GLACIAL WATERS IN THE LAKE ERIE BASIN 



19 



Along the ice front westward to Erian waters 



West of the Cattaraugus embayment. State Line to Westfield 

 [pi. 2]. In this section the Escarpment moraine lies against 

 the steep valley slope, to the extent that it has not been swept 

 away by the glacial waters. The most definite and strongest 

 stream channel of this class lies south, or landward, of the Escarp- 

 ment moraine, south of Ripley, and at altitude of 1400 down to 

 1200 feet and lower. About 3 miles of the upper part of this ancient 

 channel is shown on the Westfield *sheet, and its continuation appears 

 on the Clymer sheet. It has been deepened by modern drainage 

 and is now occupied by the north branch of Twentymile creek. As 

 a deep ravine the channel continues southwestward into Penn- 

 sylvania and swinging west and northwest crosses the railroads a 

 mile west of State Line [see fig. 2]. 



The considerable stream which cut this large channel carried not 

 only the waters from a long stretch of the melting ice front for a 

 long time but also the land drainage of a large territory, and the 

 latter service is continued by the present stream. 



When the ice front finally melted back from the summit and 

 rested at lower and lower levels against the steep land slope the 

 drainage lay usually close against the ice front, following the latter 

 in its retreat, and made few noticeable channels west of the West- 

 field, meridian. The only one mapped near Ripley is about 1$ 

 miles southeast of the village, crossing the highway that climbs the 

 slope, at 1200 feet by the map. 



Along this steep slope above Ripley and for several miles to the 

 northeast the moraine drift was mostly removed by the stream 

 work past the ice, the characteristic morainal features being found 

 in patches and more at the foot of the steepest slope. The modern 

 drainage has also helped to destroy the old drainage lines and the 

 drift deposits. 



On the west side of the "Gulf," 3 miles south of Westfield, are 

 three gullies leading eastward which have been partly cut, along 

 with the "Gulf," by recent drainage. However, they were probably 

 initiated by the glacial waters flowing into the primitive valley of the 

 "Gulf" and then on across the divide into Chautauqua lake by 

 channels already described. These east-leading channels have their 

 heads at about 1400 feet, and lie on the landward side of the moraine. 

 They are unique in being the only cases found in the Erie district 

 where any drainage along the ice front was not westward; and they 

 really belong to the early overflow across the divide to southern 

 drainage. 



