#76 Okanagan Ice Age Floods

In the 76th episode of the Nick Zentner Geology podcast, Nick shares his recent experiences from a field trip to British Columbia, specifically detailing his interactions with geology students and professor Jerome Lessman. The trip provides a backdrop for discussing past ice age floods and Nick's frustrations with the current geological narrative.

Nick expresses his annoyance with American geologists' narrow focus on Glacial Lake Missoula as the primary source of ice age floods, ignoring the potential contributions from the Okanagan Valley in British Columbia. He discusses how the prevailing narrative overlooks significant geological features and deposits found on the Canadian side.

The trip with Jerome and his students allowed Nick to encounter compelling geological evidence on the Canadian side that contradicts the established narrative. Nick describes various landforms like drumlins and eskers, emphasizing that the history of these features needs to factor in the role of water, not just ice.

The discussion progresses to how Jerome Lessman and his former advisor John Shaw assert that many structures thought to be created directly by ice may actually be the result of fluvial processes. Nick shares his revelation about the importance of recognizing water dynamics beneath ice sheets which could have been responsible for significant geological formations.

As Nick concludes, he emphasizes the importance of collaboration between American and Canadian geologists. He encourages aspiring geologists to explore this under-researched area, where further understanding could be gained about the ice age floods that shaped the Pacific Northwest.