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Water collapses famous 190 million years old ‘Toilet Bowl’ rock formation in Glen Canyon, Utah

 
 The Double Arch area (center of  photo) on August 9th, 2024, after collapse (photo credit: NPS.GOV)
The Double Arch area (center of photo) on August 9th, 2024, after collapse
(photo credit: NPS.GOV)

The Glen Canyon Double Arch, aged 190 million years, collapsed in August due to natural erosion and changing water levels.

At approximately 190 million years of age, the famous natural rock formation the “Double Arch” in the Glen Canyon in Utah, USA, collapsed, the National Park Service Rangers announced in early August.

The Glen Canyon Double Arch was a natural rock formation featuring two adjacent arches., formed by millions of years of erosion. The arches, which were situated close to each other, created a stunning landscape image that was popular among hikers and photographers.

The Glen Canyon — with the Colorado River and Glen Canyon Dam. (credit: Wikimedia Commons)
The Glen Canyon — with the Colorado River and Glen Canyon Dam. (credit: Wikimedia Commons)

Often colloquially addressed as “Toilet Bowl”, “Crescent Pool”, and “Hole in the Roof”, the Double Arch was located in the Rock Creek Bay of Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, and was made of Navaji sandstone originating from the early Jurassic period.

Resource protection

According to the statement, it is suspect that the very forces that formed the geological feature were also those to have collapsed it as changing water levels and erosion from wave action are believed to have caused its collapse.

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“This event serves as a reminder of our responsibility and need to protect the mineral resources surrounding Lake Powell. These features have a life span that can be influenced or damaged by manmade interventions,” Glen Canyon National Recreation Area Superintendent Michelle Kerns stated.

Kerns further added, “While we don’t know what caused this collapse, we will continue to maintain our resource protection efforts on Lake Powell for future generations to enjoy. Please enjoy our resources but leave no trace.”

The Environment and Climate Change portal is produced in cooperation with the Goldman Sonnenfeldt School of Sustainability and Climate Change at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. The Jerusalem Post maintains all editorial decisions related to the content.

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