Powell Butte

Powell Butte is located in Multnomah County in the U.S. state of Oregon.{{cite gnis |id=1136648 |name=Powell Butte |access-date=January 29, 2019|date=November 28, 1980}} According to the U.S. National Geodetic Survey, the butte reaches an elevation of {{convert|614|ft|m}}, while the Geographic Names Information System lists the mountain's elevation at {{convert|627|ft|m}}. J.E. Allen, an emeritus professor of Geology at Portland State University, listed its elevation as {{convert|560|ft|m}} in a 1975 publication.{{sfn|Allen|1975|p=151}}

Powell Butte is a cinder cone butte and is part of the Plio-Pleistocene Boring Lava Field,{{cite web|url=http://vulcan.wr.usgs.gov/Volcanoes/Oregon/BoringLavaField/VisitVolcano/powell_butte.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080414194301/http://vulcan.wr.usgs.gov/Volcanoes/Oregon/BoringLavaField/VisitVolcano/powell_butte.html|title=Powell Butte Cinder Cone, Portland, Oregon|publisher=United States Geological Survey|work=Cascades Volcano Observatory|date=2008|archive-date=April 14, 2008|access-date=February 26, 2019}} a group of volcanic cones that got their name from the low, forested Boring Hills formation.{{sfn|Evarts|Conrey|Fleck|Hagstrum|2009|p=263}} Located in the Portland Basin, the Boring Lava Field consists of monogenetic volcanic cones that appear as hills throughout the area, reaching heights of {{convert|650|ft|m}} above their surroundings. The field includes more than 80 small volcanic edifices and lava flows in the Portland–Vancouver metropolitan area, with the possibility of more volcanic deposits buried under sedimentary rock layers.{{cite web|url=https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/observatories/cvo/cvo_boring.html|title=The Boring Volcanic Field — Hills of the Portland Basin|publisher=United States Geological Survey|date=November 13, 2017|access-date=February 25, 2019|work=Cascades Volcano Observatory|archive-date=September 30, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180930030811/https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/observatories/cvo/cvo_boring.html|url-status=live}} Volcanism in the Boring Lava Field is the product of subduction of the Juan de Fuca oceanic tectonic plate under the North American continental tectonic plate, as well as regional rifting. Powell Butte lies northwest of the Boring Hills, and the surrounding area includes (moving clockwise from the north) other volcanic centers like Green Mountain, Prune Hill, Chamberlain Hill, Devils Rest, Larch Mountain, Pepper Mountain, Kelly Butte, and Mount Tabor.{{sfn|Evarts|Conrey|Fleck|Hagstrum|2009|p=263}}

The top of Powell Butte consists of volcanic rock from the Troutdale Formation,{{sfn|Allen|1975|p=151}} on top of which are remnants from a local eruption in the Boring Lava Field,{{sfn|Trimble|1963|p=40}} including scoria and volcanic ash.{{sfn|Swanson|1986|p=68}} Powell Butte is one of the smaller volcanic cones in the Boring Lava Field.{{sfn|Trimble|1963|p=37}} During the Pliocene (5 million to 2 million years ago), hyaloclastite formed from interaction of Cascade, alumina-rich basalt lava with the Columbia River.{{sfn|Swanson|1986|p=67}} After these hyaloclastite units were deposited, further deformation occurred,{{sfn|Swanson|1986|p=67}} leading to the accumulation of gravel and lithic fragments to elevations of {{convert|600|to|700|ft|m}} in the Portland area.{{sfn|Swanson|1986|p=68}} Powell Butte is partially mantled by post hyaloclastite gravel from the Troutdale Formation,{{sfn|Swanson|1986|p=68}} which is likely the result of redeposited soil after erosion.{{sfn|Trimble|1963|p=43}} Like the rest of the Boring Lava Field, Powell Butte is extinct.

The climate at Powell Butte is cool, creating a short growing season environment.{{sfn|Brown|Durst|Wrolstad|De Jong|2008|p=261}} It supports grass meadows, which sustain apple, pear, and walnut trees.

Powell Butte sits near Johnson Creek, a tributary of the Willamette River that sustains native salmon and rainbow trout. It also supports the Powell Butte Nature Park and its associated meadow and forest areas. These habitats are populated by bats, black-tailed mule deer, chipmunks, coyotes, gray foxes, ground squirrels, rabbits, raccoons, ring-necked pheasants, and skunks. Birds of prey are common among the park's open meadows, groves of wild hawthorn and western red cedar trees, and wetlands. Kestrels and red-tailed hawks hunt on top of the butte.{{sfn|Bishop|Allen|2004|p=93}} There are mixed forests of bigleaf maple and Douglas fir trees on the butte's northern side.{{sfn|Bishop|Allen|2004|p=93}}

Powell Butte lies within historic territory of the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community of Oregon, which covered more than {{convert|20000000|acre|km2}} and extended from the Columbia River to the Klamath River. At the end of the 19th century, much of the meadow area near Powell Butte was cleared and replaced with an orchard by settlers. In 1925, the Portland city government bought the land encompassing Powell Butte from George Wilson with the intent to use it for water reservoirs. They leased the northeastern part of the land to farmer Henry Anderegg, who owned and operated the Meadowland Crest Dairy until 1948. In the mid-1970s, Portland's Water Bureau created a development plan for Powell Butte including four {{convert|50000000|USgal|L|adj=on}} underground reservoirs to be built at the northern side of the mountain. The first of these reservoirs was constructed in 1981 and the second in 2014.

File:Powell Butte Nature Park, Mt Hood National Forest (34759421610).jpg

Powell Butte hosts the Powell Butte Nature Park, which encompasses an area of about {{convert|612|acre|km2}}.{{cite web| url = http://www.portlandonline.com/parks/finder/index.cfm?action=ViewPark&PropertyID=528| title = Powell Butte Nature Park| publisher = Portland Parks & Recreation| access-date = January 29, 2019| archive-date = July 26, 2013| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130726121421/http://www.portlandonline.com/parks/finder/index.cfm?PropertyID=528&action=ViewPark| url-status = live}} The nature park was established by Portland city government in 1987 and opened to the public in 1990 and is maintained by Portland Parks & Recreation; it currently includes a natural area, trails for biking, horseback riding, and hiking. The Friends of Powell Butte is an organization formed in 1990,{{cite web|url=http://friendsofpowellbutte.org/about-us/|title=About Us|publisher=Friends of Powell Butte|date=2019|access-date=January 30, 2019|archive-date=January 31, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190131093559/http://friendsofpowellbutte.org/about-us/|url-status=live}} which is focused on protecting the resources of the nature park. It meets monthly to implement park planning and improvement and gather citizen input.

Within the Boring Lava Field, Mount Tabor and Powell Butte are better known for their recreational uses than other cones.{{cite news|url=https://www.oregonlive.com/travel/index.ssf/2017/10/a_hidden_hike_among_greshams_v.html|title=A hidden hike among Gresham's volcanoes|date=October 3, 2017|access-date=October 2, 2018|work=OregonLive.com|publisher=Oregonian Media Group|last=Hale|first=J.|archive-date=October 3, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181003014243/https://www.oregonlive.com/travel/index.ssf/2017/10/a_hidden_hike_among_greshams_v.html|url-status=live}} Powell Butte Nature Park offers {{convert|9|mi|km}} of trails,{{cite web|url=https://www.asla.org/Portland/site.aspx?id=44389|title=Powell Butte Nature Park|work=The Landscape Architect’s Guide to Portland, Oregon|publisher=American Society of Landscape Architects|date=2018|last=Faha|first=M.|access-date=October 3, 2018|archive-date=October 3, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181003221037/https://www.asla.org/Portland/site.aspx?id=44389|url-status=live}} with many formal and informal paths.{{sfn|Bishop|Allen|2004|p=92}} The top of the butte also offers views of Mount Adams, Mount Hood, Mount Jefferson, and Mount St. Helens.

{{Reflist}}

• {{cite journal|last=Allen|first=J. E.|title=Volcanoes of the Portland Area, Oregon|volume=37|issue=9|publisher=Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries|date=September 1975|url=https://www.portlandoregon.gov/civic/article/633833|journal=The Ore Bin|access-date=2019-01-31|archive-date=2018-08-25|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180825073819/https://www.portlandoregon.gov/civic/article/633833|url-status=dead}}
• {{Cite book|last1=Bishop|first1=E. M.|last2=Allen|first2=J. E.|year=2004|title=Hiking Oregon's geology|publisher=The Mountaineers Books|isbn=978-0898868470|edition=2}}
• {{Cite journal|last1=Brown|first1=C. R.|last2=Durst|first2=R. W.|last3=Wrolstad|first3=R.|last4=De Jong|first4=W.|title=Variability of phytonutrient content of potato in relation to growing location and cooking method|journal=Potato Research|date=December 2008|volume=51|issue = 3–4|pages=259–270|doi= 10.1007/s11540-008-9115-0}}
• {{citation|url=https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/books/book/885/volcanoes-to-vineyards|editor-last1=O'Connor|editor-first1=J. E.|editor-last2=Dorsey|editor-first2=R. J.|editor-last3=Madin|editor-first3=I. P.|last1=Evarts|first1=R. C.|last2=Conrey|first2=R. M.|last3=Fleck|first3=R. J.|last4=Hagstrum|first4=J. T.|title=The Boring Volcanic Field of the Portland-Vancouver area, Oregon and Washington: Tectonically anomalous forearc volcanism in an urban setting|publisher=Geological Society of America|work=Volcanoes to Vineyards: Geologic Field Trips Through the Dynamic Landscape of the Pacific Northwest|id=Geological Society of America Field Guide 15|isbn=9780813756158|pages=253–270|date=January 2009|doi=10.1130/2009.fld015(13)|url-access=subscription}}.
• {{cite thesis|url=https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=4729&context=open_access_etds|last=Swanson|first=R. D.|title=A stratigraphic-geochemical study of the Troutdale Formation and Sandy River Mudstone in the Portland basin and lower Columbia River Gorge|date=1986|publisher=Portland State University|id=Paper 3720|doi=10.15760/etd.5604|doi-access=free}}
• {{citation|last=Trimble|first=D. E.|title=Geology of Portland, Oregon, and adjacent areas: Bulletin 1119|publisher=United States Geological Survey|date=1963|doi=10.3133/b1119|url=https://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/b1119|oclc=793416650|doi-access=free}}.

{{Portal|Oregon}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20110807175820/http://vulcan.wr.usgs.gov/Imgs/Jpg/Oregon/BoringLavaField/usgs-aerial-photo_powell_butte_2001.jpg Aerial photo of Powell Butte] from USGS

{{Parks in Portland, Oregon}}

{{Volcanoes of Oregon |state=collapsed}}

Category:Buttes of Oregon

Category:Cascade Volcanoes

Category:Cinder cones of the United States

Category:Extinct volcanoes of the United States

Category:Landforms of Multnomah County, Oregon

Category:Parks in Southeast Portland, Oregon

Category:Subduction volcanoes

Category:Volcanoes of Multnomah County, Oregon

Category:Volcanoes of Oregon