One of Utah’s most well-known geological features has collapsed. The Double Arch, which has also been known as the “Toilet Bowl,” “Crescent Pool,” and the “Hole in the Roof,” was formed within 190-million-year-old Navajo sandstone by rain and wind erosion, the National Park Service (NPS) explained.
The cause of the collapse is currently unclear, though the NPS believes it was likely caused by wind and rain erosion, which has caused fragments of the stone to chip and break off—a phenomenon we call spalling. Unfortunately, these geological features can have very limited life spans, depending on the severity of the weather in the area.
In this particular case, Lake Powell has been hit with a lot of wind and rain over the past several decades, causing the Double Arch to slowly deteriorate to a point where it likely collapsed under its own weight. But, the NPS says that this collapse still remains a reminder that we need to do everything we can to help protect these natural wonders.
Last year, the Lake Powell area—where the geological feature used to be found—also experienced some rock slides, which led to massive waves capable of capsizing smaller vessels. Luckily, nobody was hurt during that event, but it continues to be a reminder of just how dangerous these beautiful geological features can be.
It is also possible that human intervention played a part in the Double Arch’s collapse, as people have been known to push rocks and other things off the paths around these arches—something officials in the Lake Mead National Recreation Area outside of Las Vegas reported on back in April.
The geological feature was certainly one of the most well-known of the many arches in the area, though plenty of others remain standing strong.
