Semester

Spring

Date of Graduation

2011

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Type

MS

College

Eberly College of Arts and Sciences

Department

Geology and Geography

Committee Chair

Joseph Donovan.

Abstract

An investigation of groundwater discharge and lineaments is presented for Knobly Mountain in Mineral and Grant counties, West Virginia. Wells, springs, and streams were mapped and characterized. Lineaments mapped using digital elevation model hillshades and 1:24,000 topographic maps were classified by region (north, central, and south), orientation, length, density, location, and distance from nearest springs and streams. Lineaments exhibit bimodal orientation perpendicular (mean = 113.1° to 122.2°) and parallel (mean = 14.7° to 32.3°) to strike and are strongly correlated with springs and stream locations; every stream was located along a lineament. Lineament density is higher in the northern part of the study area (1.83 to 3.12 km-1) than in the south (0.77 to 0.96 km-1). Seepage runs indicated significant gains and losses within stream reaches over the Tonoloway Formation and Helderberg Group. The presence of springs does not necessarily indicate that the aquifer from which they discharge is likely to produce high yields of groundwater. Highest spring density occurred in less conductive formations such as the Marcellus, while carbonate units such as the Tonoloway and Helderberg had fewer springs but much greater average flow. Groundwater flow directions within bedrock aquifers in this area of trellis drainage at the surface are also likely to show a preferred trellis-like orientation.

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