396 



Report of the State Geologist. 



eastern slope of the Shawangunk mountain. This mountain enters the county 

 from the north, and crosses it in a northeast to southwest direction, passing 

 into the Blue mountain, in New Jersey. It does not present the steep slopes 

 and precipitous cliffs in Orange county that it does in Ulster, but is a rounded 

 ridge whose cultivated eastern slope changes abruptly at the summit to a 

 wooded one of deep descent on the western side overlooking the Neversink 

 valley and the intermediate Helderberg ridge. The crest of Shawangunk 

 mountain varies, within Orange county, from 1,200 to 1,400 feet A. T., being 

 highest at the northern end. 



To the west of the Shawangunk mountain, the Hamilton and Chemung 

 formations give rise to an elevated plateau, with few longitudinal valleys, but 

 several transverse ones. 



The valleys of Orange county are largely dependent on the geologic 

 structure, and follow the axis of the folds or the lines of faulting, and are in 

 general, therefore, parallel to the strike of the rocks. These valleys also form 

 important lines of drainage. 



The Wallkill, which is the largest river of the county, enters it from the 

 south, and, flowing northward through a broad, shallow valley whose width 

 increases to the north, passes into Ulster county, finally emptying its waters 

 into the Hudson at Rondout. Except in the southern portion of the count}", 

 all but one of its tributaries come from the west and northwest. In Warwick 

 township, the river is bordered for twelve miles by a swampy tract, the 

 Drowned Lands. 



The Neversink river, which crosses the eastern side of Deer Park town- 

 ship, follows the western base of the Helderberg ridge, and empties into the 

 Delaware river at Carpenter's Point. It drains the western slope of Shawan- 

 gunk mountain and the greater portion of the township to the west of it. 

 The eastern side of the Shawangunk ridge is drained by the Shawangunk 

 kill, whose water-shed borders that of the Wallkill. 



The Pamapo river has its origin in Pound pond, south of Monroe, and, 

 flowing southeastward through the fault-valley in the Highlands, receives 

 most of the drainage of Monroe and Tuxedo townships. In the northeastern 

 part of the county, the Moodna river and Quassaic creek are important 

 streams. 



Orange county abounds in lakes, especially in the Highland area, and a 

 few of them are utilized for water supply. Of these, Little pond, near New- 

 burgh ; Little Long pond, near West Point; Mt. Pasha lake and Long pond, 

 south of Monroe, and Greenwood lake, are of importance. The last-named 



