1 Coastal 2 Western Lowlands

1) Coastal

• 1) Coastal

• 2) Western Lowlands

• 3) Western Cascade Mountains

• 4) Eastern Cascades Mountains

• 5) Columbia Basin

• 6) Okanogan Highlands

• 7) Palouse Hills

lies along the western coastline of the United States

• lies along the western coastline of the United States

• This long and very narrow region, is only 40 to 70 miles(65 to 110 km) wide

Topography

• Topography

• Normally most coastal areas are near sea level

• Not true in the Pacific Northwest

• Elevations approach nearly 8,000 feet

• The profile begins at sea level, climbs to the top of the Olympic Mountains and the Coastal Range, then rapidly descends to nearly sea level again.

Climate

• Climate

• Because of off shore warm currents British Columbia, and southern Alaskan (coast-lines), have a very mild, but moist climate throughout the year.

• This climate provides lush vegetation and supports dense coniferous (softwood) forests.

• Extensive ever-green forests cover the Coastal Region except were development has taken place.

Precipitation

• Precipitation

• 40 inches (101 cm) a year

• 200 inches (508 cm) of rainfall annually in the Olympic Mountains

• Rain shadow

Economic Activities

• Economic Activities

• One result of the region’s mild rainy cli-mate is the abundance and variety of plant and animal life.

• main economic activities include :

• fishing,
• forestry,
• general farming,
• tour-ism.

The Western Lowlands are made up of

• The Western Lowlands are made up of

• three large subregions:

• 1) the Puget Sound Trough

• 2) the Chehalis-Cowlitz-Columbia river valleys

• 3) the Willamette River Valley

Puget Sound Trough

• Puget Sound Trough

• located in western Washington

• It is a densely populated fertile lowland that is a hub of economic activity.

• All are centers of urban and industrial activities (Microsoft, Boeing, Starbucks).

Due to glacial erosion, Puget Sound has an irregular shoreline and numerous deep, sheltered harbors such as:

• Due to glacial erosion, Puget Sound has an irregular shoreline and numerous deep, sheltered harbors such as:

• Hood Canal-Bangor, Elliott Bay-Seattle, Commencement Bay-Tacoma, Everett, Bremerton, Olympia, Anacortes, and Bellingham.

Economic Activities

• Economic Activities

• Climate encourages

• Farming: vegetables, berries, flower bulbs, fruits, nuts, nursery plants and shrubs, some grains,

• Livestock: dairy products, and beef.

• Western Lowlands economy is be-coming more industrialized:

• transportation equipment,
• electronics,
• high technology

Just east of the Western Lowlands, also lying along a north-south axis, are the Cascade Mountains.

• Just east of the Western Lowlands, also lying along a north-south axis, are the Cascade Mountains.

• They extend from southern British Columbia, Canada, through the states of Washington and Oregon and end in northern California.

Natural Barrier

• Natural Barrier

• a formidable physical, climatic, and transportation barrier.

• averaging about 6,000 feet (1,800 m) in elevation with many volcanic peaks above 10,000 feet (3,000 m)

• Cascade Range has only a few low mountain passes.

• Snoqualmie (I-90)
• Stevens (SR-2)
• White (SR-10)
• Chinook( SR-410)

• Cascade Range has only one major lowland, where the Columbia River cuts through the Columbia Gorge.

.Volcanoes

• .Volcanoes

• The Cascade Mountains are part of the Pacific Ocean’s “Ring of Fire.”

• Tallest Mount Rainier 14,411

• Smallest Mt. St. Helens 8,365 ft

Climate

• Climate

• these north-south mountains are a physical barrier to the region’s climate

• West wet East dry

• 100 inches (250 cm) on the western slope and decreases to only 20 inches (50 cm) on the eastern slopes

Rainier set the world record with 1,224.5 inches (3,110.2 cm) or 102 feet of snow between February19, 1971, and February 18, 1972.

• Rainier set the world record with 1,224.5 inches (3,110.2 cm) or 102 feet of snow between February19, 1971, and February 18, 1972.

• heavy annual snowfall provides the late spring and early summer river runoff, especially significant for those eastern slope rivers flowing through the semiarid regions of Washington and Oregon.

Highland Climate

• Highland Climate

• Due to great range in elevation have climates that are more moist and very mild. summer maximum temperatures are cooler, but the winter minimum temperatures are colder.

Difference in vegetation east vs. west

• Difference in vegetation east vs. west

• West dense evergreen coniferous forests Fir species

• East pine

• Animals birds, small animals, and big game animals, such as elk, black bear, cougar or mountain lion, mule deer,bighorn sheep, and mountain goats.

Some towns began as mining towns

• Some towns began as mining towns

• Cle Elum: Coal
• Roslyn: Coal

• Some towns began as centers of agriculture

• Wenatchee

• Ellensburg

• Most areas today are involved in recreational tourism

• Skiing

• Snowmobiling

• Hunting/Fishing

Inhabitants

• Inhabitants

• The Cascade Mountain Region is sparsely populated.

• Most land in the Cascades is owned or controlled by either the state or federal government.

It is the world’s second largest lava plateau.

• It is the world’s second largest lava plateau.

• The Columbia Plateau was constructed by as many as 55 different lava flows.

• 400 miles (640 km) from north to south and 500 miles (800 km) east to west

The southern and southeastern sections are dominated by the Harney High Lava Plains and the Upper Snake River Valley respectively.

• The southern and southeastern sections are dominated by the Harney High Lava Plains and the Upper Snake River Valley respectively.

Climate

• Climate

• arid to semiarid region characterized by hot, sunny summers (10°F) and cold winters (below zero)

• Precipitation

• region is virtually surrounded by the Cascade and Rocky mountains. These mountain barriers have a drastic effect upon annual precipitation amounts received by the region

• annual precipitation below 20 inches

Natural Vegetation

• Natural Vegetation

• Sparse grassland and sagebrush-bunch grass

• Wildlife: smaller game rabbits, coyotes

• Human inhabitants are un-evenly distributed over this huge area.

• Why?

• WATER

Economic Activities

• Economic Activities

• Farming + Ranching

• a long growing season,
• Abundant irrigation water allow farmers to produce outstanding yields of wheat, barley, oats, hops, alfalfa, corn, beans, apricots, potatoes, sugar beets, apples, pears, peaches, grapes, cherries, vegetables, and specialty crops.
• In addition, the dry grasslands are excellent grazing areas for cattle, sheep, horses, and other livestock.

Forms the northernmost subregion in eastern Washington.

• Forms the northernmost subregion in eastern Washington.

• It extends east of the Cascades across the northeastern portion of the state.

• The Columbia and Spokane rivers form its southern boundary

Physical Features

• Physical Features

• very rugged and mountainous.

• It includes the Okanogan Highlands, San Poil and Selkirk mountains, and a small portion of the Rockies.

• Includes several peaks over 8,500 feet

Climate: shares characteristics depending on elevation.

• Climate: shares characteristics depending on elevation.

• Cold winters and warm summers.

• Summers are warm with little precipitation

• The higher elevations have a highland climate, and lower elevations are semiarid.

Vegetation

• Vegetation

• Forested with a variety of evergreen and deciduous trees

• The undergrowth consists of brush and grasses

• Economy

• Farming
• Ranching

Population: sparsely settled

• Population: sparsely settled

• Exception: Spokane 212,000 (Seattle 652,000/Tacoma 203,000/Bellevue 133,000)

• Location on Spokane River-Trading center 1830’s
• Ft. Spokane
• Northern Pacific Railroad: Transportation center
• Gold discovered Couer d’Alene
• Logging
• Center of the “Inland Empire”

In southeastern Washington State

• In southeastern Washington State

• Physical Features

• The rugged Blue Mountains
• Dune shaped Palouse Hills

• 6,401 feet highest elevation

• Largest river of the region, is the Snake.

Climate

• Climate

• A modified semiarid climate.

• Receives more precipitation than other areas of eastern Washington.

• Higher elevations of the Blue Mountains have a highland climate.

• Winter tends to be very cold and windy.

• Summers, are very hot and dry with little or no moisture after April.

Vegetation

• Vegetation

• Steppe grasses and sagebrush cover most of the sub region.

• The trees only grow on the moist upper slopes of the Blue Mountains.

Economy

• Economy

• Large scale wheat farming
• Colfax County: $$$$$$$

Largest Employer: Washington State University

• Largest Employer: Washington State University

• 20,000 students
• 5,000 workers

1) Coastal

• 1) Coastal

• 2) Western Lowlands

• 3) Western Cascade Mountains

• 4) Eastern Cascades Mountains

• 5) Columbia Basin

• 6) Okanogan Highlands

• 7) Palouse Hills