A1: GLACIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL GEOLOGY OF THE ONONDAGA TROUGH, CENTRAL NY
Bill Kappel
U.S. Geological Survey
30 Brown Road, Ithaca, NY 14850
e-mail: wkappel@usgs.gov
Todd Miller
e-mail: tsmiller@usgs.gov
Don Pair
University of Dayton
Department of Geology
e-mail: don.pair@notes.udayton.edu
James P. Stewart
John P. Stopen Engineering Partnership
450 South Salina Street, Room 400
Syracuse, NY 13202
e-mail: jstewart@jpsep.com
Charles W. Dickhut
e-mail: wdickhut@jpsep.com
Guy Swenson
O’Brien & Gere
East Syracuse, NY 13057
e-mail: swensonga@obg.com
Timothy Johnson
Parsons
Liverpool, NY 13088
e-mail: timothy.johnson@parsons.com
INTRODUCTION
The Onondaga Trough valley is a vestige of the glacial history of central New York. The trough extends from the outlet of Onondaga Lake southward, through and south of the City of Syracuse, to and beyond the Valley Heads Moraine at Tully, N.Y. Geologic and hydrologic research focused on the Onondaga Trough has been ongoing for several decades through numerous academic institutions such as State University of New York at Cortland and Syracuse [School of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF)], Syracuse University, Hamilton College, and Colgate University (among others). In addition, the USGS, in co-operation with USEPA-Region 2, Onondaga County, the Onondaga Lake Partnership, and the Onondaga Environmental Institute, has conducted studies of the Onondaga Trough valley during the last two decades. On-going surficial and bedrock mapping associated with the USGS STATEMAP program have helped to construct a stratigraphic framework that has been used in the development of numerical ground-water-flow and brine-migration models. These models are being used to support central New York’s major urban hydrogeology challenge – improving the water quality of Onondaga Lake (purportedly one of the most polluted lakes in the country) and fostering the urban renewal of the adjacent area. Participants on this NYSGA trip will see how glacial geology and hydrology, and engineering geology interact.
ROADSIDE STOPS OVERVIEW
This fieldtrip will be a 10-year retrospective assessment of activities that have occurred since the 1997 NYSGA 69th Annual Meeting at Hamilton College. This 2007 fieldtrip is co-authored by a number of individuals who are familiar with their subject area and each will provide a summary of their work in the following pages. The field-trip stops will commence at the Village of Homer well field (Stop 1), and then progress northward in the Onondaga Trough valley, with stops at the Tully Lakes area (kettle lakes) situated on the Valley Heads Moraine (Stop 2) where the headwaters of West Branch of Tioughnioga Creek (Susquehanna River Basin) will be viewed and its hydrogeology discussed, then further north over the Tully Moraine and down into the Onondaga Creek valley where the unique Tully Valley mud boils will be visited (Stop 3). The remaining two stops will be around Onondaga Lake in Syracuse. An introduction to the Onondaga Lake setting will take place at the Inner Harbor (Stop 4). Discussions will center on the interaction of glacial geology, engineering, anthropogenic contamination of nearshore and in-lake environments, and the brine-filled aquifer. We may also discuss urban redevelopment of shoreline areas, the unique hydrology of the Onondaga Lake Outlet. We’ll then hear about the impact of wastebed deposits from the Solvay Process, the associated chemical wastes from the Allied Corporation, now Honeywell Corporation, and the current clean-up plan for Onondaga Lake while standing atop of these massive wastebeds (Stop 5).
Disclaimer
All of the field sites described in the guidebook article and road log are on private property. As such, it is imperative that we respect the rights and wishes of these land owners. Please do not visit these sites on your own, as it may jeopardize future field-trip opportunities. Over the past 15 years it has become increasingly difficult to maintain our access agreements to these sites as individuals and even groups of people have entered these properties without obtaining land-owner permission. We strive to maintain good relations with the land owners and do not want the inappropriate actions of a few to ruin the educational opportunities for many others who wish to enter these areas. The USGS can, and does act as the 'gate keeper' for the property owners and we would be happy to facilitate your future access to these sites. Please contact Bill Kappel for any questions as to access for you and your classes.

A1: GLACIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL GEOLOGY OF THE ONONDAGA TROUGH, CENTRAL NY
B.Kappel, T.Miller, D.Pair, J.P.Stewart, C.W.Dickhut, G.Swenson, T.Johnson

STOP 1. Homer Waterworks
Site of Hanging Valley Entering the Southern End of the Onondaga Trough
At this location the Village of Homer has two municipal supply wells (75 and 83 ft deep) that tap an unconfined outwash sand and gravel aquifer that yield 500 to greater than 1,000 gal/min of potable water. Seismic refraction was used to determine the depth to bedrock within the Factory Brook valley where the water works are located. About 1 mi up-valley from the well field the depth to bedrock was only about 110 ft (elevation. of 1,110 ft) – a subsequent test well ground-truthed the seismic data. These results indicated that the Factory Brook V. is a hanging valley to the W. Br. Tioughnioga River V. where the elevation of bedrock in the center of the valley is at about 900 ft or 200 ft deeper than the Factory Brook Valley. We believe the Homer wells are at the lip of the hanging valley and starting at Rt 281 (a stone throws away) the buried valley wall plunges down into the very southern extent of the Onondaga Trough.
B.Kappel, T.Miller, D.Pair, J.P.Stewart, C.W.Dickhut, G.Swenson, T.Johnson

Moving in and across the southern end of the Onondaga Trough
As you travel this route, you are moving in and across the southern end of the Onondaga Trough. The bridge crossing of Route 281 at I-81 is the location of geologic section B-B’ (Fig. 6, Kappel and Miller, 2003). The intersection of NYS Route 80 and I-81 is the location of geologic section A-A’ of figure 6, cited above.
B.Kappel, T.Miller, D.Pair, J.P.Stewart, C.W.Dickhut, G.Swenson, T.Johnson

STOP 2. Tully/Valley Heads Moraine at Green Lake
At this location we are on the Valleys Heads Moraine at Tully. This moraine ‘plugs’ the Onondaga Trough. The term ‘trough’ stems from a definition by W.M. Davis – "Along a number of valleys it is possible to pass from one drainage system to the other through open valleys in which the present divides are determined not by rock, but by drift deposits". Although Tarr (1905) provided the definition, the term "through valley" is attributed to W.M. Davis, who coined the phrase during the discussion of Tarr's paper at the 1904 Geological Society meeting (Tarr, 1905, p. 233). The moraine forms the surface water divide between St. Lawrence and Susquehanna River Basins.
The location of the Valley Heads Moraine in central New York was thought to closely coincide with a preglacial bedrock divide. However, the study of the moraine has shown that during the last glacial episode, there is no bedrock ridge or high point high beneath the moraine. Rather, the trough continues a gradual slope upward starting near Syracuse, goes beneath the moraine, and continues south for several more miles to about Homer where it eventually flattens out and then begins to slope southward in the Tioughnioga River valley.
The surface-water/ground-water interaction in the Tully Lakes area is very complex and the surface-water divide often does not coincide with the ground-water divide. Ground water generally flows from the edges of the valley toward the center, where it discharges to lakes, ponds, wetlands, springs, and the West Branch Tioughnioga River. Most ground water north of the ground-water divide discharges to springs at an elevation of about 1,125 feet on the northern slope of the moraine; the rest flows northward as underflow to deeper zones of valley-fill deposits in Tully/Onondaga Creek valley. Ground water south of the divide flows southward eventually entering the Tioughnioga River.
A round of synoptic water-level measurements indicated that water levels in the western Tully Lakes are generally above those in the surrounding aquifer; therefore, water seeps from the lakes to the aquifer most of the time. In contrast, the eastern lakes generally receive water from the aquifer. Green Lake commonly receives ground-water flow along its east side and discharges to the aquifer along its west side—while at the same time surface water drains southward out of the lake through a channel at the south end and empties into Tully Lake. Tully Lake receives ground-water flow from all sides during the spring recharge conditions; then, as water levels decline from summer through early winter, it discharges to the aquifer along its southern edge.

Kettle-hole ponds and lakes on both sides of the road.
As you travel north you will see several kettle-hole ponds and lakes on both sides of the road. These ponds were linked in the late 1890’s to become the water supply for the Tully brinefield (solution brine mining). At the stop sign you will intersect with Route 80 again. See geologic section F-F’ (Kappel, Miller, 2005) for the unconsolidated stratigraphic section of this area.

Headed down the north side of the Tully (Valley Heads) Moraine.
Proceed north across Route 80 BE VERY CAREFUL – cars zip along Route 80 and there is limited sight distance. After you have safely crossed Route 80 you are now on Tully Farms Road, headed down the north side of the Tully (Valley Heads) Moraine. Note the steepness of the road, the many springs about half way down the back side of the Moraine.
Continue North on Tully Farms Road. The road has been affected by subsidence where it crosses Onondaga Creek, due to brine mining. As you pass through a dog-leg in the road, and through the middle of a farm (watch for loose cows, cats, kids, and farm machinery) you will go up a slight incline (Rattlesnake Gulf alluvial fan) to the intersection with Otisco Road. See geologic section E-E’ (Kappel, Miller, 2005) for the unconsolidated stratigraphic section of this area.

STOP 3. Tully Valley Mudboils
At the parking area you can view several different features. Going around the barrier, and walking toward what used to be the bridge over Onondaga Creek you will see the remains of the foundation for the bridge. The downstream side wing walls a tipped back to the south and have dropped about a foot. The upstream wingwalls are just at or under the water surface. The mudboil was located about 30 feet upstream of the former bridge.
Adjacent to Otisco Road on the south side was a formerly active mudboil area (circa 1970’s). The only vegetation present now is water-tolerant grassy species and willow trees. The road way experienced minor subsidence.
Walking back up Otisco Road (W) and on your left there will be a red-pipe farm gate. Walk around the gate (watch for poison ivy) and proceed south, down the farm lane. Where the field on the left ends at the tree line, continue south about 300 feet along the farm lane, and there will be a spur road on your left, that drops off the lane (SE) to the Rogue mudboil area. A former depressurizing well is now marked by a mudboil ‘pool’ and you should be able to note subsidence cracks as you come down this roadway. Walk around the large pond (former mudboil, now diked) where you should find a 6-inch PVC pipe discharging into the pond from another depressurizing well. This well and surrounding area has subsided about 3+ feet. With extreme caution you should be able to walk across the volcano-like cone of the mudboil sediments at the base of this well. Note the fine-grained nature of these sediments, and if you lightly tap these sediments with your foot, you might get them to liquefy. DO NOT OVERDO THIS LIQUIFACTION! Back in the woods are other mudboils – BE VERY CAREFUL IF YOU DECIDE TO TAKE THIS WALK IN THE WOODS, THE MUDBOILS ARE QUICKSAND-LIKE.
The main mudboil area (MDA) is further south down the farm lane, but the area is covered with phragmites so it is difficult to see into the MDA. If you venture in that direction, there is a moat around the MDA, and if you carefully walk on the dike you can find some active mudboils in the southwest quadrant, and associated land subsidence further uphill. At the outlet of the MDA there is a Parshall flume with associated discharge measuring equipment.

1993 Landslide Area
As you travel down Tully Farms Road (passing Nichols Road on your right) you will travel through the remains of the 1993 landslide area. This is not a scheduled stop, but if you pull off the by the white cinderblock house, you can see the results of the landslide. Please refer to Wieczorek and others, 1998; Pair and others, 2000 for further information on this slide. Please do not walk into this slide area without permission or venture into the tumble-down house – the house is unsafe and both are private property!

STOP 3b. Side Trip for Valley Overview
Park on the edge of the road where it takes a righthand turn. Get out and look to the south and see a panorama of the southern Onondaga Trough --the Tully Valley, Tully Moraine in the distance, and Song Mountain ski area in the far distance.

Onondaga Creek flood control dam.
See geologic section I-I’ (Kappel, Miller, 2005) for the unconsolidated stratigraphic section of this area. This is near the intersection of the main and West Branch valleys of Onondaga Creek. The high bluffs to the west side of the dam are over the thalweg of the bedrock valley, and these bluffs are fluvial deposits discharged from the West Branch valley when the ice front was still located further to the north during the development of the Syracuse Channels (Hand, 1978). If you stop here, you can see the spillway for the dam cut into the local limestone bedrock and the coarse sand and gravel of the fluvial deposits. This dam is on Onondaga Nation property, so don’t wander and don’t stay too long as the Onondagas are protective of their land and don’t like the dam being here.

STOP 4. The Syracuse Inner Harbor
Future Commercial and Residential Redevelopment of the Former Oil City Area – Engineering Geology
The Inner Harbor is at the southern end of extensive urban redevelopment for the greater Syracuse area. The expanse of land and water surrounding the Inner Harbor site is slated for massive construction in the near future as is the intervening area northeastward toward the Carousel Mall (green topped buildings) with the development of an expanded Carousel Mall, the potential development of DestiNY USA, and the supporting infrastructure. Discussions here will center around the difficulties and innovations needed to cope with the glacial sediments and salty water that underlie this entire area.

STOP 5. The Wastebed Deposits Adjacent to Onondaga Lake
And the Remediation of Groundwater, In-Lake Waste Deposits, and Other Engineering Challenges
This portion of the trip is focused on the geology and hydrogeology of the western side of Onondaga Lake and the Ninemile Creek Valley. Meeting on top of one of the wastebeds gives a view of the lake, and allows one to see where various remedial activities are and will occur in the future. Due to the complexities associated with this hydrogeologic system, various remediation and engineering challenges have been encountered as part of the ongoing cleanup efforts conducted by Honeywell adjacent to Onondaga Lake. A summary of these topics are presented and discussed in more detail during the field program.