Where did the ash go from the Mount St.Helens eruption.

rocky anonymous

Dear Reader,

Thanks for your question about where the ash went from the Mount St. Helens eruption.
A huge volume of ash was created by the various 1980 eruptions of Mount St. Helens. Every community affected had its own ways of dealing with the ash. Tons of ash was probably washed down storm drains and into sewer systems as people cleaned roofs and sidewalks. Local landfills received ash. Many tons of ash came down rivers and streams into the Columbia River. The river had to be dredged to allow shipping to pass, and the sand dredged from the bottom was deposited in large dykes along the Columbia. These dikes are now covered in grass and trees, but if a person was to dig down a few feet they would find the ash.
Ash can still be found on the floor of forested areas all around the mountain, and the blast zone is still heavily covered by ash. Souvenir "ash" trays and mugs made from Mount St. Helens ash can be purchased at gift shops near the mountain.

Hope this answers your question,

Jon Nelson,
VolcanoWorld participant and,
Jon Nelson
Administrator, Instructional Services Division
Educational Service District 112
2500 NE 65 Ave
Vancouver, Washington 98661
360-750-7505 FAX 360-750-9706
Internet: jnelson@esd112.wednet.edu

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