Geologic controls on mass movement in the New River Gorge, West Virginia

Geologic factors, such as bedrock lithology, joints, lineaments, and attitude of bedding were analyzed and evaluated for influences on mass-movement in the New River Gorge. Mass-movement deposits were mapped at a 1:24,000 scale in three study areas within the gorge and a Geographic Information System was developed to analyze the affects of local bedrock geology on the deposits.;Analysis of bedrock lithology revealed that the greater the percentage of quartz sandstone within the gorge, the more area is covered by mass-movement deposits. This trend is related to the preservation potential of the deposits. Stress-release and tectonic joints affect mass movement in the gorge by providing planes of weakness for rocks to fail along, aiding development of hollows along the gorge walls, and controlling ground-water flow. Tectonic joints and lineaments have no direct affect with the orientation or location of mass-movement deposits in the gorge, however these features may indirectly influence the orientation and location of mass-movement deposits by controlling the trend of the New River.

Name thesis:degree_name

MS

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Geology and Geography

Year dc:date.available

1999

Author dc:creator

• Remo, Jonathan William Frank

Contributors dc:contributor

• J. Steven Kite.

• Geology

Identifier

https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/etd/987

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:researchrepository.wvu.edu:etd-1990