Geology for Environmental Planning in the Johnson-Hardwick Region, Vermont

Geology for Environmental Planning in the Johnson-Hardwick Region, Vermont

GEOLOGY FOR ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING IN THE JOHNSON-HARDWICK REGION, VERMONT BT FRANK M. WRIGHT, III VERMONT GEOLOGIC SURVEY Charles G. Doll, Slate (,ealo gist "... I~. -to -; to WATER RESOURCES DEPARTMENT MONTPELIER, VERMONT ENVIRONMENTAL (;EOLO(;Y NO. 4 1974 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page INTRODUCTION 7 Sources of Material g Explanation of the Planning Maps .............. 10 GEOLOGIC SETTING ................... 10 Green Mountains .................... 11 Vermont Piedmont ................... 11 Drainage ....................... 11 The Bedrock Complex .................. 14 Surficial Materials .................... 15 CLEAN WATER - A NATURAL RESOURCF. .......... 17 Surface Waters ..................... 18 Ground water ..................... 21 WASTES OF A SOCIETY .................. 31 Solid Waste Disposal ................... 2 Sewage Disposal .................... 36 LAND USE AND FUTURE DEVELOPMENT .......... 40 General Construction Conditions .............. 41 Geologic Resources ................... 43 NATURAL HAZARDS ................... 48 Landslides ...................... 49 Flash Floods ..................... 49 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS .................. 55 REFERENCES ...................... 56 APPENDIX A - MAPS SHOWING FIELD LOCATIONS OF SEISMIC PROFILES ................... 60 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Page FIGURE 1. Index map showing where environmental geology studies have been completed ............... 6 FIGURE 2. Index map showing townships, cities and villages in the John- son-Hardwick Region ............... 8 FIGURE 3. Field interpretation of seismic record by Weston Geophysical engineer ................... 9 FIGURE 4. Drainage basins of the Johnson-Hardwick Region ..... 12 FIGURE 5. Highly fractured phyllite bedrock exposed along the Black River near Coventry ............... 15 FI(;URE 6. (;ravel pit in kame terrace along Burgess Branch one mile west of Lowell ................... 16 FIGURE 7. Gravel pit in deltaic deposit along White Branch two miles northwest of Eden ................ 17 FIGURE 8. White water of the Black River near Coventry ...... 18 FIGURE 9. Ritterbush Pond four miles northwest of Eden ...... 19 FIGURE 10. Twelve-point seismic refraction record ......... 22 FIGURE 11. Folded and fractured schist bedrock exposed along the Trout River one and one-half miles west of Montgomery ..... 24 FI(;URE 12. Site of north-south seismic profile across the Lamoille River Valley one mile west of Johnson ........... 26 l'1(;URE 11 North-south seismic profile across the Lamoille River Valley iih nit onc mile vcst of Johnson ........... 27 Il( ;U RE I-i. N irth-soimth seismic pr )file across the Lamoille River Valley about two miles northwest of Hyde Park ........ 27 F1(dJRl1 15. North-south seismic profile across the Lamoille River Valley about two miles northwest of \V dcott ......... 28 FIGURE 16. East-west seismic profile across the Black River Valley about two miles northeast of Mill Village .......... 28 FIGURE 17. Site of northwest-southeast seismic profile across the Black River Valley, one and one-half miles southwest of Irasburg. 29 FIGURE 18. Northwest-southeast seismic profile across the Black River \'alley, one and one-half miles southwest of Irasburg ..... FIGURE 19. East-west seismic profile across the Missisquoi River Valley about two miles north of Lowell ............'3() FI(;URE 20. Dump located in lake sediments near Rodman Brook two miles northeast of Morrisville ............ 3 1 FIGURE 21. Dump located in kame and outwash sediments one and one- half miles east of Eden, near Lake Eden ..........'2 FIGURE 22. Solid waste disposal near North Hyde Park ....... 35 FIGURE 23. Aggregate processing plain and pit along Stony Brook three miles north of Coventry .............. 43 FIGURE 24. Kame gravel exposed in pit one-half mile south of Lowell II FIGURE 25. Lowell Area Quarry of the Ruberoid Asbestos Mine ((;eneral Aniline and Film Company) located on the southeast slopes of Belvidere Mountain ................ FIc;URE 26. Waste material lom the abandoned asbestos mine (Eden Quarry) high on the southern slopes of Belvidere Mountain . 46 FIGURE 27. The Johnson Talc Mine three miles northeast of Johnson . 47 FIGURE 28. Flood-swollen Lamoille River near Ithiel Falls ...... -IS FIGURE 29. Landslide scar and debris one-half mile south of Eligo Pond . 49 FIGURE 30. Collapsed embankment along the south side of the Lamoille River in Hardwick .................. FIGURE 31. Flood-damaged a(cess road along Jay Branch east of Jay Peak 51 FI(;U RE 32. Road damage due to excessive ninoff on Jay Peak ......52 FI(;URE 33. Washed out road south of Lamoille River two miles west ol Hardwick Lake ..................53 FIGURE 34. Sand-hoked corn field resulting from flooding of the La- moille River one mile west of Wolcott ..........53 Fu;URE 35. Flood-damaged Village Motel along the south bank of the Lamoille River in Hardwkk ............... LIST OF PLATES in porket) PLATE I. Surhcial Materials of the Johnson-Hardwick Region 1LATE II. Bedrock Geology of the Johnson-Hardwick Region PLATE III. Groundwater Potential Map of the Johnson-Hardwick Region PLATE IV. Solid Waste Disposal Conditions of the Johnson-Hardwick Region PLATE V. Septic Fank (mditions of the Johnson-Hardwick Region PLATE VI. (;eiieral Construction Conditions of theJohnson-Hardwick Region PLA'FE VII. Sand and Gravel Reserves of the Johnson-Hardwick Region Zi rif MEMP/IIREMA COG / c b' r (I q. luTE RIVER JUNCTION EXPLANATION WI' Barre-Montpelier Region (Stewart, 1971) Rufland-Brandon Region I 1 (Stewart, 972) Burlington-Middlebury Region JESTANC (Stewart, 1973) EL LOWS FALLS _________ Milton-St. Albons Region K/ /i (Stewart, in press) 1 Johnson-Hardwick Region I (This report) EN NLMINGT0N~el L TL:RO Figure 1. Index map showing where environmental geology studies hove been completed. 6 GEOLOGY FOR ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING IN THE JOHNSON-HARDWICK REGION, VERMONT By Frank M. Wright, 111* INTRODUCTION tially active land slides can help prevent terrible losses in life and property. Knowledge of the corn- This is the fourth report in a series of environ- position and physical properties of rocks at and be- mental studies sponsored by the Vermont Geokgical neath the surface can also provide the basis for Survey. The first three of these studies were com- determining the effects of subsurface disposal of pleted by Dr. David P. Stewart in the Barre-Mont- liquid and solid wastes on ground water supplies, pelier (1971), Rutland-Branclon (1972), and Bur- while knowledge of geologic processes can furnish lington-Middlebury (1973) regions. The field work the basis for both predicting and monitoring en- for the Present report was completed during the vironniental effects of human activities (U.S. Dept. of summer of 1973 by the writer, assisted by John S. Interior, Ceological Survey News Release, October Moore, graduate student in the Department of 6, 1972). (;eology, University of Vermont. This report, in- The regions that have been studied thus far tended for publication in 1974, attempts to relate in were chosen because of their growth potential and a condensed and simplified form the geological conditions of the Johnson-Hardwick Region as they the marked rise in urban-centered 1)roblets. Con- relate to existing environmental problems and to cern for the environment in the Johnson-Hardwick make this material available to planners and other Region (Figure 2) is admittedly not the same as for interested parties (Figure 1). Much information, the more heavily populated and md ustrialized parts relating to the various categories treated, is included of the state. Here, the growth potential of sonic com- in a series of large-scale planning maps and seismic munities may be regarded as moderate to high but pro flies. their actual pol)11ltt1on growth has, at best, been slow Vermont's environmental assets are rich and and determined. Population increases of So (Hyde diverse but increased demands upon state resources Park) to 800 persons (Morristown) between 1950 necessitates a re-evaluation of growth impact on the and 1970 are, in fact, atypical of this region as a state. A geologic appraisal of the environment con- whole. In reality, most central and northern com- tributes much to such a re-evaluation. (;eology is limited job opportunities essential to many aspects of environmental planning munities are suffering from in that the application of geologic knowledge to the and declining populations. Between 1950 and 1970, appraisal of foundation conditions for building, the populations of North 'Froy and Richfrd drop- highways, dams, airports, and other kinds of con- ped approximately 400 persons each (Thomas, struction can lead to significant savings in building 1970, p. 6). and maintenance costs. Furthermore, identification At present, the largest concentration of Pl)Ula- of natural hazards such as floociplains and poten- tion in the Johnson-Hardwick Region occurs along Department nf (;eotugy the Larnoille River Valley in the communities of ( apitat t niversity 7 ilnnhtis. ( ) hio • . -. I LLI JA - NEWPORT RICH FORD TROY Ir w -Y- N' - ENOS BURG Coventry Eas °Enosirg STFIELD ./ q _7~77 / / 'IRASBURG / 'I Irasburg ,'tiv.n i - - '. EL rBELVIDERE ider___ _(B&vO Center a4Y / / ED E N7 loo / Eden,J - 0 1/) JONSON / / dohnson Craftsbury----\ L / PARK 7 HYDE GREENS BOR -Hyde Park fl\ / c\L / WOLCOTT 7' Greensb ° Morrisville Floa / cOtt / /0 TI MORRISTOWN / EImre ' ELMORE /f j Hardwick / STOW\ ( ( I Figure 2. Index mop showing townships, cities and villages in the Johnson-Hardwick Region Johnson (1,927 pop.),

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