The Geography of the Region about Devil's Lake and the Dalles of the Wisconsin: With Some Notes on Its Surface Geology — John Shaqi
The Geography of the Region about Devil's Lake and the Dalles of the Wisconsin: With Some Notes on Its Surface GeologySalisbury, Rollin D.
Science
The Geography of the Region about Devil's Lake and the Dalles of the Wisconsin: With Some Notes on Its Surface Geology
Salisbury, Rollin D.
Physical geography; Wisconsin -- Description and travel
Southwest from Devil's lake and northwest from Sauk City, in the valley
of Honey creek, and again in the region southwest from Camp Douglas, the
topography just described is well illustrated. In both these localities,
as in all others where this type of topography prevails, the intimate
relations of topography and drainage cannot fail to suggest that the
streams which are today widening and deepening the valleys through which
they flow, had much to do with their origin and development. This
hypothesis, as applied to the region under consideration, may be tested
by the study of the structure of the plain.
The second type of topography affecting the plain about the quartzite
ranges is found east of a line running from Kilbourn City to a point
just north of Prairie du Sac. Though in its larger features the area
east of this line resembles that to the west, its minor features are
essentially different. Here there are many depressions which have no
outlets, and marshes, ponds, and small lakes abound. Not only this, but
many of the lesser elevations stand in no definite relation to valleys.
The two types of topography make it clear that they were developed in
different ways.
_Structure._--Examination of the country surrounding the Baraboo ridges
shows that its surface is underlaid at no great depth by horizontal or
nearly horizontal beds of sandstone and limestone (see Plates XVI,
XXVIII, and Frontispiece). These beds are frequently exposed on opposite
sides of a valley, and in such positions the beds of one side are found
to match those on the other. This is well shown along the narrow valley
of Skillett creek just above the "Pewit's nest." Here the swift stream
is rapidly deepening its channel, and it is clear that a few years
hence, layers of sandstone which are now continuous beneath the bed of
the creek will have been cut through, and their edges will appear on
opposite sides of the valley just as higher layers do now. Here the most
skeptical might be convinced that the layers of rock on either side of
the narrow gorge were once continuous across it, and may see, at the
same time, the means by which the separation was effected. Between the
slight separation, here, where the valley is narrow, and the great
separation where the valleys are wide, there are all gradations. The
study of progressively wider valleys, commencing with such a gorge as
that referred to, leaves no room for doubt that even the wide valleys,
as well as the narrow ones, were cut out of the sandstone by running
water.
[Illustration: WISCONSIN GEOL. AND NAT. HIST. SURVEY. BULLETIN NO. V.,
PL. III.
Illustration: FIG. 1.
Ripple marks on a slab of Potsdam sandstone.
Illustration: FIG. 2.
Piece of Potsdam conglomerate. The larger pebbles are about three inches
in diameter.]
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