We're missing a great opportunity
| Tuesday, Jun 30 2009 07:29 PM
Last Updated Tuesday, Jun 30 2009 07:29 PM
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I've read the Sharktooth Hill article that appeared in Sunday's Bakersfield Californian with interest. While my attraction in the hill is mainly paleontologic, the historic, ecologic and environmental conditions of the area are enormously important. The map outlining of the STH deposit reveals an area of some seven by 28 miles. This would indicate a prehistoric estuary of a river quite wide that had a flow of something approaching that of the present Amazon River dewatering a surface area of immense dimensions.
The Middle Miocene climactic weather history of the early Kern region is described as "semi-tropical" with few, if any, rain shadows. In other words, this place had frequent, heavy rains over a very large area that probably included parts of present-day Nevada.
I know evidence supporting these contentions is missing. The uplift of the Sierra Nevada Mountains destroyed any proof of these theories 4 millions years ago. Kern County and the San Joaquin geologic and paleontologic treasures are largely ignored by local authorities. However, there are places that have exploited these historic riches to their benefit. One such is the Royal Tyrell Museum in Alberta, Canada. This very large, beautiful museum is world renowned for its dinosaurs. People of all ages spend days visiting its exhibits. Drumheller, Alberta, site of the museum, would be largely a ghost town without the museum and business and money it provides. The question is: Why couldn't Kern County exploit its fossil resources as Alberta has?
BENJAMIN NAFUS
Bakersfield
