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The Antiquities Act of 1906 gives presidents the authority to designate monuments to protect “objects of historic and scientific interest” and can encompass geologic wonders, archaeological sites and wildlife habitat.

He offered up a crash course on the 80-million-year history of geologic forces that sculpted this masterpiece at the edge of the continent.

The researchers built a hydro-economic model based on detailed geologic, climate and well data for the groundwater system, and data on land use, crop production and farm economics for the agricultural system.

Rain and runoff are known to exacerbate and accelerate the land movement, as groundwater drives the geologic shifting.

"The temperature is going up so fast now, there is nothing in the geologic record I am aware of that we can use for a true comparison," Sternes said.