Editing Wishram, Washington (section)

==Geology==
Wishram's location results from two major geological features: the location of the Celilo Falls on the Columbia River, and the access to the Central Oregon Plateau via the [[Deschutes River (Oregon)|Deschutes River]] just across the falls from Wishram. The falls not only provided early peoples a reliable source of food, but it later provided a convenient location for an easily constructed railroad bridge crossing the Columbia. The Deschutes valley just to the south of the falls provided a route for rail access to the south, and ultimately to [[California]].

[[File:Deschutes to left - scablands erosion directly ahead.jpg|thumb|Extensive erosion is visible across the river from Wishram near the mouth of the [[Deschutes River (Oregon)|Deschutes River]]. Note the interstate highway along the far side of the river.]]
Wishram lies toward the upper end of the [[Columbia River Gorge]], which began forming as far back as the [[Miocene]] (roughly 12 - 17 million years ago), depositing thick layers of [[Columbia River Basalt Group|Columbia River Basalt]], and continued to take shape through the [[Pleistocene]] (700,000 - 2 million years ago). During this period the [[Cascade Range]] was forming, slowly moving the Columbia River's course north to its current location.<ref name="nwcouncil"/>

Although the river slowly eroded the land over this period of time, the most drastic changes took place at the end of the [[Last Glacial Period|last ice age]] when the [[Missoula Floods]] cut the steep, dramatic walls that exist around Wishram today. During the flood, the water level rose to {{convert|700|ft}} above the current level, violently eroding and exposing the layered basalt.<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Dietrich |first=William |date=30 September 2007 |title=Trailing an Apocalypse |url=http://old.seattletimes.com/html/pacificnw09302007/2003905120_pacificpice30.html |magazine=Pacific Northwest |publisher=The Seattle Times |access-date=6 May 2019}}</ref> This quick erosion left many layers of [[igneous rock|volcanic rock]] exposed.<ref name="nwcouncil">{{cite web | title = Columbia River Gorge | url=http://www.nwcouncil.org/history/ColumbiaRiverGorge.asp | access-date=2008-06-02 }}</ref>