Salmon River Falls Unique Area EarthCache
Geodiving: This is an Earthcache,
Salmon River Falls Unique Area
-
Difficulty:
-
-
Terrain:
-
Size: 
(not chosen)
Please note Use of geocaching.com services is subject to the terms and conditions
in our disclaimer.
Salmon River Unique Area is managed by NYS DEC to create a tourist destination to this shale talus-based geology. The Falls Trail is a very easy gravel trail that leads only 1100 ft from the parking area to the final overlook of Salmon River Falls. There are two overlook platforms from the top of the gorge that supply excellent vantage points to view the falls from above.
The Salmon River Corridor is characterized by relatively simple bedrock geology, with nearly all of the area being underlain by sedimentary rocks composed of sandstones, siltstones, shales, and limestones. The pattern of unconsolidated surface material deposited over the bedrock is complex due to the glacial history. Soils with the corridor, upstream from are predominately stony, medium to course textured, highly acid, and on glacial till derived from sandstone origin.
Flowing water is continually reshaping the landscape, and effects of its erosive power are evident all around us. Water is capable of lifting and transporting loose rock fragments (sediment), which then act abrasively on rock, wearing it away. It can also wash away soil and dissolve minerals, carrying them downstream before depositing them elsewhere. When rainwater falls on slopes, it runs downhill, cutting small channels on slopes, called rills, which can deepen with further rainfall to form gullies. These channels can eventually join streams and rivers. Rivers are important erosive agents. Rivers are important erosive agents, carving their way through the Earth’s surface to create valleys and canyons.
Two types of bedrock can be found on the Salmon River Falls Unique Area. The rock making up the cliff of the falls consist of Oswego Sandstone. Sandstones are usually very hard and cannot be easily eroded. The rocks at the bottom of the falls consist of Pulaski shale. Shales are made of mud and silt which are much more prone to erosion. Over time, the soft shale has eroded away leaving the hard sandstone, creating the waterfall.
This Earthcache is positioned at the foothills of the Tug Hill Plateau between Salmon River Reservoir (upstream) and the Lighthouse Hill Reservoir (downstream). The Salmon River Unique Area is managed by the NYS DEC to protect a wide variety of plant and animal life unique to this shale talus base geology. Salmon River Falls is a spectacularly huge waterfall that plunges 110 feet over a very steep cliff of shale and limestone as it makes its way westward to Lake Ontario. The character of the falls is constantly changing not only with the seasons but also with the activity of the power plant (located just a mile upstream). The creation of the reservoirs above the falls has changed the Salmon River drastically; it is still possible to get vision of its grandeur when you visit the falls during peak water flow (750 cfs) and higher.
Types of waterfalls:
Block-- water descends from a relatively wide stream or river, Cascade-- water descends a series of rocks steps, Cataract--a large waterfalls, Fan-water spreads horizontally as it descends while remaining in contact with bedrock, Horses tail-- descending water maintain some contact with bedrock, Plunge-water descend vertically, losing contact with the bedrock surface, Punchbowl-- water descends in a constricted form, then spreads out in a wider pool., Segmented--distinctly separate flows of water form as sit descends, tiered-water drops in a series of distinct steps or falls, Multi-step-- a series of waterfalls one after another of roughly the same size each with its own sunken plunge pool.
At the mean water flow, the falls is plunges in three distinct ribbons with uniquely beautiful characteristics. The right hand-most ribbon is the “primary” falls and has the highest and most consistent water flow year-round. The ribbons on the left and center are closest to the viewer and may be ether dry or a slight trickle during low flow.
To log the Salmon River Falls Earthcache email the answers to the following questions/tasks: 1. If there are ribbons of water flow, what is the approximate width of each ribbon of water flow on top and the base? 2. Approximately what percentage of the cliff is exposed where there is no waterfalls. 3. What type of falls is this? 4. Can you see any undercutting behind the base of the falls? 5. What is the elevation at top of the falls? 6. How many steps are there for the steps leading down to the rive bed at the Falls over look?
Coordinates changed to N 43' 32.946/W75' 56. 575.
Driving directions; From Syracuse, head north on Rt 81 to exit 36 for the village of Pulski. Turn right off the exit onto Rt 13. Travel apparox 6 miles to Cemetery St. (Co Rt 22) in Altmar. Go left & follow Rt 22 for approx 4 miles to Falls Road. Approx 1.5 miles to the parking lot.
Congratulations to SKYE53 for FTF.
Additional Hints
(No hints available.)