182 



gravel deposits. Above Cambridge it lias cut scarcely twenty feet into 

 these deposits. The deiith gradually increases toward Brookville. At 

 Brookville and below th;it city it has formed a chennel G0-7o feet in 

 depth." — ( Leverett. ) 



It is possible that the northern part of the river basin drained west 

 to the Wabash, as would be indicated by channels encountered in oil and 

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

 valley would require a drainage area almost as large as the present. 



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 cliannels. T]i(> fall is cstiniMted liy Tucker to be 5.34 feet per 

 mile. 



The WItitc River {^i/slciii (Irnins about onc-lhird of the State. There 

 are two main hranchcs, the e;ist and west forks, which unite at the south- 

 west corner of Daviess County. Below the point of union the .stream flows 

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

 of the Illinoi;m drift. The west fork rises in Randolph County, where the 

 rnaxinnun elevation is 1.2S5 feet; the elevation of the mouth is 375 feet. 

 The total length of the stream is about 275 miles, with i)roI)ably another 

 100 miles of windings. 'IMic avcriigc fall is nearly three feet per mile 

 or more than twice that of the Walcish. The entire course is througli 

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

 source in a cascade ten feet in lieighl at Pcndiclon. ;ind lOcl River which 

 hns a length of 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 eastern fork rises in Hendricks tind Ihiws through the lime- 

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

 River is a very meandering stream with a sand-cjioked channel. The 

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

 heavy sandstone formations exposed along the course, and especially on 

 the tributaries. 



The east fork of While River rises Just below the southwest corner 

 of Randolph County, a short distance from the liciul of west fork. 



The main streams of these forks grow farther :iiinrt until they reach 

 Shelby and Marion counties, where they approach ciicli other tlien again 

 turn from one another until the east fork reaches the southeast corner of 

 Bnrtholomow County. This fork then turns in a southwest direction 



