70 THE PHYSIOGRAPHY OF CECIL COUNTY 



the Eastern Shore division of the Coastal Plain a great contrast, while 

 between it and the Western Shore division of the Coastal Plain, the 

 difference is less marked, and the one region merges over into the 

 other so imperceptibly that the point of change must be sought not 

 so much, if at all, in a study of the topographic features, as in an 

 examination of the deposits. In regard to the elevations of the 

 Piedmont Plateau region, it may be said that its average height is 

 considerably above that of the Western Shore division of the Coastal 

 Plain, although its maximum height exceeds it only by about 100 

 feet. The greatest height of the Coastal Plain, as pointed out above, 

 is about 440 feet, while the greatest height of the Piedmont Plateau 

 within the county is about 540 feet, near Eock Springs. As these two 

 localities are separated by about 12 miles, and the intervening and 

 neighboring regions rise seldom above 400 to 440 feet, it will be 

 readily seen that the difference of the highest portions of the Coastal 

 Plain and the highest point of the Piedmont Plateau are not appre- 

 ciable to the eye. 



The Drainage of the Piedmont Plateau Region. — The rivers of the 

 Piedmont Plateau region may be grouped into five main streams. 

 These are, beginning on the east, the Big and Little Elk creeks; the 

 Northeast River, Principe Creek and the Susquehanna River. The 

 latter in turn receives two tributaries, the Conowingo and Octoraro, 

 which enter the county from Pennsylvania. Besides these principal 

 streams, there are a large number of minor ones which carry off the 

 surface waters by short courses to the Susquehanna or to Chesapeake 

 Bay. These streams are all characterized by a common feature, 

 which is developed in proportion to the capacity of the stream. The 

 characteristic which they hold in common is the deep and usually 

 narrow rock-bound gorges in which they flow. The bed of the 

 Elk River lies 100 feet or more below the surface of the surrounding 

 country, and the gorges of the Susquehanna and its tributaries exceed 

 this depth. These gorges, however, are usually confined to the main 

 body of the stream. The headwaters of tributaries flow across the 

 country in wide shallow valleys, and only gradually sink gorges as 

 they approach the main trunk streams. 



