EASTERN OREGON GEOLOGY

We have learned a tremendous amount about the geology of Eastern Oregon in the past few years thanks to the work of the Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries and the faculty and students of Boise State University, Portland State University, Whitman College, the University of Oregon, Oregon State University, Washington State University, Eastern Oregon University and others.

The intent of Eastern Oregon Geology is to provide an on-line journal where new discoveries, particularly those by undergraduate students, can be highlighted and made available to a larger audience.  We welcome your comments and suggestions for improvement!

Jay Van Tassell, Editor
Eastern Oregon Geology
Science Department- Badgley Hall
Eastern Oregon University
La Grande, OR 97850-2899
541-962-3351; 541-962-3873 (fax); jvantass@eou.edu

 

VOLUME 1.  Gravels.  January 2002

 

Editor’s Note:  John Eliot Allen wrote about the Paleocene auriferous paleotorrent in Northeast Oregon.  These papers focus on gravels that may have great significance to understanding stream flow in the Grande Ronde Valley area during the Miocene.

 

Adam Isaacson, Sedimentology of the Catherine Creek Lane Gravels, northeast Oregon

 

Drew Sherman, Flow direction of late Miocene basalt and metaquartzite river deposits in the Starkey area, northeast Oregon

 

 

VOLUME 2.  Wallowa Lake.  September 2005

 

Editor's note:  This issue is devoted to the EOU Geology program's studies of Wallowa Lake, which have been made possible due to the generosity of Eastern's former president and first lady, David and Carolyn Gilbert.  The Gilberts provided us with their boat, lodging, and meals, plus lots of stimulating conversation, making this a wonderful place to do research.  Along the way, our students have figured out how to digitize depth data, program it into MapInfo and Vertical Mapper, and produce beautiful color charts of the lake floor.  And, they have learned that equipment often breaks and how ingenuity and resourcefulness play an important role in fieldwork.  We've learned a lot, but, as with all good research, we've revealed even more about what we don't know about the floor of Wallowa Lake.  Enjoy!

 

Bryce Budlong, J.R. Collier, Calvin Davis, Rob Ledgerwood, and Jay Van Tassell,

Bathymetry and sediments of Wallowa Lake, Oregon

 

 

VOLUME 3.  Sediments and Fossils of the Powder Valley.  September 2006

 

Editor’s note:  The discovery of fossils behind the Always Welcome Inn in Baker City, Oregon, has led us to study the Miocene and Pliocene deposits of the Powder Valley and their connection to Lake Idaho.  We’re trying hard to learn more vertebrate paleontology and are enjoying working with paleontologists across the country as we struggle to understand what these fossils and sediments are telling us.

 

Rob Ledgerwood, Late Miocene sediments of the Keating Valley, Oregon

 

Elizabeth Burton and Jay Van Tassell, Fossil beaver (Dipoides) tooth, Always Welcome Inn, Baker City, Oregon

 

April Leithner and Jay Van Tassell, Pliocene vole fossils, Always Welcome Inn, Oregon

 

Jayson Kisselburg, A semi-quantitative analysis of the distribution of fossils in the upper third of the Always Welcome Inn sequence, Baker City,

Oregon

 

Ben Zublin, The geology of the lower half of the Powder River Canyon between Thief Valley Reservoir and the lower Powder Valley, Baker County, Oregon

 

 

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