How Can Old Lake Shorelines Show Up on Desert Mountainsides?

What Crafty Clover says in this video

Intro

Hi there, curious minds! I'm Crafty Clover! Let's discover something amazing. How can old lake shorelines show up on desert mountainsides?

The Big Idea

Old lake shorelines show up on desert mountainsides because huge lakes once covered the land and then shrank! Waves carved level ledges into the mountains, like rings in a bathtub. When the lake dried, the ledges were left high above the valley.

A Giant Lake

Step one: a giant lake. More than 15,000 years ago, an enormous lake called Lake Bonneville covered much of what is now Utah. The climate was wetter and cooler then.

Waves Carve Ledges

Step two: waves carve ledges. As the lake rose and fell, waves carved level ledges into the mountainsides. They look like the rings left in a bathtub.

The Lake Shrinks

Step three: the lake dries up. After the climate dried, the lake shrank and the old shorelines were left high above today's valley. They help scientists read how climate changed.

A Closer Look

Let's take a closer look! An enormous lake once filled the valley. Its waves cut level ledges. Those ledges look like lines on a mountain. And now they sit high above the dry valley.

Quick Facts

Quick facts! Great Salt Lake is a small leftover of Lake Bonneville. Lake Bonneville was once about as big as a Great Lake. Its old shorelines still show on mountains today. Look at mountains with a grown-up, and stay on trails.

Think Like a Scientist

Now, think like a scientist, with a grown-up! Fill a sink or tub with water. Let some water out slowly. Notice the ring marks at different levels. This is how old shorelines tell stories. Share what you discover with a grown-up.

Outro

Bathtub-like rings on mountains show where ancient lakes once stood. Science is amazing! Crafty Clover can be found on Amazon Books, Google Bookstore, and Apple Books. Available for purchase or download! Bye for now!