Rock Island Dam Island Pool. Rock Island Dam is constructed on Columbia River basalt similar to that which is exposed on the cliffs near the dam. These columnar basalts were formed from lava flows during the mid- to late-Miocene Epoch, some 14 to 16 million years ago. The rock is strong and durable and provides a very stable foundation for the structure. Columbia River stream flows at the Project averaged 73,700 cubic feet per second (2090 m³/s), a decrease of 37% from 2000 and 63% of the 20 year average of 116,700 cubic feet per second (3305 m³/s). The Rock Island Hydro Project
Lava New lava flows will cover the surrounding land, isolating the kīpuka so that it appears as a (usually) forested island in a barren lava flow. Lava domes are formed by the extrusion of viscous felsic magma. They can form prominent rounded protuberances, such as at Valles Caldera. As a volcano extrudes silicic lava, it can form an "inflation dome", gradually building up a large, pillow-like structure which cracks, fissures, and may release cooled chunks of rock and rubble. The top and side margins of an inflating lava dome tend to be covered in fragments of rock, breccia and ash. Examples