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From Yakima River Canyon Geology and Landslide Risk in Washington

How could the instability of Rattlesnake Ridge affect Central Washington?

Possible What happens if… A possibility worth considering, not a forecast.

Potential ridge collapse could threaten the Yakima River's flow in Central Washington. The instability of Rattlesnake Ridge, which forms boundaries of the Union Gap, poses a threat of collapse that could block the Yakima River. The report notes that the ridge is subject to landslides if enough moisture seeps into the formation and a backstop fails. If the river were blocked, the resulting disruption to the Yakima River's flow would impact the water outlook and agricultural activity within Central Washington.

Reported by 1 independent outlet Written Oct 19
Effect
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How it reaches Central Washington

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The facts so far

As reported. Each one links to where it comes from.

  • Rattlesnake Ridge forms the boundaries of the Union Gap and divides the upper and lower valley.yakimaherald.com
  • The Yakima River formed the Selah and Union gaps as the rock formations buckled and rose.yakimaherald.com
  • The ridge is a sandwich of basalt from lava flows and sedimentary material.yakimaherald.com
  • Columbia Asphalt and Gravel moved its operations away from the area due to the cracks on Rattlesnake Ridge.yakimaherald.com

Why it matters

The stability of Rattlesnake Ridge is critical because its potential collapse could block the Yakima River, which is a vital water source for the region. If the river's flow were disrupted, it would directly threaten the agricultural activity and water outlook of Central Washington.

Geologically, the ridges in the Valley are the result of forces exerted over millions of years. The threat of landslides is not new, as the report references the 2009 slide that buried a quarter-mile of State Route 410 and the 2014 Oso Slide.

What we don't know yet

  • What specific conditions (e.g., moisture levels) are required for the sedimentary rock to fail?
  • What is the likelihood of the landslide widening and deepening to the point of blocking the river?

What would change this answer

The state Department of Natural Resources finds a significant increase in moisture seepage into the formation.This would increase the risk of failure, making the potential blockage of the Yakima River more likely.
The sliding earth slows down further or stabilizes completely.This would reduce the immediate threat of the ridge collapsing and blocking the river.

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Beyond this explainer

Questions worth asking

Ideas the web ties closely to this story that the explainer doesn't mention. These are prompts for your own research: Brind hasn't answered them.

  • About Waterproofing

    Given that the ridge is a sandwich of basalt and sedimentary material, how does the inherent waterproofing of this specific rock structure affect its susceptibility to moisture-induced failure?

  • About Joints

    Since the ridge is subject to landslides when moisture seeps into the formation, do existing joints or fractures in the rock act as primary pathways for water infiltration?

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The full eventYakima River Canyon Geology and Landslide Risk in Washington Everything aboutCentral Washington

Brind's analysis is written by AI from the reporting linked above and can be wrong. This explainer is a possibility worth considering, not a forecast: steps marked as Brind's reasoning are not stated in the reporting. It is not investment advice; do your own research.