ADIRONDACK AND CATSKILL WETLAND COMPARISONS BASED ON GEOLOGY, SURFICIAL STRATIGRAPHY, AND HYDROLOGY

Wetlands exist in areas where a combination of landscape and geomorphic position, underlying geology, and surficial deposits combine with climatic factors to create conditions conducive to saturation near the surface. We are using a combination of ground penetrating radar, soil coring, soil-texture analysis and hydroperiod comparison to study patterns of these factors which may assist in the development of a hydrogeologically-based classification scheme for wetlands located in the geologically distinct Adirondack (metamorphic/crystalline lithology) and Catskill (sedimentary lithology) regions of New York. Initial results indicate systems associated with lotic fringes, lentic fringes, slopes, and valley-bottom depressions. The connection between surface and groundwater in alluvial systems (lotic fringes) seems dependent on sediment stratigraphy and the geomorphic history of sediment deposition. The structure of wetland systems based on slope seepage from either bedding plane/geologic contact (sedimentary systems) or joint/fault seepage (metamorphic systems) has a spatial component dependent on slope location (mid-slope or foot-slope). A comparison of these factors may assist in understanding the structure, and ultimately the function, of wetlands from diverse geologic settings in the eastern United States.