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<br />92 <br /> <br />C.S. Sl'rin~n. J.S~_';}~e /Gn",wrphol~K.\ lfJJ J_~~?'9!~!!Q <br /> <br />__ stream _Sl'liiments maybe preserve,tbecause they .can <br />be shielded from weathering. erosion. and biogenic <br />processes (Kochel and Baker, 1988). This paper <br />describes flood-derived sediments found within caves <br />of the Cheat River canyon. The stratigraphy of his- <br />torical and paleoflood slackwater sediments, sedi- <br />menlary units within slackwater deposits, and the <br />origins are discussed and compared 10 surficial <br />slackwater deposits (Linton, 1992; Kite and Linton, <br />1993) elsewhere along the Cheat River. floodplain. <br /> <br />2, Study area <br /> <br />The confluence of Black Fork and Shavers Fork <br />in Parsons, West Virginia (Fig. J) marks the begin- <br />ning of Cheat River. The drainage basin is within the <br />unglaciated Allegheny Mountain section of the Ap- <br /> <br />palachian Plateaus Physiographic Province {Hunt, . <br />1974). Bedrock exposed within the basin consists of <br />Upper Paleozoic clastic rocks. thin limestones, and <br />coal. Broad open folds typify the geological structure <br />(Cardwell et al.. 1986). The area of the drainage <br />basin upstream of it' confluence with the Mononga- <br />hela River is 3688 km' (U.S. Anny Corps of Engi- <br />neers. 1963). <br />This study is limited to caves within the Cheat <br />River canyon between the small town of Albright <br />and Lake Lynn (Fig. J). The canyon is developed <br />where the northward-flowing Cheat River turns <br />northwest across regional strike for approximately <br />22.5 km (Fig. ]). The gradient of Cheat River through <br />the canyon is 6.7 mjkm (Kite and Torres, 1996). <br />The overall gradient of Cheat River from Parsons to <br />Point Marion is 2.06 mjkm. <br />Numerous caves have been discovered within the <br /> <br /> <br />United States <br />of America <br /> <br />Pennsylvania <br /> <br />t-~~~;;----~I -~~.)~- ----I <br />I County <e; ynn I I <br /> <br />l_ _ ~ I <br />'------\, <:-"''f'' <I/. D~'CI " <br />~l;; j"1i....r. co", I <br />o 15 km " ....0 / El~ if.... r <br />"t j <br />, -' <br />10 miles '.....J :J] ! <br />I Pres10n <: I <br />I County ~ <br />I' <br />I I: <br />I ,: <br />I I: <br />" . <br />.. ......-......... ,: <br />.......,............. '-.. ~ <br />-\i <br /> <br />o <br /> <br />Fig. 1. Location of study a= and selected locals. C1 denotes lower Coliseum Rapids, Co Cornwell Cave, and Ds DaIby Pit and South Side <br />caves. <br /> <br />canyon. <br />well Ca, <br />All solu! <br />the Miss <br />46 m thi <br /> <br />3. Previ, <br /> <br />Slack <br />grained <br />silt) dep <br />areas b) <br />Baker. 1 <br />United : <br />along se <br />water se <br />Panon 8l <br />andKoc <br />Limo <br />ine sedir <br />along CI <br />water de <br />similar t <br />phy vari <br />stratigral <br />loam, si <br />each site <br />The san <br />tributary <br />Usin~ <br /> <br />Table I <br />Two of th <br />Vadose fa4 <br /> <br />Phreatic fs <br />Sediments <br />the facies <br /> <br />DiamiCh01 <br />diamict.B <br /> <br />Laminated <br />beds and ! <br /> <br />Silt-clay I <br />displaying <br /> <br />Sandy ell <br />laminated <br /> <br />. <br />! <br />i <br />I <br />!. <br /> <br />