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River levels and vertical deformation of Yellowstone caldera during 2016–2022

October 2023 (approx.)

Detailed Description

River levels and vertical deformation of Yellowstone caldera during 2016–2022.  River level (blue) was measured at the Corwin Springs gaging station on the Yellowstone River, just north of Yellowstone National Park.  Vertical deformation (red) is from the WLWY GPS station on the east side of Yellowstone caldera.  The GPS data indicate overall subsidence of the caldera by a few centimeters (about an inch) per year, but high river levels in the spring correspond to a pause in subsidence and even sometimes a few-month period of minor uplift.  This is a result of runoff from spring snowmelt going into the rivers and percolating into the groundwater, causing the ground to swell like a wet sponge.

Sources/Usage

Public Domain.

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