Bulletin of the Scientific Laboratories of Denison University. 



Vol. XIII. Article VI. September, 1907. 



THE ORIGIN OF SPRING VALLEY GORGE/ 



Earl R. Scheffel. 



OUTLINE. 

 Introduction : 



The Old Valley. 



Spring Valley and Its Tributaries. 

 The Old Valley — Theories of Time Origin : 

 ■ Pre-GIaeial. 

 Ice-Erosion. 

 Inter-Glacial. 

 Spring Valley Gorge : 



Description of Abnormal Course. 

 Theories of Time Origin : 

 Pre-Glacial. 

 Inter-Glacial. 

 Post-Glacial. 

 Glacial. — Early, Sub-, Late. 



INTRODUCTION. 



The area considered in this article is the Old Valley lying ap- 

 proximately southwest of Granville, Licking- County, Ohio, a val- 

 ley about one mile wide at its junction with the valley of the Rac- 

 coon to which it is tributary, with a longitudinal axis trending 

 southward nearly one and one-half miles. Fig 2 shows a general 

 view looking from the high knob on the west (marked in Fig. 1, 

 156 ft.) toward the east. 



Among the features of this Old Valley attention is particularly 

 called to the main drainage line following, contrary to general 

 drainage laws, a course neither the longitudinal axis nor tributary 

 to this axis, but parallel to it, flowing for a part of its course later- 

 ally on the east valley wall in a rock channel. This rock walled in- 

 cision is locally known as Spring Valley and is so designated in 

 this paper. 



The purpose of this investigation is to determine tlie Geologic 

 time and genesis of this stream, particularly with reference to the 

 Spring Valley (between X and A'. Fig. 1 and Fig. 2) part of its 

 course. For purposes of proof, it is re(|uisite that not only Spring 

 Vallev should be studied, but also its tributarv streams, as well as 



' This work was performed under the direction of Professor Friuik Carney 

 as partial requirement for the Master's degree. 



