Exposures of Silurian Rochester Shale in the banks of the Erie Barge Canal and a few other exposures. The Rochester is a grey, richly fossiliferous Silurian shale found in the area between Rochester, NY and Clappisons Corners,ON. It overlies the Irondequoit Dolomite and underlies the DeCew and Gasport Dolomites. It is known for its spectacular trilobites and crinoids, but fossils from the Rochester are very diverse. Unfortunately, because the dip of the formations is low, and the shale is very soft there are very few exposures. Exposures will be on the North side of the Niagara Escarpment between Rochester, NY and Clappisons Corners, ON.
East to West. These are locations where the Rochester Shale is exposed. * = localites that are know to yield fossils.
1 | Wolcott | Wayne | NY | possibly at Wolcott falls on N side of Mill St West of Cemetery St | 43.2214N,-76.8120W | map |
2 | Rochester | Monroe | NY | Eastman-Kodak (details unknown.There were/are a number of Eastman-Kodak properties in the Rochester area. Lat Long is an arbitrarily selected EK property | 43.1659N,-77.6198W | map |
3 | Gates* | Monroe | NY | Assumed to refer to the Barge Canal site East of Long Pond Road midway between Gates and Greece | 43.1824W,-77.6981W | map |
4 | Gates Canal* | Monroe | NY | Assumed to refer to the Barge Canal site East of Long Pond Road midway between Gates and Greece | 43.1824N,-77.6981W | map |
5 | Rochester* | Monroe | NY | Barge Canal. East of Long Pond Road -- Use Marina Drive as Destination for GPSes. Exposures between Long Pond Road and Rt390 in Dec-Apr when canal not full of water | 43.1824N,-77.6981W | map |
6 | Brockport* | Monroe | NY | Temporary exposures in 1989 during construction of Wegman's Plaza on NY31a 500m W of junction of NY31/NY19 | 43.1949N,-77.9543W | map |
7 | Fancher | Orleans | NY | 1km W In shale pit at Howard Farms 1.8km N of NY31 just E of Hindsburg Rd | 43.2543N,-78.1054W | map |
8 | Middleport* | Erie County | NY | Possibly a reference to Caleb's Quarry, but may refer to some other quarry or material exposed along the barge canal. | 43.2012N,-78.4609W? | map |
9 | Middleport* | Erie | NY | Caleb's Quarry. Probably part of a complex of small quarries at 43.2012N,-78.4609W | 43.2012N,-78.4609W | map |
A | Middleport | Erie County | NY | Along tributary of Jeddo Creek 500m S of NY31. 1.4km E of Freeman Rd This seems to be very close to Caleb's Quarry | 43.2009N,-78.4578W | map |
B | Gasport | Niagara | NY | 3.2km NW Along unnamed Creek S of NY31 and 100m W of Cottage Rd | 43.1856N,-78.6137W | map |
C | Gasport | Niagara | NY | Gasport Nature Center (There apparently is no such place.) Possibly a reference to Royalton Ravine County Park on Gasport Road about 1.5km S of Gasport. There apparently are bedrock exposures in the ravine, but it is not clear whether the Rochester Shale is exposed there. | 43.1861N,-78.5757W | map |
D | Lockport* | Niagara | NY | Canal dumps | 43.1718N,-78.6910W | map |
E | Lockport* | Niagara | NY | At 10acre quarry -- Assume the caleb quarry in Middleport | 43.2012N,-78.4609W | map |
F | Lockport* | Niagara | NY | 800m N of NY31 along West Branch of Eighteen Mile Creek 300m W of NYCentral RR tracks -- aka "Lockport Gulf" | 43.1762N,-78.7218W | map |
G | Lockport | Niagara | NY | Possibly along NY429-Lockport Junction Rd- W of Lockport | 43.1685N,-78.7543W | map |
H | Lewiston | Niagara | NY | In Fish Creek Gully just W of Lewiston Heights and 800m S of Artpark | 43.1594N,-79.0438W | map |
I | Lewiston | Niagara | NY | 2.5km S in walls of Niagara Gorge 200m N of Robert Moses Hydroelectric Plant. | 43.1472N,-79.0409W | map |
J | Niagara Gorge | Niagara | NY | 43.1472N,-79.0409W | map | |
K | Niagara Gorge | Niagara RA | ON | 43.1431N,-79.0444W | map | |
L | St Catharines | Niagara RA | ON | Assumed to be DeCew Hydro plant site | 43.1201N,-79.2637W | map |
M | St Catherines | Niagara RA | ON | In Cliff of Niagara Escarpment behind DeCew Hydro plant | 43.1201N,-79.2637W | map |
N | DeCew Falls | Niagara RA | ON | 43.1084N,-79.2761W | map | |
O | Thorald | Niagara RA | ON | in bottom of Lock3 of the Weyland Canal | 43.1329N,-79.1925W | map |
P | Grimsby | Niagara RA | ON | 43.1949N,-79.5582W | map | |
Q | Stoney Creek | Wentworth | ON | 43.2188N,-79.7661W | map | |
R | Ancaster | Wentworth | ON | 43.2088N,-80.0012W | map | |
S | Clappisons Corners | Wentworth | ON | 43.3082N,-79.9107W | map |
Latitude-Longitude
Barge Canal, Rochester 43.1824N -77.6981W
Description
- Barge Canal in Rochester/Greece/Gates
- Silurian invertebrate fossils in gray Rochester Shale along banks and in canal which may not be full of water in Dec-April. The shale is exposed in both banks of the canal starting 100 meters or so East of the Long Pond Road and becoming thicker as one hikes East. It is best entered from the paths along the canal at points near Long Pond Road as points further East would require scaling/descending a shear wall of rotten shale.
Directions to the site
- Barge Canal in Rochester/Greece/Gates
- In Rochester from Long Pond Road Northbound from junction with Gates-Greece Towline Road
- cross the canal
- Take first right onto Canal Landing Road
- then take first right on Marina Drive
- park at turn circle at end (preferably not next to the fire hydrant). Walk South to canal.
View East along the canal in mid April 2011. The talus along the shore is not Rochester Shale, it's an overlying dolomitic limestone -- DeCew or Gasport Formation presumably. The Rochester exposure starts 50 meters to the East.
View of Rochester Shale exposures in the South Bank of the canal. The dark, layered material is Rochester Shale.
Rochester Shale on the North side of the Canal.
DIRECTIONS TO SITE FROM (will change to a different site) Montreal, QC Albany, NY Buffalo, NY Pittsburg PA Warning: The directions options switch you to another web site. They might be slow and may not work properly in all browsers.
Maps
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Terrain map Satellite map Navigation map Rules and Access
No restrictions if one can find access to the canal?
- "-","-","NY","Foote -- Striispirifer-Amphistrophia community of the Homocrinus beds of the Rochester Shale","Silurian","Rochester","Cornulites,corals-Favosites,Cheilotrypa;sponges-Astraeospongia;brachiopods- Dalejina,Dicoelosia,Homoeospira,Amphistrophia,Coolinia,Leptaena,Eoplectodonta, Stegerhynchus,Striispirifer,Trematospira,Whitfieldella,Atrypa,Craniops; bryozoa-Lichenalia,Trematopora,Fenestella,Phylloporina; trilobites-Bumastus,Arctinurus,Radnoria,Dalmanites,Trimerus,Calymene; gastropods-Naticonema;cephalopods-Dawsonoceras; bivalves-Cornellites;edrioasteroidea-Hemicystites; crinoids-Caryocrinites,Lyriocrinus,Homocrinus,Asaphocrinus,Icthyocrinus, Macrostylocrinus,Dendrocrinus;starfish-Asteroidea;graptolites-Reticulograptus", "NY0824","Cheilotrypa orginally Chilotrypa","paleodb.org-12936","42.2669,-77.8194, ,MCU","|", , ,
- "-","-","NY","Stephanocrinus angulatus-Caryocrinites ornatus Assoc., Lower Rochester Shale-Frest et al. (1999)","Silurian","Rochester","crinoids-Callocystites,Caryocrinites,Cupulocorona,Stephanocrinus,Dimerocrinites,Hagnocrinus, Calceocrinus,Catatonocrinus,Charactocrinus,Crinobrachiatus,Eohalysiocrinus?,Paracolocrinus,Asaphocrinus,Icthyocrinus,Lecanocrinus ,Macrostylocrinus","NY1167", ,"paleodb.org-26801","42.2669,-77.8194, ,MCU","|", , ,
- "Middleport","Erie","NY","A few well preserved complete Arctinurus","Silurian","Rochester","Trilobites-Arctinurus","NY0185", , ,"42.7906,-75.5603, ,MCU","|", , ,
- "Middleport","Erie","NY", , , ,"trilobites,blastoidea,graptolites","NY0184", , ,"42.7906,-75.5603, ,MCU","|", , ,
- "Middleport?","Erie","NY","at Caleb's Quarry. 12 Acre quarry","Silurian","Rochester","diverse fossils","NY0186", , ,"43.204941,-78.472822, ,CU","|", , ,
- "Gates","Monroe","NY","Amphistrophia-Coolinia Comm., Rochester Sh., Lewiston Mbr., Submbr. D, Gates, NY-Brett (1999)","Silurian","Rochester","corals-Enterolasma;brachiopods-Lingula,Dalejina,Resserella,Amphistrophia,Coolinia,Dictyonella, Leptaena,Eoplectodonta,Stegerhynchus,Eospirifer,Whitfieldella,Atrypa,Craniops;bryozoa-Lichenalia; trilobites-Bumastus,Dalmanites,Trimerus,Calymene;gastropods-Platyceras,Naticonema;cephalopods-Dawsonoceras,Kionoceras; bivalves-Cornellites;crinoids-Dendrocrinus,Saccocrinus;graptolites-Reticulograptus","NY1173", ,"paleodb.org-26863", ,"|", , ,
- "Gates Canal","Monroe","NY","In largely unfossiliferous shale","Silurian","Rochester","rare bryozoa","NY0363", , ,"42.827617,-78.848291, ,CU","|", , ,
- "Rochester","Monroe","NY","500 meters E of Long Pond Road in banks of Erie Canal (Barge Canal) when drained from December to May","Silurian","Rochester","trilobites - Trimerus,brachiopods,corals","NY0373", , ,"42.0444,-77.6539, ,MCU","|", , ,
- "Rochester","Monroe","NY","Exposure of Rochester Shale on Eastman-Kodak property in Rochester","Silurian","Rochester","?","NY0222","Original said Genesee County", ,"42.0444,-77.6539, ,MCU","|", , ,
- "Lockport","Niagara","NY","At 1910 N bank canal wall at locks E of the Pine Street Bridge","Silurian","Rochester","invertebrates-cephalopods","NY0404", , ,"43.1706,-78.6906, ,MCU","|", , ,
- "Lockport","Niagara","NY","At 1910 canal dumps at N end of Widewaters Bridge","Silurian","Rochester","invertebrates-cephalopods","NY0405", , ,"43.1706,-78.6906, ,MCU","|", , ,
- "Lockport","Niagara","NY","At 1910 canal dumps at State Canal Dry Dock area","Silurian","Rochester","invertebrates-cephalopods","NY0406", , ,"43.1706,-78.6906, ,MCU","|", , ,
- "Lockport","Niagara","NY","At Gasport Nature Center[?]","Silurian","Rochester","invertebrates-cephalopods","NY0407", ,"http://www.lockport-ny.com","43.1706,-78.6906, ,MCU","|", , ,
- "Lockport","Niagara","NY","Homocrinus-Asaphocrinus Assoc., Rochester Shale, Lockport (= Striispirifer-Amphistrophia Community)-Frest et al. (1999)","Silurian","Rochester Shale","ichnofossils,corals-Favosites,Cheilotrypa;sponges,brachiopods-Dalejina,Resserella,Amphistrophia,Coolinia,Leptaena, Eoplectodonta,Pholidops,Stegerhynchus?,Homoeospira,Striispirifer,Trematospira,Whitfieldella,Atrypa,Atrypina; bryozoa-Lichenalia,Trematopora,Fenestella,Phylloporina; trilobites-Bumastus,Arctinurus,Proetus?,Dalmanites,Trimerus,Calymene;Ostracoda-Paraechmina;gastropods-Naticonema; bivalves-Cornellites;tenticulatids-Cornulites;edrioasteroidea-Hemicystites; crinoids-Caryocrinites,Dimerocrinites,Lyriocrinus,Crinobrachiatus,Saccocrinus,Homocrinus,Asaphocrinus,Icthyocrinus, Eucalyptocrinites,Macrostylocrinus,Dendrocrinus;Asteroidea-Palaeaster;Ophiuroids-Protaster;graptolites-Dictyonema", "NY1171","Cheilotrypa orginally Chilotrypa","paleodb.org-26854","43.1706,-78.6906, ,MCU","|", , ,
- "Lockport","Niagara","NY","In debris piles used for fill along the barge canal at bridges and at drydock area","Silurian","Rochester","Crinoids,trilobites","NY0409", , ,"43.1706,-78.6906, ,MCU","|", , ,
- "Lockport","Niagara","NY","along canal in old spoil piles","Silurian","Rochester","diverse fossils","NY0412", , ,"43.1706,-78.6906, ,MCU","|", , ,
- "Niagara Gorge","Niagara","NY","Complete section from Cambrian to Silurian exposed","Silurian","Rochester","invertebrates-cephalopods","NY0416", , , ,"|", , ,
- "Wolcott","Wayne","NY","Amphistrophia-Coolinia Comm., Rochester Sh., Lewiston Mbr., Submbr. C, Wolcott, NY-Brett (1999)","Silurian","Rochester", "invertebrates-brachiopods-Lingula,Dalejina,Amphistrophia,Coolinia,Leptaena,Eoplectodonta,Rhynchotreta,Stegerhynchus, Eospirifer,Whitfieldella,Atrypa,Craniops; trilobites-Dalmanites,Trimerus,Calymene;gastropods-Platyceras,Naticonema;nautiloids;bivalves-Cornellites; crinoids-Dendrocrinus,Saccocrinus","NY1174", ,"paleodb.org-26864", ,"|", , ,
- "Grimsby","Niagara RA","ON", ,"Silurian Middle","Rochester","Brachiopods -Opsiconidion","ON0080", , ,"43.195223,-79.559053, ,CU","|", , ,
- "Niagara Gorge","Niagara RA","ON","Complete section from Cambrian to Silurian exposed","Silurian","Rochester","invertebrates-cephalopods","ON0083", , , ,"|", , ,
- "St Catharines","Niagara RA","ON","In area streambed exposures","Silurian","Rochester","Trilobites - Arctinurus,Dalmanites","ON0090", , ,"43.172994,-79.236745, ,CU","|", , ,
- "Clappisons Corners","Wentworth","ON","in 60cm section","Silurian","Rochester","invertebrates-cephalopods","ON0166","Original says Hamilton County", , ,"|", , ,
None
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