Lake Chelan's hidden depths, researchers explore geomorphic wonders

WENATCHEE - The Wenatchee Valley Erratics Chapter of the Ice Age Floods Institute is set to hold a meeting on Tuesday, June 11 at 7:00 p.m., at the Wenatchee Valley Museum and Cultural Center. The meeting will also be accessible via Zoom (https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84520197937) for those unable to attend in person.

The featured speaker will be Philip Long from the Lake Chelan Research Institute (LCRI), who will deliver a presentation titled "Exploration of Geomorphic Features in Lake Chelan with an Underwater Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV)." Long will discuss the recent data collection efforts by the U.S. Geological Survey in June 2023, which utilized swath bathymetry, chirp sub-bottom reflection profiles, and sediment cores to gather information about Lake Chelan.

The data collected has provided valuable insights into the late- and post-glacial history of the lake. Additionally, LCRI's ROV dives have enabled researchers to distinguish bedrock from till on lake bottom sediment profiles and directly observe various geomorphic features, such as landslide scarps and debris aprons.

Interestingly, some of the features discovered on the bottom of Lake Chelan bear a striking resemblance to surface glacial features found on the Waterville Plateau, including moraines, kames, drumlins, kettles, and underwater landslides. The presentation aims to shed light on the fascinating geological processes occurring beneath the surface of Lake Chelan.