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onthesurfaceoftheplateau.esearecalledscablands.Onlyplantsthatneedlittlewatersuchassagebrushcangrowhere.About10000yearsagoahugeice-dammedlakeGlacialLakeMissoulainnorthwesternMontanasuddenlyburstitsdamandemptiedtothewest.ItreleasedagigantictidalwaveofwaterthatoodedandshapedmanyofthelandformsoftheColumbiaPlateau.Todayyoucanstillseedrycanyonscalledcouleesanddryfallsrockyremindersofthetremendouspoweroftheoods.PalousePrairieegentlyrollinghillsofsoutheasternWashingtonwiththeirdistinctivewave-likeshapearecalledthePalouse.esepeculiarhumpsandhollowswereformedduringtheIceAgeswhenmanylayersofsiltwereleftbyhugeoodsandwind-blowndirt.Until150yearsagomuchofthePalousewasstillprairiewithclumpsofbunchgrassesandmanydierentkindsofwild-owers.Todaymostofthelandisfarmedandthisiswhereourwheatisgrown.InlatespringandearlysummerthehillsofthePalouseturnabeautifulgreenandgold.RockyMountainHighNortheasternWashingtonisalittleliketheoldWildWest.Lookfortumbleweedscoyotesandmaybeevenacowboyisisaplacewherecattleroamfreeamongforestandsagebrush.eruggedRockyMountainscutacrossthisnortheasterncornerofthestate.WaterWaterEverywhereWashingtonisawateryplaygroundwithmanybodiesofwaterowinginoutandacrossthestate.Wehavehundredsoflakesandriversandthousandsofmilesofshoreline.DIGit.StoneroseFossilsInaremotenortheasterncornerofWashington50-million-year-oldplantsinsectsandevensharerecordedinstone.esevividfossilsalsoholdcluestothePacicNorthwestsgeologicandbiologicpast.YoucanvisittheStoneroseInterpretiveCenterinRepublicWashingtonandevendigforyourownfossilsatthisfamoussite.