkable type of river is one which has been able to maintain
its course through a barrier, even a mountain range, which has been
built across it. Thus, the Columbia River, after flowing many miles
across the great lava plateau, has maintained its course right across
the growing Cascade Range by cutting a deep canyon while the mountain
uplift has been in progress. In a similar manner the Ogden River of
Utah has kept its westward course by cutting a deep canyon into the
Wasatch Range which has geologically recently, though slowly, risen
across its path. In no other way can we possibly explain the fact that
such a river, rising on one side of a high mountain range, cuts right
across it.
A feature of minor though considerable popular interest is the
development of "potholes" by stream action. Where eddies occur, in
rather active streams, rock fragments of varying sizes may be whirled
around in such manner as to corrode or grind the bedrock, resulting
in the development of cylinder-shaped "potholes." Such holes vary in
diameter up to fifty feet or more in very exceptional cases. In the
production of large "potholes" many rock fragments are worn away and
new ones supplied to continue the work. Locally, some stream beds are
honeycombed with "potholes."
[Illustration: Fig. 3.--Grand Canyon, Arizona. (From Darton's "Story of
the Grand Canyon.")]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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