“IN DEPTH” KNOWLEDGE (BASED ON 378 WELL LOGS) OF KAYADEROSSERAS CREEK SURFICIAL SEDIMENTS

Reinterpretation of 378 well logs provides a three-dimensional understanding of the surficial sediments in the ~490 km² Kayaderosseras Creek watershed, Saratoga County, New York. The Kayaderosseras Creek watershed includes the proto-Hudson River and the delta formed by its inlet into glacial Lake Albany. The glacial and pro-glacial dominated surficial geology of the watershed is characterized by a mixture of till, ice contact, delta, lacustrine, and outwash gravel deposits, combining to develop a complex and disjointed aquifer system. With these data, we utilized GIS to produce a depth to bedrock map, define aquifer morphology and location, and identify thickness of surficial sediment layers in the form of a three-dimensional block diagram. These efforts improve on preexisting surficial mapping and our interpretations of well log data were substantiated by sediment samples and grain size analysis. We also produced isovel maps displaying depth to groundwater and water availability. This project is a part of Skidmore College's interdisciplinary Water Resources Initiative (WRI) of the Kayaderosseras Creek watershed that is designed to address the rapid development the Kayaderosseras watershed. Our study provides a foundation for future WRI research in the watershed.