The first is a Google Earth screenshot, in which the purple represents a filled-in contour of 80m asl [above sea level], and the blue of 120m asl. The blue area delineates the westward flowing paleochannel which would appear to have been cross-cut and captured by the SE flowing Swan R., whose channel is purple.
This image is intriguing because it shows both the parallelism of the western Australia streams, and also a consistent jog in stream channels that appears as they approach the coastal plain.
Another feature on this second image is the flatness of the plateau east of the Darling escarpment. The Sheet flow stage of the retreating floodwaters explains the flatness of this plateau which has had kilometres of sediment removed in sheets from its surface.
Notice how far the valley of the Swan River (yellow) has cut westward (and then southward) into the plateau, for more than 100 km through Northam and York and as far as Brookton. This huge valley is more than 10 km wide in many places. It’s appearance is similar to the Grand Canyon in the USA but it is not as wide or as deep. Peter Scheele published a study on Grand Canyon in the Journal of Creation using a receding-Flood scenario for its origin.
Notice the fractal shape of the edges of the Swan River valley on the plateau. That is similar to the shape of Grand Canyon, USA. Sheele explains how a huge, deep body of water ponded on the plateau would carve that fractal shape as it drained off the plateau and across the escarpment.
Notice the faint ripple pattern on the surface of the plateau. It looks like the sorts of sand ripples often found on the beach after the tide has gone out. These sorts of features are noticeable in landscapes all over the world.
These images graphically reveal the signature of the Retreating stage of Noah’s Flood on the landscape. The ready availability of Google earth allows anyone to do these sorts of investigations.
Berend de Boer
That is very interesting. I tried it for NZ and you get indeed something that looks like huge channels receding towards the ocean. Please post more on this subject and this tool and explain what we are seeing.
Phil Worts
Are the “ripples” referred to on the Walyunga image?
If so they reflect the underlying geology along the Darling Range – tectonically deformed (NS strike or parallel to coastline) Yilgarn Block granites, etc.
Another feature of the SW corner of WA’s Yilgarn Block is that many linear sections of rivers, creeks & valleys are controlled by the suite of faults (wnw trending). These shear zones being more readily eroded by trangressing & especially receding floodwaters.
It is possible that some of the lakes & swamps (that often form “strings” of them down flat valleys) may have been started/formed by receding floorwater eddies (?) Comments?
Tas Walker responds: Hi Phil, The ripples I was referring to are on the second image in the pale green areas (E.g around Monadnocks Reserve and Boyagarring Reserve in the south, and between Copley and York in the north). They are easier to see on a higher res image. There are similar looking landforms on the Walyunga image too. Yes, the geological control can be seen on the shape of the rivers as they now flow over the plateau, the long course of the Swan in particular. As you say, they tend to flow either nw or sw. I agree with your suggestion on the possibilities of floodwater eddies. These are ideas that need further examination.
Receding floodwaters carved Sydney landscapes Google shows
[…] which the scarp west of Sydney pops out. It seems that 80m is globally significant in many places. Near Perth it also roughly marks the border scarp. On the east coast of the US, it’s a rough marker of […]
Thomas L. Cordell
With the earth covered with water, wouldn’t the tides would’nt grow unhindered until the land masses started to emerge, then massive erosion would take place and the flow of the tides would generally be east to west.
Of course fractures in the land masses would erode first and as in the case of the Grand Canyon, USA the blind canyons are evidence of sloughing and not stream erosion. Do you see such canyons on the edges of those continents?
You are probably aware of the remnants of civilizations that are under the water off various coasts, thought to be evidence of ice age settlements on the coasts of lower ocean levels. Appreciate any additional information on past levels and postflood drainage evidences.
Tas Walker responds: Hi Thomas, Yes the tides would have moved unhindered by the land masses. Clark & Voss did some simulations on this and reported them in a paper “Resonance and Sedimentary Layering in the Context of a Global Flood” at the 1990 International Conference on Creationism. They also published a paper at the 1994 ICC called “Towards and Understanding of the Tidal Fluid Mechanics Associated with the Genesis Flood”. Also, Daniel W. Barnette & John R. Baumgardner did some computer models and published a paper at the 1994 ICC called “Patterns of Ocean Circulation Over the Continents During Noah’s Flood”. You can find details on the ICC site. Canyons such as Grand Canyon were the last features to be carved by receding floodwaters.
woody henden
I’m currently researching the geology of Western Australia, and was surprised to come across this site. I’m amazed that these conclusions have been made from this “sea-level” evidence. I’m a born-again Christian, and geologist, but can no longer entertain Flood geology as a plausible means for what we observe on earth. The canyons described here cross-cut many events which indicate large periods of time; unconformities, which represent geological evidence for changing environment and climate. These all point towards geology occurring slowly, and not being laid down in one event. I would recommend Young and Stearley’s book The Bible, Rocks, and Time for anyone interested to learn more.
Best regards!
Woody
Tas Walker replies:
Dear Woody,
Jesus believed Noah’s Flood was a real, global event, and I would have thought that a follower of Christ should have the same attitude to Scripture that He had.
Actually the evidence in the field does not point to long periods of time but to rapid processes. The granite plutons and the dolerite intrusions in the Boya quarries are both products of events that could have taken just days or weeks (search creation.com for “granite”). The sandstone deposits in the Perth basin (not exposed there but visible to the north) are similar to the sedimentary blankets in Eastern Australia and point to very rapid water flows. The thin cenozoic dune deposits from the coast to the Darling Range are likely post-Flood and could have taken hundreds or thousands of years.
Mike Oard did a review of Young and Stearley’s book called, Poor scholarship and self deception. Have a read.
It is not easy to go against the flow when you are studying geology but it is definitely possible. And as a follower of Christ we are called to the narrow way. The key is to hold the Bible tightly (it is the Word of God and the true history of the world) and to be well read in creationist geological literature (there is a lot more now than when I did my geology degree). I would encourage you to keep doing your reading and research.