Transcript Death Valley National Park

Death Valley National Park
By: Jaclyn Krizanic
What year did the park become an
official National Park and why?
Death Valley become recognized as a national monument by
President Hoover on February 11, 1933. When the Desert
Protection Act of October 31, 1994 was signed into law, Death
Valley grew by 1,200,000 acres and was designated a national
park. Today, Death Valley National Park is made up of
3,336,000 acres and contains more than 3,000,000 acres of
wilderness.
How was the park formed? (From an
Earth Science perspective)
Death Valley is a rift valley formed by crustal
sinking, volcanic activity, and erosion. After
the faults formed in the earth's crust,
excessive folding and volcanic activity uplifted
the mountain ranges and lowered the valley
floor, creating a graben.
What types of rocks can be found
inside your park?
• The most common rock in Death Valley is called the Moving
rock. The Moving rock is made out of 10,000 year old dried up
clay, limestone, dolomite and marble from the original sea
bed that was there before Death Valley formed.
• In present times, no one has seen the rocks move, and no
one knows why..
• Two theories exist as to why the rocks move, but either
theory has been proved correct.
The first theory is that ice sheets form and move the rocks.
The second theory is that the wind moves the rocks.
What special landforms or features are
inside your park?
Some special features are:
• Devils Hole- This section was added to Death Valley National
Monument by presidential proclamation in 1952. It is a water
filled cavern about 500 feet deep. It is also the home to the
pupfish, who have lived there for 10,000 to 20,000 years. In
1967, the Devils Hole pupfish were officially listed as an
endangered species.
• Badwater Basin-This feature is the largest protected salt flat in
the world. It covers about 200 square miles. Salt flats are too
harsh for most plants and animals to survive on, yet are very
fragile.
How is the land inside your park
currently changing?
The landscapes in Death Valley have been changing for
millions of years. It is changing now and will continue to
change in the future. Death Valley has active earthquake fault
lines that act like a giant seesaw. The Valley floor slips down
along the fault line and the mountains rise higher on the
other side of the fault line. Also, erosion is another thing that
causes the lands to change in Death Valley.
What environmental issues are
affecting Death Valley?
1. Pollution from nearby large cities affects air
quality.
2. Mining of gold, silver, borax, and talc scar the
landscape.
3. Non-native species, such as, tamarisk, choke
out plant and animal life.
4. Light pollution of the night sky from nearby
bright Las Vegas lights.
How is technology being used to
preserve and maintain your park?
In order to preserve the night sky in Death Valley, the
park wants to become the first night-dark national
park. Rangers are replacing two-thirds of the
outdoor lights in the park with light fixtures that
focus light onto the ground instead of sideways or
upward. Rangers are also debating whether to turn
off outdoor lights in some cases.
Topographic map
Bibliography
"Death Valley National Park (U.S. National Park Service)." U.S. National Park Service Experience Your America. Web. 2 May. 2010. <http://www.nps.gov/deva/index.htm>.
Death Valley National Park. Web. 16 May 2010. <http://www.death.valley.nationalpark.com/>.
"Death Valley National Park (DesertUSA)." Desert Biomes by DesertUSA. Web. 12 May.
2010. <http://www.desertusa.com/dv/du_dvpmain.html>.
"Death Valley National Park, California/Nevada." The American Southwest - Arizona,
California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, Utah, Wyoming; Slot Canyons &
Travelogue. Web. 20 May. 2010.
<http://www.americansouthwest.net/california/death_valley/national_park.html>.