Officials Panic: TERRIFYING Geological Shifts in Hudson Bay Could Trigger Yellowstone Supervolcano!

The Missouri River is an attractive spot here in St. Joseph, but the beauty and calmness of the river can change quickly into danger as levels rise. The Missouri River is expected to crest later this week. Yeah, it's going to affect some communities more than others. The Missouri River, fondly called the Big Muddy, is an extraordinary and intricate waterway that has significantly influenced the landscapes and histories of the regions it flows through. It's fascinating to think that this river, which now flows southward to join the Mississippi near St. Louis, Missouri, and eventually empties into the Gulf of Mexico, once flowed northeast into Canada all the way to Hudson Bay. As we embark on this exploration, we'll discover how geologists unraveled the mysteries of the river's ancient courses and the reasons behind its striking change in direction. How do we know this? Let's talk about the journey and history of the Missouri River, following the waterflow. Beginning at the Continental Divide, the Firehole River of Yellowstone National Park flows and tumbles along, picking up waters from the Geyser Basin, including Old Faithful. Let's start at the very beginning. The Missouri River's story starts at the Continental Divide, specifically in Yellowstone National Park. Here, the Firehole River collects waters from geysers, including the famous Old Faithful, which erupts regularly, shooting boiling water and steam high into the air. The Firehole River then flows downstream, merging with the waters from the stunning Grand Prismatic Spring, known for its vibrant colors due to microbial mats around the hot spring. This convergence forms the Madison River, which continues its journey out of Yellowstone National Park. The Madison River is a crucial artery in the early stages of the Missouri River's formation. As it flows out of Yellowstone, it cuts through beautiful valleys and rugged canyons, offering excellent fishing spots and scenic views. The Madison eventually joins the Jefferson and Gallatin Rivers, and together they form the mighty Missouri River. This newly formed river carves its way through spectacular landscapes, creating valleys and canyons as it flows into the upper Great Plains. As the Missouri River traverses this diverse terrain, it picks up sediments and minerals, enriching the lands it passes through. These deposits contribute to the fertile soils found along its banks, making the region ideal for agriculture. The river's journey from the mountains to the plains is evidence of the dynamic processes that shape our natural world. A surprising discovery. Isn't it amazing to think that this river, which currently swings to the south, meets the Mississippi near St. Louis, Missouri, and continues on clear down into the Gulf of Mexico, at one time flowed northeast. Not to the south, flowed northeast into Canada and clear into the Hudson Bay. Interestingly, the Missouri River doesn't flow into Hudson Bay anymore. It turns southward to join the Mississippi River, and eventually reaches the Gulf of Mexico. The Missouri at one time flowed to the northeast into Canada, and then switched right here to go to the south later. But not long ago, it did flow into Hudson Bay. Now, you might be wondering, if the Missouri River once flowed into Hudson Bay, how did it end up changing its course so dramatically? This is where the story gets really interesting. How did geologists figure out this amazing history? And why did the river dramatically change its course? Let's explore. By studying the landscape, sediment deposits, and other geological clues, they piece together a fascinating narrative of the river's past, investigating the river's path. At coal banks, the Missouri River makes an abrupt change in direction and starts flowing south. Geologists, curious about this unusual change, studied the area. They discovered that the Missouri River once flowed northeast into Canada, and later switched to a southward course. But there are other methods they used to unravel this history. To uncover the Missouri River's ancient pathways, geologists had to look at several key factors, the terrain, sediment layers, and river terraces. River terraces, in particular, offer valuable insights into the history of river flow and changes over time. If you're liking this video so far, don't forget to like and subscribe to the channel. So let's head south, about 175 miles to the iconic Yellowstone River, north of Yellowstone National Park, to learn some geologic principles used to understand river histories. Understanding river terraces. I'm standing on the banks of the iconic Yellowstone River in the aptly named Paradise Valley. It started its journey in the highlands mountains of Wyoming, working its way down. On the banks of the Yellowstone River in Paradise Valley, we see its journey from the highlands of Wyoming through Yellowstone Lake over the falls of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone and into the Great Plains. Here, we notice a flat-topped hill known as a river terrace, typically capped with cobbles and gravel. Observing the gravel on this terrace, we learn a lot about the river's past. In the foreground, we see a gravel bar deposited by the river, similar to the process that deposited the gravels on the terraces. Looking carefully, we can even see evidence of another terrace about 20 feet below the main one. These terraces tell us about the river's history of erosion and deposition. And we're looking sideways, cross-sectional view. This is just the land surface, and I've put a river that's cut a nice notch into the land here. Imagine a cross-sectional view with a river cutting a notch into the land. Rivers are mostly erosional, cutting down and sideways, creating new channels over time. As the river moves around, it cuts a broad valley with meanders. In map view, the river moves sideways, jumping around and cutting the valley. This process continues until climate changes introduce glaciers, which provide a lot of material to the river systems. These rivers become aggradational, building up material and creating braided river systems. When the climate changes again and glaciers recede, the river starts to downcut, creating a new valley and leaving behind remnants of the old aggraded systems as terraces. These terraces give us clues about the river's past, piecing together the river's history. With an understanding of river terraces, let's take an imaginary field trip across the northern Great Plains. Hiking along gentle rolling hills, we come across a valley without a river. By noting features like the length and gentle bends of the valley and finding a river terrace, we can deduce that a river once created this valley, but what happened to the river? Broaden our investigation to the Milk River, where we see a wide valley, but a modest river. This discrepancy suggests a significant geologic event, like a glacier or a landslide, diverted the ancient river. And we come to the Milk River and we start looking at that and we make some curious observations, some critical ones I should say. Flying eastward down the Milk River, we see the valley widening from a quarter mile to two or three miles. This observation suggests the ancient Missouri flowed north into Canada, joining the Milk River and creating this broad valley. A major geologic event then rerouted the river southward to its present course. The discovery of terraces and ancient river channels along the Missouri River's course led geologists to theorize that during the last ice age, massive glaciers covered much of North America. As these glaciers advanced, they altered the landscape, blocking the river's northeastward path and forcing it to find a new route. When the glaciers retreated, they left behind a dramatically altered landscape, including new river valleys and terraces. Other rivers around the Yellowstone area. The Yellowstone River is a truly unique river. It's the longest free-flowing, undammed river in the lower 48 states. The Yellowstone River is the longest undammed river in the contiguous United States, beginning in the Absaroka Range in Wyoming and flowing north through Yellowstone National Park. It continues its journey through Montana, eventually joining the Missouri River. The trailhead starts near the Yellowstone Park border. You need to cross the river right away, which in late August is about 18 inches deep where you cross. The Snake River originates in Yellowstone National Park and winds its way through Wyoming, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington before emptying into the Columbia River. The river's upper reaches in the park are characterized by pristine landscapes and abundant wildlife. The Gallatin River begins in the northwest corner of Yellowstone National Park and flows northward through the Gallatin Valley in Montana. It is renowned for its crystal clear waters, rugged canyons, and abundant fish populations, making it a popular spot for fly fishing, kayaking, and hiking. The Firehole River is one of the two main tributaries that form the Madison River. It flows through the geothermal areas of Yellowstone National Park, absorbing heat from the numerous hot springs and geysers along its course. The river's warm waters create unique habitats for various aquatic species and offer visitors the chance to see geothermal features up close. The Lamar River flows through the Lamar Valley in the northeastern part of Yellowstone National Park. The valley is often called the Serengeti of North America due to its abundant wildlife. Understanding river dynamics, river terraces offer critical insights to the historical flow and changes of rivers. They tell stories of climate changes, glaciation, and the dynamic processes shaping the landscape. Understanding these principles allows us to piece together the fascinating history of rivers like the Missouri, revealing their ancient roots and transformations. Let us know your thoughts about this video in the comments. And remember to like and subscribe for more intriguing discoveries like this!