Testing the Influence of Lithology and Ice Sheet Dynamics on Waterfall Formation in Hocking Hills State Park

Authors

Presenter(s)

Magdelyn Stewart

Comments

9:00-10:15, Kennedy Union Ballroom

Files

Description

Hocking Hills State Park is known for its many, >30 m-tall waterfalls. The precise number of these fluvial knickpoints is unknown, as they have never been thoroughly mapped. Moreover, the traditional hypothesis of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources and Ohio Geologic Survey is that the knickpoints are purely lithologic features formed by the contrasting rock strength of the durable Black Hand Sandstone (BHSS) overlying the weaker Cuyahoga Shale. Despite this long standing theory, regional morphologic evidence suggests they may have been formed by stream capture. Here, we evaluate the traditional hypothesis. If the knickpoints are lithologic in origin, we expect their morphologic properties to vary based on local BHSS thickness. Using Ohio Geographically Referenced Information Program LiDAR data, we visually mapped over 700 of these knickpoints. With this collection of knickpoints, we used ArcGIS and Topotoolbox to map relationships between BHSS thickness and relief, density, drainage area, and fluvial relief. Our results do not show any significant relationships between BHSS thickness and morphology. Additionally, we were able to evaluate whether knickpoint retreat might have stalled due to a minimum threshold drainage area, which we also do not see supported by our analysis. In the future, we will use cosmogenic 10Be to date the waterfalls, allowing us to test the stream capture hypothesis. Furthermore, we will expand upon our collection of field measurements to develop precise profiles for each noteable stream.

Publication Date

4-23-2025

Project Designation

Honors Thesis

Primary Advisor

Dorian Borbonus, Christopher E. Sheehan

Primary Advisor's Department

Geology and Environmental Geosciences

Keywords

Stander Symposium, College of Arts and Sciences

Recommended Citation

"Testing the Influence of Lithology and Ice Sheet Dynamics on Waterfall Formation in Hocking Hills State Park" (2025). Stander Symposium Projects. 3782.
https://ecommons.udayton.edu/stander_posters/3782