Transcript Document
1)
Coastal
2) Western Lowlands
3) Western Cascade Mountains
4) Eastern Cascades Mountains
5) Columbia Basin
6) Okanogan Highlands
7) Palouse Hills
lies
along the western coastline of the
United States
This long and very narrow region, is only
40 to 70 miles(65 to 110 km) wide
extends south from the Olympic Peninsula
from the Strait of Juan de Fuca
Strait of Juan de Fuca
snow-capped Olympic Mountains
evergreen rain-forested Olympic Peninsula
broad sandy ocean beaches, Klamath-Siskiyou
Grays Harbor-Chehalis River lowland
Willapa Bay and Willapa Hills
mouth of the Columbia River
Tillamook Bay
Northern Coastal Range
Coos Bay
Rogue and Umpqua rivers
Astoria, Oregon
Port Angeles, Aberdeen
Coastlines
Six
major indentations:
Coos Bay
Tillamook Bay
the mouth of the Columbia River
Willapa Bay
Grays Harbor
the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
Inlets
are also sites for the region’s largest
communities
Why?
NO
Close
RIGHT access to world markets through
shipping!!!!
Topography
Normally most coastal areas are near sea level
Not true in the Pacific Northwest
Elevations approach nearly 8,000 feet
The region’s profile is bell-shaped.
The profile begins at sea level, climbs to the top
of the Olympic Mountains and the Coastal
Range, then rapidly descends to nearly sea level
again.
Climate
Because of off shore warm currents British
Columbia, and southern Alaskan (coast-lines),
have a very mild, but moist climate throughout
the year.
This climate provides lush vegetation and
supports dense coniferous (softwood) forests.
Extensive ever-green forests cover the Coastal
Region except were development has taken
place.
Temperature
The
Coastal Region’s climate is the most
moderate in the Pacific Northwest
Winter 35°F and 55°F
Summer 55°F to 75°F
With lots of rain fall
Precipitation
Coastal
Region greatly exceeds the norm
in the Pacific Northwest and the western
United States.
40 inches (101 cm) a year
200 inches (508 cm) of rainfall annually
in the Olympic Mountains
Rain shadow
Economic Activities
One
result of the region’s mild rainy climate is the abundance and variety of
plant and animal life.
main economic activities include fishing,
forestry, general farming, and tour-ism.
located
between the mountains and hills
of the Coastal Region and the Cascade
Range.
extends about 400 miles (640 km) north
to south but is only 50 to 70 miles (80 to
110 km) wide
The region is the most heavily populated,
urbanized, and industrialized in the
Pacific Northwest.
The Western
Lowlands are made up of
three large subregions:
1) the Puget Sound Trough
2) the Chehalis-Cowlitz-Columbia river
valleys
3) the Willamette River Valley
The Western
Lowlands are made up of The
Puget Sound area has hundreds of small and
medium sized islands,
Such as: San Juan Islands, Whidbey Island,
Vashon Island, and Bainbridge Island
It is also has many peninsulas Olympic
Peninsula, Kitsap Peninsula.
Puget
Sound Trough
located in western Washington
It is a densely populated fertile lowland
that is a hub of economic activity.
Major urban areas such as
Seattle,Tacoma, Bellevue, Bremerton,
Bellingham, Everett, and Olympia
All are centers of urban and industrial
activities.
Due
to glacial erosion, Puget Sound has an
irregular shoreline and numerous deep,
sheltered harbors such as:
Hood Canal-Bangor, Elliott Bay-Seattle,
Commencement Bay-Tacoma, Everett,
Bremerton, Olympia, Anacortes, and
Bellingham.
Chehalis-Cowlitz
River Valleys
The second subregion within the Western Lowlands contains three major river
valleys:
1) Chehalis River
2) Cowlitz River
the Columbia River Gorge
Why are these regions not as populated?
Willamette Valley
the
third subregion
The Willamette River Valley was the
historic objective of thousands of early
pioneers.
The Willamette River produced a broad
fertile valley that is a prime agricultural
region.
Willamette Valley
cities
as Portland, Eugene,Salem,
Springfield, Beaverton, Corvallis, Al-bany,
Lake Oswego, Gresham.
Physical Terrain
elevation ranges
from sea level to about
1,000 feet (305 m).
This region is physically unique because
of its many river valleys and flood plains.
Thus, the total precipitation is generally
less.
Climate
Marine West
Coast
The region receives slightly less
precipitation than the Coastal Region.
Precipitation
The Western Lowlands lie in the rainshadow of
the Coastal Range and Olympic Mountains.
precipitation is generally less than on the
windward slopes
average annual rainfall ranges from 15 inches
(38 cm) at Sequim,and Eugene.
100 inches (254 cm) in the western foothills of
the Cascade Mountains
The region’s average is about 40 inches (100
cm) annually.
Temperature
Winter temperatures range
from 35°F to
55°F
summer temperatures generally range
between 65°F and 85°F
The Western Lowlands economy is becoming more industrialized.
Economic Activities
Climate encourages
vegetables, berries, flower bulbs, fruits, nuts,
nursery plants and shrubs, some grains, dairy
products, and beef.
Western Lowlands economy is be-coming more
industrialized.
Western Lowlands economy is be-coming more
industrialized transportation equipment,
electronics, and high technology
Just
east of the Western Lowlands, also
lying along a north-south axis, are the
Cascade Mountains.
They extend from southern British
Columbia, Canada, through the states of
Washington and Oregon and end in northern
California.
Natural
Barrier
a formidable physical, climatic, and
transportation barrier.
averaging about 6,000 feet (1,800 m) in
elevation with many volcanic peaks above
10,000 feet (3,000 m)
Cascade Range has only a few low
mountain passes and only one major
lowland, where the Columbia River cuts
through the Columbia Gorge.
.Volcanoes
The
Cascade Mountains are part of the
Pacific Ocean’s “Ring of Fire.”
Tallest Mount Rainier 14,411
Smallest Mt. St. Helens 8,365 ft
Climate
these
north-south mountains are a
physical barrier to the region’s climate
West wet East dry
100 inches (250 cm) on the western slope
and decreases to only 20 inches (50 cm)
on the eastern slopes
Rainier
set the world record with 1,224.5
inches (3,110.2 cm) or 102 feet of snow
between February19, 1971, and February
18, 1972.
heavy annual snowfall provides the late
spring and early summer river runoff,
especially significant for those eastern slope
rivers flowing through the semiarid regions
of Washington and Oregon.
Highland Climate
Due
to great range in elevation have
climates that are more moist and very
mild. summer maximum temperatures
are cooler, but the winter minimum
temperatures are colder.
Difference in vegetation east vs. west
West dense
evergreen coniferous forests Fir
species
East pine
Animals birds, small animals, and big game
animals, such as elk, black bear, cougar or
mountain lion, mule deer,bighorn sheep,
and mountain goats.
Inhabitants
The
Cascade Mountain Region is
sparsely populated.
Mountains is owned or controlled by
either the state or federal government.
The
largest geographic region of the Pacific
Northwest.
The region covers about 193,000 square
miles
It is the world’s second largest lava plateau.
400 miles (640 km) from north to south and
500 miles (800 km) east to west
lies
between the Cascade Mountains to the
west, the Rocky Mountains to the east and
north, and the Great Intermountain
The Columbia Plateau was constructed by
as many as 55 different lava flows.
Sub
regions
northern part Columbia Basin
the sub regions include:
the Waterville Plateau
the Quincy Basin
the Channeled Scablands
the Palouse Hills
the Kittitas Valley
the Yakima Valley
the Pasco Basin
The
central parts of the Columbia Plateau
are interrupted by the Seven Devils,
Wallowa, and Blue mountain ranges.
On the Oregon side of the Columbia River
is the Umatilla-Deschutes Plateau.
The
southern and southeastern sections are
dominated by the Harney High Lava Plains
and the Upper Snake River Valley
respectively.
Climate
arid to semiarid region characterized by
hot, sunny summers and cold winters.
Precipitation
region is virtually surrounded by the Cascade
and Rocky mountains. These mountain
barriers have a drastic effect upon annual
precipitation amounts received by the region
annual precipitation below 20 inches
Temperature
Summer 100°F
Winter below zero
Natural Vegetation
sparse
grassland and sagebrush-bunch
grass
Wildlife we know
human inhabitants are un-evenly
distributed over this huge area.
Why?
Economic Activities
mixture
of farming and manufacturing
a long growing season, and abundant
irrigation water allow farmers to produce
outstanding yields of wheat, bar-ley, oats,
hops, alfalfa, corn, beans, apricots,
potatoes, sugar beets, apples, pears,
peaches, grapes, cherries, vegetables, and
specialty crops. In addition, the dry
grasslands are excellent grazing areas for
cattle, sheep, horses, and other livestock.
Forms the northernmost subregion in eastern
Washington.
It extends east of the Cascades across the
northeastern portion of the state.
The Columbia and Spokane rivers form its
southern boundary
Physical Features
very rugged and mountainous.
It includes the Okanogan Highlands, San Poil
and Selkirk mountains, and a small portion of the
Rockies.
Includes several peaks over 8,500 feet
Physical
Features
The Columbia River divides this subregion into
two parts.
The western portion includes the Methow,
Okanogan, and San Poil rivers.
The eastern portion includes the Pend
Oreille,Colville, and Spokane rivers..
Climate
Cold winters and warm summers.
Summers are warm with little precipitation
The higher elevations have a highland climate,
and lower elevations are semiarid.
Vegetation
Forested with a variety of evergreen and
deciduous trees
The undergrowth consists of brush and grasses
Valleys are covered with western larch, alder,
ash, and maple trees.
The Palouse Hills extend south from the
Spokane River to the Blue Mountains.
In southeastern Washington State
Physical
Features
The rugged Blue Mountains
Dune shaped Palouse Hills
Are the major physical features in this sub
region.
6,401 feet highest elevation
Largest river of the region, is the Snake.
Climate
A modified semiarid climate.
Receives more precipitation than other areas of eastern
Washington.
Higher elevations of the Blue Mountains have a
highland climate.
Winter tends to be very cold and windy.
Summers, are very hot and dry with little or no moisture
after April.
Vegetation
Steppe grasses and sagebrush cover most of
the sub region.
The trees only grow on the moist upper slopes of
the Blue Mountains.
1)
Coastal
2) Western Lowlands
3) Western Cascade Mountains
4) Eastern Cascades Mountains
5) Columbia Basin
6) Okanogan Highlands
7) Palouse Hills