We're constantly and sometimes even fatally reminded here in the Northwest, our landscape and rivers are very dynamic systems. For anyone interested, there was a recent article published in Science Magazine discussing the dynamic reorganization of river basins and methods for assessing the equilibrium of drainages. It's a really fascinating article that reminds us that everything changes with time. Anyways, if you're interested, check it out:

http://web.mit.edu/site/spotlight/3952

https://www.dropbox.com/s/oudpifurzsi71zy/WillettMcCoyPerron_Science2014_RiverBasinDynamics.pdf

This paper was co-authored by a good friend of mine, Scott McCoy, an avid boater and adventurer.

And, this in no way is intended to undermine the significance and loss of the last few days.

nobody cares what geologists have to say, see... (sarcasm)

No really, see?   

http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2023218573_mudslidewarningsxml.html

but yeah, interesting article, adam. i did download the .pdf. Pretty dense reading, unless your into partial derivatives. pretty cool stuff. wonder what your friend would have to stay about the sauk, which alternatively avulses in the nf stilly and skagit (or at least it use to before, you know, people built out the stilly-sauk confluence floodplain).

There is also an ecological equilibrium that rivers reach. The concept is called dynamic equilibrium, with the river constantly changing conditions seasonally and annually but with essentially unchanged average condition. At least until land use causes the system to reach a "tipping point" beyond which disturbance leads to the establishment of a new equilibrium, the old equilibrium not being restorable. Geology could affect the dynamic ecological equilibrium, but this concept is generally viewed in terms of human impacts. Climate, which generally occurs on geologic time frames is now changing quickly enough that it could be applicable.