Reelfoot
The Earthquake Lake
Our third day will be spent at Reelfoot, the Earthquake
Lake. Located in Tiptonville, Tennessee, this shallow lake is said to have
been created by earthquakes 
attributed
to the New Madrid Fault Zone. According to
"eye witness" accounts and scientific data gathered in more modern 
times,
a series of 3 earthquakes shook the area around New Madrid, Missouri in
1811 and 1812. Additionally, many aftershocks were felt throughout the
region. If measured today with our richter scale,
the larger quakes would have an intensity of 8.0 or more. Witnesses report
than these quakes could be felt over an area of one million square miles,
from Canada to the eastern seaboard and New Orleans. During the course
of the quakes, large areas of land sank into the earth, new lakes were
formed, the course of the Mississippi River was changed, and forests were
destroyed over an area of 150,000 acres. Some say that the Mississippi
River ran backwards, but because the vast majority of the population in
the area at the time were not scientifically educated, that fact seems
to be in question. Nevertheless, Reelfoot Lake was created and it now said
to be a naturalist paradise!
We
will begin our tour at the Visitor's Center/Ellington Assembly Hall. We
will spend the first 30 minutes viewing a video which summarizes
information about the earthquakes of the 1800's and introduces us to the
museum and the park. We will then tour the museum and interpretive center.
Here will be introduced to more information about the geology of the area,
including additional theories about the creation of the lake. In addition,
we will have an opportunity to learn about wetland and the ecosystem of
the Reelfoot area.
The next stop on our tour, will be the outdoor wildlife
areas and boardwalk. Kept in cages outside of the visitor's center are
several birds of prey, including a bald 
eagle.
These birds have been permanently injured and cannot be released to live
in the wild. These animals are kept on site to give visitors a view of
them than cannot be seen in the wild. The boardwalk, a permanent walkway
through the wooded area behind the visitors center and extending out into
the water of the lake, provides an opportunity to view similar wildlife
in the wild. Reelfoot is a great place to visit in January and February,
as it is a winter home for some 200+ bald eagles. Some of these eagles
can sometimes be seen from the boardwalk behind the visitor's center.
We
will conclude our tour with a two hour Scenic Boat Cruise. The trip
will be guided by a park naturalist who will be eager to discuss the history
and wonders of Reelfoot Lake area. The boat tour will give us an opportunity
for more up close views of geologic features and wildlife of the area.
The cost for the boat cruise is $9.
References
The Virtual Times: The
New Madrid Earthquake, as Retrieved from the World Wide Web,
(July 9, 2003).
Photos
Thomas, Donna (June 2003).
