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New geologic unit named after Old College 2:05 p.m., Oct. 21, 2005--The Delaware Geological Survey (DGS) has released a new technical report titled, “Geology of the Old College Formation along the Fall Zone of Delaware.” The publication presents the results of research by Kelvin W. Ramsey and formally names the Old College Formation as a new geologic unit. The new formation was named for drill holes and samples from the Old College campus in Newark that were examined as a part of the study. The report documents the presence of sediments deposited as a series of alluvial fans that originated in the Piedmont and spread onto Delaware’s Coastal Plain. Deposits occurred prior to deep stream incision that took place during the late Pleistocene when sea level was lower. The best-developed alluvial fan was deposited by an ancestral White Clay Creek and now underlies the City of Newark and the UD campus. Similar deposits are mapped along the boundary between the Piedmont and Coastal Plain Provinces (the Fall Zone) from Newark to Wilmington. Knowledge of geologic formations such as the Old College Formation is important for understanding the distribution of sand, silt and clay bodies. These bodies control the distribution, transmission and quality of ground water that is used for public and private supply and for industrial and agricultural purposes. Understanding the nature and distribution of the Old College Formation, which underlies an increasingly urbanized area, will contribute to onsite analysis of engineering properties for design and construction activities related to roads, bridges and buildings, and recharge of ground water where much of the area is covered by impervious surfaces. Printed copies of the publication may be requested by contacting DGS at (302) 831-2833, via e-mail to [delgeosurvey@udel.edu] or by visiting the DGS office, off Academy Street on UD’s Newark campus. Article by Martin Mbugua To learn how to subscribe to UDaily, click here. |
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