The Power of the Earth
The Imperial Valley Desert Museum prides itself on being an innovator in the museum field, challenging the mold with new programming and approaches. Like the Valley and desert themselves, it is ever-changing. The next goal for the museum was clear, the completion of a new permanent exhibit dedicated to one of the forces responsible for shaping the Valley as it is today – Geology: the Power of the Earth. In the last few weeks, the museum has made great strides to complete that task and is now excited to unveil that hard work, just in time for its events and field trip season.
A Land in Motion
The Imperial Valley is one of the most geologically diverse areas in the American southwest. It is alive with mountains, canyons, washes, fault lines, earthquakes, and even an active volcano. Since its formation, geological activity has driven the narrative of the region through an ever-evolving landscape: raising up the land, tearing it down, and transforming it entirely. The land is constantly changing; it is a place of quiet power with limitless potential. Its gifts benefited the region’s earliest inhabitants, and today, the Power of the Earth continues to shape the history of the Valley and its people.
The reason for this constant activity is because running through the center of the valley is a plate tectonic boundary. Tectonic plates lie across the Earth’s surface like giant puzzle pieces. They move constantly, floating on a layer of molten rock called the mantle. When the plates move against each other they can create trenches, mountains, fault lines, and earthquakes. There are eight major tectonic plates and many small plates in the world. The two main plates in California are the Pacific Plate, along the coast, and the North American Plate, inland to the east. The main boundary between the two plates is the famous 650-milelong San Andreas Fault. Evidence of a split of the San Andreas, the Elsinore Fault, can be observed above-ground today in the canyons of the Coyote Mountains.
Tectonic plates are always in motion – slowly but steadily pushing and pulling against each other. An earthquake happens when two tectonic plates suddenly move, or slip, against each other. The earthquake releases the friction as pent up energy in seismic waves that move the earth’s surface (crust) and cause us to feel the ground shaking. This same movement that causes earthquakes, also causes volcanoes.
A volcano in the Valley?
A volcano is a vent in the earth which molten rock, ash, and gases inside use to escape. When tectonic plates collide beneath the Earth’s surface, magma is squeezed up between the plates, causing an eruption. These eruptions can be explosive, sending material high into the sky, or calm, with gentle lava flows. Imperial Valley is part of a long, volcanic chain known as the “Ring of Fire,” with the Salton Buttes as our regional member. Salton Buttes volcano is a registered active volcano by the U.S. Geological Survey and is made up of five small lava domes: Mullet Island, Red Island (two domes), Rock Hill, and Obsidian Butte. It last erupted around 940 BCE.
The interior of volcanoes can warm underground water around the volcano. The heated water reaches the surface as geysers, mud pools, and hot springs as well as creating mineral deposits and geothermal energy. The Imperial Valley is home to several of these sights, like the mud pots out by the Salton Sea, and the hot springs out in Holtville. The Imperial Valley is also a leader in geothermal energy, producing 20 percent of the nation’s energy.
new exhibit promises new engagement
The Imperial Valley Desert Museum will begin testing its new exhibit during its event, “Ocotillo Rocks!” taking place today. “Ocotillo Rocks!” is a free, community event focused on geology and rock ’n roll. The Imperial Valley Gem and Mineral Society will be joining the museum, and there will be games, rock painting, geology lessons, and hikes. This long-term project was made possible through community support. Donating their time, craftsmen and museum members came together to make this vision a reality. Beginning in March, Donohue Painting and Jones Brothers Glass worked with museum staff and volunteers to paint the purpose-built exhibit walls and to install the glass for the museum case that will be dedicated to another partner, the Imperial Valley Gem and Mineral Society. Please join them for the day, and let them know what you think of the new exhibit!