A geoWatershed trail designed to not only get you and your family

A geoWatershed trail designed to not only get you
and your family outdoors, but expose you to the
unique geological history of the Shenango River
Watershed.
Developed by the Mercer County
Conservation District in cooperation
with:
Ashtabula County Soil and Water
Crawford County Conservation District
Pymatuning State Park
Trumbull County Soil and Water
Orangeville Municipality
Mahoning County Soil and Water
Lawrence County Conservation District
US Army Corps of Engineers
PA Game Commission
A grand opening for the geoWatershed
Trail was held on April 21, 2012.
EarthCache sights were published
through the official GeoCaching website:
www.geocaching.com.
"The Groundspeak Geocaching Logo is a registered trademark
of Groundspeak, Inc. Used with permission."
Financial and other support for this project was provided by the
Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts, Inc. through a
grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental
Protection under Section 319 if the Clean Water Act, administered
by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
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The
Mercer County
Conservation District
History
As a result of the dust bowl of the 1930s, federal legislation was
passed to encourage states to foster locally led resource conservation programs. The PA legislature joined in the application of
conservation by passing Act 217, known as Conservation District Law, in 1945. The Mercer County Conservation District
was established on March 4, 1957 by proclamation of the Mercer County Board of Commissioners. It was the forty-fifth conservation district established in PA. The Conservation District
began official operations on August 6, 1957.
Vision
Providing leadership, education, and guidance for the sustainable use and protection of the county’s natural resources.
Goals
- Protect and improve the natural resources throughout the
county
- Guide and assist residents in regulatory compliance
- Develop and implement conservation education programs
Be sure to check us out at: www.mercercountycd.com
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SHENANGO RIVER HISTORY (Mondok, 1990)
The Shenango River Basin is shared by the state of Ohio
and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The river and its
tributaries drain 744 square miles of the Pennsylvania counties
of Crawford, Lawrence, and Mercer and 285 square miles of the
Ohio counties of Ashtabula, Mahoning, and Trumbull. The waters and its tributaries have been used for transportation such as
the Erie Extension Canal as well as industrial, municipal, and
residential water supplies.
Prior to European settlement, the land area of the Shenango was inhabited by many indian tribes including the Seneca
and the Delaware. The word Shenango itself comes from the
Iroquoian word Shaningo meaning “beautiful one”.
The 75 mile long river begins in the marshes that are
now part of Pymatuning Reservoir near Hartstown in Crawford
County and eventually meets the Mahoning River near New
Castle in Lawrence County.
ICE AGE INFLUENCES (Mondok, 1990)
The topography and soils in Pennsylvania and Ohio
were shaped during the Ice Age that ended about 10, 000 years
ago. Prior to this glacial epoch, the Shenango River flowed in a
northerly direction to the Atlantic Ocean via the Great Lakes
and St. Lawrence River. This dissected plateau was covered by
glaciers; some were a mile thick in places. Boulders, rocks, soil,
sand, silt, and clay were carried with the glacial ice and deposited as glacial till, kame terraces, moraines, and eskers when the
ice melted as the climate warmed. These deposits were so vast,
that their ancient river valleys were filled, causing the flow
from the Atlantic Ocean to the Gulf of Mexico.
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1.
2.
4.
3.
5.
6.
This displays the EarthCaches within the Shenango River geoWatershed
have been placed. The counties are: 1. Ashtabula, 2. Crawford,
3. Trumbull, 4. Mercer, 5. Mahoning, and 6. Lawrence.
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WHAT IS IT?
The Shenango River geoWatershed Trail provides a natural
history tour through the Shenango River Watershed that showcases
geological features that make this area unique. These geological features are identified with actual latitude and longitude coordinates.
Write-ups for each set of coordinates were developed to explain the
geological and historical significance. After the coordinates were
determined and the write-ups were developed, the sights were put
into the official geocaching website for review and publishing. These
locations are now published EarthCaches on the geocaching website
at: www.geocaching.com. It is free to set up an account on this
website to have access to a wide array of cache types to feed your
adventurous desires.
WHAT IS GEOCACHING?
“Geocaching is a real-world, outdoor treasure hunting game
using GPS-enabled devices. Participants navigate to a specific set of
GPS coordinates and then attempt to find the geocache (container)
hidden at that location.” (Geocaching, 2012).
ARE THERE DIFFERENT TYPES OF GEOCACHES?
To date, there are over one dozen types of caches available for
finding; each cache type is a slight variation from the original geocache type (Geocaching, 2012).
WHAT IS AN EARTHCACHE?
An EarthCache is a special place that people can visit to learn
about a unique geological feature on our Earth. EarthCache pages include a set of educational notes along with cache coordinates. Instead of signing a log book and looking for a hidden container, EarthCaches have questions about the specific sight that must be answered
and sent to the EarthCache owner to fulfill cache requirements
(Geocaching, 2012).
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Shenango River
Watershed
Ashtabula County, Ohio
Ashtabula County is the northeastern-most
county in Ohio. It is 711 square miles and has a
population of 101, 497 people. Ashtabula County
was founded on June 7, 1807 and was named after
the Iroquois word Ashtabula meaning “river with
many fish”. This county is well known for its seventeen covered bridges that are located throughout
the county limits. It also has three state designated
rivers: The Grand River, Conneaut Creek, and Ashtabula River.
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Ashtabula County Soil and Water
The Ashtabula Soil and Water Conservation District is an
independent body of state government responsible for the conservation of soil and water resources within its boundary. Formed under and subject to the Ohio Soil and Water Conservation District
Law, the District was organized by local landowners January 28,
1949 and is administered by a board of five supervisors elected by
owners and occupiers of land within the District. The major function of the District is to analyze natural resources needs and to design and implement a program to solve soil and water conservation
challenges. Through the District, the challenges are solved largely
by landowners themselves, with technical and educational assistance furnished by the District and other conservation partners.
The supervisors meet monthly to conduct the District’s business
and attend other meetings representing the District. Supervisors
receive no monetary compensation for their work.
While searching for EarthCaches, please feel free to enjoy
some of Ashtabula County’s fine cuisine, outdoor adventure, and
sight seeing.
Restaurants
*Andover Diner– Andover, OH
*Cranberry Station- Andover, OH
*Covered Bridge Pizza Parlor– Andover, OH
Points of Interest
*Pymatuning State Park
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Coordinates: N 41ᴼ 34.267
W 080ᴼ 37.888
WHAT IS A FEN?
A fen is a peat-forming wetland that receives its
nutrients from sources other than precipitation; it usually
comes from upslope sources through drainage of surrounding mineral soils and from groundwater movement.
Unlike other types of wetlands, fens are usually alkaline;
in other words they have a basic pH due to small amounts
of dissolved limestone within it. Because of this unique
feature, they are able to support much more diverse plant
and animal communities (EPA, 2011).
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McCOY STATE NATURE PRESERVE-PYMATUNING CREEK
FEN
The McCoy State Nature Preserve is a 215 acre area that
was set aside by the Cleveland Museum of Natural History as an
area to be protected and allow limited access. This nature preserve houses the Pymatuning Creek Fen. The Pymatuning
Creek Fen is host to many unusual northern plants called relict
species that were left behind from glacial ice front that receded
thousands of years ago. One such species is the rare spreading
globe flower. Not only does the fen provide homes for unique
flora, it also provides a home for unique fauna as well. An endangered mollusk, the clubshell, is located in this fen as well as
the brush-tipped emerald dragonfly (Cleveland Museum of
Natural History, 2012). This fen is one of the many unique geological features within the Shenango River Watershed; Pymatuning Creek is one of the main tributaries that drains into
the Shenango River at the Shenango River Lake.
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Shenango River
Watershed
Crawford County, Pennsylvania
Crawford County lies in northwestern Pennsylvania and is
approximately 50 miles in length and 26 miles in width with a total
area of 1,012 square miles. The entire county lies in the Appalachian Plateau. Elevation varies from slightly less than 850 feet at
the Erie County line to more than 1,900 feet above sea level in
Sparta Township in the northeast corner.
The county was formed in 1800 from a portion of Allegheny
County and named after Colonel William Crawford, an early military hero and close friend of George Washington. Today Crawford
County is divided into 35 townships, 14 boroughs, and two major
cities.
Several natural kettle lakes lie within the borders of Crawford County including Conneaut, the largest natural lake in Pennsylvania, Canadohta, Crystal, Dollar, Mud, and Sugar. Pymatuning
Reservoir, the largest man made lake in Pennsylvania, is also located in the county.
Crawford County Conservation District
The Crawford County Conservation District was established
by the County Commissioners on February 17, 1956, after over 100
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farmers signed a petition requesting that a district be formed. Today the District has 6 full time employees and covers a wide
range of conservation programs including Chapter 102 and 105
permitting, nutrient management planning, agricultural engineering assistance, watershed restoration, as well as environmental education programs. The District also operates the
Woodcock Creek Nature Center and Stainbrook Park in Meadville, Pa.
Pymatuning State Park
On October 6, 1931 work began on the 17,088-acre Pymatuning Reservoir whose primary purpose was for the conservation of waters for the Shenango and Beaver Valleys. A secondary purpose was flood control. Pymatuning is derived from the
Iroquois word meaning “the crooked– mouthed man’s dwelling
place” (crooked referring to deceitful). Today over 3 million annual visitors enjoy fishing, hunting, swimming, boating and camping at Pymatuning State Park. Along with the famous Spillway
where the “ducks walk on the fish” Pymatuning is also home to
nesting bald eagles, waterfowl and songbirds making it a favorite
for birders. Located on the border between Pennsylvania and
Ohio, Pymatuning is a vacation destination for state, national, and
international visitors.
Points of Interest
Restaurants– Linesville
Linesville Spillway
Rebeca’s Restaurant
Pymatuning Wildlife Learning Center
Ginny’s Bulk Food
Pymatuning State Park
Quackers Restaurant
Linesville State Fish Hatchery
Spillway Inn
Visitors Center
The Little Bit(Espyville)
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Coordinates: N 41ᴼ 29.790
W 080ᴼ 27.702
GEOLOGY OF THE SUGAR RUN AREA (MERCER
COUNTY, PA)
The land surface of the majority of Mercer County
is a maturely dissected plateau covered almost entirely by
glacial deposits of the Kent ice sheet (Wisconsinan Stage).
These deposits range in thickness from 0 to as much as
400 feet; they are thickest in deep valleys in the bedrock.
The bedrock for Mercer County was mapped in great detail and consists of rocks of Devonian, Mississippian, and
Pennsylanian age. The rocks from the Devonian age are
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not exposed in Mercer County but are present beneath the glacial deposits in deep bedrock valleys. The Mississippian rocks
are found along valley sides and some valley bottoms, and the
Pennsylvanian rocks generally underlie the uplands (Schiner
and Kimmel, 1976).
Mississippian and Pennsylvanian rocks are mostly composed of alternating units of sandstone and shale. These sandstones tend to frequently intertongue laterally with shales.
Note: Pennsylvanian rocks are generally more sandy than the
Mississippian rocks (Schiner and Kimmell, 1976).
SUGAR RUN SANDSTONE STREAMBED
As you walk along the banks of Sugar Run, a small tributary that enters into the Shenango River below the Pymatuning
Dam, large slabs of rock are seen jutting out along the banks
and stream bed. These slabs of rock are considered sandstone.
Awaiting the survey of a geologist, how these rocks came to be
can be postulated. Maybe they portray the rocks that were carried with the glacial drift some 10,000 years ago; yet another
postulation, is that these are the sandstones from the Mississippian and Pennsylvanian formations that became exposed from
the recession of the last glacier in the area. None-the-less, they
portray a step back into the glacial periods that forever changed
the flow of the Shenango River we know today.
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Coordinates: N 41ᴼ 33.833
W 080ᴼ 22.725
FORMATION OF HARTSTOWN SWAMP
Glaciers not only transport material as they move,
they also sculpt and carve away the land beneath them.
The combination of the glacier’s weight and its movement
greatly impacts the landscape (Nat’l Snow and Ice Data
Center, 2012). Hartstown Swamp, the headwaters to both
Crooked Creek and the Shenango River, was formed back
during the glacial epoch. As the glacier moved throughout
Northwestern PA, it reshaped the surrounding landscape;
in this instance, it created what is now known as Hartstown Swamp.
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HARTSTOWN SWAMP
Hartstown Swamp is located at the headwaters of both
the Crooked Creek and Shenango River Watersheds. A watershed is a region that is drained by, or one that contributes water to, a stream, lake, or other body of water. Watersheds are
surrounded by topographic highs called divides. These divides
are any ridges between two streams along which precipitation
runs off. They also determine the size of the watershed. Watersheds vary in size due to shape of these divides (Globe Fearon,
2003).
Hartstown Swamp is a unique geo-hydrological feature
in that it contains the divide where Crooked Creek and the Shenango River begin. Somewhere beneath the grassy overlay and
water of this swamp lies the divide that determines which way
the water will flow. Ultimately all water within Hartstown
Swamp is part of the Shenango River Watershed because
Crooked Creek flows into the Little Shenango River which is a
tributary to the Shenango. Water from the Shenango River Watershed eventually becomes part of the Ohio River Basin which
ultimately drains into the Mississippi River to the Gulf of Mexico.
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Shenango River
Watershed
Trumbull County, Ohio
Trumbull County is located in Northeast Ohio between
Cleveland and Youngstown. The County is east of Akron and
borders Pennsylvania. It was established on July 10, 1800,
serving as the seventh county of the Northwest Territory. (Yes,
Trumbull County was indeed considered the “wild west” at that
time). The county is named after Jonathan Trumbull, a Governor of Connecticut, who once owned the land.
The county has a total area of 635 square miles. It is the
only square county in the entire State of Ohio with each side
being approximately 25 miles. Trumbull County has seven cities: Cortland, Girard, Hubbard, Newton Falls, Niles, Warren,
Youngstown and five villages: Lordstown, McDonald, Orangeville, West Farmington, and Yankee Lake. The County’s population is approximately 225,000.
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Trumbull County Soil and Water
Trumbull SWCD is currently the lead agency of the Penn Ohio
Watershed Association (POWA). The Penn Ohio Watershed Association
is a grass roots organization working to protect natural resources
throughout the Pymatuning Shenango Watershed. Comprised of local
agencies and concerned citizens, the association was created in 1994 to
address concerns regarding the health of the watershed. The Penn Ohio
Watershed Association does education and outreach events, water quality monitoring, litter cleanups, riparian zone and tree plantings. Meetings are typically quarterly and open to the public. Anyone interested in
joining the Penn Ohio Watershed Association or participating in POWA
or Trumbull SWCD activities and programs can contact Amy Reeher, Watershed Coordinator, at 330-637-2056, ext. 111 or
[email protected]
Trumbull County has many historical features including: Octagon House (circa 1858), Trumbull County Covered Bridge, the Trumbull
County Courthouse and the Trumbull County Carnegie Law Library.
Information regarding these structures can be found at
http://www.co.trumbull.oh.us/tc_bldgs.html
Trumbull County has a variety of dining establishments including
national chains and local restaurants. The restaurants listed below are
just some of the unique places to dine in Trumbull County:
*The Chophouse
*Emma’s Home Cooking (in an Amish
E. Niles, Ohio 44446
Country home)
Mesopotamia, Ohio 44439
*The Hippodrome
Warren, Ohio 44481
*The Lake Tavern
Cortland, Ohio 44410
*The Mocha House
Warren, Ohio 44481
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Coordinates: N 41ᴼ 20.390
W 080ᴼ 31.168
BEREA SANDSTONE/ CHADAKOIN ROCK FORMATIONS
Berea Sandstone is of Mississippian age. This simply means
that it was formed during the Mississippian period. During the
Mississippian period, the Inland Basin region was still an inland sea
environment. Sediment was beginning to shed into the basin from
the Acadian highlands of the east. Gradually, the amount of incoming sediment into the basin declined. The shoreline of the sea
moved back and forth across the basin as the sea level rose and fell.
The changing water levels created alternating sequences of nonmarine and marine sedimentary rocks. Limestones were beginning
to form in areas of the sea that received little sediment (Ansley,
2000).
During this time period, the Northeast was still located
along the equator, so the warm climate created lush vegetation
(Ansley, 2000).
Large swamps covered the shorelines of the inland sea.
Plant material in the swamps would die and accumulate into thick
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piles of peat. This peat became buried by sediment and more vegetation, eventually becoming compressed. Over time and continual burial, the peat was transformed into layers of coal. Thus, the Mississippian rocks of the Inland Basin region, are repeating sequences of alternating sedimentary rock and bands of coal due to the shifts in sea
level that allowed lush vegetation to develop into swamps (Ansley,
2000).
Berea sandstone is one of the most well known rocks of this
age in Ohio. This type of sandstone is usually massive in structure
with medium fine grain size sporting a light gray to slight buff color.
Berea is utilized for building stones and abrasives as well as storing
petroleum, natural gas, and salt brines under deep covering. Berea is
often utilized during construction as: building stone, curbing, flagging, and riprap. It is also the chief source for grindstones, whetstones, and related rubbing stones. It was formerly used for mill
stones that primarily focused on grinding barley and other grains
(Stout, 1944).
In addition to the Berea sandstone that is exposed, some
rocks of the Chadakoin Formation are also visible. The Chadakoin
formation is comprised of light-gray to brownish siltstone and sandstone, interbedded with medium-gray shale (Schweitzer, 2004). The
Chadakoin rock formation comes from the Devonian Period; this geologic time period occurred before the Mississippian time period.
During the Devonian, important changes were occurring in the land
masses around the globe. Europe and America had collided, thus
forming the large continent of Euramerica. The other large land
mass was that of the Gondwana which included: South America, Africa, Antarctica, India, and Australia. These two large land masses
laid close to one another near the equator (Mann, 2005).
Because they laid so close to the equator, the climate was very
warm. This allowed for lush vegetation on land while fish teemed in
the waters surrounding the continents (Mann, 2005).
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Shenango River
Watershed
Mercer County, Pennsylvania
Mercer County was founded on March 12, 1800. It
covers 683 square miles, 11 square miles of which are water. From the 2011 census, it was determined that there
are 116, 638 people living within the county’s borders.
The county seat is located in the borough of Mercer. Hermitage, PA is the largest city within the county borders.
Mercer County is a scenic beauty. Take a drive in
the open country of the county and you will see farmlands
and Amish country. Take a bike ride down the bike trail at
Maurice K. Goddard State Park, which is located just outside of Sandy Lake, PA. Escape to the local cities and
towns for some exquisite dining; from large chains to
hometown restaurants, there is food to satisfy anyone’s
desires.
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While searching for EarthCaches, please feel free to enjoy
some of Mercer County’s fine cuisine, outdoor adventure, and sight
seeing.
Food ideas within watershed
 Hermitage

 Hickory Grille
 Red Lobster
 Montana’s Steakhouse
 Bob Evan’s
 Pizza Hut

 Panera Bread
 Applebee’s
 Sharpsville
 Lock, Stock, and Barrell
 Jackson Center
 Yellow Creek Inn
Greenville
 Compadres
 Carini Restaurant
 Stone Arch
 Pizza Joes
Mercer
 Rachels
 Iron Bridge
 Springfield Grille
 Fox’s Pizza
 Pizza Joes
Places of Interest
Munnell Run Farm
Shenango River Lake
Buhl Park
Shenango Valley Mall
Kidd’s Mill Covered Bridge
Maurice K. Goddard State Park (Sandy Lake, PA)
Canal Museum (Riverside Park, Greenville)
Premium Outlets (Grove City)
Daffin’s Candies (Sharon)
McKeever Environmental Learning Center (Sandy Lake, PA)
The Canal Lock (Sharpsville)
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Coordinates: N 41ᴼ 19.927
W 080ᴼ 21.160
OXBOW LAKE HISTORY
Oxbow lakes are common floodplain features
around the world; they are remnants of meandering floodplain rivers that have been physically isolated from their
respective main river channels and generally catch small
relic drainage areas (Cooper, Smith, and Moore, 2003).
According to a paper written by Department of Geology
John Weihaupt in 1977, “one of the earliest references to
oxbow lakes is in Brigham’s discussion of the constructive
and destructive work of rivers in the creation of landforms
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(Brigham, 1892). He seems to have been the first to use the
term “oxbow lake” to refer to crescent-shaped lakes. He
was also known for calling them “cut-off” lakes (Weihaupt,
1977).
An oxbow lake is formed when a bend in a river is cut
-off from the main channel by the forces of erosion and
deposition. This type of lake is slowly created as soil erodes
and is eventually re-deposited, thus changing the river’s
course ( Enchanted Gardens, 2011).
SHENANGO OXBOW LAKE HISTORY
As stated previously, at one time, the Shenango River
used to flow north and eventually emptied into the Atlantic
Ocean. Due to glaciation, the flow of the Shenango River
changed. This oxbow lake is of significance because it
shows that the Shenango River is constantly changing as it
re-establishes its post-glacial flow pattern.
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Coordinates: N 41ᴼ 8.628
W 080ᴼ 13.045
FORMATION OF WATERFALLS
Waterfall formation occurs due to the basic principle of erosion. To put it simply, there is a water source
that travels over different types of rocks that have various
rates of erosion. Rocks with slow rates of erosion will take
time before they begin to erode; these are referred to as
hard rock. On the other hand, rocks with high rates of erosion quickly erode (J. Cheng, 2012).
As time progresses, the soft rock is further eroded
by the water; this ultimately makes the watercourse
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steeper beyond the hard rock layer. As the watercourse
continues to steepen, it accelerates erosion of the soft rock
due to the influence of gravity on the water’s speed. Cascades and rapids are examples of this stage. Eventually, the
watercourse steepens until it is vertical. It can now be referred to as a waterfall (J. Cheng, 2012).
As the watercourse continues to cut the softer rock,
the waterfall gets taller, and the plunge pool gets deeper.
Sometimes this soft rock is undercut so much, that the hard
rock becomes an overhang. If this undercutting continues
on, the hard rock overhang can get unstable and collapse.
This causes the waterfall to retreat upstream to the remaining lip of the rock layer (J. Cheng, 2012).
SPRINGFIELD FALLS
Springfield Falls are located on Schollard’s Run. This
stream is one of the few area streams that flows in a Northerly direction; most streams flow towards the south in this
particular watershed. Springfield Falls are one of only a
handful of waterfalls located in the Shenango River Watershed. It is roughly 13 feet high and over 60 feet wide with a
constant flow of water throughout the year. It’s crazy that
such a small stream can fan out and flow over 60 feet wide.
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Coordinates: N 41ᴼ 15.822
W 080ᴼ 27.678
WHY ARE SEDIMENTARY ROCKS SO PROMINENT IN THIS
AREA?
Sedimentary rocks are dominant in this region because
this area was covered by an ocean for millions of years: first
in the Cambrian period when the global sea level was high;
during this time, the ocean stretched far inland over most of
the Northeast (Ansley, 2000).
The ocean also existed during the Taconic and Acadian
mountain-building periods west of the new mountain ranges
that were formed. The basin of the inland sea formed by the
buckling of the crust from the compression of plates during
the mountain-building stages (Ansley, 2000).
Conglomerates, sandstones, siltstones, shales, limestone, and dolostones are common rocks that were formed
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from these oceans and the bordering environments such as deltas, swamps, and tidal areas (Ansley, 2000).
SHENANGO RESERVOIR MISSISSIPPIAN ROCKS- SHARPSVILLE SANDSTONE
Sharpsville Sandstone was named due to the sequence of
alternating layers of very fine-grained sandstone and shale. The
Sharpsville Sandstone that is exposed along the Shenango Reservoir is a very fine-grained, planar-bedded sandstone. It is light to
medium gray or yellowish gray in color and weathers to an almost grayish brown (Schiner and Kimmel, 1976).
A LOOK BACK AT THE MISSISSIPPIAN PERIOD
During the Mississippian period, the Inland Basin region
was still an inland sea environment. Sediment was beginning to
be shed into the basin from the Acadian highlands of the east.
Gradually, the amount of incoming sediment into the basin declined. The shoreline of the sea moved back and forth across the
basin as the sea level rose and fell. The changing water levels created alternating sequences of non-marine and marine sedimentary rocks (Ansley, 2000).
During this time period, the Northeast was still located
along the equator, so the warm climate created lush vegetation.
Large swamps covered the shorelines of the inland sea. Plant material in the swamps would die and accumulate into thick piles of
peat. This peat became buried by sediment and more vegetation,
eventually becoming compressed. Over time and continual burial, the peat was transformed into layers of coal. Thus, the Mississippian rocks of the Inland Basin region, are repeating sequences
of alternating sedimentary rock and bands of coal due to the
shifts in sea level that allowed lush vegetation to develop into
swamps (Ansley, 2000).
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Coordinates: N 41ᴼ 17.822
W 080ᴼ 15.742
ARTESIAN WELL BASICS
Artesian wells are “pumpless” wells; in other words,
water courses through porous rock in an astounding feat of
defying gravity. This is possible because of the pressure that
accumulates between the impermeable rock layers. In an effort to relieve the pressure and equilibrium, the porous rock
pushes up the water, which eventually reaches the open air
where the pressure is relieved (Brainz, 2010).
The water source for artesian wells is known as an
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aquifer. These aquifers store water in permeable rock
such as limestone or sandstone that comes from melting
snow, high precipitation, groundwater, run-off, etc. As
stated previously, this permeable stone is surrounded by
two layers of impermeable stone like clay or rock. This
impermeable rock is what causes the high levels of pressure that eventually push the water to the surface
through either some sort of man-made piping or a fracture in the impermeable rock (Brainz, 2010).
For thousands of generations, people have relied
on these artesian wells for water. Unlike traditional
wells, these wells provide water that is cold and clean.
The permeable rock acts as natural filters and percolators that trap contaminants as the water passes through
it. It is said that water from artesian wells is much safer
to drink than river water. As stated previously, people
usually install piping into the ground until it reaches the
aquifer trapped between the impermeable rocks. This
allows an outlet for the water to pump to the surface. In
ancient times, people would access these wells by hitting
a rod with a sharpened tip with a hammer (Brainz,
2010).
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Coordinates: N 41ᴼ 16.945
W 080ᴼ 19.239
BIG BEND
The Big Bend area on the Shenango River displays a
unique 90 degree turn in the river’s path as it begins to drain
down to the Shenango River Lake. Along the banks of Big
Bend, you can take a step back into Erie Extension Canal history. The remnants of the ripwrap laid along the stream bank
to prevent streambank erosion is evident in this area. The
Erie Extension Canal provided the isolated regions of Mercer
County a vital means of transporting goods to ports at Erie
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and Pittsburgh. This stimulated the regional economy which
for years had been limited to local trade due to the absence of
convenient transportation (Bauman, J.F., 1989).
In addition to its unique historical significance, the Big
Bend area also holds some very innovative geological postulations into the history of its northern path. As stated previously, the Shenango River flowed northward before the glacial epoch. Based off the “Bedrock Geologic Map of the Fredonia and Sharpsville Quadrangles and Part of the Orangeville
Quadrangle, Northern Mercer County, PA” map by George
Schiner and Grant Kimmel published in 1976, the bedrock of
the riverbed for both the Shenango River and Lackawannock
Creek is the same. It is made up of Bedford Shale, Cussewago
Sandstone, and Devonian Undifferentiated. Based off the riverbed rock structure and the actual riverbed location, it is
postulated that before the glacial epoch, the Shenango River
coursed up Lackawannock Creek northward. Today, Lackawannock Creek is a tributary that flows into the Shenango
River at the Big Bend.
At this location, you will be able to see the Big Bend,
where Lackawannock joins the Shenango, and the historic riprap of the Erie Extension Canal.
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Coordinates: N 41ᴼ 08.146
W 080ᴼ 30.395
SHENANGO TOWNSHIP ESKER
Eskers are among some of the most interesting kinds
of glacial deposits. These were deposited by streams and rivers that flowed on top of glaciers, in the glacial cracks, or in
some cases, even in tunnels beneath the ice. Take a step back
in time and imagine a river that is flowing in a valley or crack
of the glacier. What are the banks made up of? Ice of course.
These Ice Age rivers and streams deposited gravel and sand in
their ice valleys, just as modern stream deposits sediments in
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their valleys and streambeds. The key difference between modern day rivers and streams compared to the
glacial streams and rivers is the banks. Unlike present
day banks, the glacial banks of those esker rivers eventually melted away, thus leaving gravel deposits standing
as ridges. What a topographical phenomenon! The once
valleys became inverted into present-day ridges. To put
it simply, eskers are the ridges of gravel and sand that
mark the routes of stream and rivers that flowed in, on,
or beneath glaciers. The word esker comes from an Irish
Gaelic work “eiscer” which means ridge. These remnant
glacial features can be more than 100 feet high, a few
hundred feet wide, and many miles long. Some eskers
have almost nearly level crests (Bluemle, J.P., 2007).
The Shenango Township Esker is thus a unique
geological feature from glacial periods. It displays
where the glacier once was and the esker stream or river
that flowed on, in, or beneath it. This esker is not as
prominently noticeable as ones that are covered with
low vegetation such as grasses; the trees tend to mask
its topography and make it appear as just another small
hill. Take a close look and you can see how the ridge
tends to wind along the valley floor. What an interesting
glacial phenomenon!
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Shenango River
Watershed
Mahoning County, Ohio
Mahoning County is located in northeastern
Ohio adjacent to Lawrence County in Pennsylvania. It
is 411 square miles and has a population of 238, 823
people. Mahoning County was founded on March 1,
1846 and was named after the Native American word
meaning “salt lick”. This county has seven major cities
and 14 townships.
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Mahoning County Soil and Water
The 94th General Assembly passed passed the
House Bill 646 on May 16, 1941 which created the Ohio
Soil Conservation Committee as the agency for the State of
Ohio. This also allowed for the formation of local conservation districts. The Mahoning County Soil and Water
Conservation District was organized in June 1950 as the
82nd conservation district. Today, its main priorities are:
conservation education, nonpoint source pollution watershed protection, technical assistance, and other conservation topics. It provides education and assistance that promotes stewardship of natural resources for all generations.
While searching for EarthCaches, please feel free to
enjoy some of Mahoning County’s fine cuisine, outdoor
adventure, and sight seeing.
Restaurants:
*Downtown Coffee Cafe– Hubbard
*Main Moon Chinese Restaurant– Hubbard
*Best Catch Seafood– Campbell
*Pizza Joe’s– Campbell
*Valley Café– Campbell
Points of Interest
*Mill Creek MetroParks
*Lanterman’s Mill and Covered Bridge
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Coordinates: N 41ᴼ 07.142
W 080ᴼ 33.608
This portrays a 3D image of the McGuffey Drumlin without the trees.
MCGUFFEY DRUMLIN
Located on McGuffey Road in Mahoning County, Ohio
is a low, smoothly-rounded hill approximately 800 feet
long, 200 feet wide and 40 feet high. Based on observations
of the makeup of the hill during excavations over the years
and the fact that the elongated hill has the general shape of
a teaspoon lying upside down, the hill is a drumlin.
A drumlin (the word drumlin is derived from the
Gaelic word druim, a “rounded hill” or “mound”) is an oval
or elongated hill made under the ice of a glacier when a
crevice in the ice has allowed till, gravels and rock to fall to
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the bottom of the glacier. This unsorted material, deposited by the
glacial ice, shows no stratification. Generally found in broad lowland areas, the long axes of drumlins roughly run parallel to the path
of glacial flow. Although the shapes of drumlins vary, the glacier
side of a drumlin is always high and steep, with the opposite end
smooth and tapering gently in the direction of the ice movement
(Allaby, M. 2004).
According to John Hildreth Chase in his book, Geological Field
Trips in the Youngstown Area, a 1941 excavation found the hill on
McGuffey Road “to be made of a jumble of sand, pebbles and boulders” with “no stratification”. He also stated that the axis of the
drumlin “lies 30 degrees west of north which is the usual direction
of glacial scratches in the Youngstown area”.
Drumlins are common in central Wisconsin, central New
York, northwestern Canada, southwestern Nova Scotia, and in Ireland. However, Chase believed that the drumlin on McGuffey road is
the only one discovered in Ohio.
McGUFFEY WILDLIFE PRESERVE
This Earth Cache is located at McGuffey Wildlife Preserve,
one of eight preservation areas in the 4,400-arce Mill Creek
MetroParks system in Mahoning County, Ohio. Mill Creek Park,
which was established in 1891 as the first park district in Ohio, was
converted to a metropolitan park district in 1989 (Mill Creek
MetroParks, 2011).
The 78-acre McGuffey Wildlife Preserve was donated to Mill
Creek Park in 1998 by the William Holmes McGuffey Historical Society. Once the former home of William Holmes McGuffey, author of
the McGuffey Readers, who lived in a log cabin on this site; the William Holmes McGuffey Boyhood Home Site was designated a Registered National Historic Landmark (Mill Creek MetroParks, 2011).
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Shenango River
Watershed
Lawrence County, Pennsylvania
Known as the firework capitol of the world, Lawrence
County is located just north of Pittsburgh, between Beaver and
Mercer County. Established in 1849 with roughly 6,000 citizens, the county is now home to approximately 91,108 citizens.
In the early 1900’s, the City of New Castle, centered in the middle of the county, was one of the fastest growing cities in the
nation, due to its growing tin industry. Today, New Castle is no
longer the “Tin Industry” capitol of the world, but the county
still has much to offer. Touring the scenic, rural hills you will
find parks and trails, and many rolling farms, not to mention
the 3rd largest Old Order Amish population in the nation. Additionally, Lawrence County has exquisite cuisine to please any
taste, from Italian to Middle Eastern. With much to offer, Lawrence County is a great place to spend the day relaxing.
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Lawrence County Conservation District
The Lawrence County Conservation District, founded in
1961, operates under the belief that conservation works best when
local people, those who live and work in the area, play an active
role in managing their natural resources. Because conservation districts are familiar with local issues they are able to identify and prioritize actions needed to manage the resources of a particular area.
Just this past year, Lawrence County Conservation District celebrated their 50th anniversary along with some recent major accomplishments. These accomplishments include the concept and development of West Park Nature Center, the Urban Tree Revitalization
Project in the city of New Castle, Bevington Boat Access Ramp on
the Beaver River and Deer Creek and Hickory Creek Watersheds
restoration projects.
While searching for EarthCaches, please feel free to enjoy
some of Lawrence County’s fine cuisine, outdoor adventure, and
sight seeing.
Restaurants:
Four Brothers Urban Bistro
II Tomato
Mary’s Middle Eastern Restaurant
Lanigan’s Irish Pub & Eatery
The Tavern
Nicco Lucciano’s
Ryder’s Restaurant
Pizza Joe’s
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Places of Interest:
McConnell’s Mills State Park
West Park Nature Center
Stavich Bike Trail
Volant Shops
Living Treasures Animal Park
Hoyt Institute of Fine Arts,
North Hill
Ewing Park, Ellwood City
Coordinates: N 40ᴼ 58.608
W 080ᴼ 19.230
BIG RUN FALLS
Big Run Falls are located along Big Run within the
New Castle city municipal park known as Cascade Park.
The stream and waterfall were created from the receding
Wisconsin Glacier some 10,000 years ago. Big Run Falls is
known as a plunge waterfall; this type of waterfall is characterized by water that drops vertically without touching
the underlying cliffs behind it. Cascades are located before
the actual plunge of waterfall. Cascades have various
stages that they flow over as they fall down a rocky slope.
Both types of waterfalls are present at Big Run Falls.
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In addition to the beautiful waterfalls, the rock formations that surround the falls are intriguing. These too were also
formed during the receding of the glaciers during the ice age
epoch. The rocks here are part of the Pottsville Group of the
Pennsylvanian System. The Pennsylvanian System is a group of
rocks that has been and is of enormous importance for its coals,
clays, shales, sandstones, limestones, iron ore, petroleum, natural gas, and brines. These rocks cover an area of more than 70,
800 square miles in central and western Pennsylvania, eastern
Ohio, western Maryland, western Virginia, West Virginia, eastern Kentucky, eastern Tennessee, and northern Alambama.
There are four series within the Pennsylvanian system: Pottville, Allegheny, Conemaugh, and Monongahela. The Pottsville
is the basal series of the Pennsylvanian system and is of vast
importance for its mineral resources (Stout, 1944).
CASCADE PARK HISTORY
Cascade Park officially opened as a public park on May
29, 1897. Over the next few decades it grew to include various
styles of entertainment such as: an outdoor theater, a large
dance pavilion, a fifteen-acre lake, a zoo, several baseball fields,
a carousel, a picnic grove, concession stands, a rollercoaster,
and a host of midway rides. The heyday of the urban park was
during the 1920’s when it was expanded to a full 183 acres. Today, it is part of the city’s public park system; it no longer has
the rides or carnival-style persona. It now represents a park
that has slowly been restored to its natural beauty. A place
where one can take a stroll on one of the many hiking trails in
the park or come to see the beauty of the falls. During the summer months, Cascade Park is one of the host sites for the largest
event of New Castle “Back to the Fifties” (Lawrence County
Memoirs, 2011).
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The first Army Engineer was appointed on June
16, 1775 by General George Washington. The Corps of
Engineers was established as a separate permanent
branch on March 16, 1802. Historically the Corps of
Engineers constructed coastal forts and mapped much
of the great American West. Through the years the
Corps surveyed roads and canals, eliminated navigation hazards in rivers and ports and constructed many
of the government buildings and monuments in the
nation’s capital. In the 20th century, the U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers became the lead federal agency for
flood control. The Corps manages over 400 water resource projects that provide over 11 million acres of
land and water helping to make it the second largest
provider of recreation in the United States, second
only to the U.S. Forest Service.
44
Wildlife has always been an integral part of
Pennsylvania. Every day, it touches the lives of
countless Pennsylvanians, many of which consider it
a state treasure. During the 1800s, wildlife did not
flourish as it does today due to deforestation, pollution, and unregulated hunting and trapping. From
this time period emerged the Game Commission. The
PA Game Commission was created by state legislature to conserve and protect wildlife; during that
time period wildlife was often referred to as game.
The environmental and ecological diversity enjoyed
today is largely due to the Game Commission’s progressive, scientifically-based wildlife management
programs (PA Game Commission, 2010).
45
~Allaby, M. (2004). A Dictionary of Ecology. Encyclopedia.com Retrieved
from: http://www.encyclopedia.com
~Ansley, J. E. (2000). The Teacher-Friendly Guide to the Geology of the
Northeastern U.S Paleontological Research Institution, 32.
~Bauman, J.F. (1989). The Erie Extension Canal and the Canal Boom
Towns of Clarksville, Big Bend, and New Hamburg, PA, During
the Canal Era, 1941-1871: A Search of the Literature. US Army
Corps of Engineers, 1.
~Bluemle, J.P. (2007). Eskers in North Dakota. North Dakota Geological
Survey. Retrieved from: https://www.dmr.nd.gov/ndgs/ndnotes/
Eskers/Eskers.asp
~Brainz. (2010). What is an Artesian Well? Retrieved from: http://
brainz.org/what-artesian-well/
~Brigham, A.P. (1892). Rivers and the Evolution of Geographic Forms.
Journal of the American Geographical Society, 24, 23-43.
~Cheng, J. 2012. Waterfalls 101. World of Waterfalls. Retrieved from:
http://www.world-of-waterfalls.com/featured-articles-waterfalls101.html
~Cleveland Museum of Natural History. (2012). McCoy State Nature Preserve. Cleveland Museum of Natural History. Retrieved from:
http://www.cmnh.org/site/Conservation/NaturalAreas/Map/
McCoyNaturePreserve.aspx
~Cooper, C., S. Smith, and M. Moore. (2003). Surface Water, Ground Water, and Sediment Quality in Three Oxbow Lake Watersheds in the
Mississippi Delta Agricultural Region: Pesticides. International
Journal of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, 29, 171-84.
~Environmental Protection Agency. (2011). Fens. Water: Wetlands. Retrieved from: http://water.epa.gov/type/wetlands/fen.cfm
~Finlayson, M. and M. Moser. (1997). Wetlands. International Waterfowl
and Wetlands Research Bureau, vol 6, p. 7.
~Gardens, E (2011) What is an Oxbow Lake? Retrieved from:
http://www.nywetlands.com/oxbowlake.html.
46
~Geocaching. (2012). GeoCaching 101. Retrieved from: http://
www.geocaching.com/guide/default.aspx
~Globe Fearon. (2003). Chapter 1: Watersheds and Wetlands. Environment
and Ecology for Pennsylvania: Meeting the Standards, 10.
~Lawrence County Memoirs. (2011). Cascade Park of Today. Retrieved
from: http://www.lawrencecountymemoirs.com/lcmpages/180/
cascade-park-of-today-new-castle-pa
~Mann, D. and C. (2005). The Devonian Period: The Age of Fish. Retrieved from: http://www.fossils-facts-and-finds.com/
devonian_period.html.
~Mill Creek MetroParks. (2011). McGuffey Wildlife Preserve. Retrieved
from: http://www.millcreekmetroparks.com/ParksFacilities/
NaturePreserves/McGuffeyWildlifePreserve/tabid/1515/
Default.aspx
~Mondok, J. (1990). The Shenango River. Shenango Riverscapes, 1-2.
~National Snow and Ice Data Center. (2012). How do Glaciers affect Land?
Retrieved from: http://nsidc.org/cryosphere/glaciers/questions/
land.html.
~Pennsylvania Game Commission. (2010). About the Pennsylvania Game
Commission. Retrieved from: http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/
server.pt?open=514&objID=983474&mode=2
~Schweitzer, P. (2004). Chadakoin Formation. USGS. Retrieved from:
http://tin.er.usgs.gov/geology/state/sgmc-unit.php?unit=PADch%
3B8
~Schiner, G. and G. Kimmel. (1976). Geology and Ground-Water Resources
of Northern Mercer County, PA. Water Resource Report, 33, 1-2.
~Stout, W. (1944). Sandstones and Conglomerates in Ohio. Geological Survey of Ohio, vol 54, p.78-9.
~Weihaupt, J.G. (1977). Morphometric Definitions and Classifications of
Oxbow Lakes, Yukon River Basin, Alaska. Water Resources Research, 1-43.
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Mercer County Conservation District
753 Greenville Road
Mercer, PA 16137
Phone: (724) 662- 2242
Fax: (724) 662- 3905
Website: www.mercercountycd.com
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