Complex interactions among glacial and bedrock aquifers in the River Styx basin, northeastern Ohio
- Univ. of Akron, OH (United States). Geology Dept.
The River Styx basin in Medina and Wayne counties, northeastern Ohio, overlies a buried valley eroded into Paleozoic sedimentary rocks of the Allegheny Plateau. The river flows southward from the St. Johns Moraine and is presently eroding Late Wisconsinan outwash and lacustrine deposits. The surrounding uplands are capped by Pennsylvanian Sharon Sandstone/Conglomerate of the Pottsville Group which overlies the Mississippian Cuyahoga Formation consisting of the Wooster Shale, Armstrong Sandstone, Rittman Conglomerate, and Meadville Shale. Morphometric analysis of the basin suggests that first- and second-order streams are developing at an accelerated rate compared to those of higher orders. The lower-order streams are eroding till whereas third- through fifth-order streams flow across bedrock, and sixth-order streams flow on permeable outwash and alluvium. Infiltration rates of the surficial till are about 10[sup [minus]3] cm/sec, and those of the outwash are between these values. There is a complex exchange of water among aquifers in the basin. Ground water is discharged into streams at the contact of the Sharon Sandstone/Conglomerate and the Wooster Shale. Water from streams may recharge the Armstrong Sandstone and Rittman Conglomerate at lower elevations along sideslopes of the valley. Buried sandier beds of the Meadville Shale may facilitate the transfer of ground water to the outwash in the buried valley. Observation wells into a shallow outwash aquifer show that some ground water is being discharged slowly into the River Styx. Although water may be transferred along fractures in the bedrock, more water is transferred through near-surface discharge and recharge.
- OSTI ID:
- 5806287
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-921058--
- Journal Information:
- Geological Society of America, Abstracts with Programs; (United States), Journal Name: Geological Society of America, Abstracts with Programs; (United States) Vol. 24:7; ISSN GAAPBC; ISSN 0016-7592
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
540250 -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Site Resource & Use Studies-- (1990-)
58 GEOSCIENCES
580000* -- Geosciences
AQUIFERS
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
DRAINAGE
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
GEOLOGIC STRUCTURES
GROUND WATER
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDROLOGY
MASS TRANSFER
NORTH AMERICA
OHIO
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PERMEABILITY
RECHARGE
SEDIMENTARY BASINS
STREAMS
SURFACE WATERS
USA
WATER