KSPS Documentaries
The Acceptance of J Harlen Bretz’s Ice Age Flood Theory
Clip: Special | 2mVideo has Closed Captions
J Harlen Bretz provided photographic evidence of great floods
After field studies conducted in the 1940s, J Harlen Bretz published a paper in 1956 providing substantial photographic evidence of great floods (the “Spokane Flood”) shaping the landscape of Central Washington and Western Montana. Bretz’s theory was widely accepted thereafter.
KSPS Documentaries is a local public television program presented by KSPS PBS
KSPS Documentaries
The Acceptance of J Harlen Bretz’s Ice Age Flood Theory
Clip: Special | 2mVideo has Closed Captions
After field studies conducted in the 1940s, J Harlen Bretz published a paper in 1956 providing substantial photographic evidence of great floods (the “Spokane Flood”) shaping the landscape of Central Washington and Western Montana. Bretz’s theory was widely accepted thereafter.
How to Watch KSPS Documentaries
KSPS Documentaries is available to stream on pbs.org and the free PBS App, available on iPhone, Apple TV, Android TV, Android smartphones, Amazon Fire TV, Amazon Fire Tablet, Roku, Samsung Smart TV, and Vizio.
Video has Closed Captions
The Missoula floods carved new river channels or altered exiting ones (4m 9s)
Video has Closed Captions
Geologists conducted studies that the great flood occurred multiple times. (4m 38s)
Video has Closed Captions
The Missoula floods flowed down to the Pacific Ocean, reshaping the surrounding landscape. (6m 17s)
Ice Dam and Glacial Lake Missoula
Video has Closed Captions
An overview of Glacial Lake Missoula (1m 11s)
Video has Closed Captions
Geologist J Harlen Bretz is the first to identify a theory of the ice age floods (4m 50s)
Joseph Pardee and Glacial Lake Missoula
Video has Closed Captions
Scientist Joseph Pardee gathered evidence about the existence of Glacial Lake Missoula (3m 38s)
Video has Closed Captions
Joseph Pardee confirmed Bretz’s theory of the ice age floods (4m 16s)
Landscape of the Pacific Northwest
Video has Closed Captions
How floods and glaciers have shaped the landscape of the Pacific Northwest (5m 24s)
The Speed of the Missoula Floods
Video has Closed Captions
The great Missoula floods flowed at 500 million cubic feet per second (2m 19s)
Providing Support for PBS.org
Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorship
KSPS Documentaries is a local public television program presented by KSPS PBS