Grand View of Little River Falls EarthCache
Grand View of Little River Falls
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Grand Falls is better known for the large waterfalls on the St John River but there is another smaller waterfall on the Little River that will help you understand how this area was formed geologically. This earthcache will bring you to that location.
The last glacial episode in Maine and New Brunswick began about 25,000 years ago, when the Laurentide ice sheet moved south overspreading New England and Eastern Canada. During its peak development, this ice sheet was centered over eastern Canada and flowed east to southeast across New Brunswick into the sea. The ice itself was thousands of feet thick, with its massive weight shaped the land as it slowly traveled. Climatic warming forced the Laurentide ice sheet to stop and begin to recede as early as 21,000 years ago. As the ice sheet moved back and forth it deposited a large amount of material called glacial till forming a moraine. This material built up finally blocking what was the St John River in the area of Grand Falls. This melting of the ice sheet released more water then is possible to imagine and as it filled the valley behind the moraine it formed what was called Lake Madawaska. The amount of water held back by the lake covered much of northwestern New Brunswick and northeastern Maine. The rapid melting of the glacier released great quantities of water that finally found it way over the top of the moraine where it took the path of least resistance, quickly eroded the land leaving deep-sided canyon as the water rushed to the ocean.
If you look at Grand Falls on the map you will see how the moraine changed the path of the St John River in the area because the path of least resistance was not the original path of the river. The river cut across the bedding of the rock that was under the tons of glacial till finding its way down stream. The river moved toward what is now the Little River where it suddenly took a turn to the south following a fault and heading toward the ocean. Where it made the turn you will find Grand Falls but you will also find a lesser-known falls called Little River Falls. In high water the falls is covered by the huge volume of the St John River but in low water it can be quickly spotted as the water from the Little River flows into the canyon. Grand Falls was formed when the water flows over the folds in the limestone while Little River Falls flows over the edge of a fault that formed the Canyon below. The falls in best spotted in low water or when only the south gates above are open and can be seen from a number of locations on the streets on both side of the river, it can be seen from the bridge crossing just below the falls and it can be seen from several sidewalks in the area. The coordinates will bring you to the location that gives you a direct view of this beautiful little falls.
To log this Earthcache: You must visit the area and answer an earth science question. There is no container or logbook for you to sign just a beautiful little waterfall to visit. You must send an e-mail with a description of how the two waterfalls differ in structure. I am not looking for difference in size by how the rocks formed the two waterfalls. As you look at the falls think about the force that it must have taken to form these cascades. The photo will give others something to look forward to when they visit. The Malabeam Center on the other side of the river is a tourist information center that has an outstanding display of the history and geology of the falls. In season this is well worth the time for a visit and gives a different view of the falls. It also would be nice if you would post a photo so others would know what they have to look forward to at this earth cache.
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