Larry Smith - Department of Geological Engineering

Larry Smith 2015Professor Emeritus
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Here is information on the 2021 Northwestern Cell Friends of the Pleistocene, Glacial Lake Missoula, September 9-12, 2021 [PDF] at Paradise Center Montana. For more information or questions contact Larry at lsmith@mtech.edu.

Research Interests

Most of my work centers on stratigraphy, sedimentology, Quaternary geology, subsurface and surface geologic mapping, and petroleum geology.

Projects include:

The depositional history of Glacial Lake Missoula and features formed during multiple drainage events of the lake. Glacial Lake Missoula has been of great interest in western Montana for 100 years. I have ongoing interest in geological mapping, sedimentology, and stratigraphy of glacial deposits in the Clark Fork River drainage basin to improve understanding and correlation of these deposits. I led a 2021 Friends of the Pleistocene (Pacific Northwest Cell) field trip to part of the Glacial Lake Missoula features. The field guide can be downloaded here.

Education

Ph.D., Geology, University of New Mexico, 1988
M.S., Geology, University of New Mexico, 1983
B.S., Earth Science, Geology, University of California, Santa Cruz, 1977

Non-Research Academic Interets

I enjoy teaching introductory and field-based geology classes. I find air-photo interpretation, photogrammetry, and all aspects of map-making interesting and important. My graduate students need to learn GIS in order to produce maps for their projects and theses.

Selected Honors & Awards

  • Montana Tech Merit Award, 2014, 2018
  • Montana Tech Rose and Anna Busch Teaching Award, 2011, 2014
  • Montana Tech Distinguished Researcher, 2007

Career in Brief

  • January 2021 - present: Emeritus Professor, Montana Tech Geological Engineering
  • July 2018 - January 2021: Professor, Montana Tech Geological Engineering
  • Fall 2016 - July 2018: Department Head, Montana Tech Geological Engineering
  • Spring 2016: Guest Researcher, Denmark Technical University, Risø Campus
  • 2012 - Spring 2016: Associate Professor, Montana Tech Geological Engineering
  • 2009 - 2012: Assistant Professor, Montana Tech Geological Engineering
  • 2008 - 2009: Research Geologist, Professor, Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology
  • 1999 - 2007: Associate Research Professor, Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology
  • 1993 - 1999: Assistant Research Professor, Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology
  • 1988 - 1993: Shell Western Exploration and Production, Inc., Houston, TX (Exploration Geologist)
  • Spring 1988: Post Doctorial Researcher, University of New Mexico
  • Fall 1987 - 1988: Lecturer, University of New Mexico, Department of Geology
  • 1981 - 1983: Lecturer, University of Houston (Summer Field Camp)
  • 1978 - 1979: Geologic Field Assistant, U.S. Geological Survey

Selected Publications 

Smith, L.N., Sohbati, R., and Jain, M., 2023, Rock surface luminescence dating of gravel determines the age of a glacial outburst megaflood, Glacial Lake Missoula, Montana, USA: Geology, v. 51, p. 323–328, https://doi.org/10.1130/G50721.1

Smith, L.N., Hill, C.L., and Reiten, J., 2020, Quaternary and Late Tertiary of Montana: Climate, Glaciation, Stratigraphy, and Vertebrate Fossils, in, Vuke, S.M., ed., MBMG Special Publication 122: Geology of Montana, vol 1: Geologic History, 64 p.

O’Connor, J.E., Baker, V.R., Waitt, R.B., Smith, L.N., Cannon, C.M., George, D.L., Denlinger, R.P., 2020, The Missoula and Bonneville floods—A review of ice-age megafloods in the Columbia River basin: Earth-Science Reviews, v. 208, 103181.

Smith, L.N., Sohbati, R., Buylaert, J-P., Lian, O.B., Murray, A., and Jain, M., 2018, Timing of lake-level changes for a deep last-glacial Lake Missoula: optical dating of the Garden Gulch area, Montana, USA: Quaternary Science Reviews, v. 183, p. 23–35.

Smith, L.N., 2017, Repeated sedimentation and exposure of glacial Lake Missoula sediments: A lake-level history at Garden Gulch, Montana, USA: Quaternary Science Reviews, v. 155, p. 114–126. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.quascirev.2016.11.018

Smith, L.N., and Croft, T.O.*, 2015, Sequence stratigraphy, subsurface mapping, and correlation of the Lower Cretaceous Bow Island Formation, north-central Montana, in, Bingle-Davis, M., ed., Cretaceous Conference: Evolution and Revolution: Wyoming Geological Association 68th Annual Field Conference Guidebook, p. 7-21.

Smith, L.N., and McDonald, K., 2015, Road Log: Regional geology and glacial geology of the Helmville to Lincoln area, Powell and Lewis and Clark counties, Montana: Northwest Geology, v. 44, p. 233–238.

Vineyard, M.*, Sherimkulova, A.*, Welk, E.*, Eastman, K.*, Hagan, T.*, Thomson, C.*, Smith, L.N., Chambers, M.*, Machinal, M.*, Mack, A.*, and Hofland, N.*, 2015, Glacial geology and geomorphological features of the Lincoln area, Lewis and Clark and Powell counties, Montana: Northwest Geology, v. 44, p. 47–54.

Madison, J.P., LaFave, J.I., Patton, T.W., Smith, L.N., and Olson, J.N., 2014, Groundwater resources of the Middle Yellowstone River area: Treasure and Yellowstone counties, Montana Part A*—Descriptive Overview and Water-Quality Data: Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology Montana Ground-water Assessment Atlas 3, 82 p.

Smith, L.N., and Hanson, M.A., 2014, Sedimentary record of Glacial Lake Missoula along the Clark Fork River from deep to shallow positions in the former lakes: St. Regis to near Drummond, Montana, in Shaw, C.A., and Tikoff, B., eds., Exploring the Northern Rocky Mountains: Geological Society of America Field Guide 37, p. 51-63.

Smith, L.N., LaFave, J.I., and Patton, T.W., 2013, Groundwater Resources of the Lolo-Bitterroot Area: Mineral, Missoula, and Ravalli Counties, Montana, Part A: Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology, Ground‑Water Assessment Atlas No. 4, 88 p.

Alho, P., Baker, V., and Smith, L.N., 2010, Paleohydraulic reconstruction of the largest Glacial Lake Missoula draining(s): Quaternary Science Reviews, v. 29, p. 3067–3078.

Smith, L.N., Smith, M.G.A.*, Croft, T.O.*, Dutton, A.D.*, Sunwall, D.A.*, Gordon, L.M.*, Wright, J.R.*, and Dresser, H.W., 2010, Quaternary mapping and glaciation of the northern Anaconda Range and the southern Flint Creek Range, Deer Lodge, Granite, and Powell Counties, Montana: Northwest Geology, v. 39, p. 1–14.

List of publications

*- Student co-author

Personal Interests

Most of my interests are in outdoors activity - hiking, cross country and telemark skiing, cycling, in the great outdoors of the Northern Rocky Mountains. In the winters I enjoy playing and refereeing ice hockey, and working in my woodshop when I get a chance.

Another passion is historic preservation in our area, and of my own 1890 house in particular. I teach historic brick preservation classes each summer and serve on the board of Butte Citizens for Preservation and Revitalization.