Bedrock Geology
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Natural Resource Inventory (NRI) Franklin Township, Warren County, New Jersey 5: BEDROCK GEOLOGY Franklin Township is located entirely within and near the southern margin of the Highlands physiographic province (a geologic unit) (Figure 5). The Highlands province consists of rocks of Precambrian and Early Paleozoic metamorphic and igneous rocks throughout portions of northern New Jersey, Southern New York, and most of Connecticut. The Highlands province is highly fractured and faulted with intrusional suites and tectonic faulting zones. Within the Highlands province, Franklin Township falls within the Reading Prong region. The Reading Prong is a series of geologic materials that are unique to the Highlands of New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. These formations can be traced through New Jersey north to New England and south through Pennsylvania to the Blue Ridge Mountains. These rocks are generally resistant to erosion and result in steep, tall relief including many escarpments, sheer vertical rock faces, and deeply entrenched river valleys. These severe slopes are accentuated by the extensive faulting and folding of the materials, likely a result of tectonic plate motion. The Reading Prong has also been referred to as the Byram Intrusive Suite and the Lake Hopatcong Intrusive Suite. Ambient radon concentration is a concern in New Jersey because radon concentrations can be naturally high in the native rock. Evidence suggests that sustained radon exposure can increase cancer rates. Geology is a prime determinant of radon concentration. USEPA and USGS designate Warren County as a Zone 1 radon area, the designation of highest priority. This zone has the potential for radon concentrations to exceed 4pCi/L. The EPA characterization solely represents potential, not actual, concentrations which can only be determined by onsite testing. Radon resistant features for structures include basement and slab vents and basement windows, which promote air exchange. The bedrock figure enclosed herein is general and depicts overall constituents of the rock formation. As with any natural system, there are “gray areas”, and investigations should be conducted to determine the mineralogical constituents and physical properties of the underlying rock and the propensity for materials to form solution cavities. For large developments, geotechnical engineers should determine the stability of bedrock to support structures and determine the effects of the underlying geology. Two geological formations are observed in Franklin Township: the intrusive suite of hard metamorphic and igneous rocks (collectively known as crystalline geology) and the ferrous-rich formation of sedimentary rocks that supported the iron mines of the region in the 19th Century. Reading Prong geology includes 42.48% of the Township; lithology (rock composition) includes gneiss, and amphibolite, but is dominated by Potassic Feldspar Gneiss. The low-lying sedimentary formation accounts for 57.52% of Township land and is associated with the Musconetcong River and Pohatcong Creek river valleys. Lithology of this formation includes limestone, shale, and sandstone, and is dominated by Allentown Dolomite. Sinkholes are a common feature of this type of karst geology, which is defined by the dissolution of the soluble lithology. Prepared by Princeton Hydro, LLC 10 June 2007 d x Lopatcong Township m . y Yb NEW JERSEY COUNTY MAP g o l Yb o e Harmony Township White Township G \ D SUSSEX D R PASSAIC X N M D A \ Yk R M S Yb I A L BERGEN N O G A \ T Y 6 MO N 0 ook Yk WARREN MORRIS 0 Br 0 a ESSEX 2 tan k Yam 4 on roo 0 HUDSON \ M illY Bb s t M c Cl OOK RD Yam HUNTERDON UNION e R j B R LL E o MI Yla r D B P R I SOMERSET \ Yk C 0 E K E 2 L Ya L V 4 O 0 C R I MIDDLESEX \ : S SE D R T Yk P E D CO D Yla W R N INE R : E D M A LL ST MICA Ylo R I e V l T S i SV ART F IL LE W R TE D MONMOUTH S D R D T MERCER Greenwich Township HI R E RD RD HOUS N ST Ch Yp Y Obu S A O E W S T F P I o Obl I L Obu ha D H M A Yla Yam H t E E c E W orr H R R o is Cana L Oj ng l A E C ( M r Dr Ylo OCEAN A ee y W N k ) C A R LI OCa L D F F SIDE CAMDEN D E BURLINGTON R GLOUCESTER L DSALEM EN A PE TRL PRINCETON HYDRO, LLC. 1108 OLD YORK ROAD, SUITE 1 A R D Obl W Y E D R tc D N a on D M h N g R R R L RINGOES, NEW JERSEY, 08551 Po Creek O A R O E D Y R I S A IS I W F K T W P D R O K D E E E O ( A R P T R . D 5 Cl O PRIC P Yk E B 7 OCa D DR ) R O R B R B R 0 1,500 3,000 Y R C M - E N Yla O GO RD Y A N Ch OD S T UN S PRING A T R A A M Yla Yla IN U Feet W Ya V B E IE L Yp W S A D R I U O E A B 1 inch equals 3,000 feet D - Yk Yf W MOR E GAN Ya S HO Yf R T D FFMA Yb Ya Ch N RD Ylo Yla Ch SOURCES: Yam Yba Yb Yba 1. Parcel, roads and the Franklin Township Boundary Ya Yp Yk data obtained from Warren County Planning Dept. Yb "This map was developed using the Warren County New Jersey, Geographic Information System digital T data, but this secondary product has not been HARLE Y C Yb IN Ya SCH verified by Warren County and is not county- O R Ya D D authorized." IR Yam T LN 2. Surface water data obtained from the NJDEP, D GE R Division of GIS. ID R Ylo B 3. Bedrock Geology data obtained from the New M ILK OU RM Jersey Geological Survey. NTAI IEW RD TTE OOCbal N V Yla BU OCa D R Ylo N L D I R Yp K Yh E R E M Bloomsbury Boro I L L T Oj U Obl M Ow B Obu u D Oj B s Oj R LO c OMS N BUR Bedrock Geology o O Y R net T D Washington Township FIGURE 5 co R n Oj E V L BEDROCK GEOLOGY Ch, Hardyston Quartzite g O O Omb Obl W D Cl, Leithsville Formation R L L I Rive H OCa, Allentown Dolomite r NATURAL RESOURCE INVENTORY Y Obu Obu Oj R Obl, Lower Part - Beekmantown Group E FRANKLIN TOWNSHIP T E M WARREN COUNTY, NEW JERSEY Obu, Upper Part - Beekmantown Group E K C ITC AN Obl HE Ow DERSON Oj, Jacksonburg Limestone N R RD T D D S R Bethlehem Township Omb, Bushkill Member N L I Obl Legend A IL OCa M M Ow, Wantage Sequence S L S Folds L URR Ya, Amphibolite A Y LN M H T Faults A RIDDLE C Yam, Migmatite PL E AV County Boundary Yb, Biotite-Quartz-Feldspar Gneiss E OCa Municipal Boundaries D Yba, Microperthite Alaskite R WARREN COUNTY S T Ponds/Lakes IR Yf, Franklin Marble H S Streams Yh, Hypersthene-Quartz-Oligoclase Gneiss Yk, Potassic Feldspar Gneiss HUNTERDON C Streams OUN Yla, Albite-Oligoclase Granite TY Morris Canal (Dry) Ylo, Quartz-Oligoclase Gneiss Roads Yp, Pyroxene Gneiss Hampton Boro Parcels.