SILS Information Bulletin

Number: 06-13 Free Products

Date: August 15, 2006

200^th Anniversary of Pikes Peak, Colorado (SAP #206590) November 2006 marks the 200^th anniversary of the Zebulon M. Pike expedition’s first sighting of what has become one of the world’s most famous mountains-Pikes Peak. In the decades following that sighting, Pikes Peak became symbolic of America’s Western Frontier embodying the spirit of Native Americans, early explorers, trappers and traders who traversed the vast uncharted wilderness of the Western Great Plains and the Southern Rocky Mountains. .

This colorful 2-sided poster measures approximately 33x40 inches and contains numerous pictures of the Gold Rush, Pikes Peak Cog Railway, Barr Trail, and the Pikes Peak Hill Climb. General Information Product #32.

Big Thompson Flood, Colorado (SAP # 206384) In the early evening of July 31, 1976, a large stationary thunderstorm released as much as 7.5 inches of rainfall in about an hour (about 12 inches in a few hours) in the upper reaches of the Big Thompson River drainage. This large amount of rainfall in such a short period of time produced a flash flood that caught residents and tourists by surprise. The immense volume of water that churned down the narrow Big Thompson Canyon scoured the river channel and destroyed everything in its path, including 418 homes, 52 businesses, numerous bridges, roads, power lines and many other structures. The tragedy claimed the lives of 144 people.

The poster of the Big Thompson Flood, which ranks among the deadliest of Colorado’s recorded floods, contains pictures and geologic descriptions of the event. This General Information Product #35 measures approximately 40x47 inches.

Shock Waves-One Hundred Years After the 1906 Earthquake (SAP # 206546) This 46 minute DVD is a documentary showing the century of progress that science and engineering have made since the 1906 Earthquake. Historical recreations, hundred-year-old film footage, and still photographs convey the extent of destruction and human response to the colossal event. The San Andreas Fault and quakes in general are demystified by a diverse team of experts and the Bay area is presented as a showcase for earthquake preparedness. General Information Product #40.

These are great products for schools, conferences and special events. They are offered free of charge but do come with a $5.00 handling charge for each order mailed. They are available from USGS Science Information and Library Services (SILS). To place an order call the SILS offices at 1-888-ASK-USGS, or visit the USGS Store at: http://store.usgs.gov .

Sheryle Girk-Jackson 303 202 4176, FAX 303 202 4633, email: sjjackson@usgs.gov