Furnace Creek alluvial fan, Death Valley National Park, Inyo County, California

Alluvial Fan at Furnace Creek in Death Valley National Park (Inyo County). This view is an aerial photograph taken in 1948. Note that in 1948 the development of the Furnace Creek Ranch area was limited to only a small portion of the fan. Dark streaks are vegetation growing along stream channels on the lower part of the alluvial fan. Today, park development including campgrounds, lodges, housing, a gulf course, date palm orchards, and a settlement of the Timbisha Shoshone Tribe occupy portions of the alluvial fan area. The image shows Furnace Creek Wash drains from the Amargosa Ranges into Death Valley where if forms a massive alluvial fan. On August 15, 2005, a flood from 1-2 inches of rain in the Amargosa Ranges came down Furnace Creek. The event killed two people, destroyed cars, and damaged roads and buildings. Large quantities of rock debris was deposited on the alluvial fan at Furnace Creek and elsewhere in the region. Other major floods occurred along Furnace Creek Wash in 1939, 1941, and 1985.

The URL of this page is http://3dparks.wr.usgs.gov/landslide/big/34.htm