170 : J. F. NEWSOM 
flowing westward sometimes cut down through the hard strata 
that form the watershed, exposing the underlying softer strata. 
These facts must be kept in mind in treating the general drain- 
age areas in accordance with the underlying strata. 
THE EASTERN DRAINAGE AREA. 
While the highest points in the eastern area are almost as 
high as the watershed at its western side, the streams of this 
area have cut out valleys from one hundred to four hundred feet 
deep in the soft Hudson River strata, and the average level of 
the country is therefore considerably lower than that of the 
country immediately west. The Hudson River strata are almost 
horizontal, and with few exceptions the streams flow ‘more or 
less directly to the Ohio River. 
Attention should be called, however, to the upper courses of 
the Whitewater River,’ Laughery Creek, and Indian Creek. 
The upper courses of these streams are almost in line, they 
flow nearly due south, parallel with the watershed formed by the 
Niagara strata, and only a few miles east of that watershed.’ 
Excepting those of Indian Creek, the tributaries of these streams 
that enter from the east and north are comparatively long, while 
those from the west which rise in the Niagara strata and flow 
eastward across the dip are short. The main drainage lines and 
their relations to the controlling beds to the west are shown 
on Plate VI. 
Indian Creek, which drains portions of Ripley and Jefferson 
counties, lows southward parallel with the watershed at the west, 
but owing to its shortness and its proximity to the Ohio, this is 
the course that would be expected of it regardless of the dips of 
the rocks of the area. It should be noted also that when the 
Ohio strikes the region of outcropping Niagara limestone at 
Madison it makes an abrupt turn to the south, and flows south 
1Whitewater River flows through a preglacial valley below Connersville 
(Leverett). 
2It seems probable that these streams have been shifted to these positions by the 
westward inclination of the beds, although this inclination is very slight. 
