Focus on Sedimentary Environments

River system on an active stratovolcano

White River, Mount Hood, Oregon, USA


	Space shuttle image of Cascades Range and Columbia River. Credit: NASA Earth from Space


	Space shuttle image of Cascades Range and Columbia River: detail from full-size image. Credit: NASA Earth from Space

Processes and hazards on Mount Hood

In this slightly oblique image taken from the space shuttle, west is at the top. The Columbia River flows from east (bottom) to west (top), and is the border between Oregon (south) and Washington (north) states. Three active volcanoes are visible: Mount Hood to the south (left) of the Columbia River; Mount Adams is the snow-capped peak to the north of the river, and Mount St Helens is to the north of Mount Adams.

Mount Hood is an active andesitic stratovolcano. What are the main volcanic and sedimentary processes on this volcano? Make a list of these before you go to the map below.


	Map of Mount Hood area. Credit: US Geological Survey, Cascades Volcano Observatory

Volcanic hazards

Using the list of processes you compiled, think about the hazards which Mount Hood might have for the surrounding area
The major population centres are Portland, Oregon and Vancouver, Washington, but there are smaller towns closer to the volcano.
Where are the hazards most likely to occur? You could print out the map above and draw on it to make a hazards map of the volcano.

Once you have analysed the hazards, go to the next page.