182 



gravel deposits. Above (,'anibridge it has cut scarcely twenty feet into 

 these deposits. Tiie dei)th gradually increases toward Brookville. At 

 Brookvillo and below th.it city it lias formed a diennel G0-7o feet in 

 depth." — ( Leverett. ) 



It is possible that the luirrlierii ]iarv of (he river basin drained west 

 to the Wabash, as would be iudicj'.led l)y channels encountered in oil and 

 gas borings. However, the width and depth of the lower White Water 

 valley would reciuire a drainage area almost as large as the prc»sent. 



Blue River has a drainage area of 450 square miles, which lies wholly 

 in the unglaciated. The flow of the stream is greatly influenced by under- 

 ground cliaunels. The fall is estimated by Tucker to be 5.34 feet per 

 mile. 



7'lic Wliitc River Si/stnii drains about one-thii-il of tlie State. There 

 are two main brandies, the east and west forks, which unite at the south- 

 west coi'uer of Daviess County. Below the point of unidu tlie stream flows 

 the entire distance to its junction with the Wabash through the lower part 

 of the Illiudian drift. The west fork rises in Randolith County, where the 

 maximum elevation is 1,285 feet; the elevation of the niduth is 375 feet. 

 The total length of the stream is al)()ut 275 miles, with i)robably another 

 100 miles of windings. Tlie av(M-age fall is nearly three feet per mile 

 or more than twice that of the Wabasli. The entire course is through 

 the glacial area. The two main triitutaries are Fall Creek having its 

 source in a cascade ten feet in height at Pendleton, and Kel River which 

 has a length (>f 100 miles; the source of the west fork is in southern 

 Boone County. It flows over the edge of the Wisconsin drift in Putnam 

 County. The ca.stern fork rises in Hendricks and Hows through the lime- 

 stone region in Owen County, where a series of falls are produced. Eel 

 River is a very meandering stream witli a s.iiul choked channel. The 

 material is derived in part from glacial material but largely from the 

 lieavy sandstone formations exposed along the course, and especially on 

 the tributaries. 



The east fork of While Rivei" rises Just below the soutli\v(>st t'(UMier 

 of Randolph f'ounty, a short distance from the head of west fork. 



The main streams of these forks grow farther .iii.irt until they reach 

 Shelby and Marion counties, where they .-ipproach each other then again 

 turn from one .•mother until the east fork reaches the southeast corner of 

 Bartholomew ('ounfy. This fork then turns in ;i southwest direction 



