State Geological and Natural History Survey
Reading edition
HERBERT E. GREGORY, SUPERINTENDENT
BULLETIN No. 30
Hartford
Printed by the State Geological and Natural History Survey
1920
State Geological and Natural History Survey
COMMISSIONERS
Marcus H. Holcomb
, Governor of Connecticut
Arthur Twining Hadley
, President of Yale University
William Arnold Shanklin
, President of Wesleyan University
Remsen Brickerhoff Ogilby
, President of Trinity College
Charles Lewis Beach
, President of Connecticut Agricultural College
Benjamin Tinkham Marshall
, President of Connecticut College for Women
SUPERINTENDENT
Herbert E. Gregory
Publication Approved by the Board of Control
Drainage Modifications and Glaciation in the Danbury Region Connecticut
By RUTH SAWYER HARVEY, Ph. D.
Hartford
Printed by the State Geological and Natural History Survey
1920
CONTENTS.
Page
Introduction9
Regional relations11
Rocky River15
Description of the river and its valley15
Relation of the valley to geologic structure16
Junction of Rocky and Housatonic Rivers18
Abnormal profile18
Preglacial course20
The buried channel23
Effect of glaciation25
The Neversink-Danbury valley27
Still River30
Statement of the problem30
Evidence to be expected if Still River has been reversed31
A valley wide throughout or broadening toward the south32
Tributary valleys pointing upstream34
The regional slope not in accord with the course of the Still35
Evidence of glacial filling and degrading of the river bed36
Glacial scouring36
The Still-Saugatuck divide38
Features of the Umpog valley38
The preglacial divide42
The Still-Croton divide43
Introduction43
Features of Still River valley west of Danbury43
The Still-Croton valley44
Glacial Lake Kanosha45
Divides in the highlands south of Danbury46
The ancient Still River47
Departures of Still River from its preglacial channel48
Suggested courses of Housatonic River50
Glacial deposits53
Beaver Brook Swamp53
Deposits northeast of Danbury54
Deposits between Beaver Brook Mountain and mouth of Still River54
Lakes55
History of the glacial deposits56
ILLUSTRATIONS.
Page
PLATEI View south on the Highland northeast of Neversink Pond14
IIA.View up the valley of Umpog Creek40
B.View down the valley of Umpog Creek40
III Limestone plain southwest of Danbury, in which are situated Lake Kanosha and the Danbury Fair Grounds44
IVA.View down the Housatonic Valley from a point one-half mile below Stillriver Station52
B.Part of the morainal ridge north of Danbury52
VA.Kames in Still River valley west of Brookfield Junction54
B.Till ridges on the western border of Still River valley, south of Brookfield56
Page
FIGURE1.Present drainage of the Danbury region13
2.Geological map of Still River valley17
3.Profiles of present and preglacial Rocky River19
4.Preglacial course of Rocky-Still River21
5.Diagram showing lowest rock levels in Rocky River valley24
6.Course of Still River29
7.Map of Umpog Swamp and vicinity39
8.Profiles of rivers41
9.Early Stage of Rocky-Still River49
10.Five suggested outlets of Housatonic River51