How Are Drought and Climate Change Impacting Utah’s Fragile Rock Arches?

Image Name: Utah’s Fragile Rock Arches

The recent fall of one of the other well-known rock arches in Utah’s Lake Powell has raised questions about their durability. The arch, known as the “Toilet Bowl,” collapsed last Thursday and sparked debates about the future of other natural constructions and the effects of human activities on their lifetime. 

Visitors to Utah’s Arches National Park are asking more and more this week about whether more arches might be in danger. They want guarantees regarding the actions taken to stop more collapses. Karen Garthwait, speaking for Arches and Canyonlands national parks, answered these questions by outlining the park’s preservation strategy. 

“We want to preserve the natural processes that mold these structures, not freeze them in time,” Garthwait said. “These processes, however, also finally help to cause their erosion and ultimate collapse.” 

The sad reminder that arches have a limited lifetime comes from the fall of the “Double Arch” at Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. Controlling or forecasting natural erosion processes in the geological formations that form arches can be difficult. 

Experts have observed that human activity over the past century has hastened erosion, which complicates future predictions about when an arch might give way. An arch’s stability is not always apparent from its external appearance. Arches that seem stable might harbor internal fractures, while others that appear precarious may have greater resilience to environmental stresses. 

Natural forces like wind and water easily sculpt Southern Utah’s sandstone, which is robust enough to support large arches. This, along with the region’s semi-arid climate, shapes and transforms these geological marvels. Although the sandstone’s endurance is remarkable, the Utah Geological Survey underlines that equally important is its sensitivity to environmental elements. 

Having once shelved a plan to encapsulate one in plastic during the 1940s, the National Park Service (NPS) does not actively reinforce arches. Rather, the NPS emphasizes reducing human effects with tight rules. For example, park guests once went on and ascended arches for pictures, causing damage like rope marks left on Delicate Arch. Aiming to minimize 2006, the park changed its rules to forbid climbing on arches, aiming to minimize regularly ascending the arch and leaping into the swimming hole under Lake Powell, where the “Toilet Bowl” previously stood. Drought and climate change since 2001 likely contributed to the excessive foot traffic and changing water levels that led to the arch’s collapse. 

Professor of geology and geophysics Jeff Moore of the University of Utah emphasized how brittle arches are. His studies involve tracking seismic activity under Utah’s arches and using civil engineering ideas to assess their structural soundness. Moore pointed out that vibrations from human activities, such as helicopters and trains, aggravate stress on these structures and cause cracks to develop quickly. 

In response to Moore’s research, the Federal Aviation Administration implemented flight restrictions around Utah’s Rainbow Bridge National Monument to prevent damage from helicopter vibrations. The impact of human activities on these natural structures has become increasingly apparent, leading to concerns about their future stability. 

External factors like seismic activity associated with industrial operations further complicate the situation. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation’s facility in western Colorado, which handles saltwater from the Colorado River, has been linked to earthquakes near Utah’s national parks. The facility closed temporarily after a 2019 earthquake; however, it has started running at a lower capacity once more. 

The latest disasters highlight the need for Richard Beckman, president of the Natural Arch and Bridge Society, to appreciate these natural beauties before they vanish. “It’s like losing an old friend,” Beckman said. “Seeing them go breaks my heart, especially since I never got the opportunity to see them personally. We should cherish and visit these arches while we still have the opportunity. 

All told, the collapse of the “Toilet Bowl” arch has raised concerns about the durability of other famous Utah rock structures. Although the National Park Service concentrates on controlling human influence, the combined effects of natural erosion, climate change, and human activity nevertheless challenge the preservation of these geological wonders. Scientists and park managers strive to comprehend and lessen these hazards, urging visitors to value and respect the delicate beauty of these natural treasures.

This content was adapted from an article in the AP News