Yellowstone Steamboat Geyser Roars to Life for First Time in 8 Years

Hydrogeology, Geology, & Environmental Issues

Date posted: 08/13/13

Yellowstone Steamboat Geyser erupted for the first time in eight years, drenching delighted viewers who stood in the spray from the safety of a nearby boardwalk. Geologists now think a narrow conduit leads to the surface from a large, rounded underground cavern beneath geysers such as Old Faithful. Before a geyser eruption, water and steam become trapped and pressurized in the cavern. When the pressure below becomes too great, steam shoots water into the air through the conduit, creating a geyser amazing fountains.