WVGES STATEMAP Projects: Moorefield

STATEMAP Projects for 2001:
Moorefield Quadrangle, Hardy County, West Virginia

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Bedrock Geology
Surficial Geology
Site Descriptions and Photographs

Bedrock Geologic Map of the Moorefield Quadrangle
Publication OF-0103A
Surficial Geologic Map of the Moorefield Quadrangle
Publication OF-0103B

WVGES Cooperating Geologists: Stuart L. Dean (Univ. of Toledo), Byron R. Kulander (Wright State Univ.)
WVGES Geologists: Gayle H. McColloch, Jane S. McColloch
Geological Assistant: Chris S. Kulander (USGS)

location of Moorefield Quad in WV and county

GEOLOGY OF THE MOOREFIELD 7 1/2 MINUTE QUADRANGLE, WESTERN HARDY COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA

The Moorefield quadrangle is located in the west-central Valley and Ridge province in Hardy County, eastern West Virginia. The complexly folded and faulted strata here range in age from Upper Silurian Tonoloway Limestone to Lower Mississippian Pocono Sandstone. The major structures from northwest to southeast are Kessel anticline, Middle Mountain syncline, southern plunge-out of Broadtop anticline, Town Hill syncline, Elkhorn Mountain anticline and Whip Cove syncline. Kessel anticline and southern Broadtop anticline were generated by folding and faulting above an Upper Ordovician (i.e. Martinsburg Formation) detachment horizon. Middle Mountain syncline separates these two folds. Elkhorn Mountain anticline was generated by ramping from a lower detachment horizon (i.e. Lower Cambrian Waynesboro Formation) to the Martinsburg Formation. Whip Cove syncline, southeast of the Elkhorn structure, merely formed as a passive structure between Elkhorn Mt. anticline and Cacapon Mountain anticlinorium to the east. Surficial geology presents a diverse picture of alluvium, elevated terraces, alluvial and debris flow fans and minor landslide features. Two significant effects here are first, the extremely thin alluvial deposits along the major rivers, which may be related to late Pleistocene degradation when sea level was significantly lower than at present. Secondly, high erosion levels exceeding 600 feet (183m) above the major streams may not be high terraces, but the remnants of planation surfaces dating to Pre-Pleistocene.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The authors wish to thank Jack Evans, Greg Greenwalt, Ward Malcolm, Scott Funkhauser, Gary Poling, Tom Stein, Roger Crites, Doug Wolfe, and Forrest Wolfe for permitting access to various properties in Moorefield quadrangle. We also gratefully acknowledge the cooperation of numerous other property owners, which made the mapping possible. Partial financial support was made possible through the National Geologic Mapping Reauthorization Act of 1997 administered by the U.S. Geological Survey under contract STATEMAP0000HQAG0050.

REFERENCES CITED (Bedrock Geology)

Dean, S.L., Lessing, P., and Kulander, B.R., 1985, Geology of the Capon Springs, Mountain Falls, Wardensville, Woodstock, and Yellow Spring quadrangles, Hampshire and Hardy counties, West Virginia: 1:24,000 scale, West Virginia Geological and Economic Survey, MAP-WV 26.

Dean, S.L., Lessing, P., and Kulander, B.R., 1992, Geology of the Baker, Needmore, and Wolf Gap quadrangles, Hardy County, West Virginia: West Virginia Geological and Economic Survey, Open File OF-9201.

Dean, S.L., Lessing, P., and Kulander, B.R., 1994, Geology of the Hanging Rock quadrangle, Hampshire County, West Virginia: 1:24,000 scale, West Virginia Geological and Economic Survey, Open File OF-9407.

Dean, S.L., Lessing, P., Kulander, B.R., Kocher, A.C. and Kulander, C.S., 2000, Geology of the Augusta quadrangle, Hampshire County, West Virginia: 1:24,000 scale, West Virginia Geological and Economic Survey, Open File OF-9905.

Dean, S.L., Lessing, P., Kulander, B.R., 2000, Geology of the Rio quadrangle, Hampshire and Hardy counties, West Virginia, 1:24000 scale, West Virginia Geological and Economic Survey, Open File OF-9904.

Dennison, J.M., 1970, Stratigraphic divisions of Upper Devonian Greenland Gap Group ("Chemung Formation") along Allegheny front in West Virginia, Maryland, and Highland County , Virginia: Southeastern Geology, v. 12, p. 53-82.

Kulander, B.R. and Dean, S.L., 1978, Gravity, magnetics, and structure-Allegheny Plateau/western Valley and Ridge in West Virginia and adjacent states: West Virginia Geological and Economic Survey, RI-27, 91 p.

Kulander, B.R. and Dean, S.L., 1986, Structure and tectonics of central and southern Appalachian Valley and Ridge and Plateau provinces, West Virginia and Virginia: American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin, v. 70, p. 1674-1684.

Kulander, B.R. and Dean, S.L., 1987, Bouguer gravity map of West Virginia: 1:250,000 scale, West Virginia Geological and Economic Survey, MAP-WV25.

Lessing, P., Dean, S.L., and Kulander, B.R., 1991, Stratigraphy and structure of the Great Valley and folded Valley and Ridge, West Virginia: Virginia Museum of Natural History Guidebook no. 2, p. 29-55.

Lessing, P., Dean, S.L., and Kulander, B.R., 1992, Stratigraphy and structure of Meadow Branch synclinorium, West Virginia: Southeastern Geology, v. 32, no. 3, p. 163-174.

Tilton, J.L., Prouty, W.F., Tucker, R.C. and Price, P.H., 1927, Hampshire and Hardy counties: 1:62,500 scale, West Virginia Geological and Economic Survey, CGR-8, 624 p.

Woodward, H.P., 1941, Silurian system of West Virginia: West Virginia Geological and Economic Survey, V-14, 326 p.

Woodward, H.P., 1943, Devonian system of West Virginia: West Virginia Geological and Economic Survey, V-15, 655 p.

ABOUT THE PROJECT

This project was partially funded through The National Geologic Mapping Act of 1997 in cooperation with the U.S. Geological Survey. This publication represents interpretations of best-available data made by professional geologists. As in all research work, professional interpretations may vary, and can change with advancements in both technology and data quality. This publication is offered as a service of the State of West Virginia; proper use of the information herein is the sole responsibility of the user.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Stuart L. Dean Cooperating Geologist Department of Earth, Ecological & Environmental Sciences University of Toledo Toledo, Ohio 43606	Byron R. Kulander Cooperating Geologist Department of Geological Sciences Wright State University Dayton, Ohio 45435	Gayle H. McColloch Senior Geologist West Virginia Geological and Economic Survey 1 Mont Chateau Road Morgantown, WV 26508-8079
Jane S. McColloch Senior Geologist West Virginia Geological and Economic Survey 1 Mont Chateau Road Morgantown, WV 26508-8079	Christopher S. Kulander United States Geological Survey 956 National Center Reston, VA 20192	Peter Lessing Senior Research Geologist West Virginia Geological and Economic Survey 1 Mont Chateau Road Morgantown, WV 26508-8079

STATEMAP Projects for 2001: Moorefield Quadrangle, Hardy County, West Virginia

Bedrock Geology Surficial Geology Site Descriptions and Photographs