The Power To Change
Basically, the power of water has changed every landscape on the Earth’s surface in one manner or another. Water can be one of the Earth's most powerful landscapers, drastically changing the terrain in the blink of an eye, or it can be very subtle, taking hundreds, thousands, even millions of years to alter the landscape. At this location you will see a landscape altered by the effects of moving water as it flows over three separate and distinct rock layers (strata).
Limestone Formation
During the Silurian period the Earth entered into a long period of global warming. Melting of large glacial formations worldwide caused a shallow, warm, salt-water sea to develop and cover the central portion of the North American continent. Marine life such as brachiopods, crinoids, stromatoporoids, trilobites, conodonts, corals and many other creatures inhabited this vast inland sea. As time passed, the sea bottom became covered with the skeletal remains (Calcium Carbonate) of these ancient marine creatures. This sediment, under pressure, heat and time, eventually solidified and altered into a porous stratum called Limestone. This process is known as Lithification. Limestone is ordinarily white but impurities such as Iron Oxide make it appear cream, gray, yellow or beige. Carbon (Iron) particles give it a blue or black hue. On the Mohs scale of hardness, Limestone/Calcite is a 3.
Dolomite Formation
Dolomite forms after Limestone has already gone through the process of Lithification. When magnesium-rich water comes into contact with limestone, calcium and magnesium carbonate replaces the calcite calcium carbonate in the rock. This process of replacement is called Dolomitization. Dolomite, being harder than Limestone, is used as ornamental stone, as a concrete aggregate and as a source of magnesium oxide, a refractory material. Dolomite is generally white, gray or pink in color. On the Mohs scale of hardness, Dolomite/Calcium Magnesium Carbonate is a 3.5/4.
Shale Formation
Approximately 500 million years ago, particles from the erosion of the Appalachian Mountains were transported westward by winds and water currents and deposited in a shallow intercontinental sea. The process of Lithification altered these erosional deposits (Clasts) into a blue-gray colored stratum called Shale. These soft Shale layers are easily eroded once they become exposed to the environment. Since Shale is a Clastic sedimentary rock and not a mineral, it is not listed on the Mohs scale of hardness. I believe shale (if it was to be listed) would be between a 2 and a 3 in hardness, depending on quality and other factors. Shale is the most common type of sedimentary rock found worldwide.
Erosional Forces Running water, such as the waterfall at this location, erodes land formations in 3 different processes. The first process is called dissolution. Dissolution is the dissolving of particles within the rock itself. Sedimentary rocks, cemented together with calcite, are extremely vulnerable to this process. The second is called scouring. Scouring is the process of uplift and transport of loose rock particles and depositing them downstream. The third process is abrasion. Abrasion occurs when rock particles, transported downstream, collide with other rock formations, chipping and wearing away at the formation itself. These 3 processes can occur individually or in tandem.
The Falls
A waterfall can be described as a site where flowing water rapidly drops in elevation as it flows over a steep ledge type area or cliff. The elevation change found here is due to erosional differences between the different strata. As water flows over the more resistant Silurian Mayville Dolomite, erosion occurs slowly. As the river flows over the less resistant Maquoketa Shale, erosion occurs faster, creating a drop in elevation, eventually forming a waterfall. When the softer rock layer directly beneath the waterfall erodes, the waterfall becomes taller, the plunge pool gets deeper, and undercut causes the softer rock stratum to recede upstream creating a cave like depression below the overlying limestone. Eventually the limestone outcropping will collapse and the waterfall will recede upstream, lengthening the ravine, only to repeat the process over again.
Waterfall Classification
BLOCK
A cascade, wider than it is tall, that usually covers the entire distance across a stream and drops at a near vertical angle. Blocks are often referred to as being “classic” or “horseshoe” style falls.
CASCADE
A series of small drops, too many to count feasibly, that fall at a low angle of descent. Just about every type of waterfall usually has cascades shortly upstream or downstream from it.
FAN
A steep-angled cascade that fans out from a narrow width at the top to a larger base at the bottom. Most fans are also horsetails in that they maintain contact with underlying rock during their descent.
HORSETAIL
A nearly vertical drop characterized by waters maintaining constant or almost constant contact with the underlying rock that they are flowing over. This is essentially a very steep set of cascades.
PLUNGE
A waterfall in which water drops at an entirely vertical angle. Water flows over a broad ledge, usually an overhanging one, into a pool without making contact with the underlying rock during its descent.
PUNCHBOWL
A special type of plunge characterized by water being forced to a very narrow width and being squeezed down into a pool. There are very few punchbowls found in this region.
From the observation platform make the necessary observations to answer the questions below. Email your answers to me, using the link in my profile only. If your answers are not recieved by me, your log will be deleted. Photos are accepted and appreciated as long as the answers are not pictured. You do not have to wait for confirmation from me before logging this cache as completed. Most of all……learn……and enjoy the view.The listed coordinates are for the north parking area.
1. From the list above, select what type of waterfall you believe this to be.
2. Describe the upper type of rock seen here. (color, thickness, etc.)
3. Describe the lower type of rock seen here. (color, thickness, etc.)
4. Using your GPS or a compass, state what the direction is, from the bottom of the observation deck toward the waterfall.
5. Between the coordinates given (parking) and the observation deck (listed below) you will pass a statue. To help discredit online finds, state what is etched on the north side of the base of this statue. It is very hard to read so anything somewhat close will be accepted.
Wequiock Falls, one of Brown County's smaller parks, contains a large ravine featuring a close-up inspection of the Niagara Escarpment rock formation. In spring, snow melt runoff through Wequiock Creek forms a picturesque waterfall which gradually slows through the dry summer season. In winter, groundwater seepage and runoff freezes to form picturesque ice spires and veils throughout the ravine. The name Wequiock comes from the Ojibwe indian word "wikkway", meaning "bladder".
The area beyond the observation platform railing is NOT maintained by the Brown County Park Department. Because of falling rock, cliffs and other dangerous conditions you are asked to remain behind ANY and ALL of the railings that surround the entire ravine and waterfall.
The Geocache Notification Form has been submitted to Doug Hartman, Brown County Facility and Park Management.