Chapter 1 Washingtons Geography Chapter 1 Washingtons Geography

Chapter 1 Washington’s Geography

Chapter 1 Washington’s Geography § WA State § Flower = Coast Rhododendron Symbols § Bird = Willow Goldfinch (Wild Canary)

Chapter 1 Washington’s Geography § WA State § Tree = Western Hemlock Symbols § Fish = Steelhead Salmon

Chapter 1 Washington’s Geography § WA State § Fruit = Apple Symbols § Insect = Green Darner Dragonfly

Geography and History § Geography § Study of the natural features of the earth as well as where and how people live on the earth. § Geography influence where people live, what they do for a living, how they live and for fun. § Interaction between people and environment very useful when studying history of an area.

Geography and History § WA was formidable for pioneers § § Fast rivers Steep Mountain Passes Rocky Cliffs Massive Forests § Pioneers saw environment as an obstacle that needed subduing

Physical and Human Characteristics § Physical Features § Natural to the environment and include mountains, rivers, soil, climate, plant and animal life § WA very diverse! § § § § Beaches Islands Forests Volcanoes Mountains Deserts farmland

Physical and Human Characteristics § Human § Place is also defined by changes Characteris made by people: what we build and tics how we alter the physical environment § § § Cities Freeways Dams Farmland Bridges airports

Physical and Human Characteristics § Pioneers thought resources were limitless § Careless and wasteful for many years § Too many trees cut § Too many salmon fished § Too many wild animals killed § Today we are more responsible § Reforest § Water cleaned § Laws passed to protect resources

Location § Where a place is…like an address § Between 46 th and 49 th parallels N. latitude § Between 117 and 125 degrees W. longitude § Hinterland § A region that is far from other settled areas; last to be explored and populated § WA considered “hinterland”

Mighty Ocean § The Pacific…of COURSE!! § Only 157 miles of ocean coastline but over 3, 000 miles of shoreline § More deep water harbors than California or Oregon § Shipping links WA to rest of the world § Commercial fishing smaller than you think. Less than 1% of state’s income…followed by oysters, crab and shrimp

A Mild Climate § Temperate § Never really hot or really cold § Due to the ocean § Temperature of large bodies of water don’t change quickly as the temp of the air § Warmer water of ocean warms up air next to it § Wind carries warmer air across the land

Rain Shadow Effect

Rain Shadow Effect § Mountains affect climate § Some parts of Western WA (Peninsula) receive over 100 inches of rain a year § Arid § § § Dry West side = wet side East side = arid (less than 6 inches)

Regions § Region § Places that share common features § § Pacific Rim § § Political Land commercial A trading region All countries that border Pacific ocean § Each country makes goods the others want to buy

Regions § The Pacific Northwest § Region of states that share similar landforms and history

Washington’s 5 Land Regions § Coastal Range Region § Olympic Peninsula § “The greatest weight of living matter, per acre, in the world. ” Naturalist Roger Tory § § Olympic Mountains and National Park Pacific coast Rainforest Very little industry left, small towns rely on tourism § 6 Indian reservations § 5 on coast § 1 on strait

Washington’s 5 Land Regions § Puget § Large cities Sound § Seattle Lowlands § Tacoma § Bremerton § Population center § Industries § § Microsoft Boeing Starbucks Amazon § One of highest per capita income levels in country

Washington’s 5 Land Regions § Puget § Traffic congestion one of worst in Sound country Lowlands § Deep water seaports § Recreation and vacation hot spot § Some of state’s richest soil § Skagit River Valley = Farming § § § Tulips Daffodils Vegies Dairy chickens

Cascade Range Region § Considered WA most prominent geographic feature § Sharply divides state § Barrier to commerce and travel § Sometimes called “Cascade Curtain” § Contribute to very different climates of east and west § 5 famous mountains § 2 national parks § 1 National Memorial

The Columbia Plateau Region § High flat plateau covers most of eastern WA and parts of Oregon and Idaho § Natural vegetation = grassland to desert sagebrush § Many crops due to irrigation from Grand Coulee Dam § Spokane = metropolitan center § Commercial, financial and medical center

Rocky Mountain Region § Sometimes called the Okanogan Highlands § Foothills of the Rocky Mountains § Much farming and ranching § Mining of lead and zinc § Some tourism § 3 reservations

Columbia River § Called “Great River of the West” by early explorers § Headwaters at Columbia Lake, British Columbia, Canada § Place where one river empties into § Confluence another § Tributary § Smaller streams or rivers that flow into bigger ones

Columbia River § Columbia’s course across state helps to explain much of WA history § Relied on for transportation by Indians and trappers § Source of food § Railroads § Steamboats § Huge volume of water with steep fall in elevation = most powerful river in North America for hydroelectric energy § Often called an “engineered” river

Washington’s National Parks § Government protected land § Refuge for natural plants and animals § 3 National Parks § § § Olympic Mt. Rainier North Cascades § 3 Historic Parks § § § Klondike Gold Rush San Juan Island Whitman Mission

Washington’s National Parks § 1 National Monument § Mt. Saint Helens § Canada, Our Northern Neighbor § British Columbia, Canada § Vancouver Island Victoria are favorite vacation places § Complicated trade issues § § Fishing rights Lumber sales Pollution problems (shared water) shipping