NE Information!

NE Information!

Niagara Escarpment Information

A lot of information exists regarding the Niagara Escarpment and it can take a long time to learn every detail about this geologic feature. Here's a 'short-course' on the escarpment which was put together with the assistance of Network members. If you'd like to contribute some text or illustrations to add to this page, send it to us here!

What is the Niagara Escarpment?

A short definition of the Niagara Escarpment in Wisconsin is: “a discontinuous bedrock-controlled, geomorphologic feature composed of any and all outcrops that form a rock ridge or series of ridges at the bedrock surface along the ‘western’ edge of the Silurian (‘Niagaran’) outcrop belt.” (J. Kluessendorf & D. Mikulic, 2000).

Where exactly is the Niagara Escarpment?
In general, the Niagara Escarpment follows a path along parts of Lake Michigan, Lake Huron, and Lake Erie. Extending from Eastern New York, through Ontario, the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, into Door County and along the east side of Lake Winnebago, and then south as far as Waukesha County, Wisconsin. This feature is named the Niagara Escarpment because Niagara Falls flows over these Silurian-age rocks between New York and Ontario. Click on the map below to see the location of this international scale feature.

In Wisconsin, the Niagara Escarpment follows a northeaster/southwest line from the tip of Door County to the Horicon Marsh. Not all of the escarpment is visible as several areas were cut through by glacial advances and/or were 'buried' by glacial till deposited during their recession. The maps above illustrate the location of the escarpment in Wisconsin based on mapping of the outcrops done by Joanne Kluessendorf and Donald Mikulic.

Here's a list of State-owned lands where you can see the Niagara Escarpment first-hand are listed below, from north to south:

	Ellison Bluff State Natural Area
	Peninsula State Park and Peninsula School Field Trips
	Toft Point State Natural Area
	Bay Shore Blufflands State Natural Area
	Whitefish Dunes State Park
	Newport State Park
	High Cliff State Park and the State Natural Area within it
	Stockbridge Ledge Woods State Natural Area
	Oakfield Ledge State Natural Area
	Mayville Ledge Beech-Maple State Natural Area

MORE TO COME IN THE NEAR FUTURE!

Why is Wisconsin’s Niagara Escarpment unique?

Why is the protection of the Niagara Escarpment important?

What are the issues currently facing the Niagara Escarpment?

Scenic Resource Conservation

Groundwater Contamination

Loss of Wildlife Habitat

Cave & Karst Conservation

Wind Power Generation

Shoreline Development

What is the status of planning and protection for the Niagara Escarpment?

Other Materials of Interest

Reports, Publications & Brochures

Bay-Lake RPC's An Inventory and Assessment of the Resources of the Niagara Escarpment in Wisconsin (a VERY large [45.5 MB] .pdf file which contains lots of maps and descriptive text - click here for a smaller version [7.5 MB] that contains text only)

WDNR's The Niagara Escarpment Study :Inventory Findings 1999-2001 and Considerations for Management (a great resource regarding endangered and unique flora & fauna along the escarpment)

Wisconsin Speleologist: Maribel New Hope Cave History (.pdf format report prepared by Gary K. Soule of the Wisconsin Speleological Society - very large! [19MB] and very detailed!)

Mapping & Characterization of Springs in Brown and Calumet Counties (.pdf format report prepared by the WDNR and UW-Green Bay - October, 2006 [1.76MB])

Northeast Wisconsin Karst Task Force Report (5MB, .pdf)

Maps

Wisconsin's Niagara Escarpment (large format .pdf file with digital terrain model background and escarpment cliff face locations)

Illustrations

Escarpment Formation Process

Geologic Time Scale (.pdf file)

This site was last updated 05/09/07