Geoscope, Vol
. 1 1 1 ( 1972 ),
N o . 2, pp
. 18-26.
THE LANDFORMS OF PART OF RUSSELL COUNTY, EASTERN ONTARIO.
t . d . kent, g.m. gruson, and h.m. french
RESUME
La p r c s e n t e 6 t u d e g 6 o m o r p h o l o ~ i q u e i n v e n t o r i e une r 6 g i o n c o u v r a n t
approximativement 30 m i l l e s c a r r g s , s i s e a u n o r d - e s t du v i l l a g e d e Navan
dans l e cornti5 d e R u s s e l l , p l u s nrGcis6ment 2 q u e l q u e s 10 m i l l e s
l ' e s t de
l a v i l l e d l O t t a v a , O n t a r i o , Canada. La d e s c r i p t i o n d e s c o n p o s a n t e s d u r e l i e f
e s t accompap16e d ' u n e brZve interpretation de l a n a t u r e d e s m a t g r i a u x s u perficiels actuels.
De c e t examen du model6 fond6 s u r une d o u b l e npproche c r i t i q u e , 2
l a f o i s morphologique e t s u p r a - g C o l o g i q u e , l e s a u t e u r s c o n c l u e n t que l e s
formes d e r e l i e f d e l a r 6 g i o n tgmoignent d e p l u s i e u r s v o l e t s d e l ' h i s t o i r e
g l a c i a l r e e t g l a c i a i r e t a r d i v e du s e c t e u r .
Introduction
T h i s p a p e r t r e a t s an a r e a of a p p r o x i m a t e l y 30 s q u a r e m i l e s n o r t h
e a s t o f t h e v i l l a q e of Navan i n R u s s e l l Countv, some 10 miles e a s t o f t h e
l i m i t s of t h e c i t y of Ottawa ( f i a u r e 1 ) . The major l a n d f o r m a s s e m b l a g e s
a r e , d e s c r i b e d t o e e t h e r w i t h a b r i e f i n t e r p r e t a t i o n o f t h e s u r f i c i a l mater i a l s n r e s e n t , a s r e v e a l e d i n a number o f e x p o s u r e s .
Geology and g e o m o r ~ h o l o ~ i c ah li s t o r y .
The a r e a i s u n d e r l a i n by f a u l t e d P a l a e o z o i c l i m e s t o n e b l o c k , which
d i p s ~ e n t l vt o t h e s o u t h ( WILSON 1 9 4 7 , HOBSON 1970 ) . T h i s l i m e s t o n e i s
b r o u g h t t o t h e s u r f a c e i n t h e h i g h e r a r e a s and i s o c c a s i o n a l l v e x p o s e d i n t h e
v a l l e y b o t t o m s . The s u r f i c i a l o v e r b u r d e n o f P l e i s t o c e n e s e d i m e n t s i s e v e r y where r e l a t i v e l y t h i n .
No d e t a i l e d ~ e o m o r p h o l o g i c a ls t u d y h a s v e t been made of t h i s part i c u l a r a r e a a l t h o u g h t CHAPMAN and PUTNAM (1966) have o u t l i n e d some of t h e
major p h y s i o g r a p h i c f e a t u r e s of R u s s e l l and P r e s c o t t c o u n t i e s ( f i g u r e 2 ) .
Recent r e p o r t s by GADD (1961; 1963) and LE MENESTRAL (1969) d e a l w i t h t h e
a r e a immediately t o t h e e a s t of t h e s t u d y a r e a a d j a c e n t t o t h e FIer Bleu.
The s u r f i c i a l geology of t h e Cornwall a r e a t o t h e s o u t h h a s been mapped
by TERASMAE (1965) and t h e landforms of t h e Rigaud a r e a n e a r Montreal have
been examined by NACPHERSON (1967).
The geomorphic h i s t o r y of t h i s p a r t of t h e Ottawa Valley can be
deduced from t h e s e s t u d i e s and h a s been summarised by PREST (1970). The
r e t r e a t of t h e Wisconsin i c e n o r t h and northwestwards about 1200 y e a r s ago
was followed by a marine i n u n d a t i o n , t h e Champlain S e a , which, a s i s o s t a t i c
rebound took p l a c e , was g r a d u a l l y e x p e l l e d from t h e v a l l e y . The Champlain Sea
was r e l a t i v e l y s h o r t l i v e d s i n c e t h e youngest d e p o s i t s a s s o c i a t e d w i t h t h e
s e a a r e d a t e d a t 9600 y e a r s . GADD (1963) h a s s u g g e s t e d t h a t t h e marine-fluv i a t i l e t r a n s i t i o n occured when t h e s e a l e v e l was a p p r o x i m a t e l y 3251350' O . D . ,
s i n c e no Champlain Sea f e a t u r e s o r d e p o s i t s a r e t o be found a t lower e l e v a t i o n s
i n t h e Ottawa a r e a . The t r a n s i t i o n t o t h e f l u v i a t i l e c o n d i t i o n s was accentua t e d by t h e passage of v a s t q u a n t i t i e s of m e l t w a t e r s t h r o u g h t t h e v a l l e y
from t h e Upper G r e a t e r Lakes and from t h e g l a c i a l l a k e Rarlow-Ojibway. With
c o n t i n u e d i s o s t a t i c r e a d j u s t m e n t and d i m i n i s h i n g d i s c h a r g e s , t h e a n c e s t r a l
d r a i n a g e h a s shrunk exposing a s e r i e s of broad t e r r a c e s and c h a n n e l s graded
t o v a r i o u s bedrock s i l l s and " t h r e s h o l d s " throughout t h e v a l l e y .
Landforms of t h e s t u d y a r e a .
The major landforms a r e i l l u s t r a t e d i n f i g u r e 3. A number of s m a l l ,
n o r t h f a c i n g l i m e s t o n e c u e s t a s rise from beneath a f l a t , p o o r l y d r a i n e d c l a y
p l a i n ( f i g u r e 4 ) . These c u e s t a s r e f l e c t t h e proximity of t h e l i m e s t o n e ben e a t h t h e s u r f a c e and, r i s i n g t o h e i g h t s of 75' t o 1 0 0 ' above t h e s u r r o u n d i n g
p l a i n , a r e t h e most d i s t i n c t i v e f e a t u r e s of t h e a r e a . Thin i n f e r t i l e s o i l s
c h a r a c t e r i z e t h e l i m e s t o n e o u t c r o p s and t h e m a j o r i t y a r e under f o r e s t o r
s c r u b v e g e t a t i o n . O c c a s i o n a l l y , abandoned f i e l d s t e s t i f y t o p r e v i o u s a t t e m p t s
a t c u l t i v a t i o n . The c l a y p l a i n o c c u p i e s l a r g e a r e a s of t h e s t u d y a r e a . It i s
remarkably f l a t and l i e s a t an e l e v a t i o n of between 290' and 300' O.D..
Drainage i s v i a a number of small c r e e k s towards t h e e a s t and n o r t h v i a Bec k e t t s Creek and t h e s o u t h e a s t towards t h e Bear Brook. Many of t h e s t r e a m s
have been modified by d r a i n a g e d i t c h e s i n t h e i r upper s e c t i o n s . The s o i l s ,
where d r a i n e d , a r e f e r t i l e and a r a b l e and mixed farming i s t h e major l a n d use.
Within t h i s g e n e r a l s e t t i n g t h e r e a r e a number of less obviotls geomorphological f e a t u r e s . These a r e now d e s c r i b e d and i n t e r p r e t e d - f n terms of
t h e known geomorphological h i s t o r y of t h e a d j a c e n t a r e a s .
( a ) The S a r s f i e l d E s k e r . A narrow e l o n g a t e d r i d g e can b e t r a c e d f o r
a number of m i l e s p a s s i n g i n a n o r t h s o u t h d i r e c t i o n t h r o u g h t h e s t u d y a r e a .
I t r i s e s o n l y 1 5 ' t o 25' above t h e s u r r o u n d i n g c l a y p l a i n b u t i s c l e a r l y v i s i b l e i n t h e f i e l d and on a i r p h o t o g r a p h s . It r u n s d i r e c t l y t h r o u g h t h e
s m a l l v i l l a g e of S a r s f i e l d , where t h e church i s s i t e d on t h e t o p e o f t h e
r i d g e , and e x t e n d s s o u t h p a s t Leonard towards t h e Bear Brook. A number o f
non a g r i c u l t u r a l l a n d u s e s ( e . g . g r a v e l and s a n d p i t s ; garbage dumps) a r e
associated with t h e ridge.
An e x p o s u r e i n t h e s i t e o f t h e f e a t u r e was examined a p p r o x i m a t e l y
o n e m i l e n o r t h o f S a r s f i e l d v i l l a g e ( f i g u r e 5). S t r a t i f i e d c o a r s e g r a v e l s
and s a n d s , w i t h l a r g e rounded b o u l d e r s , were s e e n t o b e o v e r l a i n by reworked
s i l t s , s a n d s and g r a v e l s , c o n t a i n i n g marine s h e l l s (Macoma a r i c u s ; H i a t e l l a
b a l t h i c a ) which g r a d e downslope, away from t h e r i d g e , i n t o medium f i n e s a n d s .
The l a t t e r r e s t upon t h e s i l t y c l a y s of t h e c l a y p l a i n . From t h e s e o b s e r v a t i o n s i t would a p p e a r t h a t a r i d g e of f l u v i o g l a c i a l m a t e r i a l s h a s b e e n p a r t i a l l y b u r i e d b e n e a t h s i l t s and c l a y s d u r i n g a d e e ~w a t e r n h a s e of t h e Champ l a i n S e a , and t h e n s u b s e q u e n t l y m o d i f i e d by wave a c t i o n d u r i n g a s h a l l o w
w a t e r p h a s e . The smooth, a l m o s t i n d i s t i n c t form o f o t h e r g l a c i a l f e a t u r e s i n
E a s t e r n O n t a r i o h a s a l s o b e e n commented upon by GADD (1961) and TERASllAE
(1965) and t h i s c h a r a c t e r i s t i c a p p e a r s t o b e t y p i c a l o f a r e a s s u b s e q u e n t l y
o c c u p i e d by t h e Champlain Sea.
( b ) F l u v i o - g l a c i a l d e p o s i t s n o r t h e a s t o f Navan. An e x t e n s i v e d e p o s i t
o f g l a c i a l l y d e r i v e d m a t e r i a l forms a b r o a d r i d g e e x t e n d i n g n o r t h w e s t w a r d s
f o r - o v e r one m i l e from t h e f o o t o f t h e l a r g e l i m e s t o n e c u e s t a 2 m i l e s e a s t n o r t h - e a s t o f Navan. A t i t s maximum, t h e r i d g e rises 3 0 ' - 50' above t h e
s u r r o u n d i n g t e r r a i n and i s between one t h i r d and one q u a r t e r o f a m i l e i n
w i d t h . The r i d g e h a s been e x t e n s i v e l y e x p l o i t e d f o r s a n d and b a l l a s t and a n
e x a m i n a t i o n of t h e e x c a v a t i o n s r e v e a l e d a wide r a n g e o f materials. I n some
a r e a s h i g h l y s t r a t i f i e d s a n d s and g r a v e l s o v e r l a y a l m o s t s t r u c t u r e l e s s b o u l d e r y g r a v e l s o r c l a y till. I n o t h e r a r e a s , s t r a t i f i e d c o a r s e s a n d s and g r a v e l c o m p r i s e s t h e m a j o r i t y of t h e s e c t i o n exposed. A l l o f t h e s e m a t e r i a l s ,
however, are o v e r l a i n by 1 0 ' - 2 0 ' o f t h e s i l t y c l a y g r a d i n g upwards i n t o
b o u l d e r y s a n d s and g r a v e l s . An abundance of marine s h e l l s i n e x c e s s o f 30''
i n t h i c k n e s s a r e t o b e found i n t h i s l a y e r ( f i g u r e 6 ) . It a p p e a r s t h e r e f o r e ,
t h a t t h i s f e a t u r e a l s o h a s b e e n wave-washed by t h e Champlain S e a a t a l a t e r
d a t e and was t h e s i t e o f calm l i t t o r a l c o n d i t i o n s .
The o r i g i n o f t h e g l a c i a l l y d e r i v e d s e d i m e n t s which c o n s t i t u t e t h e
bulk of t h e f e a t u r e is d i f f i c u l t t o determine, n o t only because of t h e heter o g e n e i t y o f t h e m a t e r i a l s b u t a l s o b e c a u s e o f t h e t r u n c a t i o n and m o d i f i c a t i o n s c a u s e d by t h e d e p o s i t i o n o f t h e o v e r l y i n g m a r i n e s e d i m e n t s . A w a t e r
m o d i f i e d m o r a i n i c d e p o s i t , o r more s i m p l y , a kame, i s one p o s s i b i l i t y ; c r e v a s s e f i l l i n g s a n d / o r a b l a t i o n moraine a s s o c i a t e d w i t h dead i c e i s an a l t e r n a t i v e p o s s i b i l i t y . However, n e i t h e r o f t h e s e h y p o t h e s e s can b e s u b s t a n t i a t e d
w i t h o u t i n f o r m a t i o n on t h e n a t u r e o f i c e r e t r e a t i n t h e a r e a . It may b e t h a t
t h e l i m e s t o n e outcrop immediately t o t h e s o u t h i n f l u e n c e d t h e n a t u r e o f t h e
i c e r e t r e a t , e s p e c i a l l y i f t h e i c e s h e e t was v e r y t h i n . Assuming a n i c e r e t r e a t
j
t o t h e n o r t h w e s t , t h e bedrock may have a c t e d a s an o b s t r u c t i o n t o d i v e r t
i c e t o e i t h e r s i d e , t h u s c a u s i n g t h e decay of i c e immediately n o r t h w e s t
of t h e c u e s t a and t h e d e p o s i t i o n of s e d i m e n t s i n an ice m a r g i n a l f a s h i o n
from t h e a c t i v e l o b e s . It i s s i g n i f i c a n t t h a t t h e t r e n d of t h e r i d g e i s
s i m i l a r t o t h e alignment of t h e e a s t e r n p a r t o f t h e escarpment.
( c ) Champlain Sea b o u l d e r beaches and beach r i d g e s . On t h e s o u t h e r n
f l a n k s of t h e l i m e s t o n e o u t c r o p n o r t h e a s t of Navan o c c u r s e v e r a l a r e a s
of b o u l d e r beaches a t e l e v a t i o n s c l o s e t o t h e minimum h e i g h t f o r t h e Champ l a i n Sea ( i . e . 3 2 5 ' ) . They a r e n o t a s w e l l developed a s i n o t h e r a r e a s
( s e e TERASMAE, 1960) s i n c e t h e t h i c k n e s s of g l a c i a l m a t e r i a l was n e v e r
g r e a t on t h e u p s t a n d i n g r i d g e s . I n s t e a d , t h e b o u l d e r beaches t a k e t h e form
o f a s c o u r e d l i m e s t o n e s u r f a c e w i t h e r r a t i c b o u l d e r s up t o 18" i n d i a m e t e r
r e s t i n g on t h e s u r f a c e . A more t y p i c a l a r e a o f t h e b o u l d e r beaches and
beach r i d g e s o c c u r t o t h e vest of Canaan H i l l , 2 miles n o r t h e a s t of Leonard,
where presumably, s u r f i c i a l t h i c k n e s s e s were g r e a t e r .
D i s c u s s i o n and Conclusions.
The landforms of t h e a r e a i l l u s t r a t e many a s p e c t s o f t h e g l a c i a l
and l a t e g l a c i a l h i s t o r y o f t h e a r e a . The n a t u r e and d i s t r i b u t i o n o f t h e
g l a c i a l and g l a c i o f l u v i a l d e p o s i t s p r o b a b l y r e f l e c t i c e r e t r e a t i n a n o r t h
o r n o r t h w e s t e r l y d i r e c t i o n . The importance of bedrock i n c o n t r o l l i n g o r
i n f l u e n c i n g i c e r e t r e a t i s c o n j e c t u r a l b u t i t i s perhaps s i g n i f i c a n t t h a t
n o r t h of Canaan IIi11, outsidelof t h e s t u d y a r e a , and t h e o n l y o t h e r l a r g e
c u e s t a f e a t u r e i n t h e a r e a , t h e r e i s a s i m i l a r l y l o c a t e d d e p o s i t of g l a c i a l
o r g l a c i o f l u v i a l m a t e r i a l s . I n t h e Ottawa map a r e a CADD (1963, p.2) h a s a l s o
commented upon t h e r o l e o f bedrock i n c o n t r o l l i n g i c e movement i n t h e Huntley
and S t i t t s v i l l e a r e a .
-
The importance of t h e Champlain Sea i n modifying and sometimes
o b l i t e r a t i n g g l a c i a l f e a t u r e s i s w e l l i l l u s t r a t e d i n t h i s a r e a . The S a r s f i e l d e s k e r h a s been almost c o m p l e t e l y b u r i e d by d e p o s i t i o n of Champlain Sea
s e d i m e n t s w h i l e t h e g l a c i o f l u v i a l r i d g e n o r t h e a s t of Navan h a s been t r u n c a t e d and smoothed by Champlain Sea a c t i v i t y . It i s i m o o s s i b l e t o judge how
many o t h e r g l a c i a l f e a t u r e s have been d e s t r o y e d o r b u r i e d , and t h i s makes any
i n t e r p r e t a t i o n of t h e i c e r e t r e a t p a t t e r n s r a t h e r hazardous i n E a s t e r n O n t a r i o .
The t r a n s i t i o n from marine t o f u l l y f l u v i a l and s u b a r e a 1 c o n d i t i o n s ,
f o l l o w i n g on t h e r e t r e a t of t h e Champlain S e a , i s r e l a t i v e l y e a s i e r t o d e t e r mine. With r e s p e c t t o t h e s t u d y a r e a , however, i t i s n e c e s s a r y t o r e f e r t o
f e a t u r e s o u t s i d e of t h e a r e a t o d e t e r m i n e t h e n a t u r e o f d r a i n a g e e v o l u t i o n .
The f o l l o w i n g s t a g e s can be e n v i s a g e d :
( I ) The emergence of bedrock promontories a s " i s l a n d s " w i t h i n t h e
Champlain Sea a s t h e w a t e r l e v e l dropped t o 250' i n t h e f i n a l s t a g e s of withd r a w a l . Canaan H i l l , r i s i n g t o o v e r 400', and t h e l i m e s t o n e o u t c r o p 2 m i l e s
n o r t h e a s t of Navan r i s i n g t o 380' would have been t h e most prominent a r e a s
FIGURE I : Location of study area.
.
-'
FAULT
CLAY
MILE5
KMS
I
0
25
50
SAND
I---------t------l
0
FINE
40
e
s w m p
80
LINE
PLAINS
PLAINS
SAND
PLAINS
FIGURE 2: Major physiographic features of Russell and Prescott Counties.
ESKER
R l DGE
G L A C I O - FLUVIAL
RIDGE
LIMESTONE
CUESTAS
VALLEY-SIDE
SLOPES
BEDROCK
BOULDER
FIGURE 3:
M a p o f landforms of study a r e a .
FIGURE 4: View of c l a y plain w i t h wooded limestone cuesta
feature emerging from beneath surf ic ial materials
.
BEACHES
FIGURE 5: Exposure on eastern side of fluvio-glacial ridge
near Sarsfield. Fluvio-glacial gravels are overlain by sands and gravels reworked by the Champlain
Sea.
B
of emergence. Reach f e a t u r e s were b u i l t on t h e s o u t h e r n f l a n k s of t h e s e cuestas.
( 2 ) A t t h e t i m e o f l o w e s t w a t e r l e v e l , 325' O . D . , t h e g l a c i o f l u v i a l
r i d g e n o r t h east o f Navan and t h e S a r s f i e l d e s k e r r o s e w i t h i n r e a c h o f l i t t o r a l wave a c t i o n and p r o b a b l y emerged a s s h o a l f e a t u r e s .
( 3 ) The a c t u a l t r a n s i t i o n from m a r i n e t o f l u v i a t i l e c o n d i t i o n s was
p r o b a b l y b r i e f s i n c e i t o c c u r e d when w a t e r l e v e l s were v e r y c l o s e t o t h e
h e i g h t of t h e m a r i n e c l a y p l a i n . A s h o r t p e r i o d o f d e l t a i c c o n d i t i o n s saw
t h e d e p o s i t i o n o f a v e n e e r of s a n d s o v e r t h a r e a a t a b o u t 3 0 0 1 , t o b e f o l lowed a l m o s t i m m e d i a t e l y by t h e c o n c e n t r a t i o n of w a t e r i n w e l l d e f i n e d chann e l s t o t h e n o r t h and s o u t h o f t h e s t u d y a r e a , T h i s p r o b a b l y r e f l e c t e d t h e
g r e a t e r t h i c k n e s s e s of s o f t s u r f i c i a l m a t e r i a l s i n t h e s e a r e a s and e a s i e r
d o w n c u t t i n g . The Mer Eleu c h a n n e l , s o u t h o f t h e s t u d v a r e a , w a s t h e m a j o r
r o u t e b u t a l a r g e t r i b u t a r y followed t h e depression n o r t h of t h e f a u l t e d
l i m e s t o n e b l o c k and t o t h e s o u t h of t h e S h i e l d e s c a r p m e n t . T h i s c o n n e c t e d
w i t 1 1 t h e Mer E l e u c h a n n e l v i a t h e f a u l t g u i d e d d e p r e s s i o n now o c c u p i e d by
B e c k e t t s Creek. Thus, t h e s t u d y a r e a q u i c k l y became p a r t of a low, s t r u c t u r a l l y c o n t r o l l e d i s l a n d i n t h e proto-Ottawa R i v e r .
( 4 ) The abandonment of t h e Ffer Rleu c h a n n e l , (and a l s o p r o b a b l y
t h e Becl;etts Creek d e p r e s s i o n ) o c c u r r e d a b o u t 6750 y e a r s ago (LE IIENESTIWL,
1 9 6 9 ) . D r a i n a g e was s u b s e q u e n t l y d i v e r t e d n o r t h o f t h e l i m e s t o n e b l o c k a l o n g
t h e p r e s e n t l i n e of t h e Ottawa R i v e r . With t h e c o n t i n u e d d o w n c u t t i n g of t h e
O t t a w a R i v e r , t h e embryonic D e c k e t t s Creek a c q u i r e d e r o s i v e a b i l i t y and c u t
b a c k a l o n g t h e l i n e of t h e f a u l t g u i d e d d e p r e s s i o n p r e v i o u s l y c o n n e c t i n g t h e
two c h a n n e l s , t h u s c a p t u r i n g h e a d w a t e r s o f t h e s t r e a m s d r a i n i n g e a s t w a r d s
from t h e s t u d v a r e a .
1
References
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HOBSON, G . D . (1970). Bedrock f e a t u r e s o f t h e Mer Bleu: e v a l u a t i o n by s e i s m i c
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M o n t r e a l Lowlands. C a h i e r s de Ggographie de QuEbec, Vol. 2 3 ,
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Qu6bec. G e o l o g i c a l Survey Canada, Nemoir 241.