ABSTRACT Deep river canyons are thought to form slowly over geological time (see, for example, ref. 1), cut by moderate flows that reoccur every few years2,3. In contrast, some of the most

spectacular canyons on Earth and Mars were probably carved rapidly during ancient megaflood events4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12. Quantification of the flood discharge, duration and erosion mechanics

that operated during such events is hampered because we lack modern analogues. Canyon Lake Gorge, Texas, was carved in 2002 during a single catastrophic flood13. The event offers a rare

opportunity to analyse canyon formation and test palaeo-hydraulic-reconstruction techniques under known topographic and hydraulic conditions. Here we use digital topographic models and

type: plucking of limestone blocks produced waterfalls, inner channels and bedrock strath terraces, whereas abrasion of cemented alluvium sculpted walls, plunge pools and streamlined

islands. Canyon formation was so rapid that erosion might have been limited by the ability of the flow to transport sediment. We suggest that our results might improve hydraulic

reconstructions of similar megafloods on Earth and Mars. Access through your institution Buy or subscribe This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution ACCESS

OPTIONS Access through your institution Subscribe to this journal Receive 12 print issues and online access $259.00 per year only $21.58 per issue Learn more Buy this article * Purchase on

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institutional subscriptions * Read our FAQs * Contact customer support SIMILAR CONTENT BEING VIEWED BY OTHERS LATE HOLOCENE CANYON-CARVING FLOODS IN NORTHERN ICELAND WERE SMALLER THAN

PREVIOUSLY REPORTED Article Open access 11 May 2021 QUANTITATIVE ASSESSMENT OF THE EROSION AND DEPOSITION EFFECTS OF LANDSLIDE-DAM OUTBURST FLOOD, EASTERN HIMALAYA Article Open access 25

March 2024 MARTIAN LANDSCAPES OF FLUVIAL RIDGES CARVED FROM ANCIENT SEDIMENTARY BASIN FILL Article 27 October 2022 REFERENCES * Karlstrom, K. E., Crow, R., Crossey, L. J., Coblentz, D. &

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(1982). Article  Google Scholar  Download references ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Fieldwork was completed with permission from the Canyon Lake Gorge Preservation Society and the US Army Corps of

Engineers. We are indebted to Bill Ward for facilitating this access, sharing his field notes and discussions. We thank B. McElroy, P. Myrow, R. Ewing, J. Shaw and D. Mohrig for field

assistance. R. Sears provided photographs taken during the flood event. AUTHOR INFORMATION AUTHORS AND AFFILIATIONS * California Institute of Technology, Geological and Planetary Sciences,

1200 E. California Blvd., Pasadena, California 91125, USA Michael P. Lamb * Department of Geography, Texas State University, 601 University Dr., San Marcos, Texas 78666, USA Mark A. Fonstad

Authors * Michael P. Lamb View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar * Mark A. Fonstad View author publications You can also search for this author

inPubMed Google Scholar CONTRIBUTIONS M.P.L. was primarily responsible for field measurements, sediment-transport modelling, palaeo-hydraulic analysis and drafting the manuscript. M.A.F.

provided field observations immediately following the flood, preliminary hydraulic modelling and assisted in manuscript preparation. CORRESPONDING AUTHOR Correspondence to Michael P. Lamb.

ETHICS DECLARATIONS COMPETING INTERESTS The authors declare no competing financial interests. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION Supplementary Information (PDF 1472 kb)

RIGHTS AND PERMISSIONS Reprints and permissions ABOUT THIS ARTICLE CITE THIS ARTICLE Lamb, M., Fonstad, M. Rapid formation of a modern bedrock canyon by a single flood event. _Nature Geosci_

3, 477–481 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1038/ngeo894 Download citation * Received: 23 December 2009 * Accepted: 18 May 2010 * Published: 20 June 2010 * Issue Date: July 2010 * DOI:

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