Transcript Grand Canyon National Park - Cook/Lowery15

Grand Canyon National
Park
By Megan Gusho
November 20, 2015
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
Topographic Map of 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.
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
 They used 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 computer-aided 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
Igneous rocks
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 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 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 is 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
Pictures and Diagrams of the Grand
Canyon
Sources of Information

http://www.easybib.com

http://getawaytips.azcentral.com/landforms-grand-canyon-5922.html

http://www.business2community.com/travel-leisure/will-climatechange-impact-7-natural-wonders-world0850197#tdOi0TSk3ypjcLqp.97

http://www.grandcanyonlodges.com/environment/for-futuregenerations/climate-change/

http://www.nps.gov/grca/learn/news/2013-02-12-virtual-studio.htm

http://www.nps.gov/grca/learn/historyculture/archeology-vanishingtreasures.htm