WASHINGTON GEOLOGY Washington Department of Natural Resources, Division of Geology and Earth Resources Vol. 20, No. 2, June 1992 A retaining wall of boulders (or a rockery) under construction in the Seattle area. See related article on p. 3. Photo supplied by Associated Rockery Contractors. In This Issue: Building and decorative stone production in Washington, p. 3; Shallow explosion-like seismicity and steam-and-ash emissions at Mount St. Helens, August 1989-June 1991, p. 12; Recent Pacific Northwest earthquake information, p. 19; Current research on Eocene conifers at Republic, Washington, p. 20; Washington framework for seismic risk reduction, p. 24; 1992 geological projects, Washington colleges and universities, p. 28. WASHINGTON Budget Reductions GEOLOGY Fiscal Years 92-93 by Raymond Lasmanis Washington Geology (ISSN 1058-2134) is published four times a year by the Washington Division of Geology and Earth Resources, Department of Natural Resources. This publication is free upon re­ With the slowdown of the state's economy, all activities quest. The Division also publishes bulletins, information circulars, that were normally paid for by the state's general fund have reports of investigations, geologic maps, and open-file reports. A list of these publications will be sent upon request. been cut back by 10 percent for the current biennium. This budget reduction applies to the geologic and regulatory pro­ grams of the Division of Geology and Earth Resources. Be­ DEPARTMENT Brian J . Boyle cause discretionary expense items (such as portions of our OF Commissioner of Public Lands printing and travel budgets) were removed from our budget NATURAL Art Stearns during an earlier belt-tightening period, the current reduction RESOURCES Supervisor is now more severely affecting staff salaries and benefits. The legislature has also instructed agencies to further reduce DIVISION OF Raymond Lasmanis expenses for equipment, personal services contracts, travel, GEOLOGY State Geologist and printing by 25 percent. Cumulatively, this is having a AND EARTH J . Eric Schuster major impact on our activity levels. RESOURCES Assistant State Geologist Despite these budget cuts, our long-term priorities remain unchanged. We will continue to work toward our goal of Geologists Matthew J . Brunengo David K. Norman producing up-to-date geologic maps of the state at scales of (Olympia) Joe D. Dragovich Stephen P. Palmer 1: 100,000 and 1:250,000; it is the Division's intent to Wendy J . Gerstel Patrick T. Pringle preserve the highly talented state geologic map team. In Venice L. Goetz Weldon W. Rau addition to this ongoing geologic work, the Growth Manage­ William S. Lingley, Jr. Katherine M. Reed ment Act, forest practices activities, surface-mining conflicts, Robert L. (Josh) Logan Henry W. Schasse urban growth issues, increasing earthquake awareness, and Timothy J. Walsh many other related issues add to our workload while funding (Spokane) Robert E. Derkey Charles W. Gulick is being reduced. Librarian Connie J . Manson In order to make all this possible, at least in the short Library Technician Rebecca Christie term, the reduction in the level of general-fund support for Research Technician Rex J. Hapala salaries and benefits will have to be offset by grants and Editor Katherine M. Reed contracts. Staff members are actively seeking funding from Cartographers Nancy A. Eberle Carl F. T. Harris numerous sources, from the federal government and within Keith G. Ikerd the state. It appears that we will be successful in this en­ Editorial Assistant/Designer Jaretta M. (Jari) Roloff deavor. Administrative Assistant Barbara A. Preston Wherever possible, we are seeking out contracts that will Word Processing Specialist J . Renee Christensen not only meet the needs of the funding organization, but will Clerical Staff Naomi Hall Shelley Reisher at the same time advance our state map program. However, Kelli Ristine these opportunities will be limited. As staff time is transferred Regulatory Clerical Staff Mary Ann Shawver to preparing products for the grants and contracts, less time can be devoted to work on the components of the map of the state's northwest quadrant. This translates into a delay Main Office Department of Natural Resources in completion of this last (northwest) segment of the state Division of Geology and Earth Resources geologic map. P.O. Box 47007 We are cutting back at least temporarily on some of our Olympia, WA 98504-7007 Phone: 206/459-6372 normal functions-for example, we will publish fewer formal FAX: 206/459-6380 publications. During the next legislative session, we will be seeking increased funding for important Division programs. (See map inside back cover for office location.) Despite the significant budget reductions, we remain com­ Field Office Department of Natural Resources mitted to meeting our obligations, to serving our clients, and Division of Geology and Earth Resources making geologic information available. • Spokane County Agricultural Center N. 222 Havana Spokane, WA 99202-4776 Phone: 509/533-2484 FAX : 509/533-2087 Publications available from the Olympia address only. Printed on recycled paper. Washington Geology, vol. 20, no. 2 2 Building and Decorative Stone Production in Washington by Charles W. Gulick ... our bountifully endowed commonwealth, rich in everything, is wealthy in the possession of the finest building, dimension, and rubble stone of nearly every known variety from the finest of marbles to the sturdiest of granites and sandstones. George A. Bethune, State Geologist, report for 1890 (1891, p. 97) The preceding statement by Washington's first state ge­ central Washington. Sedimentary and metamorphic rock ologist is no Jess true today than it was 102 years ago. The (dolomite, marble, and quartzite) production occurs primarily variety of high-quality raw materials in Washington is impres­ in northeastern Washington. sive, and the reserves are seemingly inexhaustible. Over the years, changes in the industrial minerals business, such as CLASSIFICATION OF BUILDING STONE more efficient transportation, have facilitated production. Building stone can be defined as any rock type that is New or enlarged market segments for crushed and large suitable for construction purposes because it has acceptable landscaping stone, rockery (Fig .lA), and exposed aggregates durability and attractiveness and can be economically pro­ (Fig. 18) suggest greater opportunities in the near future. duced. Building stone includes hearthstone, rubble, moss­ While these markets have expanded, however, production covered rock, river rock, large landscaping rock, fieldstone, of traditional building stone has all but ceased. As recently flagstone, curbing/paving blocks, and rough, natural con­ as 1964 there were at least SO producers of dimension stone struction stone. Building stone also consists of crushed stone or rough construction stone, whereas in 1992 there are products such as landscaping rock, exposed aggregate, dry fewer than ten. Nonetheless, if Bethune were alive today, dash stucco (finely ground material that acts as micro­ he would be witnessing an active building and decorative exposed-aggregate and may be used to color the product), stone industry and might be heartened to find that the Ev­ terrazzo, and roofing granules. Lastly, building stone com­ ergreen State's dolomite chips are a component of the ter­ prises cut or dressed stone such as ashlar (Fig. 2), roofing razzo floors at Denver's Stapleton airport and the new United slate, and some monuments. Some classifications include Airlines terminal at Chicago's O'Hare airport. manufactured stone, such as cultured marble, reconstituted While such far-flung applications do exist, most of the stone, and manmade stone as forms of building stone. Even business of 1992 producers is closer to home. Healthy de­ though stone sculptures have a decorative function and have mand exists from both residential and commercial construc­ been considered building stone, many carvings and objets tion projects throughout the populous high-growth corridor d'art are more commonly classified as gems. along the major highways of western Washington and else­ Classifications of building stone (Moen, 1967; Power, where in the Pacific Northwest. Andesite, basalt, cinders, 1983) typically place dimension stone in a separate category diorite, granite, dolomite, limestone, marble, pumice, quartz­ because it has unique properties. Dimension stone for build­ ite, and sandstone are currently quarried for building stone ings and monuments/tombstones is quarried in regularly and landscape rock products. shaped blocks, cut to specific sizes, and, for most uses, Not surprisingly, the distribution of raw materials and polished, honed, or flame finished. In some buildings, dimen­ production is not uniform. Igneous rock varieties, while pre­ sion stone plays a structural role, in others, stone is purely sent essentially statewide, are quarried chiefly in western and decorative. Quarrying of dimension stone in Washington is currently idle but has yielded blocks of granite and Chuckanut, Tenino, and Wilkeson sandstones that have been used in Figure lA. A rock wall (rockery) being constructed. Photo Figure 18. Two-inch-<liameter river rock aggregate is ex­ courtesy of Fred Hackney, Alpine Rockeries, Woodinville. posed on the face of these "tilt-up" prefabricated walls . 3 Washington Geology, vol. 20, no. 2 grand buildings such as the Cathedral of St. John the Evan­ gelist in Spokane (Fig . 3), the Legislative Building