Geology of Colorado - Report Example

Geology of Colorado Geology of Colorado Location It has been nick d “The Centennial . Colorado got its from a Spanish word that means red or reddish brown (Chronic & Williams, 2002). Colorado is found in the Rocky Mountains of the United States. To the North, it is bordered by Wyoming. To the South, there is New Mexico. To the East and West, there are Nebraska and Utah, respectively. Tectonic plate setting In Colorado, archean rocks tend to be particularly dominant in the rocky areas. There is no evidence brought forth about how plate tectonic processes dominate earth dynamics today. However, craters that exist in the Wyoming province comprise large domal masses that seem to be everywhere. Granite intruding and metavolcanic belts that are covered in supracrustal rock can be found in this province (Chronic & Williams, 2002). The processes that led to the pattern are not yet known. It has been a long time since Colorado has been affiliated with active plate boundaries, but the effects are still being felt. The effects of plate tectonics are felt, both on the surface and at depth. This leads to the continuous evolution of Colorado as a state in the United States (Chronic & Williams, 2002). It has been ranked the eighth largest state in the nation. It is apparent that whatever happened that brought about the pattern that exists in Colorado has not been repeated anywhere, ever since. This means that no other region can boast having the same natural state as Colorado. Plate boundary location Plate boundaries are sharp, and they spread wide. In some instances, they may run up to hundreds of kilometres. The nature of a plate’s boundary is characterised by the relative motion of the plates that are involved (Chronic & Williams, 2002). There is only one boundary among three that is predominantly used. This is the divergent type. The locations of the boundaries vary, but they are mostly found on ocean floors. This is no mistake since the water tends to weaken the rock and sometimes promotes melting. This further facilitates plate interactions (Chronic & Williams, 2002). The plate interactions on the ocean floors lead to movement of water or its displacement. This is what leads to certain natural occurrences like the tsunami that caused enormous damage along the Asian coastline. Topography description It is said that Colorado has fifty-four peaks. They all measure up to 4300 metres, or more. Western Great Plains cover a third of the eastern state. The lowest point can be found in Arkansas River. The Continental Divide is located on the north-south line. This is slightly west of the geographic centre (Chronic & Williams, 2002). It has been used to separate the Rockies into the Western and Eastern slopes. There are some mountains that exist on both the Eastern and Western slopes. Examples of mountains that exist include the Laramie and Mosquito mountains. These are located on the Eastern slope. On the Western slope, there are the Elkhead and Gore mountains. Colorado’s largest lake is found in Gunnison County. The rivers present in the area provide an irrigation system with dams that are put up to provide the cities, towns and farmland with water. Majorly, there are six river systems that originate from Colorado (Chronic & Williams, 2002). There are hot springs that are present in Colorado which are still active. Past or present glaciations The Grand Lake of Colorado is the largest natural body of water. It is located in the Rocky Mountains where the Continental Divide surrounds the valleys of the Lake. The Mountains were formed an extraordinarily long time ago due to crustal uplifting. The erosion of the mountains from the glaciers led to U-shaped curving of valleys. The lake naturally shows an impressive erosion of glaciers in the form of the same, deep, U-shaped valleys. The large glacial lakes can be seen in the areas that glaciers had formed after erosion (Chronic & Williams, 2002). Natural hazards In Colorado, there are unexpected forms of natural hazards that usually leave people homeless, or in worse case scenarios, dead. Blizzards are a common occurrence in Colorado. The snowfall that usually falls is considered more of an inconvenience than a threat. Tornadoes can cause extensive damage to anything they come across. However, they are very rare. An example is a tornado that caused significant damage in the spring of 2008 in Windsor. They happen unexpectedly, and they tend to be extremely unpredictable (Chronic & Williams, 2002). They may be reported in one area and may change direction depending on the winds in the area. There are thunderstorms that are often accompanied by damaging hailstorms. These are sometimes exceedingly common in Colorado. They cause damage to cars and buildings as they tend to come down hard and fast. Flash floods are also a paramount concern for the people of Colorado. The period it takes water to rise is alarmingly brief. In canyons, it can be particularly dangerous (Chronic & Williams, 2002). People are, therefore, advised to vacate canyons and creeks at the slightest detection of rain. Bedrock and surface material In terms of bedrock and surface material, research is being done to determine what existed in the areas presently in Colorado. There have been discoveries of some of the animals and plants that existed and thrived in that environment. Protein residues have also been identified on the bedrock features (Chronic & Williams, 2002). The different protein residues found on the surfaces encouraged researchers to try out on different or flat surfaces. Altitude also had a part to play in how the protein residues were found and how they turned out. Mineral and energy resources The abundance of coal, oil, and natural gas has made Colorado an extremely crucial energy producing state. Most of America’s oil shale reserves are held by the state of Colorado. Renewable energy development is a possibility in Colorado since it has abundant wind and sunshine. One of the facilities in Colorado responsible for energy production is known as the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden (Chronic & Williams, 2002). Drainage basin and groundwater Groundwater is used locally in Colorado. However, it is not used as the main source of water. In some areas, it is the only source of culinary grade water. This makes the need for water and its production particularly crucial (Chronic & Williams, 2002). The groundwater usually happens in aquifers that have been hidden. This is unlike surface water, which can be discerned in drainage basins. The management that is taken to cater for groundwater is more difficult than the management of surface water. The laying of aquifers may be done in many locations. This means that each aquifer may have different levels of hydraulic potential and different chemical quality (Chronic & Williams, 2002). An aquifer’s boundaries may be deeply buried, or may be outcropped at the surface. This enables people to know where the aquifers are recharged. After recharging, they may be left to flow in different, desired directions. Water quantity and quality There is the enjoyment of high quality of water in Colorado. This is despite the rain and snow they receive. There are organizations and groups that ensure Colorado’s water is safe for all the populations that exist there. An example is The Colorado Water Quality Control Commission. This is the organization entrusted with ensuring the quality of the water that is available in Colorado is as required. Projects are underway to ensure the quality of water is improved in Colorado (Chronic & Williams, 2002). The numerous appealing things that Colorado can offer make it unbelievably unique. All the things that led to its existence are marvelled at - and unknown. All the historic things that took place enable researchers to prove to the world what nature is capable of handling. As time moves on, evolution could still be ongoing. Nature and evolution could have a lot more to offer. The rocks and features have barely changed over the decades. However, man’s understanding of how they came into being has certainly changed (Chronic & Williams, 2002). Reference Chronic, H., & Williams, F. (2002). Roadside geology of Colorado. New York: Clarendon Press. Read More