Tualatin is the Crossroads of the Ice Age Floods
About 15,000 years ago during the end of the last Ice Age, a massive ice dam formed in northern Idaho and Montana, creating Glacial Lake Missoula. Over hundreds of years, this ice dam burst and released flood waters, which rushed across Washington and Oregon to the Pacific Ocean. On their way, the floods carved out land features including the Columbia River Gorge and the coulees and scablands of Eastern Washington.
In the Willamette Valley, flood waters rushed in and pooled, creating Lake Allison.
Tualatin lay at the crossroads of these floods in the Valley, affected by the waters coming in then draining out as the floods receded. Around Tualatin you can find examples of the impacts of these floods, including scablands, current ripples, and ice-rafted erratic boulders.
The Tualatin Ice Age Foundation’s mission is to bring awareness of the story of the Ice Age Floods, both locally and throughout the region, as well as to highlight the history of native people who lived and hunted in the area, and the animals (known as megafauna) that existed during that period.
- New Ice Age Collection at LibraryTualatin Library also recently introduced an Ice Age Collection. Shelved directly under the mastodon display at the front of… Read More »New Ice Age Collection at Library
- Junior Ranger Program LaunchesIn partnership with the National Parks Service, young visitors to Tualatin Public Library can now become a Junior Park… Read More »Junior Ranger Program Launches
- Tualatin’s Ice Age visitor center to be dedicated ThursdayPamplin Media Group The Tualatin Public Library will be the city’s temporary stopover on the Ice Age Floods National… Read More »Tualatin’s Ice Age visitor center to be dedicated Thursday
- Tualatin Highlights Ice Age HistoryFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: JUNE 7, 2022 Tualatin Ice Age FoundationPO Box 711Tualatin OR 97062burnss@pdx.edu or jthompson@tualatin.gov Tualatin Highlights Ice… Read More »Tualatin Highlights Ice Age History
- Tualatin: Crossroads of the Ice Age FloodsScott Burns, Professor of Geology, Portland State University, narrates this Ice Age story.