| Water: | yes |
| Quinault Canyon | |
| Type: | Submarine canyon |
| Coordinates: | 47.35°N -125.1333°W |
| Area: | 378 square nautical miles |
The Quinault Canyon is a submarine canyon, off Washington state, in Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary.[1] [2]
It lies opposite the Quinault Reservation.[3]
From the map, it is clear the Quinault River drains into the Pacific Ocean, opposite Quinault Canyon. The north of the Copalis National Wildlife Refuge is also a bit east, as are a few cities and sites, as Kalaloch, Queets, Taholah, Point Grenville (a headland), Moclips, and Pacific Beach. Also, Quinault, Washington and Lake Quinault are both onshore.
The canyon is dynamic area where humans do not detect massive submarine landslides which occur on its steep side walls, and the bottom collects sediment deposited from above.
Quinault Canyon is 25km (16miles) from shore,[4] and is 378 square nautical miles in area.[5]
All of the following submarine canyons are near, headed north to south:[6] [7] [2]
Of local submarine canyons, Quinault canyon is deepest.[7] Quinault Canyon has a maximum depth of 1477m (4,846feet).[8]
Both the 1980 eruption of Mount Saint Helens and the eruption of Mount Mazama in about 5677 BC left turbidites, in Quinault Canyon.[4]
Quinault Canyon has acted as a funnel for north- and northwestward-moving sediment along Washington’s continental shelf,[9] and it is a major pathway between the continental shelf of Washington and deep sea. Silt and clay originating from the Columbia River move down Quinault Canyon.[1]
It also serves as a conduit for dense, cold, nutrient-rich seawater pulling toward shore, where upwelling feeds surface productivity at the base of the food web.[10]
Due to productive topographically induced upwelling that occurs, Quinault Canyon is important for many fish, invertebrate, and whales. High relief is offered by boulders, vertical walls, and ridges. Rockfish have used this. As of June 14, 2016, there has been low sampling, but there are 14 records of
A deep-sea channel, Quinault Channel, connects Quinault Canyon to Cascadia Channel.[12]
As of August 2017, there is an expedition to explore Quinault Canyon, something never before done. Results are forthcoming. Remotely operated underwater vehicles or autonomous underwater vehicles have never before explored Quinault and Quileute Canyons. These canyons are of great interest.
The mission is to map habitats that support many of the Quinault Nation’s treaty fisheries, sample for harmful algal blooms, to map the ocean floor, to check oxygen levels, and investigate ocean acidification.[13]
Methane seeps have been found, inside and near Quinault Canyon.[14] [15]