Glaciation in Ohio and impacts of glaciation in Ohio - Essay Example

Glaciation and Impact of Glaciation in Ohio The region of Ohio is considered to have been formed owing to glaciers that were scoured and washed down from Canada. Within the last 1.6 million years three quarters of Ohio’s geological surface was covered with ice (Department of Natural Resources, 2006). Oxygen isotope analysis has proved that almost twelve glaciations have occurred in the area during the Pleistocene age. Recently, Ohio had been covered by two major glaciations- Wisconsinan and Illinoian.

Prior to the Pleistocene glaciation in Ohio, Lake Eerie did not exists and in its place a major river named Erigans Rivers flowed in its place (Hansen, 2015)The most important impact of glaciation is the materials that have been left behind by the sheets of ice. These materials includes particles of clay, sand, gravel and rock debris. Most of the materials that had been deposited both above and under the surface of water as a result of glaciation has resulted in formation of geographical features called eskers and kames (Peacefull, 1996).

The numerous kames that are found in Portage and Summit counties are a result of deposition of glaciation materials in-between ice sheets that protruded southwards. Comparatively eskers are rare in Ohio although one may encounter eskers in Portage County. Another major impact of glaciation in Ohio is the formation of the glacial lakes. The deposits of these lakes were primarily constituted of fine clay and silt particles.Changes in the drainage pattern of Ohio is also a result of glaciation which disrupted the northwest flow of the River Teays and its tributaries which helped in the formation of Lake Tight in southern OhioReferencesDepartment of natural Resources. (2006). Galcial Map of Ohio.

Retrieved from http://geosurvey.ohiodnr.gov/portals/geosurvey/PDFs/Glacial/glacial.pdf on 19/4/2015.Hansen, M.C.(2015). The Ice age in Ohio.Department of Ntaural Sciences. Retrived from http://www.case.edu/affil/sigmaxi/Other/Ice_Age_in_Ohio.pdf on 19/4/2015.Peacefull,L.(1996). A geography of Ohio. KentSate University press: Ohio. ISBN- 0-87338-525-X.