Allegheny River Watershed EarthCache

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rainbowtree: DO NOT post a log to this cache, even backdated. Your log will be immediately deleted.
A special thank you to those who completed all the requirements as requested -and- added A B C to your log.

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Hidden : 7/25/2008
Difficulty:
2 out of 5
Terrain:
1 out of 5

Size: Size: other (other)

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Geocache Description:


EARTHCACHE REQUIREMENTS
Each cacher must send his/her own answers BEFORE logging a find. Enjoy the journey (learning adventure) as well as the destination (smiley earned). Remember to take only pictures and leave only footprints. To get credit for this Earthcache, complete the following tasks:

1. MESSAGE :-) or EMAIL …. a. Walk along the fence from the Kinzua Dam (BEGIN) to Big Ben Overlook (END). How many miles (or feet) have you walked along the tip of this reservoir? ... b. Kinzua is a Seneca Indian term which means -----. This answer is found on one of the signs along your walk.

2. MESSAGE :-) or EMAIL …. The main purpose of the Kinzua Dam is flow regulation. What is the gauge height measurement at Eldred (upstream), Kinzua (dam), and Warren (downstream) on the day you visited the Kinzua Dam? THREE measurements.
Use the Streamflow Table to get the data you need:
PENNSYLVANIA http://waterdata.usgs.gov/pa/nwis/current/?type=flow&group_key=basin_cd
ALLEGHENY RIVER http://waterdata.usgs.gov/pa/nwis/current/?type=flow&group_key=basin_cd&search_site_no_station_nm=allegheny%20river

3. MESSAGE :-) or EMAIL …. a. What is the difference between the Allegheny River and the Allegany River? ... b. How large is the watershed drainage basin?

4. MESSAGE :-) or EMAIL …. a. There are 10+ bodies of water mentioned. Arrange them from least to greatest (puddles – oceans). ... b. Where does the river and the dam fall in this hierarchy?

OPTIONAL - Please respect the time and effort involved in finding and creating this earthcache by adding A B C to your log.

A. Post a picture at or near the posted coords. This picture is your log signature verifying that you were at the earthcache.

B. JOURNEY OF THE MIND ... Science explains what we observe. Relate (in your own words) something you found interesting in the reading. This adds to your learning adventure and your log.

C. JOURNEY OF THE HEART ... Art shares our personal experience of what we see. Share something special you found on site, and why it is special to you ... prose / story / poem / picture. This is a memorable addition to your log and will make other hearts smile.

OPTIONAL - HALL OF FAME - GEOPUZZLE
Science and Technology work together to increase the benefits and reduce the burdens. Cut out all of the pieces and arrange them to form a complete picture. Art by Barb Tarbox.... In the picture you constructed, describe three benefits -and- three burdens. Have the benefits outweighed the burdens? Explain your reasoning. ... In the construction of the Kinzua Dam, describe three benefits -and- three burdens. Have the benefits outweighed the burdens? Explain your reasoning.




BODIES OF WATER

A body of water is any significant accumulation of water, and ranges from puddles to oceans. Some bodies of water are man-made (artificial), such as reservoirs or harbors, but most are naturally occurring geographical features. Bodies of water that are navigable are known as waterways. Some bodies of water collect and move water, such as rivers and streams, and others primarily hold water, such as lakes and oceans.

A watershed is a basin-like landform defined by highpoints and ridgelines that descend into lower elevations and stream valleys. A watershed carries water "shed" from the land after rain falls and snow melts. Drop by drop, water is channeled into soils, groundwaters, creeks, and streams, making its way to larger rivers and eventually the sea. Water is a universal solvent, affected by all that it comes in contact with: the land it traverses, and the soils through which it travels. The important thing about watersheds is: what we do on the land affects water quality for all communities living downstream.

ALLEGHENY RIVER WATERSHED

The Allegheny River Watershed has been carved out of the Allegheny Plateau, a plateau built up from millions of years of sediments eroded from ancient mountains to the east. In fact, the Allegheny Mountains, including the Laurel and Chestnut Ridges, used to be completely buried under that sediment. They are the last two mountain folds extending west from the (Appalachian) Ridge and Valley Section. These mountains play a significant role in the distribution of precipitation in the watershed. Landforms and Precipitation show patterns in the land and its effect on weather.

The Allegheny River (Allegany in New York) is approximately 325 mi long, with its drainage basin encompassing 11,580 sq mi in the northern Allegheny Plateau, providing the northeastern most drainage of the Mississippi River. The river begins in north central Pennsylvania, loops northward across southern Cattaraugus County, re-enters northwestern Pennsylvania, and flows in a broad zigzag course generally southward across western Pennsylvania. The Allegheny River joins with the Monongahela River at "The Point" in Downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to form the Ohio River, which flows via the Mississippi River into the Gulf of Mexico. Several principal tributaries and many creeks, runs and streams enter or join the Allegheny River

HYDROLOGIC INFORMATION

The two most fundamental items of hydrologic information about a river are “stage”, which is water depth and “flow” or discharge, which is the total volume of water that flows past a point on the river for some period of time. These two key factors are measured at a location on the river called a stream-gaging station.

The U.S.Geological Survey streamgaging program provides hydrologic information needed to help manage the nation's water resources. The USGS currently operates a nation-wide network of over 7,000 streamgaging stations, where streamflow is monitored continuously. The program provides a continuous source of reliable and consistent water data.

FLOOD CONTROL and CULTURAL IMPACT

In 1965, the completion of the federally-sponsored Kinzua Dam for flood-control in northwestern Pennsylvania east of Warren created the long Allegheny Reservoir, The Reservoir is 24 miles long, has 91 miles of shoreline, and has a maximum depth of 130’. Since its completion in 1965, Kinzua has prevented flood damages estimated to be in excess of $1 billion. The reservoir also provides water to be released during dry periods. These releases have the effect of reducing pollution and improving the quality and quantity of water for domestic, industrial and recreation uses. Flow regulation also helps to maintain navigable depths for commercial traffic on the Allegheny and upper Ohio Rivers.

Another benefit of the Kinzua project is hydroelectric power. A power plant is operated by the First Energy Corporation. Its peak capacity is 400,000 kilowatts per hour. The Big Bend Visitor Center contains displays which illustrate the hydroelectric process.

Totally surrounded by forest, Kinzua Dam and Allegheny Reservoir are at the heart of one of the largest and most popular outdoor recreation complexes in the northeastern United States. The Middle Allegheny River Water Trail is 107 river miles long, starting at Kinzua Dam and ending at the community of Emlenton, just upstream of the I-80 bridge. In 1992, 86.6 miles of the Allegheny was designated Wild and Scenic. This designation comprises three segments of the river located in Warren, Forest and Venango Counties.

The dam flooded parts of lands deeded "forever" to the Seneca tribe and to Cornplanter and his descendants. (The event is described in the Johnny Cash tune "As Long as the Grass Shall Grow.") The Seneca Indians have a long and rich history in the area. A museum containing exhibits on the history, culture and folklore of the Seneca is located in the city of Salamanca.

RESOURCES

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodies_of_water
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allegheny_River
http://www.lrp.usace.army.mil/rec/lakes/kinzuala.htm
WATERSHED http://www.monroevillewater.org/images/watershed.jpg
http://www.watershedatlas.org/index.html
http://www.watershedatlas.org/allegheny/fs_landforms0.html
THE FLOW OF RIVERS - Earthcache GC15P5Z
RIVER TRAIL http://www.fish.state.pa.us/watertrails/alleg/trailguide.htm
KINZUA FROM CORNPLANTER TO THE CORPS by William N. Hoover


GEOPUZZLE

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