A river in southern Oregon turns a powdery blue in winter.
Chetco River in December. Photo: © Donald J. Rommes
The heavy rains of winter swell the rivers of southern Oregon. With headwaters in the high peaks of the Siskious 30 miles inland, the 4,500-foot descent to the ocean is steep and fast. The increased volume and velocity of water multiply its erosive power. The water grinds the rock it flows over, picks up riverbed sediment, and puts it into suspension.
Rock powder suspended in clear water turns it milky blue — like the color of many of the lakes of the Canadian Rockies.
The powdery blue of the river in the photo above is so characteristic of the season that you don't really need to see the leafless alders to know it is winter.
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