"The Geological Influence of Magma and Water on the Columbia River Gorge"
University of Oregon researchers have detailed how magma and water have shaped the iconic Columbia River Gorge, revealing that prolonged upwelling of magma beneath the earth's crust bent the river channel and pushed up cliffs and peaks, while water carved a deep channel between them. The study shows that the movement of magma, rather than other tectonic forces, explains the uplift, and that magma is still influencing the landscape today, with a pool of molten magma lying beneath the gorge. This research sheds light on the geological history of the gorge and its surrounding landscape.