CAVE SEDIMENTATION, GENESIS, AND EROSIONAL HISTORY IN THE CHEAT RIVERCANYON, WEST-VIRGINIA

A model of cave sedimentation and genesis is used to gain greater reso lution and accuracy in the calculation of an incision rate for Cheat R iver, West Virginia. Maze caves along the river and their primary sedi ments were created and deposited beneath base level. Single conduit ca ves are largely unrelated to base level and their sediments are derive d from overlying strata. A magnetostratigraphic record is reported for cave sediments within the canyon. The magnetostratigraphy of each sam ple is plotted versus elevation relative to base level and depositiona l environment (vadose or phreatic). The resulting chart accurately dep icts the range of error associated ,vith using cave sediments as indic ators of previous base-level positions. This technique can be applied within any future studies using cave sediments for deriving incision r ates of rivers. The calculated incision rate of Cheat River within the study area is between 56.0 and 63.2 mm/k.y.