Annual Ice Age Flood events this weekend

The Ice Age Floods Institute, Cheney-Spokane Chapter is holding their annual spring lecture and field trip this weekend, May 9-10.

Friday, Dr. Gene Kiver will speak on "The Case of the Missing Cataract: The Upper Grand Coulee" and will provide an examination of the geologic evidence and sequence of events that resulted in the formation of one of Washington's most spectacular canyons.  Cataracts of immense proportions hold the key to understanding the formation of the Grand Coulee.

The lecture is free and runs from 7– 9 p.m. in the auditorium at Eastern Washington University's JFK Library.

Saturday, May 10, Kiver and researcher Bruce Bjornstad will lead the field trip to explore "The Case of the Missing Cataract: The Upper Grand Coulee." The all-day deluxe bus tour will explore the geologic evidence and sequence of events presented by Kiver on Friday.

Kiver is EWU professor emeritus of geology and has a Ph.D. from the University of Wyoming. He taught 32 years at Eastern Washington University and has conducted nearly four decades of research into phenomena related to Missoula Floods events that affected the Pacific Northwest. 

Bjornstad is senior research scientist for Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and licensed geologist in Oregon and Washington. Kiver and Bjornstad are co-authors of "On the Trail of the Ice Age Floods: the Northern Reaches," published June 2012.

Chartered buses will leave from EWU's parking lot P18 at the Red Barn off Washington Street at 8 a.m. and return prior to 6 p.m. Buses begin loading at 7:30 a.m. 

Registration Fee is $55 for Ice Age Floods Institute members; $70 for non-members; and, $25 for teachers and students. Lenny's in Cheney will prepare lunch and a detailed field guide is issued to each registrant. Detailed information, registration form and liability release form are available at http://www.iafi.org and click on the "Event" tab.