Waterpower : a geophysical and archaeological investigation of the waterpower system at the West Point Foundry, Cold Spring, New York

Waterpower: A Geophysical and Archaeological Investigation of the Waterpower System at the West Point Foundry, Cold Spring, New York, describes the results of ground penetrating radar surveys and archaeological excavation undertaken by Michigan Technological University (MTU) archaeologists during the summer of 2003 at the West Point Foundry, Cold Spring, New York. 2003 constituted MTU's second field season at the foundry. Fieldwork concentrated on the foundry's waterpower system, an intricate network of surface and subsurface drains, races, flumes, waterwheels, turbines, dams, and ponds that powered operations and regulated water flow throughout the site. Archaeologists utilized non-destructive geophysical technology, which expedited survey, facilitated placement of excavation units, and provided a model for future archaeogeophysical research at industrial sites. Features discovered during excavation provided valuable information pertaining to the waterpower system's construction and its functions. Data from ground penetrating radar surveys, archaeological excavation, historical photographs, documents, and maps permitted the development of a provisional chronology of the development of various components of the West Point Foundry's waterpower system. Information gathered during this project serves as an aid in sit interpretation and rehabilitation.

A PETROPHYSICAL EVALUATION OF THE TRENTON-BLACK RIVER FORMATION OF THE MICHIGAN BASIN

This work is conducted to study the geological and petrophysical features of the Trenton- Black River limestone formation. Log curves, crossplots and mineral identification methods using well-log data are used to determine the components and analyze changes in lithology. Thirty-five wells from the Michigan Basin are used to define the mineralogy of Trenton-Black River limestone. Using the different responses of a few log curves, especially gamma-ray, resistivity and neutron porosity, the formation tops for the Utica shale, the Trenton limestone, the Black River limestone and the Prairie du Chien sandstone are identified to confirm earlier authors’ work and provide a basis for my further work. From these, an isopach map showing the thickness of Trenton-Black River formation is created, indicating that its maximum thickness lies in the eastern basin and decreases gradually to the west. In order to obtain more detailed lithological information about the limestone formations at the thirty-five wells, (a) neutron-density and neutron-sonic crossplots, (b) mineral identification methods, including the M-N plot, MID plot, ϱmaa vs. Umaa MID plot, and the PEF plot, and (c) a modified mineral identification technique are applied to these wells. From this, compositions of the Trenton-Black River formation can be divided into three different rock types: pure limestone, partially dolomitized limestone, and shaly limestone. Maps showing the fraction of dolomite and shale indicate their geographic distribution, with dolomite present more in the western and southwestern basin, and shale more common in the north-central basin. Mineral identification is an independent check on the distribution found from other authors, who found similar distributions based on core descriptions. The Thomas Stieber method of analysis is best suited to sand-shale sequences, interpreting hree different distributions of shale within sand, including dispersed, laminated and structural. Since this method is commonly applied in clastic rocks, my work using the Thomas Stieber method is new, as an attempt to apply this technique, developed for clastics, to carbonate rocks. Based on the original assumption and equations with a corresponding change to the Trenton-Black River formation, feasibility of using the Thomas Stieber method in carbonates is tested. A graphical display of gamma-ray versus density porosity, using the properties of clean carbonate and pure shale, suggests the presence of laminated shale in fourteen wells in this study. Combined with Wilson’s study (2001), it is safe to conclude that when shale occurs in the Trenton-Black River formation, it tends to be laminated shale.