Palisades-Kepler State Park

Palisades-Kepler State Park located a few miles southeast of Cedar Rapids is an area rich with crinoids in the Palisades-Kepler Mound Facies. Experts describe this area as "...a series of coalesced mounded features termed a mound complex." Essentially multitudes of brachiopod molds, crinoid wackestone and packstone fabrics, rugose corals, gastropods, nautiloids, and trilobites are present. What this means for amateurs explorers is an opportunity to observe ancient formations and begin to grasp the significance of our earth's history. (see Palisades-Kepler guidebook # 68)

During our tours to Palisades-Kepler a major question emerged: Why did the Cedar River cut through the rock here instead of making its way around through softer materials? In at least three places that we know, the Cedar did just that - cut through hard rock. One is just up river at the intersection of Hwys 30 and 13. The Cedar cut through a bank and before it did, much ancient glacial sand was left behind and is evident today along with the newer layers of sand left from modern floods. Another cut through is at the old landfill, formerly known as the quarry on the south east edge of the City, but on the SW side. It is diagonally across from Cargill and the remainder of the ledge is evident there. So, why did the Cedar cut through instead of go around? John Dunkhase posits with a similar case of the Black Canyon of the Gunnison, that, a channel started by cutting through a softer material on top of the hard rock. Then, when the water ground down to the hard rock, the channel was in place and the water continued on this path as the one of least resistance.

Questions: How close did the glacier come in relation to Palisades?
How are paleosols different from "newer" soils? {Is a fossil soil, usually buried; indicates weathering of an earlier, stable land surface. Prior}
What is the relation between the Mt. Vernon Paha and Palisades formation?
An environmental issue rose: Prairie Soils hold water (G Wilhelm) sometimes up to 50%! Today's soils are degraded. What impact does this degradation of the soils have on flooding? In what ways would we have been less vulnerable if the soils were in better condition?

Directions: Travel South on I-380, East on US Hwy 30 about 12 miles. Look for sign on south side of road before Mt. Vernon. Follow park road to the River.