Earthscapes
The Northshore
The Sculpting Hand
of the
Temperance River
by Bob Dvorak
Click on underlined words
for more information
Water is one of the most powerful forces on natural. As it flows, it
can carve and sculpt the landscape into a work of art. Just as a painter
with his brush, water can move and flow smoothly, or
cut and turned sharply along the landscape. The Temperance River is one
of those artistic interpretation of nature. Just like
the Grand Canyon in the southwest United States, the
Temperance River cuts a valley beautifully set in the northeastern woods
of Minnesota's Northshore.
The granite and rhyolite deposits make a great material for the Temperance
River to cut through. As sediment moves down this channel, it scrapes away
rock and sediment and sculpts the beautiful valleys and gorges. One of the
more exciting spots of the river is the cauldron. The cauldron has been
formed over many hundred years. As pebbles and  rock accumulated
at a drop off in the river, they began to swirl in a tornado like fashion.
The pebbles and stones eroded the sides of the cliff as this pot seemed
to mix like a large soup bowl. Finally, a cauldron, a large bowl-like, formation
was formed and shows more of the awesome power of the
water.
Many factors contribute to the erosional forces of a river. Things like
size and discharge all account for the power and strength
of a river. No one can predict which path the river will take. By itself
the river moves along the path of least resistance. Sometimes meandering
left and right, it leaves deposits on some curves and cuts deeper into others.
The Temperance River provides a superb ecosystem for life. With trees
and lush vegetation surrounding the gorges, on feels like they are in a
tropical forest as mist sprays off the  river as it rushes
past you. Mosses and bushes seem to grow in the most unlikely places, providing
for a biological area amazingly rich and astounding. Like some painting
by a leading environmental artist, the Temperance River is a site that should
not be missed by visitors to the Northshore area of Minnesota. Take a look
at the valley now, and see if it becomes the Grand Canyon of the Midwest
in a few thousand years.
 Back to the Northshore Earthscape
 
Disclaimer and Copyright
 The size of a river determines
many of the actions and processes that it will take. Small streams and creeks
like the one pictured here perform the same actions as larger tributaries
but on a smaller scale. Discharge is one of the main factors. Discharge
is the volume of water passing a point at one given time. With a larger
discharge, a river or stream can have more erosional force. This allows
larger and deeper channels to be cut. Elevation also plays a great role.
Speed increases as elevation decreases. This prevents a river from spreading
out slowing where instead it moves quickly and powerfully. With an increased
elevation and discharge, this little stream could become a wild river.
Back
 The Grand Canyon is one of nature's
best examples of what a little bit of time (well, actual a few thousand
years) and some erosion can do. With the Rio Grande flowing through its
valley over thousands of years, the erosional force of the water has cut
a canyon near a mile deep. This demonstrates that water will continue to
act on rocks and river beds as long as their is material subject to erosion
left. As it works, the water cuts through beautiful layers of red, orange,
and white sediment leaving behind a mosaic of color and an awesome view
of the stratigraphy of the region. Not to mention that it make a pretty
good tourist attraction too.
Back
| 
