SFR-AI and the underwater forests of Lake Crescent

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509

Steelhead
I am into "underwater forests" as those that read my posts know.

The Seattle Times just posted an article on six places to kayak in Washington state and in the comment section planet402 said "Crescent Lake is an incredible place to kayak. The water is extremely clear and deep. Huge old trees loom from the bottom near shore as you glide over them."

I did an AI query: underwater trees at Lake Crescent

I got confirmation of the trees. There is even a video. And the following statement from AI: The submerged trees are a result of the lake's unique geological formation. Thousands of years ago, a massive lava flow created a natural dam in the valley. As the water level rose to fill the basin, many of the standing trees were quickly submerged and beautifully preserved in the deep, cold glacial waters, remaining standing upright to this day. [1, 2]

I was skeptical about "a massive lava flow created a natural dam in the valley" thousands of years ago.

So another AI query: date of last lava flow at Lake Crescent

AI Overview

The last lava flows at Lake Crescent occurred roughly 45 to 53 million years ago.

So another query: underwater trees at Lake Crescent what was their origin

AI Overview

The underwater trees at Lake Crescent in Washington State originated from a massive ancient landslide. Roughly 7,000 years ago, a catastrophic rockslide cascaded down the Olympic Mountains, damming the valley and raising the lake's water level by about 80 feet.

Ok, that seems like the correct answer. What was the lava flow thing all about??

It only took a few minutes to find the "correct answer", but I would have never found it if I had stopped at the first answer AI gave me.

It seems that AI has not learned the difference from a lava flow and a landslide. It must not have taken an introductory geology class.

Has anyone found additional information on the landslide??
 

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Not sure about your Cresent Lake, but there's a similar underwater first in Clear Lake, Oregon, the source of the McKenzie River.

www.fs.usda.gov

Willamette National Forest : Recreation Site - Clear Lake Area

Clear Lake has a long history of being a popular recreation spot in the high Cascades. It was discovered in 1859 by a party of men who were searching for a route over the Cascade Mountains. They had followed an Indian trail down Hackleman Creek and after considerable scouting found Fish Lake and...
www.fs.usda.gov www.fs.usda.gov
 
It’s my understanding that Crescent and Sutherland were once connected and the landslide divided them.
As far as the trees go in Crescent, they are definitely worth checking out if you are in the area. The water is so clear, the trees are kind of eerie as you look down on them.
SF
 
Canuck from Kansas said:
Not sure about your Cresent Lake, but there's a similar underwater first in Clear Lake, Oregon, the source of the McKenzie River.

www.fs.usda.gov

Willamette National Forest : Recreation Site - Clear Lake Area

Clear Lake has a long history of being a popular recreation spot in the high Cascades. It was discovered in 1859 by a party of men who were searching for a route over the Cascade Mountains. They had followed an Indian trail down Hackleman Creek and after considerable scouting found Fish Lake and...
www.fs.usda.gov www.fs.usda.gov
Click to expand...
Thank that was interesting. Would not have thought that a volcanic eruption from just 3000 years ago was also a possibility.

So far we have underwater forests caused by drought in California, landslide in Washington, and a volcanic eruption in Oregon.
 

Washington 100

wa100.dnr.wa.gov wa100.dnr.wa.gov

The basalt rock of Lake Crescent formed on the sea floor 50-45 million years ago and eventually was thrust up above sea level via plate tectonics. The region has multiple geologic fault lines that were exploited by ice age glaciers to carve out the lake basin. Later, earthquakes on these active faults produced land slides into Lake Crescent that formed Lake Sutherland and raised the Lake level 80 feet. Hence the submerged forest.
 
I wonder if Indian creek was always there.
Did the landslide that formed Sutherland also raised the level there and formed a new outlet, Indian creek that drained to the Elwha with Crescent continuing to drain to the straits via the Lyre.
At one point they discussed getting sockeye to return to Sutherland as part of the Elwha dam removal.
SF
 
509 said:
Thank that was interesting. Would not have thought that a volcanic eruption from just 3000 years ago was also a possibility.

So far we have underwater forests caused by drought in California, landslide in Washington, and a volcanic eruption in Oregon.
Click to expand...
There's the tidal forest at Neskowin in Oregon and the Ghost forest on the Copalis- both from Earthquake subduction. You could also argue Rattlesnake Lake has a pretty cool ghost forest also, in that there's no obvious downstream dam that formed it....
 
Let's not forget the 1950s earthquake and giant landslide that formed the ghost forest of Quake Lake.
 
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