eol

Canandaigua Glacial Tour.kmz

Canandaigua Glacial Tour

North End of Canandaigua Lake
Canandaigua Lake is the third largest Finger Lake. This lake was carved out
as the glaciers advanced from the north and moved southward, hence why
all of the Finger Lakes are orientated in a North / South direction. As they
advanced, they removed all of the pre-glacial sediments as well as several
feet of the soft sandstone / shale bedrock in this region.
The valley that remained was a broad, U-shaped valley which is indicative of
regions that have undergone glacial erosion. This is even more noticable
further south on the lake, as the depth of the lake gradually increases
progressing southward. See the bathymetic map below.
Image taken from http://www.dec.state.ny.us/website/reg8/lakes/canandai.html
The south end of the lake (near Naples) is also referred to as the High-banks
area, because many of the houses in this region sit atop steep sandstone /
shales cliffs at the edge of the lake.
Below is a link for statistics on Canandaigua Lake
http://www.dec.state.ny.us/website/reg8/lakes/canandai.html

Glacial Lake Sediments
Above is a picture of a sediment tube. Although these pictures were taken aboard
Hobart & Wm. Smith's boat the William Scandling, similar sediments can be found in
many of the Finger Lakes.
The Finger Lakes were carved out during the last glacial advancement,
approximately 20,000 years ago. As the glacier slowly moved through the region, they excavated the sediments and bedrock carving out broad and deep U-shaped
valleys.
As the glaciers retreated, sediments that were trapped in the ice were released and
washed into the newly formed post-glacial lake. The pattern you see in the pictures
iis called glacial varves. Varves are alternating bands of thin fine sediments and
then dark-colored, more coarse sediments. This is indicative of the climate during
the retreat period. Periods with coarser and thicker bands represent warmer
periods which cause more glacial melting, hence more sediments and water entered
the lake. Thinner sediment bands represent cooler periods in which less melting
occurred, hence less sediment deposition.

Drumlin in Victor, New York
These elongated hills are called drumlins. Created during glacial advancement, "small" pockets of sediments slipped under the front edge of the glacier. These pockets of sediments became stream-lined in the direction of glacial movement (north - south in this region). Each drumlin is composed of a poorly sorted mixture of sediments called glacial till.

Devil's Bath Tub - Kettle Lake
Devil's Bathtub is a kettle lake. Kettle lakes are created as the glaciers were retreating. During their retreat, massive chunks of the glacier broke off the retreating edge (also called calving). Also during a retreat period, large amounts of water and debris were running off the glaciers, which quickly covered and buried the piece of ice which had broken off. This blanket of debris allowed the chunk of ice to remain frozen, even though the air temperature above was well above freezing. Eventually, the buried block of ice did melt, leaving behind the circular shaped depression allowing the pond to form.

Glacier Esker
Eskers are created during the glacier's retreat. During the period of retreat, the top surface of the glacier undergoes extensive melting, causing stream-like features to form. Occasionally, the stream enter a crack (or crevasse) on the glaciers surface and work their way down through the glacier until the exit out the glacier's retreating edge. These streams create a tunnel system under the glacier which eventually fills in with sediments. Once the area is free of the glacial ice, the filled in tunnel (or esker) remains taking a snake-shaped path across the landscape's surface.
Be sure to click off the Aerial photo overlay so you can just see the topographic map. You will see the narrow hill with steep sides forming an upside-down U-shaped hill.

Drumlin Field

Mendon Ponds Aerial Map

Mendon Ponds Topo Map

Cascade Mill Tour.kmz

Cascade Mill Tour

START PROJECT HERE
Intro to Environmental Geology
Environmental Site Assessment
Topic Question
- Is the Cascade Mill property suitable for development?
Introduction
Your environmental engineering firm has been contracted to perform an environmental site assessment of a property located along the Keuka Lake Outlet (near Dresden, New York). Your client is aware of the questionable history of the site in question.
Your client is interested in building a small industrial center on the site, which will have five to seven 3-story structures over the 40 acres. The site was selected for its proximity to the water source, a short drive to the New York State Thruway, and the very inexpensive property taxes.
Your Task
1) Complete an environmental site assessment of the Cascade Mill site. During your walk-through, you should evaluate:
- Stability of the surrounding geology to support five to seven 3 story structure
- Sources of possible groundwater contamination and the impacted areas
- Evidence of past flooding and/or the likelihood flooding will occur again.
- Areas of concern, such as from upstream/downstream
- During your site evaluation, be sure to document any evidence of any site impairment or area’s of concern.
2) Write an Environmental Site Assessment Report documenting your findings. You report should include.
- Statistics about the site (i.e. location, size)
- Background History of the Site
- Observations from the site, separating topics into their own section (i.e. Geologic Hazards, Potential Groundwater Problems)
- Maps / Diagrams that may have been created while on site.
- Your company’s recommendation to accept / decline the purchase, and an explanation for the decision.
Each of the above categories should be bulleted and separated into its section, so that the report will be easy to read and understand.
Grading
A – Complete report including authentic research about the site
B – Complete report with the information provided
C – Complete report but misses key, essential information
D – Incomplete Report
Sources of Additional Information
http://www.dec.state.ny.us/website/der/ihws/fs_psa.html
http://maps.epa.gov/enviromapper/
http://www.epa.gov/surf/

Old Factory (Western View of Site)

Access Road (Eastward View of Site)
Cascade Mills has had long history in this remote upstate New York region.
Follow this link for more information
http://www.footprintpress.com/FingerLakes/keuka.htm
http://www.dec.state.ny.us/website/reg8/lakes/index.html

Observation Wells #1
This open field is surrounded by approximately 10 of these stick-up wells.
They are spaces approximately 20 meters apart. All of the wells show evidence of
being openned relatively recently.

Unstable Slopes
Although the areas around the buildings has a flat slope, there
is a realtively steep gradient on the sides of the hills. Since the
bedrock is composed of a weak shale, there is a large amount
of creep occuring around the site.

Lack of Biologic Life
At this location, there are several "dead" spots, where no
grasses or no biologic life is growing. Also notice that these
areas are located near downspouts or exterior drain.

Observation Wells #3
These observation well are found just north of the trail, however,
there are no other structures or buildings in this area. There is an
area approximately 100m by 75m, in which the trees have been
cleared and a tall grass is growing.

Unstable Subsurface
On the north side of this building, there are several regions in which
the ground appears to have collapsed or subsided. Approximately 20 meters further to the north are rectangular concrete structures with ladders leading to a belowground area, however, these structures are now filled in with gravel.

Furnace in Warehouse
This furnace is approximately 6m by 6m. It is the only object
located in this 100m by 50m building. Notice the smokestack
is damaged and missing.

Damaged Blast Furnace
Just to the west of the old factory is another building which exhibits
significant amounts of leaching and staining on its exterior. Upon
closer inspection, a sulfur odor is quite noticable.
Just inside the building a massive blast furnace becomes quite visible.
The furance is approximately 4 meters in diameter and appears to
have waste materials at the base of the furnace.
This waste material appears to be the source of the sulfur odor, as
the scent becomes much strong the closer you are to the furnace.
The furnace also exhibits larges amounts of rust on its surface, and it
could be inferred this furance has not been used for quite some time.

Cascade Mills Aerial Photo

Cascade Mills Topographic Map

Erie Ontario Lowlands.kmz

Erie Ontario Lowlands

Tour
Tour Directions

Last Continental Ice Sheet
Last Continental Ice Sheet The formation of the Great Lakes was a result of the last retreating continental glacier.

Niagara Escarpment
The Niagara Escarpment is not a result of Glaciation. The Escarpment is an erosional surface that formed due to a more resistant rock layer laying on top of a less resistant rock layer.

Lakes Iroquois and Tonawanda
The Niagara Escarpment served as the divide between Lake Tonawanda and Lake Iroquois. Today the Niagara Escarpment remains that divide separating Lake Erie and Lake Ontario at Niagara Falls.

Lockport Locks - Natural Spill Way
East facing image West facing image The location of the locks were choosen because of the natural small opening cut between the rocks by the old spillway.

Glacial Erratic
Glacial Erratic Large boulder likely carried a long distance from its source area by a glacier then deposited here when the ice melted.

Gulf Wilderness Outlet
South west facing image North east facing image Gulf Wilderness Outlet was the western end of the Lockport Spillway draining Lake Tonawanda into Lake Iroquois present day Lake Erie and Lake Ontario.

Limestone Wall
Image of wall Close up image Limestone Wall made from residual stones of middle silurian age representing the Lockport Limestone, the top rock formation of the Niagara Escarpment. Refer to the Escarpment cross-section

Sandstone Wall
Image of wall Close up image Sandstone Wall made from residual stones of lower silurian age representative of the Medina Sandstone rock group of the Niagara Escarpment. Refer to the Escarpment cross-section

Plank Rd Escarpment Weathering
Exposed rock of escarpment zoomed image Notice how a single section of the rock layer protrudes of out the wall.

Old Niagara Escarpment Weathering
Exposed rock of escarpment dug by man for railway zoomed image See how many different rock layers you can pick out.

Eastern Lockport Spillway
ENE to WSW image The Lockport Country Club was the eastern end of the Lockport Spillway draining Lake Tonawanda into Lake Iroquois present day Lake Erie and Lake Ontario. This channel cut by the draining water is a popular sledding location for kids during the winter.

Kame Deposits - Sand Pit Rd Lockport
Sand Pits image The image shows a wall of loose sand about 30ft tall. This sand most likely formed as a result of an accumulation of debris within a lake on the glacier. The accumulated sediments were let down onto the ground surface at this location by the melting glacier as it retreated north.

Kame Deposit Sand Pit Rd

Drumlin
Drumlin - Evidence of the Northeastward retreat of the glacier.

Horseshoe Falls
Origins of Niagara A Geologic History

American Falls
Origins of Niagara A Geologic History

Niagara Falls Topo

Old images

Lake Maurnee

1913 Topographic Map of Western New York

Niagara Escarpment
Escarpment cross-section

Niagara Escarpment

Niagara Falls

Topo

Glacial Features
Glacial map representing the present knowlege of the path taken by the last continental ice sheet (Wisconsin glacier) about 12,000 years ago. Notice the glacier advance is many direction not just south.

Erratic

Kame Deposit

Drumlin

Spillways

Lakes Iroquois and Tonawanda

ESRT bedrock