THEGREEN
MOUNTAINGEOLOGISTOUARTERLY NEWSLETTER OF THE VERMONT GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY

SPRING 1967

VOLUME 14 NUMBER 1/
You won't want to miss/
VGS' FOURTEENTH ANNUAL/PRESENTATION OF STUDENT PAPERS/
SATURDAY, MAY 2, 1987 9:00 A.M.
/
WARNER BUILDING in the HEMICYCLE
L.. MIDDLEBURY COLLEGE

Directions: From the center of Middlebury village, drive west
on Vt 125. The Science Center is the first large college
building on the left. Use the large parking area east of thebuilding by the loading dock. Warner Building Is a shortwalk northwest of the Science Center.
CONTENTS

PAGE

President's Letter .............
VGS BusIness & News .............
Comrnittment to Teacher Education
Spring Meeting Program ...........
Abstracts ..................
Below the Surface..............
The Thickness of the Middlebury Limestone
Water Quality Legislation - Part II .....
Update by Chris White
Mineral of the Quarter . . . . . . . . . . .
State Geologist's Report . . . . . . . . . .
New Publications
Erratum ...................
Meetings ..................
Poems by JRock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

22, 8-11
3
3-8
12-15
16-23

23-24
25-26
26
27
2,27

2
PRESIDENT'S LETTER
Dear Members,
It has been suggested that the format for the fall 1987
annual meeting be changed from a fieldtrip and business meeting to having a speaker and meeting. This anticipated change
was stimulated by the low attendance at our last annual meeting. We hope to have a speaker who will be of interest toall. Many good names have been suggested. If you have any
thoughts on the change of format please feel free to make yourfeelings known at the spring meeting or by letter.
A summer fieldtr.p is being planned, more Information
will be coming in the next GMG.
As you know I am concentrating on teachers in Vermont andwhat we have to offer. This Is one of our reasons for being.
One purpose of the society is to contribute to public education and promote the proper use and protection of natural
resources. What better place than through a classroom
teacher? There are two ways we can be of assistance toteachers. First develop a list of geologists who would be
willing, on a limited basis, to talk to teachers, classes orlead a field trip. I see this as an activity that would takeplace close to home for the geologist. Please let me know if
you are Interested. The second service we can provide is abank of fieldtrips. At this point we are collecting copies ofVermont fieldtrips. These fleldtrips can be simple. The idea
Is to have an activity that will last between 45 minutes and2 hours. The field Is wide open as they say. Please mailyour fieldtrlp guides to me or bring them to a meeting. We
are always glad to see you.
Shelley F. Snyder

VGS BUSINESS & NEWSNEW MEKBERSThe following are new memers, accepted by the Executive
Committee mince the Winter Meeting:
Eric Hansen
Huntington Center, VT
John Hoilman
Newtonville, MA
Ron Parker
Burlington, VT
Nicholas Ratcliffe
Reston, VA
British Library Documents Supply Center
GRANT-IN-AID
As of April 15th, two applications for the grant-in-aid
of research have been submitted. The award announcement will
be made at the Spring Meeting, May 2nd.
[VGS Business & News continued on page 8.1

I wIBh I were an Ammonite
With sutures rather goniatite
Then as I floated on my way
An Index fossil all would say.
JRock

SPRING MEETING

3

PROGRAMMay 2, 1987
Warner Building in the Hemicycle
Middlebury College, Middlebury, VT
COFFEE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
8:30
HORNING SESSION: Ray Coish, Presiding
1. David Case: Geothermobarometry and petrologyof high grade metamorphic rocks, Witherbee
Quadrangle,Northeastern Adirondacks ........ 9:00
2. Rebecca Clough: Geochemistry of anorthositeof the Marcy massif and olivine
inetagabbro body in Moriah, N.Y .
. . . . . . . . .
9:20
3. Ebbe Hartz: Structure and stratigraphy of theGreen Mountain Front at East Middlebury, VT. . . 9:40
Jonathan
Doolittle:A
geochemical
andstructural
4.
analysis of greenstone and serpentinite
in the Ottaquechee Formation . . . . . . . . . . . 10:00
BREAK

5. J.B. Colton: Structure, metamorphism andpetrography of the South Lincoln Gap
region, central Vermont . . . . . . . . . . . . .
6. Thomas Armstrong: Tectono-stratigraphic geologyof the Granville-Hancock area, central Vermont .
7. Flenner Linn and Keith Kiepeis: A quantitative
determination of strain and percent volume
loss in slates of the Taconic allochthon .....
8. Diane Abendroth: Glacial lake-shore levelsin the Lamoille Valley, Vermont . . . . . . . . .

10:30
10:50

1 1:10
11:30

ANNOUNCEMENT OF GRANT-IN-AID OF RESEARCH AWARD .....12:00
AWARD OF PRIZES AND TROPHYVGS EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE will meet following the awards.

A BSTR AC IS
GLACIAL LAKE-SHORE LEVELS IN THE LAMOILLE VALLEY, VERMONT
Abendroth, Diane C., Department of Geology,
Middlebury College, Middlebury, VT 05753
This abstract will appear ii the 1987 Summer Issue of theGreen Mountain Geologist.
TECTONO-STRATIGRAPHIC GEOLOGY OF THE GRANVILLE-HANCOCK AREA,
CENTRAL VERMONT
Armstrong, Thomas R., Department of Geology
University of Vermont, Burlington, VT 05405-0122
1:12000 mapping within the pre-Silurian sequence of the
Granville-Hancock area, central Vermont, has demonstrated thetectonic nature of contacts between the various units.
Taconian pre-peak metamorphic faults (Tn-i) juxtapose discreet
lithologies representative of the Pinney Hollow, Mt. Abraham,
Hazens Notch, and Ottaquechee formations. Tn-i faults arebelieved to have large westward displacements which bring
together thrust-bound lithologies from differing depositional
environments. Kinematic evidence for this displacement isabsent due to the obliteration of thrust related fabric bysubsequent peak-phase metamorphism. Tn-i faults are deformedby pre-peak folds (Fn-1) with an associated axial-plane schistosity (Sn-i). Later syn-metamorphic folding (Fn) deformed
the Tn-i thrust slices into large sheath-like, isoclinal,
inclined, west-verging structures. Fn has an associated pervasive axial plane schistosity (Sn) which is the dominantfabric within the region. Numerous syn-metamorphic ductile
thrusts (Ta) truncate the overturned limbs of Fn folds and arerecognized as contacts between similar and dissimilar lithologles. Kinematic indicators display westward displacement of
Tn thrust slices, the magnitude of which is much less thandisplacement along Tn-i faults. Subsequent upright to overturned, west-verging minor folds (Fn+1) with an axial planeslip cleavage (Sn+i) fold the dominant schistosity (Sn) in thewestern part of the study area. Fn+1 appears to be related tocontinued flattening after Fn development, shown by thepresence of conjugate shear bands which develop in the shortlimbs of Fn+i. Tight, upright minor folds (Fn+2), present in
the eastern part of the study area, increase in frequency tothe east and may be related to Acadian deformation. Late,
post-peak metamorphic faults have been observed as superposing
brittle to ductile fabric along Tn faults. Motion sense andage of development for the late faults has yet to be determined.
A current working hypothesis depicts the formations within the study area an having been deformed within an accretionary wedge situated above an eestward dipping subduction zone
during the Taconic orogeny. 'orrelation of rift-clastic
sequences of the PinnEy Hollow and Mt. Abraham formations withsimilar sequences in the Nassau Formation of the Taconic
allochthons places part of the Taconian root zone of Stanley
and Ratcliffe (i985) along the tectonic contact between Pinney
Hollow/Underhill lithologies and the Hoosac Formation incentral Vermont.
GEOTHERMOBAROMETRY AND PETROLOGY OF HIGH GRADEMETAMORPHIC ROCKS, WHITHERBEE QUADRANGLE,NORTHEASTERN ADI RONDACKS
Case, David J., Department of Geology,
Middlebury College, Middlebury, VT 05753
An area containing pyroxene gneiss, biotite gneiss,charnockite gneiss, meta-anorthosite, meta-amphiholite andmeta-gabbro west of Moriah Center has been mapped andstudied. Electron microprobe and petrographic analyses ofminerals were performed to determine temperature and pressure
conditions of metamorphism, and to compare the results ofvarious geothermometers and barometers.
Temperatures derived from garnet- clinopyroxene, garnetbiotite and clinopyroxene- orthopyroxene range from 709 C to
828 C at 8kb. These results are consistent with Bohiene andEssene's (1985) estimated value of 750 C for this part of the
Adirondacks. Temperature estimates based on 2-feldspar
geothermometry are 480 and 520 C. Pressures of 6 to 12.5 bars

5
were acquired using garnet-. clinopyroxene- plagioclase- quartz
and garnet-. orthopyroxene- plagioclase- quartz assemblages
respectively. An anomalous value of 21kb was also obtainedusing the latter assemblage. Wide ranges and error inpressure and temperature estimates are attributed toretrograde exsolution, incorrect calibration assumptions, andthe application of ideal solution models to natural systems.
The assemblages of the rock types studied were determined
to be in the upper amphibolite to granulite facies,
corresponding to the above pressure and temperature
conditions. Field relations suggest that the igneouscomponents were intruded prior to or early during theGrenville event.
GEOCHEMISTRY OF ANORTHOSITE OF THE MARCY MASSIF AND
OLIVINE METAGABBRO BODY IN MORIAH N.Y.
dough, Rebecca, Department of Geology,
Middlebury College, Middlebury VT 05753
This study involves the genetic relationship between
Marcy anorthosite and a metagabbro body, located in Moriah
N.Y.. The three rock types studied were anorthosite, olivine
metagabbro and associated amphibolite. Grenville metamorphism
has imprinted granular textures of granulite to amphibolitefacies on all three rock types. The metagabhro body contains
pyroxene-garnet and amphibole.-biotite coronas andspinel-clouded plagioclase.
Major and trace-element concentrations reveal acomplicated history of accumulation and fractionation among
the three rock types. Due to the linear trends inincompatible elements (Si02 vs FeO, MnO and MgO),
fractionation is thought to have occurred. In the morecompatible elements there are also linear trends (Si02 vs
Na2O, A1203 and K2O) that are due to the accumulation ofplagioclase in both the metagabbro and the anorthosite. In
several plots (S102 vs FeO, Zr vs Y), there is no separation
between the metagabbro and the anorthosite, which may beshowing that the liquid was fractionating during theaccumulation of plagioclase. The definite separation in otherplots (Sj02 vs Cr, Sj02 vs MgO) suggests that the anorthomite
differs mainly by a larger accumulation of plagioclase and amore fractionated liquid.
REE patterns show positive Eu anomalies in someanorthosite and metagabbro samples, indicating they are
cumulate in nature. One gabbro sample shows a negative Eu
anomaly, reflecting a substantial fractionated interstitial
liquid. The amphibolite shows a depletion in the LREE and anenrichment in the IIREE and is thought to be a model for aprimitive magma.
The metagabbro samples are compared to other metagabbros
in the Elizabethtown-Morjah area and found to be similar incomposition. Other researchers have shown that the Marcy
massif and associated metagabbros predated the Grenvilleorogeny and are thought to be a part of an ancient rift systemin the ancient North American Continent.

STRUCTURE, METAMORPHISM AND PETROGRAPHY
OF THE SOUTH LINCOLN GAP REGION, CENTRAL VERMONT:
Colton, J.B., Department of Geology.
Middlebury College, Middlebury, VT 05753
Cambrian Schist of the Hazens Notch and Mt. Abraham
Formations occur within fault-bounded tectonic slivers along
the east-dipping flank of the Green Mountain Anticlinorium innorth-central Vermont. Field and petrographic studies ofthese rocks were undertaken in the Lincoln Gap region in orderto determine their histories of deformation and metamorphism.
The Hazens Notch Formation comprises two mappable
members: a carbonaceous schist and an albitic schist. The Mt.
Abraham Schjst can regionally be subdivided into four mappable
units (O'Loughlin, 1986). Only one of these units, a finegrained white-mica schist, was mapped in this study.
There are 3 major episodes of deformation and 2 episodesof prograde metamorphic mineral growth. Four planar fabrics
are present. The dominant schistosity Sl, is associated withan early Fl folding event. The major deformation event, D2,
produced tight to isoclinally folded F2 folds which are seen
in map scale and outcrop scale; S2 crenulation cleavage isaxial planar to the F2 folds. Late-stage brittle faulting
occurred after the F2 event within the Carbonaceous 1-lazens
Notch: a kinematic study of asymmetric shear zone fabrics
indicates west-over east movement. The final deformation isan F3 folding event that developed a weak S3 cleavage.
The Carbonaceous Hazens Notch is a dark black schist withan early stage (Ml) assemblage of qtz-mag-mus-chl-alb. The
Albitic Hazens Notch is a dark green to grey schist with
abundant albite porphyroblasts 1-3mm in size. It ischaracterized by the early (Ml) mineral assemblage of
qtz-mag-mus-chl-bt-gt-alb. The Mt. Abraham is a fine-grained
white-mica schist, which is pearly grey in outcrop. It ischaracterized by an (Ml) mineral assemblage of
qtz-alb-mus-chl-mag.
Late-stage mineral growth (M2) is documented in the
Hazens Notch by white mica overgrowing the S2 cleavage and by
the development of zoned albite porphyroblasts, with a higher
anorthite content on the rims. This mineral growth post-dates
the S3 cleavage and may be part of a continuous metamorphic
event or the product of a separate thermal pulse.
A GEOCHEMICAL AND STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS OF GREENSTONEAND SERPENTINITE IN THE OTTAUQUECHEE FORMATION
Doolittle, Jonathan, Department of Geology,
Middlebury College, Middlebury, VI 05753
Whole rock and trace element analyses have been performedon two greenstone bodies and associated serpentinite in the
Ottauquechee Formation. Field and structural relationships ofthe separate greenstone bodies were studied. Greenschist
facies metamorphism has eliminated the original fabric of therocks. The greenstones contain a chlorite-epidote-albite
assemblage with minor amounts of biotite, calcite, andquartz. The calcite, quartz, biotite, and aibite are7associated with shear-related patches and veins in thegreens tone.
T102, P205, Zr, Y, and Nb are considered to be immobile
during metamorphism and are used as petrologic discriminants.
FeO, MgO, and A1203 are slighty mobile and are noted as suchwhen used as petrologic discriminants. Major element anaylses
and Y/Hb variations allow both greenstone bodies to beclassified as tholeiitic basalts. Major element analyses ofthe serpentinite suggest that the serpentinite is a cumulatepart of an ophiolite. Ti-Zr-Y, Ti02-MnO-P205, and
FeO-MgO-Al203 ternary plots show that the greenstones are like
mid-ocean ridge basalts. A flat to slightly LREE depleted
trend is consistent with this interpretation. Furthermore,
the greenstones can be classified as transitional between type
1 and type 2 ocean-floor basalts as defined by the Basaltic
Volcanism Study Project (1981) and Bryan and others (1976).
In summary, the greenstones were probably ocean-floor basalts
which were incorporated into their present position by theclosing of the proto-Atlantic.
STRUCTURE AND STRATIGRAPHY OF THE GREEN MOUNTAIN FRONTAT EAST MIDDLEBURY, VERMONT
Hartz, Ebbe H., Department of Geology,
Middlebury College, Middlebury, VT 05753
The area studied is the Green Mountain Front, in thevicinity of East Mjddlebury, Vermont. Structural work along
the Green Mountain Front showed there to be several N-S
trending, east dipping faults. The Cheshire Quartzite isdeformed into an almost overturned fold. The hinges in thefold are cut by faults, with minor displacement. The westernsection consists of horizontally to gently folded upper
Cheshire. The Dunham Dolomite is depositional on the
Cheshire. The next section to the east consists of west tovertical dipping upper to lower Cheshire Quartzite. This isthe vertical limb of the fold. The eastern-most Cheshire isfrom the lower part of the formation. The attitude of beddingin this section is again close to horizontal.
The Cheshire Ouartzite appears to grade down into theMoosalamoo phyllite. The phyllite appears to be a distantequivalent of the Cheshire Quartzite, as suggested by Myrow(1983).
The contact between the Cheshire and the Moosalamoo
phyllite is faulted. The phyllile, which is structurally
above the Cheshire, shows increasing shear to the east. The
contact between the Moosalamoo and the Pinnacle is also a
fault. The Pinnacle is heavily folded but appears to befacing up to the east near the contact with the phyllite.
In thin sections the Cheshire Quartzite and the pliyllite
have similar mineralogy, but with some variation incomposition. The rocks are of greenschist facies, and themetamorphism generally increases to the east, with no sharp
discontinujties.
Two tectonic models are proposed in order to explain the
structure of the Green Mountain Front. One model suggeststhat the Pinnacle has arrived as a terrane onto the margin of
the proto North America, deforming the quartzites andniphyllites on the continental slope and shelf. The second
follows Stanley and R.atcliffes (1985) tectonic model for New
England. This model proposes that the Pinnacle formed on the
Mount Holly Complex during rifting that preceded the openingof lapetus ocean. The formations were later faulted back inplace by the closing of the same ocean.
A QUANTITATIVE DETERMINATION OF STRAIN AND PERCENT VOLUMELOSS IN SLATES OF THE TACONIC ALLOCHTHON
Linn, Flenner and Keith Kiepeis, Department of Geology,
Colgate University, Hamilton, NY 13346
This abstract will appear in the 1987 Summer issue of theGreen Mountain Geologist.
['IGS Business & News continued]
COMMITTMENT TO TEACHER EDUCATION
The following letter was sent to Margaret Ottum at Johnson
State indicating VUS' committment to support geology teacher
education in Vermont:
February 1, 1987
To Whom It May Concern:
The Geological Society of Vermont is very pleased to lend
its support to the proposed NSF Project titled 5 GEO" withprinciple investigators Dr. Margaret G. Ottum and Dr. Andrea
Barlett. There are currently over 150 members in the Society
and the interests and expertise of the membership covers thefull spectrum of geology.
The primary way in which the Society sees itself assisting in this project is by compiling a directory of professional geologists who have stated a willingness to help teachersdevelop local field trips. The development of this directory
is already underway and will soon be available to Earth
Science teachers throughout the state of Vermont.
In addition to assisting as indicated above, the Society
also sees itself serving the needs of those involved in this
proposal in another way. The Society publishes a quarterly
newsletter, The Green Mountain Geologist. This newslettercontains short articles on a wide range of topics and can provide teachers involved in the GEO project with current information about activities of geologists throughout the state.
The GMG can also serve as a vehicle through which teachers canget direct published answers to their questions by submitting
them to the editor.
(Signed)Shelley Snyder, President
MEET THE OFFICERS
In the Winter 1986 GMG, we introduced the members of the
Executive Committee to the Society at large. There are newfaces among the officers this year, so the following information is provided, to let you get to know them.

David Butterfield, a charter member of VGS, is the new
Secretary, but not new to the workings of the Society, having
served on the Board of Directors in the early years. David
was born in Paterson, New Jersey and received his early education in NJ and at the Vermont ficademy. A B.A. in geology wasearned at the University of Maine in Orono. He has worked for
the Vermont Highway Department, the Magma Copper Company inSuperior, Arizona, and most recently has worked for the Vermont Department of Water Resources as a geologist, planner,hydrologist and Chief of Ground Water Management. His otherinterests are the Guardianship Trust of Vermont and the
National Water Well Association.
Stan Corneille, another charter member, is serving a
one-year term as a Director. Stan comes from Crown Point, NewYork and received his education at Ithaca College, American
University in Washington, D.C. and University of Vermont where
he received an M.S. in geology. He currently works as ahydrologist for the Waste Management Division of the Vermont
Agency of Environmental Conservation. His geologic interests
are hydrogeology and application of geology and geologic principles to environmental concerns and problems. He practices
these interests as a member of the Randolph, VT, Conservation
Committee with which he is working toward preservation ofagricultural land in town and a member of the Planning Commission which is in the process of revising the town plan. His
outside interests are water sports, especially canoeing andsailing, and cross-country skiing and playing banjo.
Donald Wernecke is serving a two-year term on the Boardof Directors. Although born in Bavaria, he has lived most of
his life in Vermont, growing up in Groton and attending UVM
and Lyndon State where he earned his B.S. in Environmental
Science under Bud Ebbett. He also did graduate work at U. ofMaine. He has taught elementary school at U-36, served as anaturalist at Groton State Park, worked at Space Research
Corporation, as a real estate broker and on bridge construction, but since 1978 he has been permanently employed by thestate, first in engineering geology under Frank Lanza andsince 1983 as Assistant Regional Engineer in Barre for the AEC
in Environmental Protection.
Donald lives in a home he built In Barnet with his wifeand two young children.
WINTER MEETING REPORTThe winter meeting was a big success again, with a fullday of talks and with an audience of about 50 persons bothmorning and afternoon. The guest speaker, James McLelland,
left us well-informed about current knowledge of Adirondackgeologic history as determined from igneous rocks.
The Executive Committee meeting at noon was devoted mostly to the discussion of how VGS can be involved in helping
teachers with geology education. Several items related tosuggestions for VGS teacher-related activities were suggested. Included were notification of our functions in the Vermont Science Teachers' Association Newsletter, development ofa speakers bureau, workshop for teacher certification, and aslide show which is in place with Chuck Ratte the State Geologist. Margaret Ottum, a professor from Johnson State, asked
for support of the Society for a National Science Foundation
Project titled "CEO". A letter was sent (subsequently) mdi.-.

IIcating the philosophical support of VGS. It was indicatedthat a directory of professional geologists who have stated awillingness to help teachers develop local fieldtrips will be
developed. The 0MG is to serve as a vehicle through whichteachers can get direct published answers to questions by submitting their questions to the editor.
The problem of dwindling attendance at the Fall annual
meeting and banquet was mulled over. It was resolved that, inview of the many field trips available this fall at NEIGC, theVGS fall meeting be kept to a banquet with a speaker or
discussion of general interest with the business meeting
following.
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MINUTES - February 25, 1987
The meeting was called to order at 7:20 PM at John
Malter's in Montpelier. Present were Shelley Snyder, JeanneDetenbeck, Jeff Pelton and John Malter.
Minutes from the previous meeting were unavailable.
The treasurer reported in absentia. Previous balance$2786.76 which includes $1500 grant-in-aid money. Income =$1251.06, expenses = $329.85. Current balance (2/25/87)$3607.97. New members accepted for membership are: British
Library Documents Supply Center; Eric Hansen, hydrologist;
John Hollman, student member; Ron Parker, hydrologist. Threemembers dropped at their own request: Mary Lou Curran, William
Lynch and Jack Rand. Two members whose mail has beenreturned: Dale Mento Sheehy and Phil Wagner. 20 members will
get second notice on dues and be dropped before the next newsletter if no response. Robert Snyder will audit the books for1986 as he did last year.
A letter has been sent to Margaret Ottum of Johnson State
concerning offer of a list of members who would volunteer toassist her in a special teaching project which was discussed
at the last Executive Comm. meeting at the Winter Meeting.
This letter should be published in the next newsletter and arequest included to members to volunteer.
Suggestions for a fall meeting were discussed. In a voteat the Exec. Comm. mtg. at the Winter Meeting, it was decided
to have a speaker at the 1987 Annual Meeting banquet insteadof the day-long field trip (noting that in 1987 there will bemany field trips at NEIGC at Norwich University in October).
Dave Westerman has suggested a panel discussion about ttHow do
we know what we know about geologic time?" with Brew Baldwin
as coordinator and member. Also suggested was a single
speaker with public appeal - ideas were: Steven J. Gould(Harvard), Robert Jastrow (Dartmouth), Robert Ballard (Woods
Hole), Carl Sagan (Cornell), John HcPhee (writer). October
24, 1987 was set as the tentative date and John Halter will
look into the possibility of having the banquet at the New
England Cullinary Institute in Montpelier. We might try tohave teachers pre-register for this meeting. The secretary
can write letters to these spekers to find out the possibility of their attending. It was decided that more discussion
was needed about this annual meeting with more members of thecommittee present. Therefore, March 11 at 7PM at John
Halter's was set as the next meeting.
Shelley reported that Brew Baldwin had accepted appointment to the Nominating Committee.
Shelley reported that Chuck Ratté is going to coordinate
summer field trips with emphasis on geology for the non-

11
specialist (no F31sI) - geology for the technophobe.
Jeff reported that we have been invited to submit articles to the newsletter of the Vt. Science Teacher's Association. Their spring meeting will be April 4 and we are Invited
to submit info, about VGS.
Our spring meeting will be held May 2 at Middlebury
College. Ray Coish is the coordinator.
Items for the GMG: solicitation of field trip education
articles and solicitation for volunteers on a limited basis toprovide geologic information on appropriate topics.
Dave Westerman reported that possible applications for
the Grant-in-Aid will be coming from 2 Norwich U. studetns,
1 UVM student and Nancy Williams. Deadline is April 15, 1987.
Shelley and Jeff are working on a white paper in support
of a more formal Vermont Geological Survey.
Jeff will submit a letter for the GMG about our potential
VSTA involvement.
Jeann reported that field trip guides are trickling infor Vol. 5.
The student trophy should be located for the spring
meeting. Also 3 judges need to be appointed.
Adjourned at 9:09 PM.
Respectfully submitted,
John Halter
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MINUTES - March 11, 1987
Meeting held at John Halter's at 7PM. Present wereShelley Snyder, Jeanne Detenbeck, Jeff Pelton, John Halter andDavid Butterfield.
Minutes from the 2-25-87 meeting were read and approved.
The dates for the NEIGC field trips are Oct. 15-18, 1987.
Finances: It was reported that Treasurer Dave Westerman
would like to change the present checking account system which
seems to be too costly. Several options were discussed.
Issue tabled until Westerman can be present.
ANNUAL MEETING: Malter reported that the New England
Culinary Institute, 250 Main St. Montpelier, has a banquet
hail which can handle up to 96 people. They have a "fantastic" menu with costs in the $15-20 range, including appetizer,
main course and dessert. A cash bar is available. The room
is free if we have a large enough group. A 2 to 3 week notice
is required and ahead count a few days prior to the meetingdate. A number of speakers were suggested and topics discussed. The committee wants a high powered speaker with anintersting topic in order to generate a large turn out of toe
members. Secretary to write letters of inquiry to NASA and
USGS. Halter and Pelton to write to their "big name" connections. The date for the Annual meting is: October 24, 1987.
Mark your calendars.
The date for the spring meeting is May 2nd, 1987.
Members are encouraged to supply J. Detenbeck with news
and poems for the GMG. Watch for J.Rocky Recycle's latest
epic.
Snyder and Peiton will contact G.A. Ratt, State Geologist as to a society "white paper" supporting a more formal
Geological Survey.
Meeting adjourned at 8:55 PM
Respectfully submitted,
D. Butterfield, Secretary

12
BELOW THE SURFACE
THE THICKNESS OF THE MIDDLEBURY LIMESTONEPaul A. Washington
Cady (1945) estimated the thickness of the Middlebury
Limestone near Middlebury to bE about 600 feet (183 m) thick.
When added to his estimates for the thicknesses of the Orwell
and Glens Falls limestones in the same area, his estimate forthe total thickness of strata lying between the Providence
Island Formation (top of the Beekmantown Group) and the Hortonville Slate is over 750 feet (206 in). This thickness has
been accepted by most subsequent workers (e.g. Welby, 1961;
Coney and others, 1972).
Washington (1981a, 1982) found that the Orwell and Glens
Falls are not discernible units in the Middlebury area andresurrected the original name (Sparry (Dana, 18771) for theentire sequence (I now return to a modification of Oadys
terminology, applying Middlebury to the entire sequence in the
Middlebury area; this follows present informal usage).
Instead, the limestone sequence is quite monotonous with only
subtle variations in color and elastic content indicating
stratigraphic horizons. The thickness of the entire limestone
was estimated to be about 80 m (less than half Cady's estimate), but this was based on a structural-atratigraphic synthesis, not on any measured sections.
The basic problem with deriving a true thickness of thelimestone sequence around Middlebury is the combination of
extreme structural complexity and stratigraphie subtlety.
Extending from Otter Creek west to The Ledges (Fig. 1), theProvidence Island Formation (Cady and Zen's (1960] Chipnian
Formation) and overlying strata (Middlebury Limestone andHortonville Slate) are involved in a duplex (Washington,
1981a,b: Washington and Chisick, 1987). Thrust traces areencountered every 50 to 500 in across strike. Although outcrops are generally plentiful, the paucity and obscurity ofst.ratigraphic markers make determination of stratigraphic
position adjacent to these thrusts nearly impossible.
To get around these problems, I have started logging
water wells as they are drilled. Fortunately, cuttings from
the Middlebury Limestone can generally be distinguished fromthe overlying Hortonville Slate and underlying Providence
Island Formation. Recently, a couple of wells in Weybridge(Fig. 1, pts. A and B) fortuitously passed through entire
sections of Middlebury. Both of these wells started in overlying thrust sheets, reaching the complete section of Middlebury by crossing the fault plane andpassing through a sectionof Hortonville Slate. In one well (A) a sufficient thicknessof Hortonvilie Slate (45 in) was encountered that it could not
be mistaken for the slate lying along the Middlebury-Providence Island contact (.5 m thick at James Pasture - Fig. 1,
pt. JP) or for a previously-unnoticed layer within the Middlebury (less than 10 m of Hortonville was penetrated in well B).
The color change from the medium to dark blue limeatones ofthe Middlebury to the blue-gray limestones and blue-black
dolostones of the Providence Island is somewhat gradational

13
N
Opi

Opi

1 km

ornk

U

Om
Om

7/

Weybridge
Thrust

Oh

h

Opi

WE

\

Op1

'S

RIDG

'1

-- -

h

I

r

0m 1
--

C'

0m

ORN

ALLt

I

h

Oh

Oh

Oil

Om

I—

LI

'

MI

I2
30

k

-

I

\

/

Oh.)
Oh

/Om

Om

Figure 1. Geology of the area from Middlebury to The Ledges,

showing the location of the two wells (A and B). The Weybridge thrust (Keith, 1932) structurally separates this areafrom the Snake Mountain massif just to the west. Oh - Hortonyule Slate; Om - Middlebury Limestone; Opi - Providence
Island Formation; Ofc - Fort Cassin Formation; Olf - Lemon
Fair Formation.

(the basal Middlebury is color banded [Crosby, 1963; Washing.-.
ton, 1982]), making the contact difficult to precisely determine.
The thickness of the Middlebury Limestone encountered inthese wells is 80 to 90m (Fig. 2). The paucity of nearby outcrop of the penetrated section below the upper thrusts makes
correction for dip uncertain, but correlation of depth ofwater between wel A and nearby wells suggests that there is
only a slight (<5 ) eastward dip. Thus, an upward bound forthe true thickness of the Middlebury Limestone can be set at
90 in.
Well B (total depth 900 ft. [275 in]) was dry (<1/4 gpm),
whereas well A (t.d. 677 ft. (206 ml) produces 20 gpm (allobtained at the bottom of the well). The lack of ground water
encountered within the Middlebury suggests (Washington, 1981c,
1986) that there are no thrusts crossing the wells below the
Hortonville. The lack of water along the penetrated thrusts
is caused by the presence of Hortonville, which acts as a
seal.

Depth
(meters)

Figure 2. Summary of strata encountered in well A. H - Hortonville Slate; M - Middlebury Limestone; P - Providence
Island Formation.

15
In conclusion, analysis of cuttings from two water wells
that penetrate the Middlebury Limestone find that the thickness of the Middlebury is between 80 and 90 m thick. This ismuch less than Cady's (1945) estimate, but is quite close to
Washington's (1982) estimate.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This analysis would not have been possible without thecooperation of the drilling crew of Spafford & Sons and of thehome owners, Lawrence and Ida Washington (well A) and Ashley
and Louise Cadwell (well B).
REFERENCES CITED
Cady, W.M., 1945, Stratigraphy and structure of west-central
Vermont: Geological Society of America Bulletin, V. 56,
p. 514-587.
Cady, W.M. and Zen, E-an, 1960, Stratlgraphic relationships ofthe lower Ordovician Chipman Formation in west-central
Vermont: American Journal of Science, v. 258, p. 728-739.
Coney, P.J., Powell, R.E., Tennyson, M.E. amd Baldwin, Brewater, 1972, The Champlain thrust and related featuresnear Middlebury, Vermont: New England Intercollegiate
Conference, 64th annual meeting, p. 97-115.
Crosby, G.W., 1963, Structural evolution of the Middlebury
synclinorium, west-central Vermont [Ph.D. thesis]: New
York, New York, Columbia University.
Dana, J.D., 1877, An account of the discoveries in Vermont
geology of the Rev. Augustus Wing: American Journal of
Science, 3rd series, v. 13, P. 332-347, 405-419.
Keith, Arthur, 1932, Stratigraphy and structure of northwestern Vermont: Washington Academy of Sciences Proceedings,
v. 22, p. 357-379, 393-406.
Washington, P.A., 1981a, Structural analysis of an area near
Middlebury, Vermont [M.S. thesis]: Albany, New York,State University of New York.
Washington, P.A., 1981b, Reinterpretation of the structure of
the Middlebury synclinorium: Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, v. 13, p. 183.
Washington, P.A., 1981c, Structural controls on groundwater
availability in central Addison County, Vermont: Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, v. 13,
p. 183.
Washington, P.A., 1982, A revision of the stratigraphy of theupper limestone sequence near Middlebury, Vermont: Northeastern Geology, v. 4, P. 81-84.
Washington, P.A., 1986, Bedrock structure vs. groundwater
plumbing in the Cambro-Ordovician strata of Addison
County (abstract): Green Mouitain Geologist, v. 12,
no. 4, p. 7-8.
Washington, P.A. and Chisick, S.A., 1987, Stratigraphy of the
Beekmantown Group in the central Champlain valley: Vermont Geology, v. 5 (in preparation).
Welby, C.W., 1961, Bedrock geology of the central Champlain
valley of Vermont: Vermont Geological Survey Bulletin 14,
296p.

16
WATER QUALITY LEGISLATION - PART Ii
This is the continuation of an article written by JonathanLash, Commissioner of the Department of Water Resources andEnvironmental Engineering, and published in the Winter 1986
issue of the Conservation quarterly. (Part I appeared in theWinter 1987 Qj). A summary of Vermont environmental legislation in 1986 and 1987 has been provided by Chris White tobring the story up to date.
A Confused Situation
In 1979 the Mt. Mansfield Corporation applied for a
Certificate of Compliance for a 290,000 gallon per day tertiary treatment plant and high rate on-site disposal system next
to Ranch Brook in Stowe. The Department of Water Resources
concluded that the system would be a "discharge" and would
require not only a Certificate of Compliance showing that thesystem would meet the requirements of the Environmental Protection Rules, but also a discharge permit. There were angry
protests from the development community asking on what basis
the Department had reached the conclusion that the proposedsystem would be a discharge and how such decisions would bemade in the future.
As a result in September 1982, the Department amended theEnvironmental Protection Rules to state that any system exceeding 40,000 gallons per day would be treated as a discharge
and would require a discharge permit unless it met four strict
criteria:
1. The effluent flow cannot exceed 10 percent of theaverage flow of the affected stream in any month.
2. Effluent has to remain in the ground for at least 25
days before reaching surface waters.
3. The effluent flow should not disrupt existing groundwater flow patterns or cause a normally dry area tobecome saturated.
4. The waste system should use the natural capabilitiesof the site to treat the wastes.
The new provision of the rules came to be known as the"threshold criteria". It was intended to be a clear simple
statement of when a discharge permit would be required. But
since the rule was adopted three and a half years ago, noapplicant has ever met its requirements. Large scale developers have increasingly run up against the 40,000 gallon threshold. One recent case illustrates the bind in which the State
found itself.
The Sunrise Group proposed to build 550 condominium units
in the Town of Mendon near the north branch of Madden Brook.
The project required a sewage treatment and disposal system inexcess of 100,000 gallons per day, but the spray disposal site
did not meet the "threshold criteria". Sunrise argued thatsince they had initiated discussions with the Department of
Water Resources before the adoption of the "threshold criteria" in September 1982 the project should be reviewed andapproved under the rules in effect at the time. In the fallof 1984, the Department rejected this claim and issued Sunrise
a Certificate of Compliance for a spray system with a capacityof 40,000 gallons per day, the maximum allowed without obtain-.
ing a discharge permit. Sunrise appealed that decision to theWater Resources Board contending the project should have been

17
grandfathered under the "old rules".. At the same time, twoenvironmental groups, the Connecticut River Watershed Council
and the Vermont Natural Resources Council appealed the decision arguing that the Department should have required Sunrise
to obtain a discharge permit.
CLASSIFICATION OF STATE SURFACE WATERS
Under present law (Title 10 V.S.A. Section 1252), state waters
are classified in one of three categories.
Claeo A. Suitable for public water supply with disinfection when necessary. Character uniformily
excellent.
Class B. Suitable for bathing and recreation, irrigation and agricultural uses; good fish habitat; good
asthetic value; acceptable for public water supply withfiltration and disinfection.
Class C. Suitable for recreational boating, irrigationof crops not used for consumption without cooking;habitat for wildlife and for common food and gamefishes indigenous to the region; and such industrial
uses as are consistent with Class 'C' uses.
The Water Resources Board has established, in its Water
Quality Standards, specific water quality criteria to protect
the usesof each class. The Water Quality Standards prohibit
discharges of treated domestic wastes into Class B waters.
The board also established special protection for what arecommonly called "upland streams" (Class A and B waters upstream of existing Class C zones where no discharges are permitted except for non-polluting wastes and stormwater.) Discharges of treated domestic wastes are permissible in Class C
waters if the water quality criteria are not violated.
The Board may reclassify state waters if it finds thatthe current classification is contrary to the public interestand that a higher or lower reclassification would be in the
public interest. The classification process may be initiatedby the Board itself or by a petition to the Board by a municipality, a state agency or 30 or more persons in interest. The
Board holds a hearing in the area of the waters under consideration and makes its judgment on reclassification based on anumber of criteria, including existing and obtainable water
qualities, existing and potential water uses, fish habitat andmunicipal, regional and state plans. A change in classification is adopted as a rule by the Board.
At the present time about 95 percent of Vermont's waters
are Class B, 3 percent Class C and 2 percent Class A. Classifications do not necessarily describe the actual water qualityof a particular stream or pond. When actual water quality islower than the criteria for the class, those criteria serve as
goals to be achieved through water resource management. Manyof our waters are of higher quality than the criteria established for their Class. The anti-degradation section of theWater Quality Standards requires protection of the high quality of these waters in the public interest to the fullest
extent possible.

Ifö]
N
In April 1985, the Water Resources Board ruled that the
Department was wrong to apply the "threshold crjjaI to Sunrise and ordered the Department to issue a Certificate ofCompliance for a 100,000 gallon per day system. Six months
later the Board ruled that the Department was also wrong not
to require a discharge permit and Sunrise could not proceed tobuild a 100,000 gallon per day system unless it obtained adischarge permit. Since the north branch of Madden Brook is
an upland stream, Sunrise could not obtain a discharge permit
unless the stream was first reclassified as a Class "C"
stream.
The reasoning of the Board's decision was simple anddirect. The experts agreed that the effluent from the Sunrise
spray system would eventually reach Madden Brook and that when
it reached Madden Brook it would be "measurably different fromthe naturally occurring water" of the Brook. As long as it
was mea5urably
the Board concluded, the effluent
was a under Act 252. If it was a waste, then it was adischarge, and if it was a discharge, it required a discharge
permit.
The ruling was not based on the size of the system, nor
was it based on the impact that the effluent would have on
Madden Brook. Indeed, the Board refused to hear evidence
relating to the effects of the discharge on Madden Brook. The
sole question was whether the effluent was "measureably different" from the naturally occurring waters when it reached
Madden Brook. Since virtually all effluent placed in the
ground in Vermont will eventually reach surface water, thereasoning of the decision applies not only to upland resort
development but to all on-site sewage treatment, even single
family homes.
In response to a query from Water Resources Commissioner
Lash, the Attorney General advised the Department that, pending action by the General Assembly, or further decisions by
the Water Resources Board, it should continue to issue Certificates of Compliance under the Environmental Protection
Rules. Neverthiess, the implications of the Sunrise decision(which has been appealed to Superior Court) are clear. Potential applicants do not know whether any Certificate of Compliance they receive from the Department will be valid or whether
they may be required to obtain a discharge permit as well.
In the days following the Sunrise decision controversy,
environmentalists and developers wrangled over its future
implications. Former Governor F. Ray Keyser, who had represented the Sunrise Group in their appeal to the Water Resources Board, said that the law as interpreted by the Board
Joe Parkinhad "no relation to protecting theson, Executive Director of the Vermont Ski Area Association
charged that the groups that had appealed the Sunrise Certificate to the Board "were trying to stop resort growth by plugging up the sewer pipes". Eric Palola of the Vermont Natural
Resources Council responded that the decision simply acknowledged "the concern of a broad number of Vermonters who havewitnessed a steady decline in the quality of certain headwater
areas of the state " and recognized "the laws of the state ofVermont were fundamentally wronged " by the proposed Sunrise
system.

ii::
Where Can We Go From Here?
Beneath this controversy lie several very real problems.
The fact that the legislature has never considered the question of upland streams is one. The words "upland stream" do
not appear in the water quality law. The very broad definition of upland streams adopted by the Water Resources Board,which includes over 90 percent of the flowing waters of thestate, has not proven to be an effective tool for managing andprotecting the quality of Vermont's waters. Providing a
special level of protection to 90 percent of the state's
waters is unrealistic, particularly when many of the waters
included are already far from pristine. Over the past decadeand a half we have not had to confront this because the procedure for approving on-site sewage treatment has not been
based on water quality, thus whether or not adjoining streams
were upland streams has had no impact on permitting decisions
for on-site systems.
What level of protection is enough? The question isfundamentally one of values. There are hundreds of streams
flowing out of our mountains. They are the root systems ofour rivers, a critical part of our upland ecology. Most aresmall; many virtually disappear during dry summers. The classic Vermont mountain stream has a special clarity. Few natural nutrients flow into them from the mountains that give themlife. They are shaded and cold. As a result they support
limited populations of plant and insect life. They are fragile and vulnerable to change. Human activity can affect themprofoundly. Sewage disposal, construction, logging, and agriculture can all create risks to upland streams.
Should we seek to manage and minimize those risks or
simply to eliminate some of them? Should the legislature set
a strict standard permanently protecting upland streams, orshould it tell state government to proceed case by case, balancing the risks created by an activity against the benefits
arising from it? If as Governor Kunin, and Governor Davis
before her, have urged there is to be blanket protection for
all streams over 1500 feet in elevation, what about fairness
to those who own land above 1500 feet? Although a substantial
portion of the land in the state above 1500 feet is publicly
owned state and national forest land, the majority is not.
(Here we shift authors and consider the whole spectrum ofwater quality legislative action in the past two years.)
THE CONTINUING SAGA OF VERMONT'S ENVIR0N{ENTAL LEGISLATION
Christopher WhiteWhite Hydrogeology, Inc.
52 Seymour Street
Middlebury, VT 05753
Much has happened on the legislative front in terms ofenvironmental issues since Commissioner Lash wrote his article
in the Winter, 1986 Conservation Quarterly. Numerous waterrelated bills were introduced into the 1986 legislative session to deal with specific issues troubling the State. Manyof these initiatives were combined and refined by the end of

20
the session. The legislative work responded to some issues,and in doing so, created new questions.
This spirit of heated debates, high-profile legislation
and attention-getting bills was evident last year. In contrast, this year's legislature seems much quieter environmentally. Conflicts which arose in the 1986 session appear to benear resolution in the 1987 session. The business community
will possibly receive assistance with the persistent and expensive problem of leaking underground storage tanks. Municipalities stand to benefit financially from state-supported
planning for solid waste disposal. In a general way, 1986 may
have been devoted to redefining a person's right to conduct
polluting activities. This year addresses the State's obligation to help share the cost of these newly defined responsibilities.
The 1986 Session
There were five general areas of water quality legislation passed in 1986. They are organized in various chaptersin Title 10 of the Vermont Statutes Annotated (V.S.A.). These
areas were: wetlands protection, water pollution control,
groundwater protection, underground liquid storage tanks andwaste management. The last topic covers both radioactive andsclid waste. The licensing procedure for water well drillers,
which was updated and refined, became part of the groundwater
protection statute.
The wetlands legislation (Chapter 37) recognized thevalue of wetland areas for flood control, water quality enhancement, wildlife and fish habitats, vegetation, recreation
and aesthetics. The law empowers the State to classify, protect and manage the wetland areas in order to maintain thevalue of the areas. While other states have similar statutes
and our own Act 250 begged the question of wetland protection,
this law further develops a wetlands protection policy for
Vermont. The policy may have widespread economic ramifications. The Department of Water Resources has not yet written
the rules for this chapter. The specific guidelines which
will give this law regulatory life will further flesh out theState's wetland protection policies.
Chapter 47, which is devoted to water pollution control,
has accomplished several important steps. Firstly, it recognized the existence of "indirect discharges" of sewage to a
stream. Such indirect discharges are defined as any discharges of sewage to groundwater. It also reclassified stream
waters so that any streams above 2500 feet in elevation wereClass A and meritorious of the highest level of protection.
The law also prohibits direct discharges of pathogen-ladenwaters to streams. Finally, it sought to clarify the issue ofwhen a sewage disposal system might present a significant risk
to a nearby stream or lake.
This last point is complex. It involves the legislative
recognition of probability, levels of significance and groundwater flow prediction in forecasting a public health risk fromsewage disposal. It stipulates that disposal fields of lessthan 6500 gallons per day (gpd) do not ordinarily pose a sufficient enough hazard to be considered. It admits to possible
grey areas regarding the significance of a direct or indirect

21discharge. And it brings up the question of what are a current user's rights to the existing and potential beneficial
uses of the stream or lake as weighed against the discharger's
right to use the stream for dilution of his waste. In regard
to this last point, Vermont's regulators seem to subscribe to
the right of prior appropriation viz, surface waters.
If embodying these issues in legislation was challenging,the development of companion regulations has been even moredemanding. The Vermont Department of Water Resources, theVermont Water Resources Board and the Legislature continued to
discuss the formulation of regulations on this statutethroughout this past winter. Finally, in the 1987 session, acompromise appears to have evolved on the rulemaking for thisstatute so that final regulations may be forthcoming soon.
Chapter 48, Groundwater Protection, Is another regulatory
challenge, In Chapter 48, the legislature empowered theDepartment of Water Resources to classify all the groundwaters
in the State. The classification system depends upon the
degree to which the groundwater is already compromised, therisks for future compromise and the current potability of thewater. There is a list of 9 or 10 factors to be considered In
assessing the degree of compromise.
The Department is also charged with developing a managemerit strategy for groundwater. Presumably, the strategy
should consider what sort of activities should be permitted incertain areas, what to do with already heavily compromised
areas and how to determine the likelihood of groundwater contamination given certain activities in different environmental
8ettings. The classification system and management strategy
will have wide-ranging implications for land values and land
use planning on a State-wide basis.
Well driller licensing used to stand separately as Chapter 51, but is now subsumed in Chapter 47. While no significant changes took place on this section in 1986, there havebeen efforts made to refine the chapter this year. Specifically, more needs to be done regarding well definitions, holeabandonment and construction standards. It appears as though
this will wait 'tIl 1988.
In Chapter 48, Section 1410, is the fruit of the old VGS"Groundwater Watchdog Committee". It is entitled "Groundwater
Right of Action". Of all the 1986 legislation, this section
stands on its own for empowering the individual citizen to
take action against a polluter. The section abolishes the
300-year-old groundwater doctrine of absolute ownership andreplaces it with a hybrid correlative rights and reasonable
use doctrine. The section is unique in that It Inclusively
specifies the points of tort law which should be considered inbringing the action. This facilitates the job of the plaintiff's counsel. It also allows for cosideratlon of agricultural practices in groundwater contamination. Finally, but
perhaps foremost, it recognizes that groundwater hydrology isa science and as such is not "mysterious and unknowable".
The law regarding Underground Storage Tanks is codified
in Chapter 59. There is a size limitation for what is deemed22
to be environmentally significant viz, storage tanks. Tanks
with a capacity of less than 1100 gallons are not consideredhere. Nor are sewage tanks or natural gas facilities. The
major affected industry sector is the gas station.
The law stipulates that certain tank construction standards be met regarding double walls, leak detection, and monitoring. Periodic reporting is required regarding the tank's
integrity. Furthermore, there are requirements for corrective
action, reporting content releases and tank removal.
Solid Waste Management (Chapter 159) and Radioactive
Waste Management (Chapter 157) also received legislative
attention. Chapter 157 deals primarily with review of technologies, inventories of both radioactive waste generators andstorage sites, transport of waste and available insurance.
Other, equally important issues surrounding radioactive wastes
are Vermont's participation in a regional storage compact andthe analysis of the impacts of various alternatives for decommissioning Vermont Yankee.
Chapter 159 addresses with three substantive points. The
first is to develop a plan for disposal of contaminated soils
at in-State sites. The second is to develop a comprehensive
state-wide program for the collection, treatment and disposalof septage and sludge. Thirdly, a contaminator's liability isextended to cover the costs of abating a contaminant releaseand the costs of investigation, removal and/or remedial action
if warranted. The liability exposure is clarified in thisstatute and written so as to be widely inclusive of current or
past property owners, transporters, possessors, waste facility
owners or disposers. This brings Vermont's laws in closer
accordance with the Federal laws.
he 1987 Session
The 1987 legislative efforts, while still formative, arecomparatively less far-reaching and more focused than the 1986
laws. No environmental bill has passed both houses and beensigned into law at this time. However, there are five bills
currently in process.
The first is a solid waste bill designed to help municipalities plan and pay for trash disposal. Funding, as proposed, would start at $2.6 million in FY 88 and go to $5 million in the years following. Seventeen new positions would be
funded at the Agency of Environmental Conservation.
The second bill would start an outstanding river designation system. The effect of this bill would be to restrict or
prohibit gravel mining and hydroelectric dams from theserivers.
Thirdly, a $7 million funding bill is proposed to help
small gas station owners pay for the replacement of underground storage tanks. A fourth bill will further regulate thesub-division of lots. This legislation, as proposed would
close a provision in Act 250 by prohibiting a developer fromdeveloping over nine lots in a five-year period in one of Vermont's nine district environmental commission's jurisdictions.
Finally, the cumulative impact of many developments in a rapidly growing area is being addressed in a re-introduced billwhich had been killed in the closing days of the 1986 session.

Conclusion

23

Clearly, the Vermont Legislature has been environmentally
active in the past two years. It is responding to a perceived
cry for environmental protection. Why is there all this activity? Perhaps the Legislature had been relatively quiescentin the previous few years. Perhaps groundwater problems had
been ushered into the fore in 1985 and 1986 by situations like
Williamstown. Perhaps large ski area development had seemed
to be too big or too harmful for several environmental groups.
Perhaps Governor Kunin perceived a mandate in her election andsubsequent re-election. Whatever the reason, 1986 was a"watersheft" year and 1987 is a quieter encore.
If a constitution sets out the broad operating principles
of a government, then the government's statutes will refine
those principles to address the people's immediate concerns,
These issues are then hammered out and given final definitionin agency and departmental regulations and rules. While theregulations may be too specific and detailed for the lay
public, regulations do give life to the 'aws. They indicate
how the laws will operate on a day-to-day basis.
This article is by intentior a summary. The issues arebroad in scope because that is the scope of the legislation.
The detail of how these laws are carried out will come into
focus as the regulations are issued and adopted. Stay tuned,because that will be happening in the near futurel
Acknowledgment
I thank the various people who have helped me write thisarticle. Sources have included Jim Ashley and David Butterfield of the Department of Water Resources, I have alsorelied on several lawyers for assistance either with specificinformation on the above matters or their general opinions.
These people include Richard Taylor of Middlebury and Jon
Readnor of Rutland. Finally, the VNRC and reporters for the
Burlington Free Press have kept me posted of current legislation. Errors in judgment or fact are my responsibility.

MINERAL OF THE QUARTER
LIMONITE
Limonite is a secondary mineral which is often used as anore of iron or a pigment (red and yellow ocre). It is notfound in crystallized form but in porous to compact form. It
is often very impure, containing sand or clay. Modern mineralogists no longer consider it a mineral species but a cryptocrystalline form of the mineral goethite with variable water
either adsorbed or held by capillary action. Its formula is
FeO(OH) nH20.
Limonite has a hardness varying from 1 - 5 1/2 and a
specific gravity that varies from 2.7 - 4.3. These data show
well in what impure condition the material often is found.
Limonite is the name used in the field for bog iron ore,
which is a mixture of hydrous iron oxides of varying composition. Bog iron ore is produced in marshy and boggy areas by

the action of iron-fixing bacteria found in the murky water.
These bacteria digest iron from solution and leave behind
ferrous oxides and carbonates as their waste product.
Small deposits of bog ore were very important sources ofiron in the early history of Vermont. Most bog ore was foundIn the western part of Vermont in places such as Highgate andSwanton, Sheldon, Fairfield, Colchester, Milton, Monkton,
Vergennes, Bristol, Shoreham, Orwell, Brandon and Pittsford.
The swampy places where bog ore formed had been produced by
the drying up of lakes formed during the glacial stages. Manyof these deposits were used during the last decade of theeighteenth century and the first decade of the nineteenth
century.
Furnaces to smelt these local deposits were built at
Tinmouth, Bennington, Pittsford, Fairhaven, Sheldon, Vergennes
and Swanton between 1783 and 1799. In fact, the iron industry
played a very important role in the economic development of
Vermont in Its infancy. By the early nineteenth century,
there were 8 blast furnaces and 26 forges and bloomeries (usedto convert pig Iron to wrought iron) in operation in Vermont.
Early in the nineteenth century, Vergennes was the centerof the iron industry in Vermont. The Monkton Iron Company was
financed by $250,000 in Boston capital. The works were situated just below the falls of the Otter Creek. At this spot
the old river bed is very wide, so boats of up to 300 tons
could reach the site from the lake. Here the blast furnaces,
forges, bloomeries and other works were situated. Limonite
ore from the Monkton ore bed (shown on the Middlebury topographical map) was brought as well as bog ore from Swanton andother northwestern Vermont locations. They produced their own
charcoal from the trees of area forests to use for the smelting of the oxide ore to pig iron. Later coke was produced
here also. The Monkton Company became the leading iron producer In Vermont. From here were shipped such items as
wrought iron for ship building, sheet Iron, hollow ware forkettles, nail rods, etc. These were shipped to places as far
away as Boston and Troy, New York.
As an interesting historical sidelight, the availabilityof ship building supplies such as the iron and trees for masts
was the reason that Vergennes was chosen by Thomas McDonoughas the site to build the American fleet with which he vanquished the British at the Battle of Plattsburgh Bay on
September 11, 1814. The $1007 worth of wrought Iron used tobuild the fleet and 300 tons of shot used in the battle were
produced with iron made at the l4onkton Company. The cast ironcannon used in the battle were probably also produced at thesite.
The financial depression after the War of 1812 and thediscovery of richer deposits of iron ore in Pennsylvania
caused the fortunes of this Industry to wane in Vermont.
Information for this article was taken from the Quarterlyof the Vermont Historical Society, v. XXI, no. 2, April 1953,
p.118.
Submitted byEthel Schuele

25
STATE GEOLOGIST'S REPORTThe Office of the State Geologist is working on compilinga new edition of the Availability of Vermont Maps booklet.
This booklet is used by private and public groups and individuals who are looking for map information. If you know of anyone who produces or sells maps of Vermont or part of Vermont,on any topic, please have them contact us at 103 South Main
Street, Center Building, Waterbury, VT 05676 or 802+244-5164
so that we may include them in the booklet.
General information on aspects of geology in Vermont andspecific information on Vermont locations and topics is always
available from the Office of the State Geologist. Many references, both currently available and out-of-print, are available in our library.
NEW PUBLICATIONS
The following new reports and publications from the
Vermont Geoloical Survey are now available:
Open-file reports:
1. Map of Vermont Metallic Mineral Deposits and Occurrences, scale 1:250,000, compiled by Alan J. McBean, 1985 plus
locality ID sheets
Blue-line ozalid print ... 83.00
2. Map of Vermont Non-Metallic Mineral Deposits and Occurrences, scale 1:250,000, compiled by Alan J. McBean, 1985 plus
locality ID sheets
Blue-line ozalid print.. .83.00
3. Stratigraphy and Bedrock Geology of the Northwestern
portion of the St. Albans quadrangle and the adjacent Highgate
Center quadrangle, by Charlotte J. Mehrtens and Rebecca J.
Dorsey, 1986; 28 page text, 3 figures, 2 plates with 2 figures
each.
Complete paper copy.. $5.00
Publications:
1. Sharon B. O'Loughlin and Dr. Rolfe S. Stanley, 1986,
Bedrock Geology of the Mount Abraham - Lincoln Gap Area,
Central Vermont:
Special Bulletin No. 6, Vermont Geological Survey..... $3.00
2. Barbara A. Strehle and Dr. Rolfe S. Stanley, 1986 A
Comparison of Fault Zone Fabrics in Northwestern Vermont:
Studies in Vermont Geology No. 3,
Vermont Geological Survey.. .83.00
Open-file reports should be ordered from the:
Office of the State Geologist
Agency of Environmental Conservation
103 South Main Street
Center Building, 3rd Floor
Waterbury, VT 05676
Publications should be ordered from the:Department of Libraries
Geologic Documents Section
111 State Street
Montpelier, VT 05602
FULL PAYMENT PLUS 4% VT SALES TAX SHOULD ACCOMPANY YOUR ORDERPUBLIC NOTICEThe State of Vermont, Department of Water Resources, now
requires that permits be obtained by all persons engaging inrecreational gold dredging or mineral mining activities in all
waters of the State.
Persons wishing to engage in such activity must contact
the Regional Engineer at the appropriate District Environmental Office and obtain a permit application.
Permit applications will be reviewed pursuant to thejurisdiction of 10 V.S.A., Chapter 41, Subchapter 2, "Stream
Alteration" or Section 1272 of 10 V.S.A., Chapter 47, Subchapter 1, "Water Pollution Control".
Questions regarding projects subject to this jurisdiction
should be addressed to the Regional Engineer at the appropriate District Environmental Office.
Regional Office Locations
Districts #1 and #8 (Rutland, Bennington Counties):
RFD #1, West Cottage, Pittsford Police Academy, Pittsford, VT
05763, 483-2300.
Districts #2 and #3 (Orange, Windsor, Windham Counties):
RFD Box 33, No. Springfield, VT 05150, 886-2215.
Districts #4 and #6 (Chittenden, Franklin Counties):
111 West Street, Essex Jct., VT 05452, 879-6563.
Districts #5 and #9 (Lamoille, Washington, Addison Counties): 255 North Main Street, Barre, VT 05641, 828-2454.
District #7 (Caledonia, Essex, Orleans Counties):
180 Portland Street, St. Johnsbury, VT 05819, 748-8787.
Issued March 1987

ERRATUMWe regret the ommission of several lines in the following
abstract published in the Winter 1987 0MG. The second paragraph is reprinted here with the corrections.
A DATA MANAGEMENT PROGRAM FOR THE STUDY OF
LAKE CHAMPLAIN BOTTOM SEDIMENTS
Hunt, Allen S. and Glenn W. Walters,
Department of Geology, University of Vermont,
Burlington, VT 05405
In order to store and manipulate existing data, a management system has been developed using an IBM compatible personal computer and commercially available software including adata base management program and a spreadsheet. Sediment datais stored in a single master database which is subdivided into
tables, each containing a particular type of data. The common
factor between tables is the aereal location of the sediment
sample which allows compilation of originally discrete data
for any given site. The system also provides flexibility inthat new information can be added as it becomes

27
available. A variety of techniques exist within the system
for use in combining data and extracting subsets for further
analysis. Statistical procedures such as correlation andregression can readily be performed and data plotted for sediments either from any given area of the lake or for the lake
as a whole. Such information is useful in understanding thepresent day depositional processes. It will also provide a rational means of selection parameters necessary inorder to construct a surface sediment map. The sediment data
may be assembled for the map using a personal computer. The
map may then be constructed by hand plotting or, if facilities
are available, by loading the data onto a personal or mainframe computer equipped with the appropriate software and aplotter.

MEETINGSMAY
2VGS SPRING MEETING
See page 3 for details.

MAY
1-3

NAGT, Eastern Section in Stone Ridge, NY.
See Winter 1987 GMG for details.

JULY VGS SUMMER FIELD TRIPS are In the planning stage.
AUG
These trips will be of interest not only to members,
but also to teachers, to whom we hope they will
be of practical use. Look for the Summer Issue of
the GMG for details.
AUG
1-2

Burlington Gem and Mineral Club's annual show
will be held in the library of theSouth Burlington High School. Look for details
in the Summer GFIG.

OCT
16-.
18

The 79th annual meeting of the New England
Intercollegiate Geological Conference will besponsored by Norwich University with headquarters
at Vermont College in Montpelier.
All VOS members should receive a mailing shortly.

OCT
24

VGS BANQUET and ANNUAL MEETING will be held at
the New England Culinary Institute In Montpelier.
The search for a challenging SPEAKER is now
underway. Information will be mailed early in
October, with requests for reservations.

Oh my God
Said the Brachiopod
As the period was a changing
It's plain to tellThat on my shell
There'll be some rearranging.
JRockGREEN MOUNTAIN GEOLOGISTVERMONT GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY
BOX 304
MONTPELIER, VERMONT 05602

Shelley Snyder
Jeffrey PeltonDavid Butterfield
David Westerman
Stanley Corneille 1 87
Steve Revell 1 87
Donald Wernecke

The GREEN MOUNTAIN GEOLOGIST is publishedquarterly by the Vermont Geological Society,a non-profit educational corporation.
President
Vice President
Secretary
Treasurer
Boardof
Directors
Permanent Committees

Jeanne Detenbeck

Advancement of the Science
Rolfe Stanley
Geological Education Committee
Ballard Ebbett
Barry Doolan
Public Issues Committee
Christopher White
Publications/Editorial Committee
Jeanne Detenbeck
Editor

ADDRESS CHANGE ? Send it to the Treasurer
at the address above, please.

fRSV

THE

GREEN
MOUNTAINGEOLOGIS1QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER OF THE VERMONT GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY

SUMMER 1987

10,

VOLUME 14 NUMBER 2Bring the family to a"light-fare-for-a--summer-day"

LSUMMER FIELD TRIP
Precambrian through Cambrian Rock Formationsin the Vicinity of Middlebury, Vermont
followed by a

PICNIC AND SWIM
SATURDAY, AUGUST 29, 1987
(RAINDATE: AUGUST 30)
9:30A.M. to noon
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE will meet at lunchtime.
(See page 3 for details)
CONTENTS
President's Letter
Vice 'resident's Letter

PAGE
2
2

imejJFeld Trip Program
1 VGS
Business & News

3

Nominations Committee ReportWhite Geohydrology sold
VGS Membership List
.j liona,, the Boring Sponge, from the
Devbrfian Shaw Mountain Formation, Vermontjby Charles G. Doll
A Hydrothermal Mineral System in and around
Searsburg ridge, Southern Vermont
by;Paul Washington
RecedtPÜblication
Student Abstracts
A Woods Hole (WHOI) Workshop
Meetings
Poems by JRock pages 16 & 19

3
4
5

j

9

12
16
17
18
19

2
PRESIDENT'S LETTER
Dear Members,
The field trip is coming up soon. I hope to see many of
you at that time. We will have an executive committee meeting
during lunch to discuss the fall meeting. All are welcome tojoin the executive committee and contribute to the discussion.
As you know I am concentrating on teachers In Vermont andwhat we have to offer them. One purpose of the society Is tocontribute to public education and promote the proper use andprotection of natural resources. I would like to develop alist of professional geologists who are willing to make themselves available, on a LIMITED basis to teachers. By this Imean spend an hour or so on an informal basis sharing ideas
with a teacher or teachers. Please let me know if you can beconsidered available should a teacher in your area be interested in learning more about your area of expertise. Some
members are teachers, and I would appreciate hearing from you
too.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Shelley F. Snyder

VICE PRESIDENT'S LETTER
Dear Friends,
President Shelley Snyder gave the VGS the challenge thisyear to explore ways the Society might assist Earth Scienceteachers at the secondary school level. A first thought wasto urge Earth Science teachers to take their students outdoors
where the students could experience earth products and processes directly. To this end, we have urged VGS members to
examine how they might share their knowledge with local highschool teachers and to put that knowledge into a concrete product such as a high school level field trip guide. I strongly
urge your committment to this effort. The VGS would then liketo start a collection of such guides to different areas ofVermont.
Secondly, the VGS is attempting to learn the needs ofEarth Science teachers and to make known to them the resources
available through the VGS. Shelley and I attended the April
4th meeting of the Vermont Science Teachers' Association(VSTA) at Norwich University and had useful discussions. We
have been Invited to meet with the VSTA Board of Directors andto submit writings to the VSTA newsletter. A first such article will appear in the September newsletter when the teachers
return to school. Also, I have been invited to give an Earth
Science workshop at the VEA/NEA Teachers' Convention in October. I shall do so and I will certainly Include a geology
component and elicit further discussion.
In closing, I personally urge you to reflect on where,
when, and how you became excited about geology; to remember
the innate and perhaps untapped curiosity in many of our young
people; and to share your joy and excitement about geology
with the young people who are our future.
Respectfully,
Jeff Pelton

3
SUMMER FIELD TRIP PROGRAMTOPIC: A look at Precambrian through Cambrian rock formationsin the vicinity of Middlebury, Vermont
LEADERS: Charles Rattè, State Geologist
Lucy Harding, Middlebury College
DATE: Saturday, August 29, 1987
RAINDATE: Sunday, August 30
TIME OF DEPARTURE: 9:30 A.M.
ASSEMBLY POINT: By the Science Center at Middlebury College.
From the center of Middlebury village, drive west on
VT125. The Science Center is the first large gray stonebuilding on the left.
LUNCH: Bring your picnic lunch. The last stop will be a
picnic lunch at a swimming hole in East Middlebury.
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE: Will meet at lunchtime. All are welcome
to attend.
FIELD TRIP GUIDE: A handout will be available on the morningof the trip.
This field trip is particularily suited for use byclassroom teachers of secondary and upper primary grade
school children. It is a non-technical trip that will
also be suitable for families. We will look at: theDunham Dolomite and its contmct with the Cheshire
Quartzite (both Cambrian formations); the Cheshire
Quartzite and the various features in its quartzite
layers which indicate the direction of the bedding tops,
considering whether the formation is folded or flat lying
and observing the reaction of its phyllite interlayers totectonic forces; the Eocambrian to Precambrian Pinnacle
Formation; and an outcrop of supposed Precambrian Mt.
Holly Formation, discussing the possibility that it isreally Cambrian Cheshire Quartzite.

VGS BUSINESS & NEWSNOMINATIONS COMMITTEE REPORTThe Nomination Committee - Brewster Baldwin andJames Ashley - submit the following slate of officers forelection at the annual meeting, October 24, 1987:
President
Vice President
Secretary
Treasurer
Board of Directors, 2 year
Permanent Committees
Advancement of the Science
Geological Education
Public Issues

Jeffrey Pelton
John Malter
Alan Liptak
David Westerman
Ray Coish
OPEi'4
Sharon O'Loughlin
Eric Lapp

ru
SPRING MEETING WINNERS
The decreased enrollment of undergraduate geology majors
in recent years has finally had its effect on our Society.
Although the presentations were of no less quality than In
past years, there were only 8 students who participated in ourannual spring meeting.
Winners were Ebbe Hart ("Structure and Stratigraphy of
the Green Mountain Front at East Middlebury, Vermont") from
Middlebury College for the undergraduate prize and Thomas
Armstrong ("Tectono-stratigraphic Geology of the GranvilleHancock area, Central Vermont") from University of Vermont for
the graduate student prize. The judges also awarded anhonorable mention to Flenner Linn and Keith Kiepeis from
Colgate University for their paper, "A Quantitative Determination of Strain and Percent Volume Loss In Slates of the
Taconic Allochthon".
Thanks to our judges - Barry Doolan, Jeffrey Pelton andKathy Gingerich.
WHITE GEOHYDROLOGY SOLD
Chris White has sold his consulting firm, White Geohydrology, Inc., to Caswell, Elchler and Hill as of August 1.
Brad Caswell lives in Corinth, VT and served as a Maine statehydrogeologist for anumber of years.
Chris is changing course and will be attending Columbia
University this fall to study for an MBA degree. He willconcentrate in finance with the goal of working in investments
in solid waste and natural resources. We will see him aroundfrom time to time because his family will continue to live in
the Burlington area.
In the wake of the sale of his busIness, Chris has somefield equipment which he would like to sell. This Includes:
1 • A Yellow Springs conductivity meter
2. 2 Powers well probes
3. A soil penetrometer
4. A teflon ball well bailer.

VGS MEN4BERSHIP LIST - AUGUST 1987

It has been over two years since the membership list has been published. Many
names have been added and subtracted in that time. If you discover any errorsof omission or commission, please inform the treasurer (Dave Westerman) or theeditor (Jeanne Detenbeck). We try our best to keep our mailing list current andcorrect, but occasionally we do goof. Note that only names of individual
members are included here. We also have 14 corporate members.

Spafford ACKERLY
Department of Geology, Snee Hall, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853
Thomas ARMSTRONG
8 Ethan Allen Avenue #24, Winooski, VT 05404
James ASHLEY
RE 1 Box 133, Danville, VT 05873
Robert L. BADGER
Department of Geology, VPI, Blacksburg, VA 24061
Brewster BALDWIN
Science Center-Geology, Middlebury College, Middlebury, VT 05753
Donald K. BALMER
Shannon & Wilson, Inc., P.O. Box C-30313, Seattle, WA 98115
Larry BECKER
28.5 First Avenue, Montpelier, VT 05602
Marland P. BILLINGS
Department of Geological Sciences, 24 Oxford St., Cambridge, MA 02138
Robert BLACK
P.O. Box 77, Pittsford, VT 05763
Mimi BOXWELL
Department of Earth Sciences, James Hall - UNH, Durham, NH 03824
Dwight C. BRADLEY
Dept. of Earth and Planetary Sci., Johns Hopkins Univ., Baltimore, MD 21218
James BUTLER
Dept. of Geology, 029-A, Univ. of No. Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27514
David BUTTERFIELD
38 George Street, Montpelier, VT 05602
Gwen BUTTLES
RE 2 Box 2952, Charlotte, VT 05445
Wallace CADY
348 South Moore Street, Lakewood, CO 80226
Stewart CLARK, Jr.
25 Marvin Street, Montpelier, VT 05602
Ray COISH
Science Center-Geology, Middlebury College, Middlebury, VT 05753
E. Stanley CORNEILLE, Jr. 4 Terrace Street, Randolph, VT 05060
John COTTON
P.O. Box 31, East Andover, NH 03231
Bret W. COX
985 North Avenue, Apt. E2, Burlington, VT 05401
Bruce CDX
Dufresne-Henry, Inc., Precision Park, No. Springfield, VT 05150
Mary CRANDALL
17 North Street, Rutland, VT 05701
Fred CROWLEY
RE 2 Box 172, Springfield, VT 05156
Robert V. CUSHNAN
20 Court Street, Middlebury, VT 05753

ftSandria EBBETT
Richard M. FISCHER
Brian FOWLERCharles FOX
David A. FRANZIJohn GARVER
Lawrence GATTO
Richard P. GILLESPIE
Steven GOLDBERG
Peter GOREATJ
Eric R. HANSON
Lucy HARDING
Glen HARRINGTON
Norman L. HATCH, Jr.
Herbert E. HAWKES
Joseph J. HAYESBrian HECKENBERGER
Craig HEINDEL
J. Christopher HEPBURN
Malcolm HEYBIJEN
Arthur L. HODGES, Jr.
Jon M. HOLLMAN
George E. HOLMANJohn T. HUMPHREY
Allen S. HUNT
Brad JORDAN
Robert JORDAN

Kevin DANNJames DAWSON
Vincent DELLORUSSO
Jeanne C. DETENBECK
Robert J. DINEENCharlesG. DOLL
Barry DOOLANJohn DRAKE
Ballard EBBETTRFD 1, Lyndonville, VT 05851
P.O. Box 1057, Montpelier, VT 05602
RFD 7 Box 159, Gilford, NH 03246
25 Denison Apt. 202, Hartford, CT 06105
Center for Earth and Environmental Science, SIJNY, Plattsburgh, NY 12901
Geological Sciences AJ-20, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98915
Box 371, Fairlee, VT 05045
RH 1
15 Spencer Drive, Nashua, NH 03060
666 East Main Street, P.O. Box 2006, Middletown, NY 10940
Science Center-Geology, Middlebury College, Middlebury, VT 05753
RR #1 Box 193, Huntington Center, VT 05462
Science Center-Geology, Middlebury College, Middlebury, VT 05753
130 Ipswich Road, Topsfield, MA 01983
MS 926, U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA 22092
RFD 2 Box 162-5, Orleans, VT 05860
RD 3 89 Terrace Street, Montpelier, VT 05602
49 Greenwood Terrace Apt. 0-2, Montpelier, VT 05602
Wagner, Heindel & Noyes, Inc., P.O. Box 1629, Burlington, VT 05402- 162 9
Geology and Geophysics, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA 02167
201 Walnut Tree Hill Road, Sandy Hook, CT06482
P.O. Box 26, Camden, DE 19934
88 Berkshire Road, Newtonville, MA 02160
Elmore Mountain Road, Morrisville, VT 05661
P.O. Box 108, Cambridge, MA 02142
Department of Geology, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT 05405
Earth Science, Norwich University, Northfield, VT 05663
Delaware Geological Survey, University of Delaware, Newark, DY 19716

Texas Hill Road, Huntington, VT 05462
Center for Earth and Environmental Science, SUNY, Plattsburgh, NY 12901
27A Chapman Lane, No. Williston, VT 05495
29 Collamer Circle, Shelburne, VT 05482
do NYS Geol. Soc., RM3160 Cul. Ed. Center, ESP, Albany, NY 12230
1 Mansfield Avenue, Essex Jct., VT 05452
Department of Geology, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT 05405
Department of Geology, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT 05405
RFD 1, Lyndonville, VT 05851

0)Paul KARABINOS
H. Douglas KLEMME
Shirley KNOWLTON
Kurt KOELLA
Robert G. LaFLETJR
Eric LAPP
Fred LARSEN
Crea LINTILHAC
Alan LIPTAKLeah MACH
John MALTER
Winona MANNING
Ronald MARCOTTE
Linda G. MAREK
Cameron McCORMACKGregory MeHONE
Lance MEADECharlotte MEHRTENS
Mary Ann MENTO
Car.olyn MERRY
Thomas S. MOON
Alexis P. NASON
Duncan OGDEN
Sharon O'LOUGHLIN
Susan OPPENLANDER
Margaret G. OTTUM
Ronald PARKER
Sariborn PARTRIDGE
Jeffrey L. PELTONMark PHILLIPS
Rod PINGREE
Andy RAIFORD
Nicholas RATCLIFFECharles A. RATTE'Thomas C. RAY
Stephen REVELL

Department of Geology, Williams College, Williamstown, MA 01267
R.R. 1 Box 179B, Bondville, VT 05340
Box C, South Loridonderry, VT 05155
2922 S. Ninth Street #D, Kalamazoo, MI 49009
Department of Geology, RPI, Troy, NY 12181
11 Greenfield Road, Bldg. 1 Apt. 3, Essex Jct., VT 05452
9 Slate Avenue, Northfield, VT 05663
Box 6080, Barnes Hill, Waterbury Center, VT 05677
11 Green Street Apt. 4, Bellows Falls, VT 05101
P.O. Box 551, Battle Mountain, NV 89820
23 Hubbard Street, Montpelier, VT 05602
Route 1 Box 164, Williamstown, VT 05679
Box 71, Bakersfield, VT 05441
Extension Service, School of Nat. Res., Univ. of Vt., Burlington, VT 05405
P.O. Box 402, Montpelier, VT 05602
Department of Geology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506-0059
P.O. Box 133, Pittsford, VT 05763
Department of Geology, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT 05405
RD #1, Arlington, VT 05250
P.O. Box 85, Enfield Center, NH 03749
Physics Department, Norwich University, Northfield, VT 05663
8 Timber Lane, Brattleboro, VT 05301
Landgrove, Londonderry, VT 05148
11 Greenfield Road Bi Apt. 3, Essex Jct., VT 05452
12B Timberlake Drive, Coichester, VT 05446
RFD 2 Box 617, Johnson, VT 05656
50 Pomeroy Street, Burlington, VT 05401
62 Ormsbee Avenue, Proctor, VT 05765
RR 1 Box 86, Perkinsville, VT 05151
276 W. Breckenridge, Ferndale, MI 48220
P.O. Box 267, Jonesville, VT 05466
Geology Department, Castleton State College, Castleton, VT 05735
MS 925, U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA 22092
4 Chestnut Hill, Montpelier, VT 05602
19 Pinehurst Drive, Shelburne, VT 05482
RD #1 Box 128-B, Bristol, VT 05443

Dorothy A. RICHTER
Edward H. SALVASJill SCHNEIDERMAN
Ethel SCHUELE
William SIOK
Rev. James SKEHAN
Shelley SNYDER
Stephen SOLOMON
Bill SPITZEL
D. Randall SPYDELL
Rolfe STANLEYJames B. STEWART II
William H. STOCKWELL
Steven J. STOKOWSKI, Jr.
Byron D. STONE
Chris STONE
Sharon STRASSNERJohn STRIJNK
Sharon H. TANGEMANDavid TARBOXPeter J. THOMPSON
Roger B. THOMPSON, Jr.
Terry F. THOMPSON
Thelma THOMPSON
Preston TURNER
Diane M. VANECEKJohn S. WARREN
Paul A. WASHINGTON
Bruce G. WATSON
Donald WERNECKE
David WESTERMAN
Christopher WHITE
Nancy A. WILLIAMS
Bruce D. WILSON
Philip WINNER
Michael WORTH

180 N. Policy Street, Salem, NH 03079
GD
P.O. Box 396, Johnson, VT 05656
Dept. of Geological Sci., Harvard Univ., 24 Oxford St., Cambridge, MA 02138
33 Clover Street, So. Burlington, VT 05403
RD 1, Sherman Ave., Exeter, NH 03833
Weston Observatory, Boston College, Weston, MA 02193
72 Blacklanterri Lane, So. Burlington, VT 05403
Dept. of Geology, Memorial Univ., St. Johns, Newfoundland A1B 3X5, Canada
RR 2 Box 2952-A, Charlotte, VT 05445
P.O. Box 325, Hartford, VT 05047
Department of Geology, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT 05405
Terrace Heights, RD #1, Middlebury, VT 05753
P.O. Box 24, Bomoseen, VT 05732
Consulting Geologist, 10 Clark Street, Ashland, Ma 01721
National Center MS 928, U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA 22092
Calais Stage Box 910, Montpelier, VT 05602
Meadow Way, Middlebury, VT 05753
Box 4430, Mountain Road, Bristol, VT 05443
31 E. Spring Street Apt. 512, Winooski, VT 05404
Seaburn & Robertson, Inc., $uite 307, 1516 Hillcrest St., Orlando, FL 32803
519 First Street West, Mt. Vernon, IA 52314
RFD #2 Box 745, Woodetock, VT 05091
RFD #2 Box 745, Woodstock, VT 05091
519 First Street West, Mt. Vernon, IA 52314
12 Walnut Street, Berlin, MA 01503
Dole Hill RD# 1, Northfield, VT 05663
81 Green St., Brattleboro, VT 05301
Box 75, E. Middlebury, VT 05740
RR# 1 Box 787, So. Hero, VT 05486
Rte 3 Box 47, St. Johnsbury, VT 05819
Earth Science, Norwich University, Northfield, VT 05663
52 Seymour St., Middlebury, VT 05753
808 Della Drive, Lexington, KY 40504
RD 2 Box 406, W. Brattleboro, VT 05301
584 So. Race Street, Denver, CO 80209
The Johnson Co., Inc., 5 State Street, Montpelier, VT 05602

CLIONA, THE BORING SPONGE,
FROM THE DEVONIAN SHAW MOUNTAIN FORMATION, VERMONTCharles G. Doll
Emeritus Professor of Geology
University of Vermont
ABSTRACT
Some interesting detail regarding
Figure 13 in Doll, 1984, is cited.

Clionain Plate 7,

INTRODUCTION
The original purpose of the photograph in Plate 7, Figure 13 (Doll, 1984), taken at the Seaver Branch locality was
to show echinoderm debris on the surface of a thin slab of thefossiliferous limestone, not knowing at the time that a rare
Devonian fossil was also being photographed. Further study ofthe photograph revealed the fossil to be that of Cliona, theboring sponge. Continued scrutiny disclosed that Cliona is
positioned at the posterior or hinge end of a brachiopod shellwhose outer form and anterior border show through a veneer offine-grained sediment (Fig. 1). (Also, in Doll, 1984,
Plate 3, Figure 6, two fossil Clionas, one at the right anterior edge and the other at the right hinge end of a brachiopod
shell, show their destructive work well.)
THE FOSSIL
Fossil specimens of Cliona-like borings from the Devonian
have been termed Cljonoljthes and Cijonoldes.
The writer's
first acquaintance with these perforated brachiopod shells wasin a beginning course in paleontology in college. At thattime their actual architect was said to be unknown and thisseems to be true today. In researching the literature, including textbooks on paleontology (few of the latter mentioning Cliona along with the sponge's marking on and perforationsin shells; two of the more recent textbooks examined labelingand interpreting as Cliona what appear to be the vestiges ofthe boring sponge) the writer has been unsuccessful in locating a graphical description of a Devonian specimen. It still
appears that in earlier papers only the fossil's destructive
accomplishments are recorded.
Cliona,the boring sulphur
sponge, is classified among the monactinellida whose specularsymmetry is rnonaxon.
The writer's somewhat generalized and interpretive drawing of Cliona is shown in Figure 2.
Further study of the photographed specimen has disclosed
an apparent largeness of Cliona, which, coupled with several
small marginal specimens sprouting spicules, could be indicative of a budding interval. Budding (asexual) is given as theusual mode of reproduction among the sponges. Offsprings of
Cl fona appear as new tubular extensions at the margin of thea r en t,

10
ACKNQWLEDGKENTS
The writer remembers well the enthusiasm of Robert B.
Erwin, field assistant, in collecting fossils at the Seaver
Branch locality, when the photograph of the limestone slab was
taken in the early 1950s. The fossil has been discussed with
Prof. Allen S. Hunt, Paleontologist in the Department of Geology, University of Vermont, who made helpful suggestions. The
fossil's identity was determined by the writer and ideas expressed in connection with the fossil are his also. He appreciates the reading of the manuscript and comments by Profs.
Allen Hunt and Barry Doolan.
REFERENCES
Doll, C.G., 1984, Fossils from the metamorphic rocks of the
Silurian-Devonian Magog Belt in Northern Vermont: Vermont
Geology, v. 3, 16p.
Easton, W.H., 1960, Invertebrate Paleontology: Harper andBrothers, New York, 701p., p. 107-108.
Fenton, C.L. and Fenton, M.A.,
1924, The stratigraphy andfauna of the Hackberry stage of the Upper Devonian: The
MacMillian Company, New York, 260p.
1932, Boring sponges in the Devonian of Iowa: American
Midland Naturalist, v. 13 9 P. 44-54.
1958, The Fossil Book: Doubleday, Garden City, 482p.
Konig, R.H., 1961, Geology of the Plainfield QuadranCle, Vermont: Vermont Geological Survey, Bulletin 16, 86p.
Konig, R.H. and Dennis, J.G., 1964, Geology of the Hardwick
area, Vermont: Vermont Geological Survey, Bulletin 24,
57p.
Moore, R.C., ed., 1955, Treatise on Invertebrate Paleontology(Part E, p. E21-E122, Porifera): Geological Society ofAmerica and University of Kansas Press.
Raup, D.M. and Stanley, S.M., 1971, Principles of Paleontology: W.H. Freeman and Company, San Francisco, 388p.,
p. 16-17.
Shinier, H.W. and Shrock, R.R.,
1944, Index Fossils of North
America: The MIT Press, Cambridge, Mass., 837p.
Sparks, D.K., Hoare, R.D. and Kesling, R.V., 1980, Epizoans on
the brachiopod Paraspirifer bownockeri (Stewart) from theMiddle Devonian of Ohio: Papers on Paleontology, no. 23,
Bowling Green University.
Thomas, A.O., 1911, A fossil burrowing sponge from the Iowa
Devonian: Iowa University Studies in Natural History,v. 6, p. 165-166.
Twenhofel, W.H. and Shrock. R.R., 1935, Invertebrate Paleontology: McGraw-Hill Book Company, New York, 511p., p. 69.
Ziegler, B.,
1983, Introduction to Palaeontology, General
Palaeontology: Ellis Horwood Limited, Chichester and John
Wiley and Sons, New York, 225p., P. 138.

Figure 1.
Cliona on brachiopod shell inupper right side of limestone slab,
one inch to left of arrow head

MP , S
BT
Sm
Figure 2. Generalized and interpretive drawing,by the author, of Cliona in Plate 7, Figure 3(Doll, 1984), and Figure 1 above. Magnificationlx. BT=Boring tube; S=Spicule; IP=Probableinterspicule process; SM=Skeletal membrane andcover (probably rarely fossilized); MP=Marginal
connecting process; SC=Satellite Cliona (othermarginal Clionas).

12

A HYDROTHERMAL MINEkAL SYSTEMIN AND AROUND SEARSBURG RIDGE, SOUTHERN VERMONTPaul A. Washington *Department of Geology and Geophysics
University of Connecticut
Storrs, CT 06268
INTRODUCTION

During the course of uranium exploration within the Mount
Holly complex of southern Vermont, a hydrothermal mineral system was discovered in and around Searsburg ridge. The minerals include various sulfides, graphite, thorium (mainly inallanite) with traces of uranium, and minor arsenides. Mostof the mineralization occurs within pegmatites and veins, butdisseminated graphite and iron sulfides are not uncommon.
THE AREA
Searsburg ridge is a northeast trending ridge with about
350 m topographic relief bound on the east by the Deerfield
River and on the west by Pine and Rake Brooks with their many
swamps. Vt. rte. 9 traverses it east-west providing a seriesof low, but useful roadcuts, and Vt. rte. 8 runs along its
eastern slope, meeting rte. 9 at the crest of the ridge. The
area is very sparsely settled, most of the land being owned by
the Green Mountain National Forest.
The rocks (Fig. 1) comprising the ridge are primarily
gneisses (with minor quartzite and calc-silicate) of the Mount
Holly complex (Skehan, 1961). The contact with the overlying
metasediments lies in the valley along the east side of theridge. Despite the topographic relief, outcrop is very sparceover much of the ridge.
THE MINERALIZATION
Mineralization occurs in three forms: in pegmatites, infissure fillings (which I will call veins), and disseminatedthrough a host rock. The sulfides and arsenides generally are
restricted to veins, although some iron sulfides also are
locally disseminated through the gneisses. Thorium, on theother hand, is apparently always restricted to pegmatites,
generally allanite (these can be extremely thin and virtuallyinvisible to the naked eye). Graphite is found in all threeforms, although it is rare in vein fillings.
The pegmatites are nearly monomineralic. Most arequartz, the only exceptions being the few allanite pegmatites
and one microcline pegmatite. Calcite is not found anywhere
within the system. Quartz pegmatites are white to clear and
few individual crystals are visible. Allanite occurs in crystals up to 1 cm diameter, the largest crystals occurring in
the widest veins. The microcline pegmatite contains crystals
up to 7 cm long. None of the pegmatites show any sign oftectonic fabric.
* Mailing address: Box 75, East Middlebury, VT 05740

Figure 1. Geology of the area around Searsburg ridge after Skehan (1961).
pg - plagioclase gneiss;mg - microcline gneiss;Q - quartzite and quartz-gneiss;L - calc-silicate and white gneiss;Cs - Searsburg conglomerate;
Cr - Readsboro schist;
Ch - Heartwellville schist.

9

2km/J

4

A
Q?Ji'

p,t,;s_-_Jr----- V-g

I
K.C.T.
tg
1*\ (g,f-Figure 2. Hydrothermal mineral localities
around Searsburg ridge.
K.C.T. - Kelly Camp Trail; s - sulfur;g - graphite; f - iron sulfides;
1 - galena; c - copper sulfides;a - arsenides; p - pegmatites;t - thorium (in allanite).

L)14
The most common matrix material in the veins Is native
sulfur, with a few veins being primarily metal sulfides, acouple having graphite matrix, and one being primarily arsenides. The most common sulfide is pyrrhotite, but it is normally found disseminated through the host rock. Within theveins, the primary sulfides are galena and various copper sulfides (including covallite and bornite). The commonness ofgraphite makes identification of molybdenite difficult, but a
few flakes were spotted. The weathering of the arsenide vein
and most of the sulfide veins makes identification of primaryminerals difficult.
Disseminated minerals are generally limited to graphite
and pyrrhotite. Some graphite flakes are larger than 1 cm
diameter. Although generally a small component of the total
rock, graphite locally exceeds 10% of the total rock volume.
Pyrrhotite is generally secondary to graphite, but locally
becomes the primary mineral where graphite is sparse. Pyrrhotite never occurs without graphite, but graphite frequently
occurs without pyrrhotite.
Additionally, one breccia pipe was found. The matrix
consists of nearly equal parts sulfur, graphite, and quartz.
The included wall rock is a biotite-microcline-quartz gneiss
highly altered by the infusion of sulfur and graphite. The
width of the pipe (actually it is shaped more like a dike) isover .5 m.
AREAL DISTRIBUTION OF MINERALIZATION
The mineralization is quite unevenly distributed acrossthe area (Fig. 2), small areas being quite mineralized withadjacent areas barren. Nevertheless, a definite pattern
emerges.
Thorium is only found along the crest of the ridge andalong the Deerfield River where it crosses the north end of
the ridge. No significant radiation anomalies were found outside of this trend. Also restricted to this same zone are thepegmatites. The quartz pegmatites are best exposed in theroadcuts along rte. 9 just west of the intersection with
rte. 8. The microcline and widest allanite pegmatites areburied atop the ridge beneath a power transmission line about
1 km to the south.
The most extensive graphite mineralization also follows
the crest of the ridge, occurring in and around the pegmatites. Rather than the very spotty distribution of the pegmatites, the graphite is found over much of the ridge crest. It
is, however, most concentrated near the pegmatites, with thehighest concentration being within the breccia pipe near theintersection of rtes. 8 and 9. Otherwise the graphite is always associated with pyrrhotite mineralization, the best example being along Kelly Camp trail to the west of the ridge.
The sulfide mineralization, including pyrrhotite, is generally restricted to the valleys along each side of Searsburg
ridge. The only good outcrops are found in roadcuts and theSearsburg dam exposure (all recently exposed surfaces). The
most interesting mineral exposures are on the east side of theridge near or in the Deerfield River. Copper minerals arefound in a new (1978) roadcut on rte. 9, and galena with someminor copper sulfides is found at the Searsburg dam just over
1 km northeast. Also, galena was reported by Hitchcock and15others (1861, p. 607 9 609, sample. 11-68) from a boulder between these two localities. Outside of this area, most of thesulfide mineralization is pyrrhotite.
Where there is mineralization, the outcrop is very
sparse. Often, the occurrence of the mineralization is only
marked by iron and sulfur-stained rocks in stream beds. Using
this evidence, sulfide mineralization extends south along theline of swamps on the west side of the ridge and southwest
across Bond Brook on the east side of the ridge.
DISCUSSION
The areal distribution of hydrothermal minerals around
Searsburg ridge are those expected for a hydrothermal mineralsystem. The peginatites and associated high temperature phases(i.e., sulfur and allanite) are distributed along the axis
with the lower temperature metal sulfides along the flanks.
Since the pegmatites are clearly post-tectonic, the igneous
source of these deposits must be buried beneath the ridge.
From a petrologic standpoint, this system is interestingin the large amount of graphite without any accompanying calcite. Apparently, the partial oxygen pressurein the(n2)"ore-bearing't fluids was very low, making graphit
the stablecarbon phase. This is confirmed by the occurrence of native
sulfur which might otherwise have escaped as S0.
Additionally, the relatively small amount f non-ironmineralization and large amounts of excess sulfur suggest thatthe source body was poor in metals, especially non-iron
metals. Interestingly, the source was at least somewhat richin thorium, but little uranium was ever found (much to thechagrin of Urangesellschaft USA which was bankrolling the
exploration effort); the low P 02 should have driven the uranium into silicate phases (e.g., microcline and/or allanite) if
it had been present, but very little was present.
Finally, it should be noted that this system sheds additional light on the nature of the rocks concealed beneath theGreen Mountain massif. The large quantities of graphite andsulfur would be consistent with an igneous body passing up
through organic-rich strata, and the low P 02 indicates a lackof carbonates. Thus, any strata underlying the eastern Green
Mountain massif in this area would most likely be continental
rise or abyssal plane sediments.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The work reported here was done while the author was
employed by the Urangesellschaft USA.
REFERENCES CITED
Hitchcock, Edward, Hitchcock, Edward, Jr., Hager, A.D., andHitchcock, C.H., 1861, Report on the Geology of Vermont:
Claremont, N.H., 982p.
Skehan, J.W., 1961, The Green Mountain anticlirorlum in thevicinity of Wilmington and Woodford, Vermont: Vermont
Geological Survey, Bulletin 17, 159p.

16
RECENT PUBLICATION
Roadside Geology of Vermont and New Hampshireby Bradford Van Diver
Paperback $9.95 + $1.00 postage
1987 230 pages iSBN 0-87842--203-X
Mountain Press Publishing Comapny
P.O. Box 2399
Missoula, Montana 59806
Two years ago, I reviewed Roadside Geology of New York.
Now, a companion volume by the same author, combining thegeologies of Vermont and New Hampshire, has been published.
A discussion of pertinent geologic topics - minerals,
rocks, geologic time, physiographic provinces, plate tectonics, and structural and glacial geology - in the first
50 pages, is an introduction for the non-geologist. Following
this, the local bedrock and glacial histories are discussed ineach road section chapter, and significant roadside features
are described as the miles pass by. Sometimes short detours
are suggested to points of interest such as mineral collecting
sites. Each road section chapter is accompanied by a geologic
map helpfully drawn by the author. Photos also show somescenes described in the text that are visible from the road.
(I puzzled at a spectacular offset basalt dike pictured along
Interstate 89 in New Hampshire, a road I have traveled manytimes in 20 years. To my chagrin, it was there; I had neverlooked aside at the right spot!)
The roads taken in Vermont are Interstates 89, 91 & 93,
11S4, U8302, US9, VT100, VT125, US7 south from Burlington, U32
through the Champlain Islands, 052 from Montpelier east, and anorthern traverse from Alburg to Derby Center. Separate chapters describe the Proctor marble quarries, the Barre granite
quarries, Mt. Mansfield Toll Road, and Smugglers Notch.
To readers who know something about Vermont geology, thebook will seem too brief. HoWever, the large-scale tectonic
picture which the author uses reveals the landscape in a newlight as it passes by at 50+ mph. This book deserves a placeon the geologist's bookshelf, but it cannot substitute forfield trip guides which deal in greater detail with specificrock outcrops.

*

The author acknowledges that the 1985 GSA Bulletin paper byRolfe Stanley and Nicholas Rateliffe ("Tectonic Synthesis of
the Taconic Orogeny in Western New England") provided a framework within which he could simplify his description of thecomplex plate tectonics events that occurred in this area.
Submitted by J.C. Detenbeck

Fossils are critters and other good stuff
Like flowers and plants that are quite old enoughFossils are fun and they're interesting too
But you won't find no fossils down in the zoo.
JRock

STUDENT ABSTRACTS

17

These two abstracts were not available for publication in
the Spring 1987 Green Mountain Geologist.
GLACIAL LAKE-SHORE LEVELS IN THE LAMOILLE VALLEY, VERMONT
Abendroth, I)lane C., Department of Geology,
Middlebury College, Middlebury, VT 05753
Glacial lake shorelines, in the upper Lamoille Valley ofVermont, have been identified from a number of deltas andbeach terraces. This has been accomplished by examining
gravel pits and other exposures in the area between Hardwick
and Morrisville. In addition, pertinent features have beeninterpreted from topographic maps.
Five lake-shore levels have been determined. Their elevations are approximately 1100, 900-920, 800, 740, and 660-680
feet AMSL. The shore levels in the Lamoille Valley were compared with lake stages Identified by other studies in theneighboring Winooski, Stowe and Memphremagog valleys. Thiswas gossible with the use of correction factor of 4 ft/mile to
N 10 W to construct water planes consistent with Isostatic
rebound (Larsen, 1972).
It is determined that the Lake at 1100 feet extended into
the Stowe valley, but not through to the Winooski, or north
into the Memphremagog, due to obstruction by glacial ice. The
lake at 900-920 ft. appears to have been part of a stage of
Glacial Lake Memphremagog (Hitchcock, 1906). No evidence forthis lake level is found in the Winooski basin. The lake at
800 feet probably extended through the Stowe and Winooski, but
was unable to cross the Elligo threshold into the Memphremagog
Valley. The next shore level at 740, was confined to the
Lamoille Valley. The evidence for shorelines between 640-680
may be attributed to Coveville Lake Vermont, which appears tohave extended as far east as Morrisville in the Lamoille
Valley.
A QUANTITATIVE DETERMINATION OF STRAIN AND PERCENT VOLUMELOSS IN SLATES OF THE TACONIC ALLOCHTHON
Lion, Flenner and Keith Klepeis, Department of Geology,
Colgate University, Hamilton, NY 13346
A study of strain using reduction spots and magnetic
susceptibility anisotropy (NSA) has been conducted on slatesof the Taconic Giddings Brook Slice. A comparison of thestrain magnitudes using MSA and reduction spot analysis reveals that the two techniques produce similar results and suggests that NSA is a viable strain indicator In slates of the
Taconic allochthon. Two sites in the Lake Bornoseen, Vermont,area were studied around a large (.-1 km wavelength,-3 km
amplitude) overturned similar fold, on the hinge and limb
respectively. The maximum to minimum strain ratios on thelimb average to be 1.14 and the ratios on the hinge average tobe 1.20. The strain data Indicate that despite the overturned
nature of the fold the cleavage developed through coaxial
deformation. A deformation path has been deduced from deformation plots and is interpreted to represent the portion of
deformation when volume loss was significant in the development of slaty cleavage. Scanning electron microscopy (secondary and backscatter modes) were used to recognize the domain-IN
al nature of slaty cleavage and to assess variations in the
degree of its development between the two sites. In addition,
SEM and petrographic analysis do not reveal pressure shadows,
quartz veining or any other evidence for the recrystallizationof quartz and feldspar within the slates. We, therefore, conclude that soluble quartz and feldspar have been removed fromthe system through pressure solution. Energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) has facilitated the semi-quantitative determination of the relative amount of silica loss between thequartz-poor and quartz-rich domains. The strain magnitudes
have been compared to the percent volume loss between domains
and a correlation has been made between strain magnitudes andvolume loss during deformation. The role of volume loss inthe modification of the overturned similar fold has also been
determined.

A WOODS HOLE (WHOI) WORKSHOP
What, you may well ask, does oceanography have to do with
Vermont geology? Read on if you advise students, havechildren of your own nearing college age, or are just concerned with the future of the geological sciences, because
there is a message here for you.
I had the pleasure of accompanying my husband to Woods
Hole Oceanographic Institute this June, where he was an
Invited participant in a College Teacher's Workshop. For one
week we were treated to a series of lectures presented by members of each of the five departments of the Institute - physical, chemical and biological oceanographies, ocean engineering, and marine geology and geophysics - reporting about theircurrent research. The purpose of the workshop was to introduce the 22 math, science and engineering college teachers to
the exciting ongoing research in oceanography so that they
will encourage students to enter the field for their graduate
study. Unlike other geological scientists who are sufferingfrom the loss of oil company support, oceanographers believe
they are assured of increased funding for future research.
The WFIOI graduate program (in conjunction with MIT), as wellas the other 8 members of JOI (Joint Oceanographic Institutes), are looking for applicants to their graduate programs
who not only have good grades, but also have solid backgrounds
in science and math and can demonstrate the ability to work
independently. Math is an important word here, and the message is that geologists and biologists can no longer avoid
being well-grounded in calculus and differential equations.
This workshop (as well as a similar one held in Seattle,
Washington) will be held again next year. Advertisement for
applicants will appear In professional publications, or interested faculty can write to: A. Lawrence Peirson, III,
Assistant Dean, Education Office, Woods Hole Oceanographic
Institute, Woods Hole, MA 02543
Submitted by J.C. Detenbeck

19

MEETINGSAUG VGS SUMMER FIELD TRIP.
See page 3 for details.
29
OCT
16
17
18

New England Intercollegiate Geological Conference
sponsored by Norwich University at the Vermont
College Campus in Montpelier. If you have notreceived a mailing and still want to attend thesethree days of field trips, contact:
David Westerman, Dept. of Earth Science Norwich
University, Northfield, VT 05663, (8025+485-2337.

OCT VGS FALL BANQUET AND ANNUAL MEETING
A delicious dinner at the New England Culinary
24
Institute has been planned, and at press time,arrangements are being made to have a
distinguished guest speak to us after dinner.
Details will appear in the Fall GMG. Save the date.
Again this fall, the Geology Department of the University ofVermont announces a lecture series. Lectures will be held in
Perkins Building, Room 200 at 3:45 PM. For further information, contact Dr. Rolfe Stanley, Geology Department, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT 05405, (802)+656-3396.
SEPT Dr. John Craighead, University of Vermont,
Minerals, Dust and Disease.
21
SEPT Dr. Geoffrey Thompson, Woods Hole Oceanographic Inst.,
Hot Springs, Black Smokers and Ore Formation28
on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge.
Dr. Bruce Corliss, Duke University,
OCT
Functional Morphology of Deep-Sea Benthic
5Foraminif era and Paleoceanographic Implications.
Dr. Richard Nickelson, Bucknell University,
OCT
Structural Evolution of the Appalachian Foreland
19
in Pennsylvania.
Dr. John Sutter, U.S.G.S., Branch of Isotopic Geology,
NOV
SHORT COURSE: Thermochronology.
3-5Dr.
Dwight Bradley, Lamont Geological Observatory,
NOV
Tectonics of the Acadian Foredeep
16
the Northern Appalachians.

The Kame came over the mountain
The Kame came over the sea
Funny thing about that Kame
It just came over me.
JRock

MONT 056c

GREEN MOUNTAIN GEOLOGISTVERMONT. GEOLOçU.CAL SOCI..
BQX3O4

MW1TPELIER,

Shelley Snyder
Jeffrey PeltonDavid Butterfield
David Westerman
Stanley Corneille 1 87
Steve Revell 1 87
Donald Wernecke 1 88

The GREEN 11DW1TAIN GEQDGIST is publishedquarterly-ze Verm9at Geological Society,corporation.
President
Vice President
Secretary
Treasurer
Boardof
Directors
Permanent Committees

Jeanne Detenbeck

Advancement of the Science
Rolfe Stanley
Geological Education Committee
Ballard Ebbett
Barry Doolan
Public Issues Committee
Christopher White
Publications/Editorial Committee
Jeanne Detenbeck
Editor

ADDRESS CHANGE? Send it to the Treasurer
at the address above, please.

Charles A. Ratt
4 Chestnut Hill
Montpelier, VT 05602

Dec 7,1787

laware

CL4ss

USA

22

THE

GREEN
MOUNTAINGEOLOGISTOUARTERLY NEWSLETTER OF THE VERMONT GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY//

FALL 1987

VOLUME 14 NUMBER 3/

Don't miss this opportunity
to meet,our fellow members during the

VGS FALL BANQUET & ANNUAL MEETING
at theLNew England Culinary InstituteMontpelier, Vermont

SATURDAY 1 OCTOBER 24, 1987
starting at 5:00 P.M.

THE HONORABLE ROBERT STAFFORD
Senior Senator from Vermont
will speak about environmental issues

Make your reservations now!
DEADLINE OCTOBER 19, 1987
See page 3 for details.
Contents
President's Letter
VGS Business & News
Grant—in—Aid Awards
Treasurer's Report, etc.
Fall Meeting Information
State Geologist's Report
Location MAP for banquet
Banquet RESERVATION form
ABSENTEE BALLOT
Recent publication
Meetings

PAGE
2
2

4
3
6
8-9
11
13
15
15

PRESIDENT'S LETTER
Dear Members,This is my last letter to you as President of thisSociety. I think we have started some exciting new contacts.
Although slow in coming, teachers are beginning to seek us out
to get information on Vermont Geology. In South Burlington
the elementary schools are making a big push to study Vermont
rocks, the rock cycle and why Vermont topography looks the way
it does. I believe that this will slowly work its way up
through the system. In any case, there is some positive
dialogue between teachers and members of the Society.
Several field trips have been submitted and will be madeavailable to teachers. Many members have come forward indicating an interest and desire to work with teachers on alimited basis to get Vermont geology in the classroom.
The summer field trip led by Chuck Ratte' was an excellent demonstration of how to organize a field trip using
published materials.
The format for the fall business meeting will be a little
different this year. Instead of a field trip and dinner, we
will be having Senator Stafford speaking to the group. His
topic will be environmental issues. I urge you to attend andI believe the evening will be an exciting one.
Sincerely,
Shelley Snyder

VGS BUSINESS & NEWSGRANT-IN-AID
The Grand-in-Aid for Research money has been awarded fortwo projects which are now underway. Recipients are:Eve Witten of the Environmental Studies Department at University of Vermont forcorrelation between the presence ofradon gas and phosphate in dolostone rock in the Milton,
Vermont area" and Michael Smith, Joseph Fiacco and Shaw Healy,
Norwich University students whose joint project is "Relationship of ground water quality to geologic source for rock wells
in central Vermont". The latter project will be completed by
the end of the fall semester. Congratulations to thesestudents. We look forward to presentation of these projects
at future VGS meetings.
[Continued on page 4.1

3
VGS FALL BANQUET & ANNUAL MEETINGSCHEDULE:
5:00 P.M. Cash bar opens.
6:00 P.M. Dinner is served.
7:00 P.M. Senator Robert Stafford will speak about
environmental issues.
8:30 P.M. (approximately) Annual Meeting and Election.
LOCATION: New England Culinary Institute, 250 Main Street,
Montpelier, Vermont.
DIRECTIONS: From beautiful downtown Montpeller, drive northeasterly on Main Street, up the hill. At the steepest partof the hill, the road swings Into a sharp left hand curve.
As the road straightens and the grade flattens, immediately
on your left is the New England Culinary Institute.
SEE ALSO MAP ON PAGES 8-9.
DINNER MENU:
Cream of vegetable soupTossed salad
Entree - choice of:
1. Chicken breast with roasted tomatoes
and port wine sauce
2. Salmon on basil sauce
Rice with saffron
Dessert - choice of:
1. Fresh pear poached in wine
2. Apple tart
COST: $14.50 plus 6% meals tax plus 17% gratuity (approxi-.
mately $18.00). Payment will be due at night of banquet.
RESERVATIONS: Must be made no later than OCTOBER 19th.
BY MAIL: Send the completed reservation form
from page 11 in this newsletter to:John Malter
P.O. Box 176
Waterbury, VT 05676.
BY PHONE: Call John Malter at (802)+244-7373 or
Shelley Snyder at (802)+658-0575.
NOTE: Members and their friends who prefer to attend only theafter-dinner speech and the annual meeting are welcome to comeat 7:00 P.M. There will be ample seating for you.
ABSENTEE BALLOT: If you cannot attend, mail in your absentee
ballot on page 13.

VGS BUSINESS & NEWS (Continued from page 2.1
TREASURER' S REPORT
Dave Westerman reports that our treasury has been moved
successfully to a statement savings account In the Northfield
Savings Bank. This account does not have the excessive
charges that the previous one did and mingle cashier's checks
or money orders are free of charge for money withdrawn. The
current balance is $1841.64.
MEET THE OFFICERS
Jeff Pelton is our current Vice President and the nominee
for President next year. He grew up in the rural farming
community of West Rupert, Vermont In northern Bennington
County. His education included elementary and secondary education at Salem Central School, Salem, New York; a B.A. degree
in Economics from Middlebury College (1964); and a Masters of
Natural Science from the University of Oklahoma (1972). Twoyears of service in the U.S. Army, including a tour in Vietnam, were followed by seventeen years of teaching science,
primarily Earth Science, at Springfield High School. Current
employment is with Soils Engineering, Inc., Charlestown, New
Hampshire. In 1985 Jeff was an Earthwatch volunteer researcher studying the volcano Askja in Iceland under Dr. Geoff
Brown, the Open University, England. Jeff has a stepson
entering his sophmore year at Brown University, Providence,
Rhode Island, and a daughter entering her sophmore year at
Springfield High School, Vermont. Interests include outdoor
sports - canoeing, bicycling, x-country skiing, and mountaineering - music, gardening, travel, Celtic culture and spiritual development. He resides at 409 Highland Road,
Springfield, Vermont.
MINUTES AND SUMMER FIELD TRIP REPORT
August 30, 1987
After an interesting field trip led by State Geologist,
Charles A. Ratte' and a picnic lunch at Texas Falls, the Executive Committee met briefly to discuss arrangements for the
Annual Meeting and Dinner, as well as the needs of the State
Geological Survey.
Following Chuck easterly along the banks of the Middlebury River, across the Monkton Quartzite, the Pinnacle Formation and onto the Mt. Holly Complex were:David Snyder
Jeanne Detenbeck
David Butterfield
Shelley Snyder
Barb Mertz
Alice Coish
William Stockwell
Elyse Rudner
Ray Coish
Sharon Tangeman
Paul Scaramucci
Alan Coulter
Robert TrepanierJeffrey Severson
Robert Cushman

V
M
Brew Baldwin missed most of "that rock stuff", rejoining
the trek at one of the later 8tOps.
Chuck Ratte' proved a skillful guide and Sharon Tangeman
a resourceful quartermaster with provisions, including sherry
to supplement individual brown bag lunches.
At the Executive Committee meeting Shelley Snyder informed those present of verbal acceptance by Senator Robert
Stafford as speaker for the Annual Banquet. (David Westerman
has since reported written confirmation from Senator
Stafford.)
Plans for the Annual Banquet were not fully confirmed as
to price but we will sit down to eat at 6:00 p.m. and Senator
Stafford will speak at 7:00 p.m. with the business meeting,including the election of new officers, to follow.
The Annual Dinner and Meeting is scheduled for 6:00 p.m.,
Saturday, October 24th, 1987 at the New England Culinary
Institute, 25 0 Main Street, Montpelier, Vermont.
President Snyder next opened discussion of the work of
the State Geological Survey. Chuck related the need for support to do new' mapping in that we are 20 years behind. The
bedrock mapping shown on the 1961 Centennial Geologic Map wasdone prior to the conceptual framework of plate tectonks anddoes not indicate much about brittle rock fractures which areof interest in ground water supply and protection. The surf icial mapping program is valuable but is proceeding too slowly.
Chuck would welcome letters of support from Vermont GeologicalSociety members.
The Committee also discussed the concept of rain dates
for Vermont Geological Society field trips as used on thisoccasion. The consensus seemed to be that rain dates can bebeneficial with modern day forecasting being pretty good andtelephone networking being effective at getting the news out
quickly. Members with access to the Weather Channel can get
accurate, up-to-the-minute forecasting.
Jeanne Detenbeck reminded everyone that the next newsletter needs to go out to the membership two weeks ahead of
the reservation deadline.
President Snyder wants reports from all the Standing
Committees at the October 24th Annual Meeting.
The question arose as to whether the NEIGC meeting isalways held on the same weekend and how their schedule relates
to setting the date for the VGS Annual Meeting. Setting ourdate to avoid theirs is difficult since their sponsorship
rotates and notices only go out to the list of the previous
year's attendees.
Jeanne Detenbeck also mentioned that we need to start
thinking about the date for, and content of, the WinterMeeting.
Respectfully submitted,
David Butterfield,
Secretary

6
STATE GEOLOGIST'S REPORTBEDROCK MAPPING PROGRAM: The following bedrock mapping projects were active during the 1987 summer/fall field season:
1. The southern portion of the Precambrian Green Mountainmassif in the Londonderry, Sunderland, Woodford andWilmington quadrangles is being mapped by Dr. Nicholas M.
Ratcliffe and William C. Burton of the U.S. Geological
Survey. The U.S.G.S. Is cooperating in the statewide mapping program through the COGEOMAP (Cooperative Geological
Mapping Program). This State/U.S.G.S. program Is now
completing its third year. The goal is to publish a newstate bedrock map by 1996.
2. The Central Vermont Transect with mapping of the late
Proterozoic, Cambrian and Ordovician "ver sequence" inthe Waitsfield, Hancock and Roxbury quadrangles. This
mapping is being conducted by Rolfe Stanley and graduate
students from the University of Vermont.
3. Bedrock mapping in the NorthfIeld quadrangle and analysis of the Taconian Line is being conducted by Dr. David
Westerman, Norwich University.
4. Bedrock mapping in the Jeffersonville and Gilson Mountain quadrangles under the guidance of Dr. Barry Doolan andgraduate students from the University of Vermont.
5. The Winooski River Valley Transect by Dr. Peter
Thompson and Thelma Thompson from Cornell College,
Mt. Vernon, Iowa.
Two surI'icial geology mapping projects were nearing completion
after the 1987 summer field season:
1. The Bennington/Pownal quadrangles are being mapped byDrs. David DeSimone and David Dethier of Williams College,
Williamstown, MA.
2. The Lewis Creek Valley in the vicinity of Starksboro/
Hinesburg by Dr. David Franzi of SUNY, Plattsburgh, NY.
PUBLICATIONS: Our most recent publications resulting from the
bedrock mapping program are:O'Loughlin, S.B. and Rolfe S. Stanley, 1986, Bedrock
Geology of the Mt. Abraham/Lincoln Gap Area, Central Vermont: Special Bulletin No. 6, VT Office of the State
Geologist, Waterbury, VT.
Lapp, E.T. and Rolfe S. Stanley, 1986, Bedrock Geologyof the Mt. Grant/South Lincoln Area, Central Vermont:
Special Bulletin No. 7, VT Office of the State Geologist,
Waterbury, VT.
These bulletins may be purchased from the State Library or the
Office of the State Geologist for $3.00 + 4% tax.

7
FIELD TRIPS
1. Dr. Stanley and graduate students conducted a very informative two-day "working" field trip for the principals involved
in Vermont's bedrock mapping projects on 9 and 10 July.
Excellent discussion, centered around the new interpretationsof structural and stratigraphic data presented at the outcrop,
kept the group thoroughly excited in spite of 90 degree
temperatures and excessive humidity.
2. On 17 August Dr. Franzi conducted a very enlightening"review" field trip of his field area in the Starksboro/Hinesburg area. We were joined by representatives from the Federal
Soil Conservation Service whose soils mapping projects areclosely tied to the surficial geologic materials. A serious
effort is being made in the new surficial geology mapping
program to coordinate the three-dimensional picture of glacial
sedimentology and morphology to the soils mapping program.
3. A two-day (25-26 August) field trip was organized by theState Geologist's Office in cooperation with the U.S.D.A.
Green Mountain Forest Service. Significant funding for the
COGEOMAP program is provided by the GMNF for mapping on thefederal lands in Vermont. The trip was guided by Dr. Ratte'
with a great deal of help on field stops provided by
Dr. Stanley and graduate students, Thomas Armstrong andChristine Kimball. A very informative evening session wasprovided by Dr. Nick Ratcliffe and Bill Burton who discussed
their summers work in Southern Vermont. Sharon O'Loughlin
provided an overview of Vermont Geology with a nicely illustrated 35 mm kodachrome slide show. The group also visited
the Rochester/Verde Antique quarry, an old talc mine in Stockbridge and the famous underground marble quarry at Danby.
4. Dr. Ratte' conducted a half-day field trip along the East
Middlebury River on 30 August for the Vermont GeologicalSociety. This field trip was intended to provide elementaryand secondary level school teachers with fundamental geologic
information about the area, and to show how they can develop
informative geologic field trips by using scientific publications on the geology of the state.
SPECIAL INFORMATION TALKS: (presented by Sharon O'Loughlin,
Information Specialist)
1. 12 May 1987, talk on Vermont rock types and theiridentification given to the 4th grade classes at TwinfieldElementary School in Plainfield.
2. 6 August 1987, presented a colored slide show at
Jamaica State Park in Jamaica (VT) on the geology of the
Physiographic Provinces of Vermont. Given to campers andpark personnel.
3. 23 September 1987, a talk on how rocks become soil
given at the Washington County Conservation Education Field
Days, Hubbard Park, Montpelier, primarily for 5th and 6th
grade classes from Washington County.
[Continued on page 10.1

L,J

LOCATION MAP FORTo
g r//y7Lofl9

FALL BANQUETNEA
COLJIU'y rAJSTIfl/TE

ST. AUGUCAThOUC

DQ.

Mmtp

r

~'~QFAjojq-rp

Li A lLC 1?ve.r Zica
r-j_

J114fjTo [zrrt.

10(Continued from page 7.1
STILL TO COME:
4. 17 October 1987, conduct field trip for the New England
Intercollegiate Geological Conference sponsored by Norwich
University, Northfield, VT.
5. 20 October 1987, Vermont rock types and their identification, grades 1-6 at the East Montpelier Elementary
School.
6. 23 October 1987, field trip to the Redstone Quarry(Burlington) for the Vermont Science Teachers Association.
SLOPE STABILITY PROGRAM: The five-year jointly funded programwith the U.S. Geological Survey to evaluate the problems ofslope stability in Vermont was completed with the 1987 summer
field season. Several manuscripts are being readied for
publication that relate to the work conducted during this program. Perhaps the most exciting development resulting fromthis program is now in the planning stages. The U.S.G.S. is
proposing to use the information developed during the fiveyear program to use computerized GIS (Geographical Information
Systems) technology to prepare a landslide susceptibility/
probability map of Vermont. This map product plus otherproducts:
1. digital data base for landslide related information;
2. procedure for landslide prediction and levels of uncertainty, and procedures for early warning and protection of
the public;
3. large scale maps of landslide susceptibility/probability of areas that are a high risk to the health and safetyof the public;
will be the goal of the next five-year program.
Charles A. Ratte'
State Geologist
103 South Main Street
Waterbury, VT 05676
30 September, 1987

15
RECENT PUBLICATIONThe Geological Society of America has published its DNAG
(Decade Of North American Geology) Centennial Field Guide for
the Northeastern Section. It contains field guides with area
maps to locations in CT, DE, DC, ME, MD, MA, NH, NJ, NY, PA,
RI, VT, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, eastern
Ontario and Quebec. Each guide has been confined to four
pages. Field areas in Vermont are presented by Charlotte
Mehrtens, Brewster Baldwin and Rolfe Stanley.
The volume can be ordered from GSA for $43.50. Send check,money order or credit card number to:
GSA Publication Sales
P.O. Box 9140
Boulder, CO 80301
or call toll-free 1-800-GSA-1988.
Other DNAG Centennial Field Guides are now available for
the Cordilleran Section ($43.50), Rocky Mountain Section($43.50), and Southeastern Section ($40.50).

MEETINGS
OCT
16
17
18

New England Intercollegiate Geological Conference
sponsored by Norwich University at the Vermont
College Campus in Montpelier. If you have notreceived a mailing and still want to attend thesethree days of field trips, contact:
David Westerman, Dept. of Earth Science Norwich
University, Northfield, VT 05663, (8025+485-2337.

OCT
24

VGS FALL BANQUET AND ANNUAL MEETING
Details on Page 3.

A reminder of the remaining lectures in the Visiting Lecture
SerTh5:t the Geology Department of the University of Vermont
In Perkins Building, Room 200 at 3:45 PM. For further information, contact Dr. Rolfe Stanley, Geology Department, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT 05405, (802)+656-3396.
Dr. Richard Nickelson, Bucknell University,
OCT
Structural Evolution of the Appalachian Foreland
19
in Pennsylvania.
Dr. Edward Sholkovitz, Woods Hole Oceanographic Inst.,
OCT
Chemical cycles in Chesapeake Bay:
23
Rare earth element indicators.
Dr. Dwight Bradley, Lamont Geological Observatory,
OCT
26
Tectonics of the Acadian Foredeep
in the Northern Appalachians.
Dr. John Sutter, U.S.G.S., Branch of Isotopic Geology,
NOV
SHORT COURSE: Thermochronology.
3-5

GREEN MOUNTAIN GEOLOGISTVERMONT GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY
BOX 304
MONTPELIER, VERMONT 05602

Shelley Snyder
Jeffrey PeltonDavid Butterfield
David Westerman
Stanley Corneille 1 87
Steve Revell 1 87
Donald Wernecke '88

The GREEN MOUNTAIN GEOLOGIST is publishedquarterly by the Vermont Geological Society,a non-profit educational corporation.
President
Vice President
Secretary
Treasurer
Boardof
Directors
Permanent Committees

Jeanne Detenbeck

Advancement of the Science
Rolfe Stanley
Geological Education Committee
Ballard Ebbett
Barry Doolan
Public Issues Committee
Christopher White
Publications/Editorial Committee
Jeanne Detenbeck
Editor

ADDRESS CHANGE? Send it to the Treasurer
at the address above, please.
Make your banquet reservations now!

t cCharles A. Rattè
4 Chestnut Hill
Montpelier, VT 05602

SS

THE

GREEN
MOUNTAINGEOLOGISTQUARTERLY NEWSLETTER OF THE VERMONT GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY/

WINTER 1967

VOLUME 13 NUMBER 4/

TENTH ANNUAL WINTER MEETING/QUEST SPEAKER
Dr. James McLelland
Adirondack Geology

930 AM SATURDAY, JANUARY 24, 1987
ANGELL LECTURE CENTER/BURLINGTONLUNIVERSITY OF VERMONTCOFFEE, donuts and conversation at 9:00 A.M.
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE meets at 11:30. Come with your lunch.
DIRECTIONS: Park in the lot located between the Fleming
Museum and Ira Allen Chapel on UVM Campus (enter fromColchester Ave. in block west of the hospital(MCIIV).
Walk south around the Votey Engineering Bldg. toAngell Lecture Center - the cantilevered building.
CONTENTS

PAGE

President's Letter ......... 2
Winter Meeting Program ....... 3
Abstracts. .
........... 4
VGS Business & News . . . . . . . . . 14
Annual Treasurer's Report 14
Grant-in-Aid 15
Call for student papers 15
Mineral of the Quarter ....... 17
Water Quality Legislation
Part I - History . . . . . . . . . 19
Meetings .............. 23
UVM Spring Lecture Series

2

PRESIDENT'S LETTER
Dear ?lemhers,
The winter meeting is almost here. We have avariety or exciting and informative professional
papers to offer. I hope to see many of you during
this conference. We will have an executive meeting
during the lunch break and that will be open to allmembers who wish to attend. The topics on theagenda will include; 1. Teachers in Vermont and what
we are in a position to offer them. This is a
special interest of mine. If you have any thoughts
I urge you to share them with me. Some suggestions
received thus far include: the VGS acts as a repository for field trips that have been or are being
used in area universities, colleges and secondary
schools. The hope is that secondary school teachers
will use the field trips. It has also been suggested that a course in methods and activities be presented by the society. A third possibility raised
was a slide show about Vermont geology. I am confident there are many more good ideas out there. 2. A
possible change in the annual meeting format. 3. We
hope to have a summer field trip. Suggestions forsummer field trips can be submitted.
I would like to take this opportunity toencourage all members to submit articles or "Letters
To The 1ditor" to the GMG on issues or topics of
personal interest or interest to the Society. If
you have research you would like to share or a problem to propose to the membership, let tis know.

Shelley F. Snyder
President

3
WINTER MEETING PROGRAM
January 24, 1987
Angell Lecture Hall B106
University of Vermont Burlington, VT

COFFEE and DONUTS

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HORNING SESSION
Opening remarks: Shelley Snyder, Convener ........
1. N. Caplow and C. Prahi: Regional groundwaterflow patterns in a bedrock aquifer
under extensive pumping conditions .......
2. J. Clausen: Sediment export in the
St. Albans Bay watershed .
3. A. Hunt and G. Walters: A data management
program for the study of Lake Champlain
bottom sediments .
4. F. Larsen and S. Ackerley: Southwest trending
striations on the er8at of the Gregn Mountains
between latitudes 43 50.8 1 N and 44 12.5 1 N .
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LUNCH: (Brown bag or local restaurants)AllareinvitedEIECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING:
Bring your lunch and join in discussion of thefollowing business: 1) cooperative programswith teachers, 2) change in annual meeting
format, and 3) summer field trips.
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10:15

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10:35

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AFTERNOON SESSION: BEDROCK RESEARCH
Opening remarks: Jeanne Detenbeck, Convener ......
GUEST SPEAKER
5. James MoLelland: Adirondack igneous rocks:
Their geochronology and evolution .......
6. J. Laird and W. Bothner: Taconian metamorphismin the northern Appalachians andanother(?) Taconian line ............
7. D. Westerman: The structural history of rocks east
and west of the Central Vermont Fault Zone
(RMC) in the Montpelier-Northfield area .
8. W. Bothner: Ordovician fossils in theConnecticut Valley Trough, central Vermont .
BREAK
R.
Stanley:
Tectonic
geologyof the9.
pre-Silurian rocks of central Vermont.....
10. L. Harding and E. Hartz: Contact relationshipsof the Cheshire Quartzite between SouthStarksboro and Forest Dale, central Vermont
11. R. Coish: Geochemistry of greenatones incentral Vermont: A window on the earlystages of opening of lapetus .
12. B. Doolan: Geology of the Hinterlands:
the Gilson Mountain Quadrangle ofnorthern Vermont .
13. C. Ratté: Status of state bedrock and......
aurficial geology mapping programs
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4

ABSTRACTSORDOVICIAN FOSSILS IN THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY TROUGH,CENTRAL VERMONT
Bothner, Wallace A., Department of Earth Sciences,
University of New hampshire, Durham, NH 03824
Middle to upper Ordovician biserial graptolites from twoof C.H. Richardson's (1902-1918) fossil localities have beenreconfirmed (Bothner and Finney, 1986). They occur in metalimestone of the Waits River Formation, the basal unit of the
Vermont Sequence (VS: Waits River, Gile Mountain, Northfieldand Meetinghouse formations; Hatch, 1986), at the western margin of the Connecticut Valley Trough near Montpelier, Vermont.
In addition, poorly preserved crinoid fragments have also been
identified from the same unit, but appear less useful in constraining age than the graptolites. Lower Paleozoic spore andpollen were reported in the Waits River Formation by Dennis(1956). In spite of the loss of Richardson's original suitein the 1927 flood of the Vermont State Museum,the "compressedmica resembling graptolites" assessment of Foyles (1930), andthe resulting "pseudograptolite belt of central Vermont" ofBillings and Lyttle (1980), the VS now seem firmly based in
the upper Ordovician rather than the Siluro-Devonian.
Some of the implications include (1) a correlation of the
Waits River Formation with the upper Ordovician graptolitebearing "Compton Formation" in southern Quebec (Bothner andBerry, 1985). A problem: Nearby Devonian plant remains (identified by F. 1!ueber written comm. 1985) require a significant
fault boundary. (25 An Ordovician, but post-Taconian, age
assignment for much of the VS implies the presence of a synto immediately post-Taconian depositional basin (back-arc
extensional?). Major faults (Taconian Line or RMC, Monroe
Fault) must bound the trough. (3) These deposits were affected
only by later Acadlan deformation and metamorphism as indicated by fossiliferous Silurian and Devonian rocks on the east
and west margins. The location and tectonic setting of thedepositional basin and the mechanics of "emplacement" of the
VS remain exciting challenges.
SEDIMENT EXPORT IN THE ST. ALBANS BAY WATERSHED
Clausen, John C., School of Natural Resources,
University of Vermont, Burlington, VT 05405
Suspended sediment export has been sampled in the St.
Albans Bay Watershed since 1981 in order to evaluate theeffect of Agricultural Best Management Practice on erosion andsedimentation. Sampling has been conducted at an edge-offield, in four tributary streams, within a wetland and in St.
Albans Bay. Field sampling has been compared to sedimentpredictions using the model CREAMS. Results will be presented
which discusa watershed differences, seasonal and long-term
trends, wetland attenuation, best management practices, andmodel verifications.

5
GEOCHEMISTRY OF GREENSTONES IN CF.NTRAI, VERI1ONT: A WINDOW OH
THE EARLY STAGES OF OPENING OF IAPETUS
Coish, R.A., Geology Department,
Middlebury College, Middlebury, VT 05753
Greenstones in the Mt. Holly, Pinnacle, Underhill, Ifazens
Notch, Pinney Hollow and Stowe formations have chemical compoaitions similar to basalta formed In continental rift to ocean
ridge environments. In the Mt. Holly, Pinnacle, Underhill andHazena Notch formations, greenatonee have high Ti, Zr, Y, andtotal rare earths similar to basalts formed in early stages ofcontinental rifting. In contrast, most greenstones from thePinney Hollow Formation have slightly lower Ti, Zr, Y and rareearths, and may have formed during later stages of rifting on
distended continental crust. Greenstones from the Stowe Formation have Ti, Zr, Y and rare earths similar to mid-ocean
ridge basalts, perhaps indicating their formation in an ocean
basin. Complications arise in the Pinney Hollow Formation
where greenatones of continental rift and ocean ridge affinities are juxtaposed. The occurrence of greenatones, representing rift and ridge environments, can be rationalized in awell known plate model, involving late Precambrian continental
rifting and ocean basin formation followed by closing of thebasin in the Ordovician.
GEOLOGY OF THE HINTERLANDS: THE GILSON MOUNTAINQUADRANGLE OF NORTHERN VERMONT
Doolan, Barry L., Department of Geology,
University of Vermont, Burlington, VT 05405
The bedrock of the Gilson Mountain 7 1/2' quadrangle ofnorthern Vermont consists of 9 mappable units included within
4 formations of pre-Lower Cambrian age (Tibbit Hill-PinnacleWhite Brook-Fairfield Pond). The lower part of the stratigraphy is exceptionally well defined and displays a spectacular but complex fold history of interbedded volcanic, volcanogenic, and quartzo-feldspathic metasediments. Three periodsof folding are discernible in outcrop and in map pattern. The
second fold event produced the dominant axial planar foliation(Sn). Sn-i foliation parallels compositional layering throughmost of.the area underlain by the volcanic stratigraphy of the
Tibbit Hill Formation but mesoseopic folds associated withthis foliation are rare. Sn+i is a consistent steeply dipping
crenulation cleavage of varying intensity.
Metamorphic intensity and degree of recrystallization
decreases with time. The earliest metamorphism produced epidote amphibolite to possibly low amphibolite facies in the
Tibbit Hill amphibole-bearing units; however, the recrystallization associated with Sn and Sn+i has retrograded metahasites
to greenechiat facies assemblages. The earliest and mostintense metamorphic textures appear to be confined to the
Enoaburg Falls antiolinorium.
In comparing the hinterland geology of the Gilson Mt.
quadrangle with the adjacent foreland geology of the St.
Albana and Milton quadrangles the following observations canbe made: 1) the dominant foliation deforms progressively

deeper structural levels in crossing from the foreland to thehinterland; 2) the Sn-i foliation is weak or absent in theforeland and the most pervasive metamorphic event in the foreland is synchronous to Sn; 3) Sn foliation and related foldingin the hinterland deforms large scale early folds of poorly
constrained orientation and style; 4) movement on the Champlain thrust is synchronous or post dates the Sn of the foreland and postdates the Sn and Sn-I of the hinterland; 5) Sn4l
deformation is similar in orientation and style but locallyvariable in intensity in both the foreland and the western
hinterland.
Palinspastic restoration of the foreland-hinterland
regions of northern Vermont based on the above and available
geophysical constraints lead to the following conclusions:
1) a minimum of 20 km of westward transport occurred along theChamplain thrust; 2) the earliest metamorphism and deformationof the Tibbit Hill Formation occurred at minimum pressures of
5 kb.; 3) basement involvement appears to play an importantrole in shortening of the foreland-hinterland region during Sn
and Sn+1 time but not during the earliest deformation/metamorphism of the hinterland; 4) westward transport of basement,
synchronous with the development of Sn foliation, appears tohave been responsible for the formation of retrocharriage inthe upper crust of the central and eastern parts of the
Vermont hinterland.
CONTACT RELATIONSHIPS OF THE CHESHIRE QUARTZITE BETWEEN
SOtJT}I STARKSDORO AND FOREST DALE, CENTRAL VERMONT
Harding, Lucy E. and Ebbe Hartz, Department of Geology,
Middlebury College, Middlebury, VT 05753
The Champlain Valley of western Vermont exposes a 2 km
thick sequence of Cambro-Ordoviclan carbonates and quartzites
deposited on the eastern continental margin of proto-North
America. The Green Mountains Front (GMF) rises steeply fromthe east side of the Champlain Valley. Cambrian and Precambrian(?) quartzites, phyllites and dolostones of the Dunham,
Cheshire, Forestdale, Moosalainoo, and Fairfield Pond formations are exposed at the GMF.
The Dunham Dolostone rests conformably on the Cheshire
Quartzite and both are accepted as shallow water platform
strata. The base of the Cheshire is not exposed for a 50 km
stretch along the GMF. The Cheshire is thickest (720 m) inthe middle of this interval, near Bristol, Vermont. Thissequence contains more quartzite and less mudstone upsection.
The Cheshire is cut by N-S high-angle faults; going eastward
each Cheshire fault slice contains a higher percentage of mudstone. Evidently the Cheshire progradee eastward.
The Forestdale Marble near Lake Dunmore (Lana Falls) is a
west-pinching dolostone tongue about 50 m below the top of theCheshire.
The ?Ioosalamoo and Fairfield Pond formations containgraded to massive wedge-shaped sand beds, thick inudatone beds
and Interlaminated sand and mud. Sedimentary structures arerare but show that the beds face up or west. The Moosalamooand Fairfield Pond formations are faulted across the Cheshireand the Dunham, and are here interpreted as deep-water distal
fan equivalents of the Cheshire.

7
A DATA MANAGEMENT PROGRAM FOR THE STUDY OF

LAKE CHAMPLAIN BOTTOM SEDIMENTS
Hunt, Allen S. and Glenn W. Walters,
Department of Geology, University of Vermont,
Burlington, VT 05405
Data has been accumulated since 1964 on the nature andcomposition of bottom sediments in Lake Champlain. The data
include color, grain size, organic and trace metal content,
clay mineralogy, and gross petrological composition. Huch ofthis information is available only in unpublished sources
including U.S. Interior technical reports, musters theses, andstudent research reports. Compiled in a systematic manner, it
ah.4 be used to produce surface sediment maps, study regional sedimentological trends, establish associations between
sediment properties, and recall all available data for a given
lake station.
In order to store and manipulate existing data, a management system has been developed using an 113t4 compatible personal computer qnd cojxnercially available software including a
databaaehich'subdivided into tables, each containing aparticular type of data. The common factor between tables isthe aereal location of the sediment sample which allows compilation of originally discrete data for any given aite. The
system also provides flexibility in that new information canbe added as it becomes available. A variety of techniques
exist within the system for use in combining data and extracting subsets for further analysis. Statistical procedures suchas correlation and regression can readily be performed anddata plotted for sediments either from any given area of thelake or for the lake as a whole. Such information is usefulin understanding the lake's present day depositional processes. It will also provide a rational means of selection
parameters necessary in order to construct a surface sedimentmap. The sediment data may be assembled for the map using apersonal computer. The map may then be constructed by handplotting or, if facilities are available, by loading the data
onto a personal or mainframe computer equipped with the appropriate software and a plotter.
TACONIAN METAMORPHISM IN THE NORTHERN APPALACHIANS
AND ANOTHER (?) TACONIAN LINE
Laird, Jo and Wallace A. Bothner, Department of Earth
Sciences, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH 03824
Taconian mineral assemblages in mafic and pelitic schists
indicate that high, medium-high, and medium-pressure fades
series metamorphism are preserved in north-central Vermont,
medium-pressure metamorphism is recorded in cover rocks of theBerkshire Mountains, and medium-low pressure metamorphism
occurs farther south in the Taconic Range and Dutchess County,
NY. The age of metamorphism appears to be the same, 465+5Ma(4OAr/39Ar, amphibole). The boundaries between fades series,
as we presently understand them, cross cut the boundaries ofthrust packages defined by Stanley and Ratcliffe (1985) andthe suspect terranes delimited by Williams and Hatcher(1983). If this hypothesis is confirmed, metamorphism musthave occurred or continued after the juxtaposition of the terranes, or some contacts mapped as faults are lithologic
boundaries.
Preliminary petrologic studies of maCic schist within theMissisquoi Formation, Vermont indicate metamorphism at low to
medium pressure facies series, similar to Acadian metamorphismin the r.orthern and central Connecticut Valley Gaspe Synclinoriuin, and distinct from medium to high pressure Taconic metamorphism to the west. The contact between the Missisquol andStove formations, Worcester Mountains, Vermont marks a distinct change in structural style. East of the contact theMissisquoi Formation retains some primary sedimentary features, is simply cleaved, and generally lacks the strong shear
fabric characteristic of the Stove Formation west of the contact. The petrologic and field data suggest that the Missisquoi Formation was metamorphosed and deformed after, or atleast elsewhere from, the Taconian orogen. Is the StoveMissisquoi contact the Taconian line?
SOUTHWEST-TRENDING STRIATIONS ON THE CREST OF THE
GREEN MOUNTAINS BETWEEN LATITUDES 43050.81N AND 44 0 12.5 1 N
Larsen, Frederick B., Department of Earth Science,
Norwich University, Northfield, VT 05663
Ackerley, Spafford C., Department of Geological Sciences,
Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853
Southeast-trending striations are common on the main
crest of the Green Mountains (Goldthwait compilation in Flint,
1957; Christman, 1959; and Christman and Secor, 1961) and on
lesser mountain ranges such as the Worcester Range and theNorthfleld Mountains (S. Clark, pers. comm. 1986). The direction of movement of the last ice sheet as shown by the distribution of pebbles in indicator fans (Cuttingsville and Braintree) is generally to the south-southeast. In addition, erratics of reddish-brown quartzite from the Monkton Formation,
which outcrops on the west flank of the Green Mountain anticlinorlum between Bennington and Colchester, are found east of
the Green '1ountains in a zone that extends from Northfield to
Brattleboro and into Massachusetts.
Ackerly (1986) discovered southwest-trending striations
on the main crest of the Green Mountains betwee Mt. horrid(lat. 43 0 50.8 1 N) and Applachian Gap (lat. 440 12.5 1 N). This
indicates that a reevlauation of the general impression thatthe last Ice sheet moved southeast obliquely across the entire
north-south trend of the Green Mountains must be undertaken.
As part of that reevaluation, The Great Pebble Campaign of1974, a study of the Braintree indicator fan, 19km east of theGreen Mountain crest, was redone to determine if there was any
indication of movement to the southwest. No igneous rocks
from the Braintree pluton have been found southwest of thepluton and no clasts of the brown-weathering caloareousquartzite from the Waits River Formation were found west or
southwest of its outcrop area. In addition, c].asts of grayand white quartzite derived from the Ottaquechee Formation and
one ultrainafic clast found in the vicinity of the pluton mdi-

cate that ice moved to the pluton from the north-northwest.
Detailed glacial maps of the area in question are notavailable 80 any conclusion must be conjectural at this time.
It appears that southwest-moving ice on the crest of the Green
Mountains was a local phenomena and may have been related to
draw down of ice in the Champlain Valley during deglaciation.
ADIRONDACK IGNEOUS ROCKS: THEIR GEOCHRONOLOGY AND EVOLUTIOU
McLelland, James H., Department of Geology,
Colgate University, Hamilton, NY 13346
Recent acquisition of 13 new U-Pb zircon ages on Adirondack metaigneoua rocks strongly suggests that Silver's (1969)
age determinations and interpretations were correct. Mangeritic and charnookitic samples (4) yield near concordant ages
ranging from 1100-1135 Ma. These results are not far different than an 1153±4 Ma age (Grant, 1986) on the Diana Complex(charnockitic). Mangerite-charnockite zircons are robust,
doubly terminated, inclusion-bearing, finely zoned and Festained. They appear to be primary igneous zircons. Zircona
from anorthositic rocks are small, pink, equant, multifaceted,inclusion-free, and clear. They yield ages of-.1O5O Ma andhave been interpreted as metamorphic in origin (exeolution
from pyroxene?). Silver (1969) reached the same conclusion on
noritic and anorthositic rocks (1005-1062 Ma). Ages for two
leucogranitic gneisses in the Highlands range from 10751083 Ma and may represent a separate igneous event. Alternatively these ages may reflect pre-metamorphic hydrothermal
alteration. Petrographically similar rocks in the Lowlands
give ages of —1280-1300 Ma and have been interpreted as partsof a basement complex. If the age difference between theHighlands and Lowlands is real, It lends credence to the
hypothesis that they represent two distinct terranes sutured
along Carthage-Colton Mylonite Zone. The Canadian extensionof this zone (Chibougamau-Gatineau Lineament) separates theCentral Metasedimentary Belt from the Granulite Facies Terraneand may also be a suture.
Petrologic analysis of Adirondack metaigneous rocks
strongly suggests that most represent rapakivi suite rocks
emplaced in anorogenic, or mild rifting, environments duringlate Proterozoic time. The anorthosite-charnockjte 8uite Is
considered to be bimodal with noritic/gabbroic rocks coringzoned complexes and providing the heat by which syenitic/
granitic melts are produced from deep continental crust. Thismagmatism is part of the mid- to late-Proterozoic anorogenic
maginatism that traverses North America, Greenland (Gardar
Complex), the Baltic Shield, and the Soviet Union. Within the
Adirondacks, it preceded the Ottawan phase (-1050 Ma) of the
Grenville Orogeny but was itself preceded by an earlier
fabric-forming metamorphic event (Elzvlran phase?). The styleof magmatic activity is believed to be that of shallow level
caldera complexes together with ash-flow tuffs.

ITI
STATUS OF STATE BEDROCK AND SURFICIAL GEOLOGYMAPPING PROGRAMS
Ratté, Charles A., State Geologist,
103 So. Main Street, Waterbury, VT 05676
The bedrock and surficial geology mapping programs had an
unofficial start in the Spring of 1982 at an enthusiastic,
impromptu, lunch time meeting assembled at the University ofVermont Geology Department during the Vermont GeologicalSociety Spring meeting. The State Geologist's Office had
recently received a grant from the Federal Department ofEnergy to monitor their high-level radioactive waste program.
This grant provided monies to publish geolog.o studies thatwere germaine to their investigation of Vermont's crystalline
rocks. Several Vermont Geological Survey Special Bulletin
Series were published covering areas in the northern Green
Mountain Precambrian massif and adjacent Paleozoic coversequence that were under investigation by faculty and students
from the Geology Department at the University of Vermont.
In the fall of 1983 the first State funded projects were
initiated through a Memorandum of Agreement with Professors
Frederick D. Larsen and David S. Westerman of Norwich University for surficial and bedrock mapping in the Northfield, Vermont 7 1/2 minute quadrangle. In the summer of 1984 a third
State funded project was initiated in the Southern Green Mountain massif through a Memorandum of Agreement with Dr. JamesW. Skehan of Boston College. In the fall (October) of 1984
Vermont entered into a cooperative program with the U.S. Geological Survey (COGEOMAP) for remapping the bedrock and surficial geology of the state with the long range goal of producing new statewide bedrock and surficial geology maps.
In the meantime Drs. Rolfe S. Stanley, Charlotte J.
Mehrtens and Barry L. Doolan and graduate students at the
University of Vermont continued to conduct mapping projects
some of which were supported financially by the U.S. Geological Survey, the National Science Foundation and the U.S.
Forest Service.
In 1985 and 1986 additional funds from the State Geologist's Office were directed to the geologic mapping program.
These funds made it possible to start three new bedrock mapping projects through Memoranda of Agreement with Dr. Charlotte J. Mehrtens (Northwestern Vermont Lithofacies Mapping
Project), Dr. Barry L. Doolan (Gilson Mt. Quadrangle, northcentral Vermont Project), and Dr. Peter J. Thompson (TheWinooski River Valley Transect Pfoject). Also a small amountof funding was made available to Drs. David P. Dethier andDavid J. DeSiiuone of Williams College, Williarnstown, MA tobegin a surficial mapping project in the Bennington-Pownal
area.
In the second year of Vermont's involvement in the U.S.
Geological Survey cooperative geologic mapping program(COGEOMAP), the State Geologist's Office requested "In-Kind"service of U.S.G.S. mapping personnel in the person of Dr.
Nicholas M. Ratcliffe as the U.S.G.S. contribution to thecooperative arrangement. U.S.G.S. accepted this proposal andin the summer of 1986 Dr. Ratc].iffe and two assistants conducted geologic mapping in the southern Green Mountain Pre-

11
cambrian massif and Paleozoic cover sequence. The U.S.
Forest Service (Green Mt. National Forest) also provided funding to support Dr. Ratclitte's and Dr. Stanley's projects in
the Green Mountain National Forest.
In addition to the mapping projects, planning and administrative organizations have been developed which include:
1. Program director,
2. Co-director for surticial program,
3. Advisory Committee,
4. Regional Compilers and mapping project
coordinators (bedrock program) and
5. Review Committee for maps and reports.
Although two aurficial mapping projects (Northfield Quadrangle, and the Bennington-Pownal Area) are in progress, it isclear that the surficial program mapping requires a separate
plan and administrative organization. A draft mapping plan
has recently been sent out for review and comment.
Vermont's 1987 proposal for continued participation in
the U.S.G.S. cooperative (COGEOMAP) program has been approvedby U.S.G.S.
TECTONIC GEOLOGY OF THE PRE-SILURIAN ROCKS OF CENTRAL VERMONT
Stanley, Rolfe S., Department of Geology,
University of Vermont, Burlington, VT 05405
Detailed 1:12,000-scale mapping in the pre-Silurian rocksof Central Vermont since 1984 shows the following important
relations: 1. The Middle Proterozoic rocks of the northernend of the Lincoln massif are progressively deformed to theeast by east-over-west folds and post-metamorphic thrustfaults of post-Grenvillian age (Prahi, 1985; DelloRusso,
1986). 2. The eastern boundary of the massif is marked byseveral synmetamorphic thrust faults (South Lincoln, Underhill
and Jerusalem thrust faults) which are marked by slivers of
Middle Proterozoic rocks (Tauvera, 1982; DelloRusso, 1986;
Strehle and Stanley, 1986). 3. The Hoosac (Pinnacle), Underhill, Mt. Abraham, Hazens Notch, Pinney Hollow, Ottauquechee,and Stove formations, to the east of the Lincoln inassif, aremarked by major pre-metamorphic and synmetamorphic thrustfaults that have been tightly folded, refolded and then cut by
minor post-metamorphic faults (O'Loughlin, 1986; Lapp, 1986).
4. Fabrics along synmetamorphic faults indicate a complex
history of east-over-west movement followed in many places bylater flattening which commonly obscure the earlier directionof fault movement. 5. The rocks within these formations canbe divided into at least 7 thrust slices that record a complex
history of deformation caused by later folding and renewed
faulting. 6. The sequence by which the thrust slices wereassembled differs to the east and west of the Underhill thrustfault. To the east the sequence is complicated by several
generations of folds and faults which resulted in younger
slices from the east moving over deformed and older slices tothe west. West of the Ijnderhill thrust fault the sequence of
deformation progressed westward in "piggyback fashion".
7. Geochemical analyses of mafic rocks by Coish (1985, 1986)12and his students at Hiddlebury College indicate that themafic rocks become more oceanic as they are traced eastward
from the Underhill through the Hazena Notch to the Pinney
Hollow and Stove formations. This progression is consistent
with the tectonic evolution in central Vermont. 8. Correlation of mineral growth and structural sequence indicate thatsynmetamorphic faulting occurred during peak metamorphism andcontinued during retrogression to produce strongly elongatedchlorite clusters (Lapp, 1986; O'Loughlin, 1986) , 9. Olderthrust faults, which are largely responsible for the di8trlbution of thrust slices, occurred before and during peak metamorphism. 10. Analysis of mineral assemblages by Albee (1965,1968), Lal.rd and others (1984), and Walsh (1986) and amphiboles by Laird and Albee (1981, 1984), Kimball (1986), andMock (1986) indicate that peak metamorphic conditions occurredat temperatures of 500 0 C - 530 0 C and confining pressures of
4 to 5 kbars (13 to 16km). 4OAr/39Ar analyses of barroisitic
amphibole cores with actinolite rims from a greenatone in the
Pinney Hollow (Laird and others, 1984) suggest that mediumhigh pressure (peak?) metamorhpism occurred during the Taconian orogeny (470 m.y.). Conventional K/Ar analyses of muscovite and biotite in the Mt. Abraham Schist to the west of thePinney Hollow suggest that metamorphism continued until
385 n.y. (Laird and others, 1984). This younger age Is interpreted either as the result of cooling from peak metamorphism(Sutter and others, 1985) or renewed metamorphism during the
Acadian orogeny (Laird and others, 1984). Based on a continuous and progressive sequence of structural deformation andmetamorphic fabric a Taconian age (Middle Ordovician) Is preferred for most of the pre-Silurlan geology of Central Vermont. The younger 385 n.y. age may be due to late movement of
the Champlain thrust fault over a ramp.
REGIONAL GROUNDWATER FLOW PATTERNS IN A BEDROCK AQUIFER
UNDER EXTENSIVE PUMPING CONDITIONS
Wagner, Heindel and Noyes, Inc., Staff,
P.O. Box 1629, Burlington, VT 05402-1629
Since 1980, regulatory agencies of the State of Vermont
have fostered an increase in the study of the mechanics ofgroundwater flow in bedrock aquifers. In the process of
securing environmental permits, detailed hydrogeologic studies
have been carried out in a number of bedrock terranes throughout the state. In the West Dover area, which has undergone
intensive development, a number of aquifer tests have been
conducted. The anaylsia of data from these tests has revealed
zones of well interference. These zones suggest intricate
networks of fractures in the bedrock at depth. Current
groundwater withdrawal patterns, the degree to which existingwells are connected by fractures, and well bores and aquifer
coefficients will be discussed.

13
THE STRUCTURAL HISTORY OF ROCKS EAST AND WEST OF THE
CENTRAL VERMONT FAULT ZONE (R4c) IN THE

MONTPELIER-NORTHFIELD AREA
Westerman, David S., Department of Earth Science,
Norwich University, Northfield, VT 05663
A geologic boundary passing north-south through Vermont
separates rocks of the Missisquoi Formation (am used by Dolland others, 1961) on the west side from rocks of the Northfield Formation on the east side. This boundary is referred
to informally as the RMC (Richardson Memorial Contact) andmore formally as the Taconian Line (Hatch, 1982). Since it isneither a specific contact or a line but is instead a zone ofintersecting faults, and since it may not everywhere represent
a separation of rocks which experiences the Taconian orogeny
and those that did not, it is referred to here as the Central
Vermont fault zone (CVFZ). In the Montpelier-Northfield area,rocks of the Shaw Mountain Formation (sii) are found only
within the CVFZ, at is an assemblage of mafic and intermediate
volcanics of uncertain age and correlation.
The structural history of rooks on both sides of the CVFZ
in the Northfield 7.5-minute quad appears to be the same.
Early isoclinal folding produced cleavage generally parallel
to bedding. Then later isoclinal folding produced the predominant schistosity of the region which trends NNE and dips
steeply to the west, This was followed by the production of aspaced cleavage which is found locally in the region withvarious styles and scales. This cleavage is often associatedwith crenulations and small-scale folds having moderate N- to
NE-plunging axes. Finally a mylonitic cleavage formed, again
locally (especially at lithologic contacts), parallel to theregional achiatosity and obliterating all older structures.
This cleavage is common in the CVFZ and may be temporally
related to the spaced cleavage, representing zones of maximum
strain. In the CVFZ it produced rocks very similar to theinylonites and phyllonites in the fault zone that separates the
Stowe and Moretown formations along the Mad River in ttoretown.
Map patterns within the CVFZ are also very similar to thoseshown by Stanley and others (1984) for the East Hill fault
zone (Stowe against Moretown).

14
VGS BUSINESS & NEWS
Vermont Geoloqical Society - Treasurer's Report
Jan 6, 1987
$528.31

Balance as of 1/1/86
IncomeInterest
Dues
Publication Sales
Reimbursement for (',SA Booth
Gift for Grant-in Aid of Research

Expenses
Postaqe
Printinq/Xerox ioq
Office Supplies
GSk BoothService Fees
Winter Mtq Pxpenses
Checks
Doll Prizes
Box Rent
Credit (Blackwefl U.A.)
Bulletin Sales

48.74
1170.25786.0951.50
1300.0()$3556.58

318.55735.7845.93
103.50
9.75
28.94
28.68
50.00
22.00
10.00
-55.00$1298.13

Balance as of 12/31/86+3556.58$4084.89-1298.13$2786.76

Respe)ctfully submitted,
David S. Westerman,
Treasurer

NEW ME14BERS
The following new members have been accepted by the
Executive Committee since last summer:
Thomas Armstrong
Bret V. Cox
Peter Goreau
Crea LinttThac
William Lynch
Thomas Moon
Bill Spitzel
Steven Stokowski, Jr.
Bruce '1ilson

Exeter, NI!
Burlington, VT
Middlebury, VT
Waterbury Center, VT
Parker, CO
Northfield, VT
Charlotte, VT
Ashland, MA
W. Brattleboro, VT

15GRANT-IN-AID
Regrettably there were no applications for the Grant-inAid for Research which the Society announced in Fall 1986.
This may have been due to poor timing. Thus, the Executive
Committee revised the announcement and mailed it to 30
colleges in the area in December. The new deadline is
APRIL 15.. 1987. Please encourage eligible students to apply.
If you need a copy of the announcement, write to the "Grant
Committee", do VGS, Box 304, Montpelier, VT 05602.

CALL FOR STUDENT PAPERS - SPRING MEETINGThe 14th annual presentation of student research papers
will be held MAY 2, 1987 at Middlebury College. Undergraduate
and graduate students from any college or university who are
engaged in research of Vermont or Vermont-related geology areinvited to submit an abstract of no more than 300 words nolater than APRIL 15, 1987. Talks are allotted 15 minutes withan additional 5 minutes for questions. The Society awards acash prize to each of the best undergraduate and graduate
student papers.

EDITOR'S REPORTA deadline of January 30, 1987 has been set for receipt
of field trip guides from 7 trip leaders who have promised tocomplete manuscripts for publication. With their cooperation,
Volume 5 of Vermont Geology will be in the works late thiswinter and early spring.
An issue of professional papers, Volume 6, is also a
distinct possibility in the near future. A paper (which muststill go through USGS review) has recently been submitted to
Vermont Geology and several other papers may be forthcoming.
At this time, anyone wishing to submit a manuscript about or
related to Vermont geology is invited to send it to:
Jeanne Detenbeck(VGS Editor)
29 Collamer Circle
Shelburne, VT 05482

16
ANNUAL MEETING MINUTES - OCTOBER 11, 1986
The meeting was called to order at 8:17 PM by Acting
President, Carolyn Merry. Present were 9 members and 3 guests.
The treasurer reported a balance of about $1000. Many
members still have not paid dues. Sales of Volumes 3 and 4
have aided our fiscal well being. The Society's finances are
now computerized. Report was accepted.
OLD BUSIIESS
Field trip guides for the next Vermont Geology volume are
pending. No other volume is in sight.
NEW BUSINESS
No nominations were forthcoming from the floor so it was
moved that the secretary cast one vote for the slate of officers: Pres. Shelley Snyder, Vice-pres. Jeff Pelton, Treas.
Dave Westerman, Sec. Dave Butterfield, Directors - Don
Wernecke, 2 yrs., Stan Corneille, 1 yr.
Shelly Snyder then took over as President. She would
like to see more teacher involvement in the Society during her
term of office.
The Exec. Comm. will discuss the Winter Meeting on
Nov. 12, 7:30Pm at John Malter's.
Jim Ashley reported that the Adminsitrative Comm. on
Rules has adopted rules on water wells. There may. be licensing of monitoring well drillers. Jim will provide a synopsis
of the well drilling legislation for the GMG.
There were no applications for the Grant-In-Aid forresearch. $1500 is available. The status will be discussed
at the next Exec. Comm. mtg.
Five new members were announced: Tom Moon, geophysicist;
Brett Cox, hydrologist; William Lynch, exploration geologist;
Bill Spitzel, hydrologist; and Tom Armstrong, structural geologist. There are about 140 members.
Carolyn Merry was thanked for taking over as acting President after Steve Goldberg left for greener pastures in NY.
Dave Westerrnan was given a round of applause for his
field trip which 17 attended.
It was moved and seconded for adjournment at 8:52 PM.
Respectfully submitted,.Tohn Malter, Sec. pro tem
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MINUTES - NOVEMBER 12,

1986

A meeting of the Executive Committee was held in Montpelier on November 12, 1986 at the home of John Malter. Present
were Shelley Snyder, Jeanne Detenbeck, Dave Westerman, Jeff
Pelton, Steve Revell and John Malter. The minutes of theAnnual Meeting and the Treasurer's report were accepted.
Included in the Treasurers report were the following: 1) acurrent balance of $1,119.60, 2) many of our stalwart members
being in arrears on their dues, 3) the Geotiines ad for thelast volume of Vermont Geology having paid for itself 4) bulletins selling well, and 5) a new member - Crea Lintiihac.

17
The next topic on the agenda was how to handle the factthat no one applied for the $1500 Grant-in-Aid of Researchwhich the Society offered as support for a project involving
bedrock geology and groundwater. The donors of the money haveindicated interest in repeating this grant a second time if we
can get someone to apply for and receive the first gift.
A recurring topic, that of holding the Annual Heettng at
some time other than in the fall after the field trip, wasdiscussed. It was agreed that this topic will come up for
discussion by a larger group at the lunch-time meeting In
January.
The time, location and program outline for the WinterMeeting were arranged, pending confirmation of the availability of our keynote speaker, Prof. James McLelland, Colgate
University (see details on the cover page).
President Snyder introduced the topic of having thesociety help teachers in their efforts to develop outdoor
geology exerciaes. The suggestion was made that professors at
local colleges could develop a lesson outline quite easily bytaking an introductory lab section to a nearby outcrop andassigning the students the task of determining the geologic
history. In the process of evaluating and correcting theresults of the assignment, the product (the "correct answer)
would evolve and could be made available to teachers in thesecondary schools.
Discussion for the closing portion of the meeting included other ideas for working in the area of education (arranging
slide shows on Vermont geology, helping set up an in-serviceday), the timing of the Spring Meeting and plans for NEIGC
1987. The Executive Committee also agreed to postpone accepting advertisements in the GMG.
Respectfully submitted,
David Westerican, Sec. pro tern

MINERAL OF THE QUARTER"WHITE GOLD"At this time of year only one mineral looms of sufficientimportance to be highlighted. It belongs to the hexagonal
system and occurs in masses, granular aggregates and crystals.
Its skeletal crystals are best known and admired for theirintricate beauty. Its physical characteristics are:HARDNESS - 1 1/2
SPECIFIC GRAVITY - 0.916
COLOR - colorless to white, blue when thick
LUSTER - vitreous
FRACTURE - concoidal
CLEAVAGE - none, exhibits basal gliding
OCCURRENCE - abundant in Vermont in various forms
It is blessed by skiers and motel owners and cursed by ordinary motorists. Farmers know their 5fl55 supply of water
depends on an adequate accumulation of this mineral at higher
elevations. Most city dwellers wish it would stay only on themountains and not need to be shoveled from driveways and pavements.

II
By now you surely suspect that the mineral is ice. The
lovely snowflake is a skeletal ice crystal. Ice occurs in
Vermont as snow, frost and hail, as well as ice on ponds,
rivers and lakes. It is very much a part of the Vermont
scene.
Man has pondered the beauty of snow crystals sinceancient times. Aristotle commented on the intricate form of
the snowflake in the 4th Century B.C. A book on natural phenomena, published in 1555 by the Archbishop of IJpaala, Olaus
Magnus, tncluded crude pictures of snowflakes. Ten years
later Robert Hooke, the famous British physicist, included a
page of drawings of snowflakes in his tHicrographiaIt. He madehis drawings outdoors after catching the specimens on a black
cloth. The most famous and probably most dedicated student ofsnow crystals was W. A. Bentley of Jericho, Vermont. He spentalmost 50 years capturing and photographing snowflakes, working out-of-doors with a plate camera. During his lifetime herecorded the image of more that 5000 different crystals andfound no two alike. From his study he identified five general
types of ice crystal structure:
A. Hexagonal columns (often called needles)
B. Hexagonal right pyramids
C. Hexagonal plates, ten or more times broader than thick(many with elaborate extensions on the corners)
D. Triangular plates
E. Twelve-sided plates
The needles and plane hexagonal plates form at high altitudes, where the amount of water vapour in the air is small.
These forms occur in cirrus and cirrostratus clouds in which
they are responsible for the striking halos sometimes seenaround the sun or moon. The most intricate crystals with
branching extensions form at higher temperatures in the presence of more moisture. These forms are more abundant in thefront portion of a snowstorm, where the snow is heaviest andthe clouds are greater.
It is possible to permanently record the shapes of thesefleeting crystals by a method developed by V. Schaefer* in
1940. The total supplies needed are:2 square feet of black velvet cloth tacked to a board
A card table
A flashlight
A whisk broom
A thermometer
Several clean microscope slides
A pointed glass rod of wire
A 1 solution of polyvinyl formula resin in
ethylene dichloride
All equipment is set outside to reach air temperature.
The velvet-covered board is set where it can catch the fallingsnow crystals. When several good specimens have been noticed,
the board is brought to the table. The end of the glass rod
is dipped into the resin solution and about half a drop of
solution placed on a glass slide. While the end of the rod isstill wet, it is touched to a crystal, and the crystal isbrought to the drop on the glass slide. The solution will en-imvelope the crystal. If it is a large crystal, another small
drop may be needed to completely cover it. Several specimens
can be placed aide-by-side on one slide. Place the slide in a
protected place when it is complete so that the solvent canevaporate. After evaporation is complete, the slide can bestudied at leisure, in a warm room, with a microscope or good
hand lens. What better winter field trip can there be?
*JI}fow to Fingerprint a Snowstorm", Vincent J. Schaefer,
Illustrated Library of the Natural Sciences, American Museumof Natural History, Simon and Schuster, N.Y., 1958.

Submitted byEthel Schuele

WATER QUALITY LEGISLATION - PART I HISTORY
At our Winter 1986 meeting, Jonathan Lash, Commissioner ofthe Department of Water Resources and Environmental 1ngineering, gave the keynote address, "Water Quality Legislation in
Vermont", in which he presented an historical background, andput the problems met in trying to control water quality into
perspective. Although we did not have the foresight to tapethis address for transcription, we have obtained permission to
publish a similar article drafted by Mr. Lash, which appearedin the Winter 1986 issue of Conservation Quarterly.
Some History and BackgroundIn 1970, two years before passage of the Federal Water
Pollution Control Act, the Vermont legislature adopted
Act 252, prohibiting the discharge of wastes into the watersof the state without a permit (the same legislature passed Act
250, the state's land use planning). The new law for the
first time gave state government broad authority to protect
the quality of the state's rivers, streams, and lakes. It wasneeded.
Although the state had first passed water quality legislation In 1947, it had been toothless and not effective inpreventing pollution. By 1970, more than 60 towns and thousands of individual homes and businesses were discharging
untreated wastes.
Vermont pursued the elimination of sewage discharges witha vigor that was astonishing. Water Resources investigators
traversed the state identifying and cataloging discharges
through straight pipes, ditches, storm drains, and seeps.
Ninety-two municipal sewage treatment plants were built at acoat of nearly $200 million. The state committed an averageof 25 percent of its capital budget to the construction ofpollution control facilities. Thousands of Vermonters andVermont businesses pulled their sewage pipes from streams andlakes voluntarily and constructed septic systems at considerable cost with no state or federal aid. Where voluntary compliance could not be obtained, the state took enforcement
actions against businesses, individuals, and towns.

20
As the new law was implemented, however, state oficia].s
became increasingly concerned. Was getting the straight pipeout of the rivers only moving the problem around? Vermont wasin the midst of a development boom and much of the development
was taking place in upland areas. On May 10, 1971, Governor
Deane Davis appeared before the Water Resources Board to askthat the Board take steps to protect "upland streams". Hesaid
We have literally hundreds of these streams in
Vermont and most of us are familiar with them. Suchpure and unpolluted water as we have left in thestate is to he found in these upland brooks and someremote mountain ponds.
I believe it is absolutely essential that we
protect these waters from new sources of pollution
by whatever measures may be required.

Davis went on to give two reasons for taking action.
First, all the effort that was currently going into cleaning
up the state's lakes and rivers would make little sense if thebrooks and streams above them were being polluted. Second,the volume of water in upland streams for the moat part fluctuates widely - the rushing spring creek is often only atrickle by late summer. The efficiency of a stream to assimmind for
ilate effluent was a critical criterion in
determining whether there should be a discharge. "We all knowsome lovely little mountain brooks which ought never to haveeven the smallest amount of pollution introduced in them".
Davis believe! that this issue of discharges into uplandstreams was a test of the state's resolve to have clean, purewater. "Tough standards", he said, "will hurt someone whether
it be a developer seeking to build homes in a mountain area orwhether it be a group of people already owing homes in remotelocations. This is a price which we must pay, however, if weare ever to reach the goal of clean waters".
The Water Resources Board responded quickly to Governor
Davis' request. The 1971 Water Quality Standards included an
upland streans rule stating "there shall be no new or increased discharges to upland streams of any treated or untreated domestic, sanitary, commercial or industrial wastes(or) of any other wastes which would degrade in any respect
the quality of the receiving waters. Where technically feasible existing discharges of such wastes to upland streams shallbe eliminated by utlilzing off stream [on-site] disposal techniques." This meant that the Board wanted to eliminate directdischarges to upland streams by encouraging the use of on-site
systems.
At first the Board defined as "upland" all those streams
above 1500 feet in altitude with a flow rate under 1.5 cubicfeet per second. A few years later, however, the Board broadened the definition to include "those Class A or Class B
rivers, streams, brooks, creeks, upstream of the most upstream
discharge of waste from an existing municipal waste water
treatment facility". The new definition was a significant
change because it expanded the concept of upland stream that
had previously included perhaps a third of the state's streams
to include approximately 90 percent of the flowing waters in21
the state. Not only were pristine upland brooks considered
upland streams, so were many lowland streams in populatedareas including some not so pristine streams running throughBurlington and its suburbs.
The current water quality standards still contain theprohibition against discharges in upland streams. Discharges
may only be permitted in waters designated "Class C" by theWater Resources Board. The Board has in the past generally
refused to create Class C zones in waters designated uplandstreams.
Environmental Protection Rules
The water policy had effectively directed discharges into
sewage treatment plants or into on-site systems where it would
be treated naturally through the soil. But no one raised thequestion of whether effluent treated in the ground would havean impact on surface water. Certainly whatever impact there
was, was a great deal less than that of direct, untreated discharges.
Governor Davis became concerned, however, that the onsite treatment systems that were being built were creating newhealth and environmental problems while attempting to solve an
old one. He asked the State Health Board to promulgate emergency rules, which they did. They based the rules on several
laws broadly authorizing the Board to take steps necessary toprotect public health. The rules were later ratified by thelegislature and authority to enforce them was transferred to
the Department of Water Resources. They set forth detailed
requirements for the construction of on-site or land based
sewage treatment facilities. With a few minor exceptions any
person building a new industrial plant, business, hotel, restaurant, apartment building or subdivision or modifying or expanding an existing facility must obtain from the Departmentof Water Resources a Certificate of Compliance showing thatthe proposed sewage disposal facility will meet the requirements of the rules.
The objective of these rules, which have come to becalled the "Environmental Protection Rules", is to assure thaton-site treatment systems are built in a manner that effectively disposes of wastes and prevents hazards to humanhealth. The Environmental Protection Rules, however, are notbased on Act 252. The laws emanating from Act 252 are aimed
at protecting surface water quality; the rules are concernedwith whether or not waste treatment systems are built andfunction properly. In reviewing applications for Certificatesof Compliance under the Environmental Protection Rules thequestion is whether the proposed system will meet the strict
standards in the rules, not whether the system will eventually
have some impact on the waters of the state. Therefoie, theclassification of nearby surface water does not affect thedecision whether to grant a certificate.
The prohibition on discharges in upland streams, thebroad definition of upland streams, and the policy favoring
the limitation of discharges to municipalities has meant thatall development in upland areas has had to rely on on-site22
sewage treatment. Most systems are small (the septic tankand leach field for a single family home need only be equipped
to handle about 500 gallons per day). But by the mid-1970s,
resort developers were applying for Certificates of Compliancefor systems with capacities of tens of thousands of gallons
per day. Some of the systems were ordinai'y septic tank andleach fields; some involved secondary or tertiary sewage
treatment plants discharging into leach fields; and some useda new teihnology, at least to Vermont, spraying secondary
treated effluent into woodland areas. Although used elsewherein the world for decades and used widely outside Vermont for
20 years, this technology was first used in the 1970s in Vermont in several state parks and in a state sponsored experiment at the Big Bromley Ski Area. By the end of the decade,most of the large on-site sewage treatment systems being proposed were spray systems. There are 21 spray systems now in
operation in the state, 4 of them In state parks.
The construction of these very large on-site sewage treatment systems raised one new issue. Some of the systems obviously have an impact on adjoining streams. There is ademonstrable connection between the leach field or spray system and the waters of the stream. This raises the question
whether such systems constitute a "discharge" under Act 252
and, therefore, require a discharge permit. Although the
Department of Water Resources requires applicants to obtain a
Certificate of Compliance under the Environmental Protection
Rules for on-site systems, it has never required a discharge
permit. There are important differences between the two. A
permit may only be granted for a discharge into Class C
waters. Discharge permits require public hearings, Certificates of Compliance do not. Discharge permits must be renewed
every 5 years, Certificates of Compliance last for the life ofa project or until it is modified. Most importantly, discharge permits are based directly on protection of surface
water quality, while Certificates of Compliance are based oncompliance with design standards intended to prevent sewage
from surfacing and endangering public health.
After 10 years, the State found itself with two parallelwater policies administered by the Water Resources Department.
One based on water quality (Act 252) and the other based on
the effectiveness of soil-based waste treatment systems(Environmental Protection Rules), and it had a broad definition of upland streams. One policy (Act 252) protects uplandstreams, the other does not. Under one policy, waste coming
out of pipes is considered a discharge and needs a permit,
under the other, waste placed in the ground does not need adischarge permit.

Part II, bringing water quality enforcement problems and theirresulting legislation up-to-date, will appear in the Spring1987 GMC.

Li
MEETI NGS
VGS WINTER MEETING.
See Page 3 for details.
First lecture in UVM Spring 1987 Lecture Series.
See complete list below.
Well Driller's Workshop will be held at
Vermont Technical College in Randolph.
After coffee at 9AM, the meeting will focus oncommunicating with the public and technicalmatters (nuts and bolts, literally). Contact:
Jim Ashley at Water Resources, 244-5638.
VGS SPRING MEETING. Presentation of student
MAY
research papers. Details in Spring issue of GMG.
2
National Association of Geology Teachers,
MAY
Eastern Section, Annual Meeting and Field Trips,
1
Stone Ridge, NY. For information contact:toLawrence R. Matson, Department of Geology
3
Ulster County Community College
Stone Ridge, NY 12484(914)+687-76 21 ext. 371
SEPM Fourth Annual Midyear Meeting. Austin, TX.
AUG
For information contact: Dr. Robt. A. Morton,
21
General Chairman, Univ. of Texas at Austin,toBureau of Economic Geology, University Station,
23
Box X. Austin, TX 78712.
NEIGC The 79th Annual Meeting of the
OCT
New England Intercollegiate Geological Conference
16
will be held in Vermont on the weekend oftoOctober 16-18. The Department of Earth Science of18
Norwich University will host the conference, with
headquarters set up at Vermont College in Montpelier,
VT. If you wish further information about specificsof the conference, contact Fred Larsen or
Dave Westerman, Dept. of Earth Science,
Northfield, VT 05663. (802)+485-2310.
Through a generous foundation grant, the Geology Department
will continue sponsoring its Visiting Lecture Series thisspring. Lectures will be held in Room 200 Perkins Building at
3:45 P.M. with the exception of March 2nd. For further
information contact Dr. Rolfe Stanley, Department of Geology,
University of Vermont, Burlington, VT 05405, (802)+656-3396.
Dr. James McLelland, Grenvillian and
JAN
Pre-Grenvillian Evolution of the Adirondacks.
26
Mr. Monty Fisher, A Geologist View of
FEB
Environmental Problems and the Political World.
2
Dr. Winthrop Means, Transmitted Light
FEB
Microscopy of Deformed Materials.
23
Dr. Ralph M. Raup, Extinction as an
MAR
Evolutionary Process. (Co-sponsored by the2
Department of Zoology in Angell B112.
Dr. John Suppe, Foreland Deformation APR
Balanced Cross Sections (Short course).
7-9
APR
Dr. Peter Robinson, The Acadian Orogeny
in New England.
13
Dr. Joe Arth, The Use of Isotope and Trace
APR
Elements in Modeling Igneous Systems.
20
JAN
24
JAN
26
FEB
21

GREEN MOU1iTAIN GEOLOGISTVERMONT GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY
BOX 304
MONTPELIER, VERMONT 05602

The GREEN MOUNTAIN GEOLOGIST is published

Shelley Snyder
Jeffrey PeltonDavid Butterfield
David Westerman
Stanley Corneille 1 87
Steve Revell 1 87
Donald Wernecke 1 88

quarterly by the Vermont Geological Society,a non-profit educational corporation.
President
President
Secretary
Treasurer
Boardof
Directors
Permanent Committees

Jeanne Detenbeck

Advancement of the Science
Rolfe Stanley
Geological Education Committee
Ballard Ebbett
Barry Doolan
Public Issues Committee
Christopher White
Publications/Editorial Committee
Jeanne Detenbeck
Eiitor

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