Delaware Water Gap - Essay Example

Download file to see previous pages The deepest point of the river is about 55 feet (Hickman, 2004). The river is about a mile wide separating New Jersey from Pennsylvania. There are various theories that explain the development of the Delaware Water Gap.  Currently, it is said to have developed through a series of processes which included the continental shift, mountain building, erosion and capturing of streams and rivers.
It is believed that over 450 million years ago, there was a continental shift that led to the collision of Africa and North America (Hickman, 2004). The impact caused by this collision caused the earth crust to rise leading to the formation of mountains along the collision lines. The Appalachian ranges, as well as the Kittantinny Mountains, were formed during this collision. The rivers and streams that flowed along these mountains carried pebbles and sand to the West. The sand and pebbles were deposited in layers. These layers became compacted and erosion resistant forming a conglomerate rock known as the Shawangunk Formation.
The Shawanguk Formation is a gray quartzite that is highly resistant to water erosion. Over millions of years, different types of rocks were laid on top of the Shawanguk formation. About 300 million years ago, during the mountain building era, pressure built that forced the compacted layers of rock to fold and crumple (Hickman, 2004). The geological pressures during the mountain building era shattered the layers of rock. The shattered layers were eroded with time at different rates. ...Download file to see next pagesRead More