Transcript Grand Canyon National Park

Grand Canyon National
Park
By Megan Gusho
January 20, 2016
The History of The Grand Canyon

The Grand Canyon became a national park on February 26, 1919. This was just
three years after the creation of the National Park Service. Grand Canyon is the
15th oldest national park in the United States.

In 1903, President Roosevelt visited the site and said that nothing should ever be
done to destroy its beauty, because it was “the one great site which every
American should see.”

It wasn't until President Woodrow Wilson signed the Grand Canyon National
Park Act in 1919 that it officially became a national park.

The Grand Canyon will celebrate it’s 100th birthday in 2019
Maps of The Grand Canyon National Park
Map of USA with Grand Canyon
Grand Canyon is located in
the state of Arizona
The features for the Grand Canyon
are mountains, canyons and cedar
mountain roads. The rocks are made
out of Igneous, Metamorphic and
Sedimentary. The Grand Canyon
landforms are caves, rivers and rocks.
Topographic Map of Grand Canyon
Environmental Issues Affecting the
Grand Canyon
 The Grand Canyon is facing many environmental issues,
including air pollution, sound pollution and climatechange impacts.
 Air pollution is a threat to the beautiful views, and can
also damage the health of people and animals in the park.
 Sound pollution is caused by tons of helicopters and
airplanes flying over the park.
 Climate change and warming temperatures could make
the region drier and limit water availability, which could
reduce the number of wildlife and plant species in the
park.
Landforms and other features inside
the park
 The Grand Canyon has many landforms and features,
including:
 Rock layers: Including sandstone, lava, limestone, shale and
granite.
 Cave and Karst systems: these were formed by water going
into porous rock, creating sinkholes, fissures and subterranean
drainage
 Faults: horizontal or vertical cracks in
rock shapes caused by tectonic activity,
like earthquakes.
 Water Features: Water is the most
powerful force in the park – including
the Colorado River.
How Technology is used to
preserve and maintain the park
 Park Rangers use a system of cameras to look over the Grand
canyon so nothing bad will happen to the park.
 Archeologists use digital photography, global
positioning systems (GPS), three-dimensional
laser scanning and modeling, and computeraided drafting programs (CAD), to collect,
store, and analyze architectural data.
 Preservation specialists produce digital models and scaled
drawings of architectural remains. These technologies help
archeologists better understand the human stories that led to
the construction and use of these remains.
Types of rocks that are found in the
park
 Many types of rocks are found all over the park. Three
rocks specifically found in the Grand Canyon are:
IGNEOUS ROCKS: These are
formed when rock is super-heated
and becomes molten (liquid). There
are two kinds of molten rock:
magma (found beneath the Earth’s
surface) and lava (found on the
Earth’s surface). The molten rock
cools and hardens on or beneath the
Earth’s surface forming a variety of
igneous rock. Two examples are
granite and basalt.
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS:
These are made of smaller
pieces (like sand or mud),
called sediments, that pile into
layers. As pressure on the
sediment increases over time,
minerals act like glue,
cementing them into solid
rock. The three main types of
sedimentary rocks at
Grand Canyon are sandstone,
shale (or mudstone), and
limestone.
METAMORPHIC ROCKS:
These are rocks that have been
Changed under great heat
and pressure. The original rock
can be sedimentary, igneous, or
even metamorphic. The original
rock is changed into something
new, just as a caterpillar
“metamorphoses” into a butterfly.
How The Grand Canyon was formed
 There is still debate about how the Grand Canyon was formed, the most
common belief is that water was responsible.
 Lots of water flows through the Colorado River, and has for a long time.
 When it rains in the Grand Canyon, the rainwater begins to run down
toward the river, making flash floods common.
 The flood water topples rocks and boulders in its path. Dirt is swept
along, leaving behind only hard rock formations.
 During the winter, water seeps in the tiny cracks and crevices of the
rocks. When it freezes, the ice cracks the rocks even more.
 Wind also adds to the erosion process of the Grand Canyon, which is still
changing every year.
How the land inside the park is
currently changing
 Over the years, and on-going, the canyons and the rocks continually shift
and move.
 The rivers also shift and move, creating new canyons within the park.
 Because of dams that have been built in the last 50 years, the rivers don’t
shift and move as much. The dams also reduced the amount of sediment
in the rivers (because the dam controls the flow).
 Dams on the Colorado River have also changed the character of the river
water. It used to be muddy and warm, but now the river is clear and
averages a temperature of 46 °F.
Sources of Information

http://www.easybib.com

http://getawaytips.azcentral.com/landforms-grand-canyon-5922.html

http://www.business2community.com/travel-leisure/will-climate-change-impact-7-natural-wondersworld-0850197#tdOi0TSk3ypjcLqp.97

http://www.grandcanyonlodges.com/environment/for-future-generations/climate-change/

http://www.nps.gov/grca/learn/news/2013-02-12-virtual-studio.htm

http://www.nps.gov/grca/learn/historyculture/archeology-vanishing-treasures.htm

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geology_of_the_Grand_Canyon_area

http://www.travelwest.net/files/large/the-grand-canyon.jpg

http://explorethecanyon.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/grand_canyon_149612675.jpg