USGS/Cascades Volcano Observatory, Vancouver, Washington
Geology of Interactions of Volcanoes, Snow, and Water:
Mt. Rainier, Washington
Debris avalanches, White River valley
About 5800 yrs ago the northeast slope of Mount Rainier
collapsed as a great debris and snow avalanche. It transformed
rapidly downslope into a gigantic mudflow known as the Osceola
lahar. The lahar innundated White River valley and buried the
area now occupied by the city of Enumclaw. From there it entered
entered Puget Sound 52 miles (83 km) km from the volcano.
Frizzell, V.F., Tabor, R.W., Booth, D.B., Ort, K.M., and Waitt,
R.B., 1984, Preliminary geologic map of the Snoqualmie Pass
1:100,000 quadrangle, Washington: U.S. Geological Survey,
Open-File Report OF-84-693.
A finished color version of this map and pamphlet will soon be:
Tabor, R.W., Frizzell, V.A., Jr., Booth, D.B., and Waitt, R.B.,
in press, Geologic Map of the Snoqualmie Pass 30 minute by
60 minute quadrangle, Washington: U.S. Geological Survey
Miscellaneous Investigations Map I-24##.
For recent report on the seaward extent of Osceola lahar,
including Tacoma urban area: Dragovich, J.D., Pringle, P.T., and
Walsh, T.J., 1994, Extent and geometry of the mid Holocene
Osceola mudflow in the Puget Lowland implications for Holocene
sedimentation and paleogeography: Washington Geology, v. 22,
no.3, p. 3-26.
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11/03/97, Lyn Topinka