8 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



TOPOGRAPHY AND DRAINAGE 



f^The region of the Remsen quadrangle presents a very ancient 

 topography since it has been above water and subjected to erosion 

 at least since the close of the Paleozoic era. The major topo- 

 graphic 'features are the result of this long continued wear, but the 

 whole region has been thoroughly glaciated, and the detailed sur- 

 face configuration has often been quite appreciably affected by the 

 accumulation of glacial drift. 



The region is a characteristically hilly one, with the greatest 

 difference in altitude above sea level being from a little over 700 

 feet, where West Canada creek leaves the map, to nearly 1900 feet 

 in the extreme northeastern portion, where several points reach 

 to and above the 1800 foot level. 



Extending northeastward from a line passing through Forestport 

 and Grant, to the highlands just mentioned, there is a gradual 

 upward slope which continues into the Adirondacks. In fact these 

 highlands may be looked upon as foothills of the Adirondacks. 

 Minor highlands occur in the west-central part of the district where 

 the culminating point is Starr hill over 1780 feet above sea level. 

 From Starr hill southward the general slope is towards the Mohawk 

 river. As Professor Brigham has said, the magnificient view from 

 the top of this hill strongly 'impresses one with the greatness of the 

 Mohawk valley as a topographic feature. 



The country lying between the two highland areas is mostly drift 

 covered and shows usual elevations of from iioo to 1400 feet. The 

 central and southeastern parts of the quadrangle are deeply drift 

 covered, the drift ranging from 100 to 300 or 400 feet deep and the 

 hill tops ranging from 1300 to 1500 feet above the sea level. 



The principal streams are Black river and West Canada creek, 

 the latter stream being the chief tributary of the upper Mohawk 

 river. These two streams present some of the most interesting 

 drainage features of the southwestern Adirondacks. They have 

 their sources close together in the Adirondacks and they flow 

 southwestward approximately parallel for 30 or 40 miles to within 

 the map limits where a striking divergence occurs. Black river 

 turns northwestward or at right angles to its upper course, while 

 West Canada creek turns southeastward and also at right angles 

 to its upper course. At one point within the map limits the two 

 streams are but little more than 4 miles apart. Black river continues 

 northwestward to Carthage and thence westward into Lake Ontario ; 

 while West Canada creek continues southeastward and southward 



