Question

Use your observations to make predictions. The Merced River flows from Yosemite Valley at an elevation of ∼1,200 meters above sea level in central Yosemite Valley to an elevation of ∼250 m where the river enters Lake McClure: a reservoir in the San Joaquin Valley west of Yosemite Valley. The actual distance the river travels along its channel from Yosemite to the upper end of Lake McClure is more than 65 km. You can examine the Merced River course between latitude 37.72°N, longitude 119.63°W (central Yosemite Valley) and 37.602°N, 120.100°W (inlet to Lake McClure on the Merced River) using Google Earth. (a) What sedimentary grain sizes are likely to be deposited in Lake McClure from the erosion of Yosemite Valley? (b) What do you think will be the composition of most of the sedimentary grains deposited in Lake McClure from Yosemite Valley?

Answer 1

Answer:

(a) The sediments which are deposited by the erosion of Yosemite valley into lake McClure are mostly sand and gravel size.

(b) Most of the sediments that are derived from the Yosemite valley are of igneous nature but if we talk about the sedimentary grains that come from the Yosemite valley than they have very little quartz in they and have both type of feldspar that is potassium feldspar and plagioclase feldspar.