why doesn't the Colorado river have one of the largest deltas if it craved the grand canyon?

Answer 1

Well, the size of the delta is large, but there are several factors that might make it seem smaller than it should be.

1. By posing this question, it leads to the interpretation that the Colorado eroded a lot. This is true, but it's not one of the biggest. The size of the hole does not always lead to the amount eroded. The Mississippi and Amazon have large deltas but no noticeable holes, but they've eroded a lot, more than the Colorado. The Grand Canyon is a strange situation, along with Bryce Canyon and Zion National Parks, they are on the Colorado Plateau, a stable area without tectonics that is steadily rising. This gradual, steady untilted uplift allowed a smooth cutdown into the plateau and the landscape we see today. This is rare in geologic history, so the canyons are unique because of it.

2. The area around the mouth of the Colorado River delta are subsiding. Baja is breaking away from Mexico tectonically, and thus the whole area subsides, making the delta seem small. The area around the Amazon and Mississippi deltas are stable, so the sand just piles up.

It was certainly not caused by a dramatic event. If you want that, go to the Channeled Scablands in eastern Washington, a landscape that WAS carved by massive floods. Look at that and compare, you will easily see the difference.

By the way, there is very little faulting at the Grand Canyon, hence the flat, matching layer it is famous for. There is some fault-controlled erosion, but they are simply small weak zones that the river used to erode faster. Bright Angel Creek canyon is a great example of this. There was no faulting during the erosion.

Answer 2

The Colorado River only helped carve the grand canyon. A substantial contributor to the depth and width of the canton was caused by an upheaval of the earth's crust. If you look at the strata on the canyon walls you will see that the strata on one side is older than the strata on the other. Some strata is older than the canyon itself. The crack in the earth's crust formed a natural groove for the river to flow and begin its work

Answer 3

The geology experts have provided good points about the properties of the land in the area. Large deltas are formed when rivers carry a lot of soil, silt, clay and sand to the river's mouth. The Colorado river is traveling over mostly rock which erodes much more slowly than land with a layer of topsoil and hence, does not carry as much earthen debris to the mouth.

Answer 4

It moves along too swiftly through the moutains to slow down enough to form a delta at the end - it carries the mud and such too far out to sea.

Answer 5

it didnt carve the grand canyon. actually it was a band of jewish people making their way across the region with their wagon train and one of them dropped a dime in a snake hole. the canyon was nothing more than a byproduct of them trying to find it! lol`

Answer 6

Before it was dammed up it had a pretty respectable delta, without regular recharges of sediment deltas wash away in the tide.

Answer 7

if it carved the grand canyon, then the bottom part would be IN deeper in the sides more then the top.

i THINK that it was carved by a huge wave of water not a river.

watver. im stupid dont listen to me.

Answer 8

dudezoid - thats the right answer, but the strata ARE.

Stratum is
Datum is
Strata are
Data are
etc

Answer 9

I think you should crave to spell better...

Answer 10

Because it has run almost dry.