GEO109_SCI210_Lab%2B9%2BWatersheds%2Band%2BStreams%2BSP23_CS
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Dec 6, 2023
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GEO 109L – Earth, Environment and Society Lab
SCI 210L – The Dynamic Earth Lab
Lab 9 - Watersheds and Streams
Introduction:
During this week’s lab, we will be using Google Earth to
identify significant features of watersheds and streams. We will use a
relatively small watershed in Montana as our primary example. The scenic
Madison River in this watershed has many natural features we can
demonstrate and measure. But we will see that even this small watershed has
been impacted by human intervention.
Be sure to download the
Stream Lab Exercise kmz file
for Google Earth
from the Lab Manual in Isidore before starting this exercise.
Part 1 – Map of Missouri River Watershed – note where the Madison River Sub Basin watershed is
located within this larger watershed.
1. Where is the Madison River Sub Basin located in
relation to the larger Missouri River Watershed? The
Headwaters, Zone of Transportation or the Zone of
Deposition? Explain your answer using elevation and
/ or discharge (the flow of water in the Missouri
Watershed rivers).
1
NAME: __________________ Table____
Part 2 – Google Earth – Madison River Watershed
Have the Stream Lab kmz file ready!
TIPS
- Be sure all other Google Earth kmz
files/layers are turned off or actually deleted
from My Places before you start.
- The file contains the map layer Earth Point
Topo Be sure this layer is turned off until you
need it!
- Be sure to click on the points when you need
to go to a location.
- As you zoom in and out, you can always go
back to standard view by clicking on “U” and
“R”. Clicking on a point again will take it
back to the original viewpoint.
2
Fly to the Madison River Overview pushpin for an
overview of the area.
Turn on the Image overview of the Madison River
Watershed to see the image on the right appear on
Google Earth.
You can also turn on the Watershed
Boundary for a rough outline of the boundary.
1. Using features on the map and Google Earth,
determine where the headwaters of the watershed are
located – Three Forks, Ennis or West Yellowstone?
In which compass direction is the Madison river
flowing?
Explain how you determined your answer.
2.
Slope gradients along Madison Watershed
– There are 5 lines marking different stream sections from Fan
Mountain down to the Madison River in the valley.
For each section, you can right click on the line to see the
elevation profile.
By running the cursor along the profile, you can trace its path along the landscape too. Use
the elevation profile to compute the slope gradient in feet/mile.
High Elevation (ft)
Low Elevation (ft)
Distance (miles)
Slope (feet/mile)
Fan Mountain
Spring (green)
Fan Mountain 2
nd
segment (pink)
Alluvial Fan (blue)
End of Alluvial Fan
(red)
Madison River
(orange)
3
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3.
Slope gradients and contour lines
– Support your answers above by comparing the slope gradients for each
section you calculated to the spacing of the contour lines.
Turn on the Earth Point topographic layers here to
see the contour lines. What patterns do you see in the contour lines and how does that relate to the calculations
you made?
(Turn on/off Earth Point topo as needed)
Fan Mountain Spring (green)
Describe the pattern of the contour lines here
Fan Mountain 2nd segment (pink)
Alluvial Fan (blue)
End of Alluvial Fan (red)
Madison River (orange)
4.
Erosion, Transportation and Deposition –
For each channel segment, note in the table
(check boxes),
whether its more likely for erosion, transportation or deposition of sediments to occur?
Note that you might
check more than one box for each channel segment.
Erosion
Transportation
Deposition
Fan Mountain Spring (green)
Fan Mountain 2nd segment (pink)
Alluvial Fan (blue)
End of Alluvial Fan (red)
Madison River (orange)
Part 3 - Missouri Headwaters State Park Montana – Fly to the Missouri Headwaters point for an
overview of the area. The Madison River joins with the Gallatin and Jefferson River at this location.
This is the site shown in a few videos in the Lab Manual.
Be sure to turn the Earth Point topo map layer in
Google Earth off when you start looking at a location but consider turning it on when you want to examine it
further. You might also turn on the Photos layer to see some photos of the landscape.
Think back to features of Meandering Streams for these questions -
1. Fly to point A - Use the Historical Imagery Tool
To go back one step to 2014 image.
-
What feature was here in 2014 and how did it
form?
Type answers here with explanations
2. Fly to point B - Use the Historical Imagery Tool
To go back one step to 2014 image.
-
What feature was here in 2014 and how did it
form?
3. Now look at the location for Points A and B using
the current time image.
What has happened to the river at this location by
2021?
What new feature is forming where the main
channel used to be?
4
4. Fly to point C - Turn on Historical Imagery and
view how this area how changed over time.
What is
happening at the river bend and what infrastructure
could be affected?
5. Fly to points D1 and D2 - there are large, flat
raised areas on the either side of the flat region
surrounding the river.
What is the name of this
feature and how did it form?
6. Fly to Line Measure E – the flat region between
D1 and D2.
What is the name of this feature and how
did it form?
Part 4 – Modifications to the Madison River Watershed
Let’s look at a few modifications that have occurred within this watershed.
1. Click on the Ennis Lake pushpin – note that the
lake is located just upstream from where the Madison
River enters into Bear Trap Canyon.
But what
caused this lake to form?
Click on Point F to see a
feature further downstream.
You might also read
this.
2. Click on the Hebgen Lake pushpin – note that the
lake is located where the Madison River winds
through a narrow canyon near the headwaters. But
what caused this lake to form?
Click on Point G to
see a feature at the foot of the lake.
3. Click on the Earthquake Lake pushpin – note that
the lake is located just downstream of Hebgen Lake.
But what caused this lake to form?
Click on Point H
to see a feature at the foot of the lake.
This might take a little research to explain –
see the
link here.
5
6
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