Study has a bold, new theory about the Grand Canyon's origins
Yahoo • • science
Key Points:
- A new study published in Science suggests the Colorado River began carving the Grand Canyon about 5.6 million years ago after an ancient lake overflowed, establishing the river's course through the region.
- The research indicates the river once flowed into the Bidahochi basin, a geologic depression in northeastern Arizona, before spilling through what would become the Grand Canyon.
- Study coauthor Ryan Crow explains that the Colorado River-fed lake east of the canyon played a major role in the canyon's formation by pooling and then spilling through the area, linking various river systems.
- Some experts, like Karl Karlstrom, question the study's conclusions, noting that key details about the timing and evidence for lake spillovers remain untested.
- The study also emphasizes that the ancient Colorado River system was different from today's, having integrated a series of closed basins through a process of filling and spilling, ultimately connecting to the sea.
