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MSH84_castle_lake_debris_avalanche_march_1984.jpg
The May 18, 1980 debris avalanche from Mount St. Helens covered over 24 square miles (62 square kilometers) of the upper Toutle River valley and blocked tributaries of the North Fork Toutle River. New lakes such as Castle Lake (pictured here) and Coldwater Lake were created.
USGS Photograph taken in March 1984 by Robert L. Schuster.
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MSH81_coldwater_lake_outlet_channel_10-17-81.jpg
Outlet channels were built at Castle Lake and Coldwater Lake (shown here) to stabilize water levels and prevent overtopping of the debris dams.
USGS Photograph taken in October 17, 1981, by Lyn Topinka.
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MSH82_coldwater_lake_early_warning_gage_10-01-82.jpg
One major concern to people living downstream of Mount St. Helens was a breakout of any of the impounded lakes, such as Coldwater or Castle Lakes, due to the instability of the debris dams blocking them. Flood waters from a breakout could be more catastrophic than the lahars of May 18, 1980. Gages, such as this Early Warning Gage on Coldwater Lake, were installed at lakes and streams surrounding the volcano. These gages continuously monitored changes in water levels. Major increases or decreases in levels trigger warnings which are telemetered to the U.S. Geological Survey's Cascades Volcano Observatory in Vancouver.
USGS Photograph taken on October 1, 1982, by Lyn Topinka.
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MSH84_debris_avalanche_coldwater_lake_01-13-84.jpg
Debris Avalanche, looking at Coldwater Lake.
USGS Photograph taken in January 13, 1984.
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MSH80_aerial_blowdown_fawn_lake_10-28-80.jpg
Aerial view, blowdown and Fawn Lake. Note Mount St. Helens in the background. Note too USGS scientists in small boat on the lake taking water samples.
USGS Photograph taken on October 28, 1980, by Lyn Topinka.
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MSH80_aerial_spirit_lake_from_south_04-10-80.jpg
Spirit Lake before the big May 18, 1980, eruption of Mount St. Helenes. Another Cascade volcano, Mount Rainier (14,410 feet [4,392 meters]), is in the distance. The view is from the south.
USGS Photograph taken on April 10, 1980, by Pete Lipman.
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MSH80_blast_area_spirit_lake_with_rainier_10-04-80.jpg
Spirit Lake, once surrounded by lush forest, is within the area devastated by blast. Remnants of the forest float on the surface of the lake. Another Cascade volcano, Mount Rainier (14,410 feet [4,392 meters]), is in the distance. The view is from the south. Compare to MSH05_spirit_lake_with_mount_rainier_03-11-05_med.jpg taken nearly 25 years later (see below).
USGS Photograph taken on October 4, 1980, by Lyn Topinka.
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MSH81_spirit_lake_USGS_water_quality_boat_09-16-81.jpg
USGS hydrologists (in boat, yellow circle) sample Spirit Lake for water quality, one year after the May 18, 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens.
USGS Photograph taken on September 16, 1981, by Lyn Topinka.
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MSH82_st_helens_spirit_lake_reflection_05-19-82.jpg
Mount St. Helens and the devastated area is now within the 110,000-acre Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument, under jurisdiction of the United States Forest Service. Visitor centers, interpretive areas, and trails are being established as thousands of tourists, students, and scientists visit the monument daily. Mount St. Helens is once again considered to be one of the most beautiful and interesting of the Cascade volcanic peaks.
USGS Photograph taken on May 19, 1982, by Lyn Topinka.
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MSH83_spirit_lake_pump_station_09-23-83.jpg
From late 1982 through the spring of 1985, a pump station operated at Spirit Lake to maintain that lake at a safe level. Without pumping, Spirit Lake was estimated to overtop its debris dam within a year.
USGS Photograph taken on September 23, 1983, by Lyn Topinka.
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MSH84_fireweed_on_harrys_ridge_with_spirit_lake_09-04-84.jpg
Fireweed with Spirit Lake in the background. View from Harrys Ridge.
USGS Photograph taken in September 4, 1984, by Lyn Topinka.
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MSH86_spirit_lake_tunnel_10-02-86.jpg
In the spring of 1985 a permanent tunnel was opened, allowing water to drain out of Spirit Lake safely. This tunnel is 11 feet (3.4 meters) in diameter and more than 1.5 miles (2.5 kilometers) in length. The water level of Spirit Lake is now maintained at approximately 100 feet (30 meters) below the estimated overtopping level.
USGS Photograph taken on October 2, 1986, by Lyn Topinka.
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MSH05_aerial_st_helens_spirit_lake_02-01-05.jpg
Aerial view, Mount St. Helens as seen from the northeast. Spirit Lake is in the lower left. St. Helens Lake is in the lower right.
USGS Photograph taken on February 1, 2005, by John Pallister.
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Rainier05_mount_rainier_from_st_helens_crater_02-03-05.jpg
Aerial view, Mount Rainier as seen from the crater of Mount St. Helens. Spirit Lake is in the foreground.
USGS Photograph taken on February 3, 2005, by Matt Logan.
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MSH05_spirit_lake_with_mount_rainier_03-11-05.jpg
Spirit Lake, once surrounded by lush forest, is within the area devastated by the 1980 blast. Remnants of the forest still float on the surface of the lake. Another Cascade volcano, Mount Rainier (14,410 feet [4,392 meters]), is in the distance. The view is from the south. Compare to MSH80_blast_area_spirit_lake_with_rainier_10-04-80_med.jpg taken nearly 25 years earlier (see above).
USGS Photograph taken on March 11, 2005, by Steve Schilling.
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MSH05_debris_aval_spirit_lake_adams_03-11-05.jpg
1980 debris avalanche, Spirit Lake, and Mount Adams.
USGS Photograph taken on March 11, 2005, by David Wieprecht.
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MSH07_spirit_lake_mount_rainier_from_sugarbowl_03-29-07.jpg
Spirit Lake with Mount Rainier in the distance, as seen from Sugar Bowl, northeast flank of Mount St. Helens.
USGS Photograph taken on March 29, 2007, by Cindy Werner.
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MSH07_aerial_view_logs_on_spirit_lake_03-29-07.jpg
Aerial view, logs floating in Spirit Lake, a result of the massive May 18, 1980 eruption.
USGS Photograph taken on March 29, 2007, by Cindy Werner.
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MSH05_aerial_st_helens_spirit_lake_02-01-05.jpg
Aerial view, Mount St. Helens as seen from the northeast. Spirit Lake is in the lower left. St. Helens Lake is in the lower right.
USGS Photograph taken on February 1, 2005, by John Pallister.
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MSH84_aerial_swift_reservoir_swift_dam_06-22-84.jpg
Aerial view, Swift Reservoir and Swift Dam.
USGS Photograph taken on June 22, 1984, by Lyn Topinka.
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