Drainage Modifications and Glaciation in the Danbury Region Connecticut / State of Connecticut State Geological and Natural History Survey Bulletin No. 30

by Ruth Sawyer Harvey

SUPERINTENDENT

Herbert E. Gregory

Publication Approved by the Board of Control

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Drainage Modifications and Glaciation
in the Danbury Region
Connecticut

By
RUTH SAWYER HARVEY, Ph. D.

Hartford

Printed by the State Geological and Natural History Survey

1920

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CONTENTS.

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Page
[Introduction]	9
[Regional relations]	11
[Rocky River]	15
[Description of the river and its valley]	15
[Relation of the valley to geologic structure]	16
[Junction of Rocky and Housatonic Rivers]	18
[Abnormal profile]	18
[Preglacial course]	20
[The buried channel]	23
[Effect of glaciation]	25
[The Neversink-Danbury valley]	27
[Still River]	30
[Statement of the problem]	30
[Evidence to be expected if Still River has been reversed]	31
[A valley wide throughout or broadening toward the south]	32
[Tributary valleys pointing upstream]	34
[The regional slope not in accord with the course of the Still]	35
[Evidence of glacial filling and degrading of the river bed]	36
[Glacial scouring]	36
[The Still-Saugatuck divide]	38
[Features of the Umpog valley]	38
[The preglacial divide]	42
[The Still-Croton divide]	43
[Introduction]	43
[Features of Still River valley west of Danbury]	43
[The Still-Croton valley]	44
[Glacial Lake Kanosha]	45
[Divides in the highlands south of Danbury]	46
[The ancient Still River]	47
[Departures of Still River from its preglacial channel]	48
[Suggested courses of Housatonic River]	50
[Glacial deposits]	53
[Beaver Brook Swamp]	53
[Deposits northeast of Danbury]	54
[Deposits between Beaver Brook Mountain and mouth of Still River]	54
[Lakes]	55
[History of the glacial deposits]	56

ILLUSTRATIONS.

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Page
PLATE	I		[View south on the Highland northeast of Neversink Pond]	14
	II	A.	[View up the valley of Umpog Creek]	40
		B.	[View down the valley of Umpog Creek]	40
	III		[Limestone plain southwest of Danbury, in which are situated Lake Kanosha and the Danbury Fair Grounds]	44
	IV	A.	[View down the Housatonic Valley from a point one-half mile below Stillriver Station]	52
		B.	[Part of the morainal ridge north of Danbury]	52
	V	A.	[Kames in Still River valley west of Brookfield Junction]	54
		B.	[Till ridges on the western border of Still River valley, south of Brookfield]	56

Page
FIGURE	1.	[Present drainage of the Danbury region]	13
	2.	[Geological map of Still River valley]	17
	3.	[Profiles of present and preglacial Rocky River]	19
	4.	[Preglacial course of Rocky-Still River]	21
	5.	[Diagram showing lowest rock levels in Rocky River valley]	24
	6.	[Course of Still River]	29
	7.	[Map of Umpog Swamp and vicinity]	39
	8.	[Profiles of rivers]	41
	9.	[Early Stage of Rocky-Still River]	49
	10.	[Five suggested outlets of Housatonic River]	51

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