Mount St. Helens, Skamania County, Washington, Oil on canvas 30" x 40"
The eruption of Mount St. Helens on May 18th, 1980 and subsequent lava flows poured vast amounts of sediment into the Toutle River. The river's watershed was severely affected as the valley was coated with with ash and filled with successive mudflows. The eruption was the most destructive Volcanic eruption in U.S. history and reduced the elevation of Mt. St. Helens from 9,677 feet to 8,363 feet.