Arch in Glen Canyon Collapses

190 million years and poof!

https://www.ksl.com/article/51096638/popular-190-million-year-old-lake-p...

BIG WATER, Kane County – A popular geological feature along Lake Powell's Rock Creek Bay has collapsed.

Glen Canyon National Recreation Area officials confirmed Friday that Double Arch, also commonly known by visitors as "Toilet Bowl," "Crescent Pool" or "Hole in the Roof," crumbled on Thursday. No injuries were reported as a result.

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

The natural feature formed out of Navajo sandstone in the late Triassic to early Jurassic periods about 190 million years ago, park rangers say. It wasn't immediately clear what caused the collapse, but its formation is the result of many of the same factors that likely caused it to collapse, such as erosion from wind, rain and other weather factors.

Rangers say changing water levels from the manmade reservoir — a reservoir that first started filling in 1963 — and erosion from wave action likely contributed to the feature's collapse, as well.

"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," Kerns added. "Please enjoy our resources, but leave no trace."