Tug Hill , sometimes referred to as the Tug Hill Plateau , is an upland region in northern New York state , notable for heavy winter snows . The Tug Hill region is east of Lake Ontario , north of Oneida Lake , and west of the Adirondack Mountains . The region is separated from the Adirondacks by the Black River Valley.
41-563: Although the region was sometimes known as the Tug Hill plateau because its top is flat, it is not a plateau , but rather a cuesta , since it is composed of sedimentary rocks that tip up on one side, rising from about 350 feet (110 m) on the west to over 2,000 feet (610 m) in the east. It covers portions of four Upstate New York counties: Jefferson , Lewis , Oneida , and Oswego . The Tug Hill region comprises an expansive ring of rural and agricultural outlying areas surrounding
82-463: A highland consisting of flat terrain that is raised sharply above the surrounding area on at least one side. Often one or more sides have deep hills or escarpments . Plateaus can be formed by a number of processes, including upwelling of volcanic magma , extrusion of lava , and erosion by water and glaciers . Plateaus are classified according to their surrounding environment as intermontane, piedmont, or continental. A few plateaus may have
123-553: A river was already there, though not necessarily on exactly the same course. Then, subterranean geological forces caused the land in that part of North America to gradually rise by about a centimeter per year for millions of years. An unusual balance occurred: the river that would become the Colorado River was able to erode into the crust of the Earth at a nearly equal rate to the uplift of the plateau. Now, millions of years later,
164-513: A small flat top while others have wider ones. Plateaus can be formed by a number of processes, including upwelling of volcanic magma, extrusion of lava, plate tectonics movements, and erosion by water and glaciers. Volcanic plateaus are produced by volcanic activity . The Columbia Plateau in the north-western United States is an example. They may be formed by upwelling of volcanic magma or extrusion of lava. The underlining mechanism in forming plateaus from upwelling starts when magma rises from
205-618: A sparsely populated "core" region. The majority of the region's population is concentrated in villages that are situated primarily at the region's outer edge. The greater Tug Hill region is defined in New York State law as encompassing the following 41 towns in four counties , with a total area of approximately 2,100 square miles (5,400 km): Within the greater Tug Hill area lies the "core" Tug Hill region, defined not by municipal boundaries but rather by its continuous forests, minimal roads and sparse population. The stated size of
246-622: Is divided into three main flat regions: the Bogotá savanna , the valleys of Ubaté and Chiquinquirá , and the valleys of Duitama and Sogamoso . The parallel Sierra of Andes delimit one of the world highest plateaux: the Altiplano , (Spanish for "high plain"), Andean Plateau or Bolivian Plateau. It lies in west-central South America, where the Andes are at their widest, is the most extensive area of high plateau on Earth outside of Tibet. The bulk of
287-661: Is drained by a vast network of streams. Important rivers and streams whose headwaters are located within the Tug Hill region include the Mohawk River , Deer River , Salmon River , Mad River , Sandy Creek , and the east and west branches of Fish Creek . Despite the presence of numerous streams, many of the soils in the regions' core are poorly drained. Almost all the soils have some combination of factors which render them unsuitable for agriculture, including shallow depth, stoniness, rough topography, poor or excessive drainage, strong acidity and/or low fertility. Agricultural activity
328-510: Is largely absent from the Tug Hill's core, and is concentrated mainly in the outlying northern and western portions of the region, where soils are better drained and more fertile. According to the A. W. Kuchler U.S. potential natural vegetation types, the Tug Hill Plateau would have a dominant vegetation type of Northern Hardwoods ( 106 ) with a dominant vegetation form of Northern Hardwoods ( 23 ). The plant hardiness zone at
369-710: Is sometimes called the Roof of Africa due to its height and large area. Another example is the Highveld which is the portion of the South African inland plateau which has an altitude above approximately 1,500 metres, but below 2,100 metres, thus excluding the Lesotho mountain regions. It is home to some of the largest South African urban agglomerations . In Egypt are the Giza Plateau and Galala Mountain , which
410-545: Is the Scottish Highlands . Plateaus are classified according to their surrounding environment. The highest African plateau is the Ethiopian Highlands which cover the central part of Ethiopia. It forms the largest continuous area of its altitude in the continent, with little of its surface falling below 1,500 metres (4,921 ft), while the summits reach heights of up to 4,550 metres (14,928 ft). It
451-572: Is the home of more than 70 million people. The Western Plateau , part of the Australian Shield , is an ancient craton covering much of the continent's southwest, an area of some 700,000 square kilometres. It has an average elevation between 305 and 460 metres. The North Island Volcanic Plateau is an area of high land occupying much of the centre of the North Island of New Zealand, with volcanoes, lava plateaus, and crater lakes,
SECTION 10
#1732772219412492-895: The Deccan Plateau (≈1,900,000 km (730,000 sq mi), elevation 300–600 metres (980–1,970 ft)). A large plateau in North America is the Colorado Plateau , which covers about 337,000 km (130,000 sq mi) in Colorado , Arizona , New Mexico , and Utah . In northern Arizona and southern Utah the Colorado Plateau is bisected by the Colorado River and the Grand Canyon . This came to be over 10 million years ago,
533-586: The Deccan Plateau in India and the Meseta Central on the Iberian Peninsula . Plateaus can also be formed by the erosional processes of glaciers on mountain ranges, leaving them sitting between the mountain ranges. Water can also erode mountains and other landforms down into plateaus. Dissected plateaus are highly eroded plateaus cut by rivers and broken by deep narrow valleys. An example
574-566: The Köppen climate classification system, the Tug Hill Plateau has a Warm-summer, Humid continental climate ( Dfb ). Dfb climates are characterized by at least one month having an average mean temperature ≤ 32.0 °F (0.0 °C), at least four months with an average mean temperature ≥ 50.0 °F (10.0 °C), all months with an average mean temperature < 71.6 °F (22.0 °C) and no significant precipitation difference between seasons. Although most summer days are comfortably humid on
615-408: The mantle , causing the ground to swell upward. In this way, large, flat areas of rock are uplifted to form a plateau. For plateaus formed by extrusion, the rock is built up from lava spreading outward from cracks and weak areas in the crust. Tectonic plateaus are formed by tectonic plate movements which cause uplift, and are normally of a considerable size, and a fairly uniform altitude. Examples are
656-570: The original vegetation of a land through retrospective ecology . Study of past ecosystems allowed to demonstrate, for instance, that numerous contemporary biotopes (like the " wild " Slovenian forests for instance), supposedly largely untouched, were in fact very remote from their natural vegetation . In Japan, Akira Miyawaki demonstrated after study that, on the one hand, long supposed "native species" had in fact been introduced on account of human intervention since over 1000 years (especially, coniferous being privileged over deciduous ). On
697-567: The " Roof of the World ", which is still being formed by the collisions of the Indo-Australian and Eurasian tectonic plates . The Tibetan Plateau covers approximately 2,500,000 km (970,000 sq mi), at about 5,000 m (16,000 ft) above sea level. The plateau is sufficiently high to reverse the Hadley cell convection cycles and to drive the monsoons of India towards
738-688: The Altiplano lies within Bolivian and Peruvian territory while its southern parts lie in Chile. The Altiplano plateau hosts several cities like Puno, Oruro, El Alto and La Paz the administrative seat of Bolivia. Northeastern Altiplano is more humid than the Southwestern, the latter of which hosts several salares , or salt flats, due to its aridity. At the Bolivia-Peru border lies Lake Titicaca ,
779-721: The North Rim of the Grand Canyon is at an elevation of about 2,450 m (8,040 ft) above sea level , and the South Rim of the Grand Canyon is about 2,150 m (7,050 ft) above sea level. At its deepest, the Colorado River is about 1,830 m (6,000 ft) below the level of the North Rim. Another high-altitude plateau in North America is the Mexican Plateau . With an area of 601,882 km (232,388 sq mi) and average height of 1,825 metres, it
820-527: The Tug Hill Plateau, episodes of warmth and moderate humidity can occur with heat index values > 87 °F (31 °C). Since 1981, the highest air temperature at the Tug Hill Wildlife Management Area was 91.3 °F (32.9 °C) on 08/14/2002, and the highest daily average mean dew point was 67.6 °F (19.8 °C) on 07/17/2015. Since 1981, the wettest calendar day was 4.35 inches (110 mm) on 12/28/1984. During
861-443: The Tug Hill Wildlife Management Area is 4a with an average annual extreme minimum air temperature of −29.5 °F (−34.2 °C). The spring bloom typically peaks around May 13 and fall color usually peaks around September 30. Although much of the area is controlled by New York State, small, privately owned parcels exist, and most permanent residences are located near state highways or maintained county roads. While hunting camps in
SECTION 20
#1732772219412902-462: The Tug Hill region average more than 200 inches (16.7 ft; 5.1 m) per winter. Tug Hill snowfalls have been described as being among "the most intense storms in the world" in terms of the amount of snow falling during a short period of time. Snow depths commonly reach five feet (1.5 m) or more, and deeper amounts are routine. The Tug Hill town of Montague in Lewis County recorded
943-512: The Tug Hill region that accumulated between February 3–12. During that ten-day period, the hamlet of Redfield received 141 inches (11.8 ft; 3.6 m) of snow, the village of Parish received 121 inches (10.1 ft; 3.1 m) of snow, and the hamlet of North Osceola received 106 inches (8.8 ft; 2.7 m) of snow. One architectural feature related to the heavy snowfall can be found locally in some hunting camps: Supplemental, second-floor entry doors. These are located directly above
984-621: The Tug Hill's core varies by source, but generally ranges from 235 square miles (610 km) to 800 square miles (2,100 km). Prior to European colonization, what was to become known as the Tug Hill region was controlled by the Iroquois Confederacy , specifically the Onondaga and Oneida nations. Tug Hill lands were used by the Iroquois as seasonal hunting and fishing grounds; permanent settlements were located primarily to
1025-425: The back country areas of the Tug Hill region that are maintained during the hunting season often do not possess electricity or indoor plumbing, the majority of permanent residences in the area feature these amenities. Few roads or villages exist in these more remote areas, and undeveloped reaches of the region are a haven for wildlife, including deer , rabbits , beavers , turkeys , fishers , bobcats , coyote , and
1066-674: The gods" in the native tongue of the Pemon , the Indigenous people who inhabit the Gran Sabana . Tepuis can be considered minute plateaus and tend to be found as isolated entities rather than in connected ranges, which makes them the host of a unique array of endemic plant and animal species. Some of the most outstanding tepuis are Neblina , Autana , Auyan and Mount Roraima . They are typically composed of sheer blocks of Precambrian quartz arenite sandstone that rise abruptly from
1107-409: The ground-level front door, and such apertures are used when so much snow has accumulated that the ground-level door cannot be accessed. Plateau In geology and physical geography , a plateau ( / p l ə ˈ t oʊ , p l æ ˈ t oʊ , ˈ p l æ t oʊ / ; French: [plato] ; pl. : plateaus or plateaux ), also called a high plain or a tableland , is an area of
1148-492: The jungle, giving rise to spectacular natural scenery. Auyán-tepui is the source of Angel Falls , the world's tallest waterfall . The Colombian capital city of Bogota sits on an Andean plateau known as the Altiplano Cundiboyacense roughly the size of Switzerland. Averaging a height of 2,600 m (8,500 ft) above sea level, this northern Andean plateau is situated in the country's eastern range and
1189-485: The largest lake in South America. [REDACTED] Media related to Plateaus at Wikimedia Commons Potential natural vegetation In ecology , potential natural vegetation ( PNV ), also known as Kuchler potential vegetation, is the vegetation that would be expected given environmental constraints ( climate , geomorphology , geology ) without human intervention or a hazard event. The concept
1230-601: The most notable of which is the country's largest lake, Lake Taupō . The plateau stretches approximately 100 km east to west and 130 km north to south. The majority of the plateau is more than 600 metres above sea level. A tepui ( / ˈ t ɛ p w i / ), or tepuy ( Spanish: [teˈpuj] ), is a table-top mountain or mesa found in the Guiana Highlands of South America, especially in Venezuela and western Guyana . The word tepui means "house of
1271-631: The occasional black bear . Salmon , trout , bass , walleye , and waterfowl can be found in the Tug Hill's abundant waterways. The Tug Hill region and its surrounding communities contains numerous attractions and recreational opportunities nestled in its many small villages and hamlets. These include antique shops, flea markets, handmade furniture, gifts and crafts, fishing and hunting guide services, miles of snowmobile trails, restaurants, lodging, bed and breakfasts, campgrounds, boating, canoeing, both down-hill and cross-country skiing , pure maple syrup products, and roadside produce stands. According to
Tug Hill - Misplaced Pages Continue
1312-430: The other hand, that reforestation with "original" species gives good and often spectacular results. Maps of potential natural vegetation are used worldwide for improved ecosystem comprehension and management . However the concept is subject to debate, on similar grounds as for the climax theory . Critics argue that ecosystems are not static but ever dynamic: as bioclimatic conditions constantly evolve, it
1353-538: The region from 1820 to 1880. Expanding railroads and the completion of the Black River Canal in 1851 allowed for increased exports of food and timber products out of the region, often destined for New York City . Dairy farming and timber-based industries flourished in the region throughout the late 1800s, and around 1870, the region's population peaked at 80,000. However, the Tug Hill's rugged terrain, poor soils, and difficult winters eventually caused many of
1394-466: The region's inhabitants to abandon their farms and settlements. By 1930, most of the region's agriculture and industry was concentrated in the more fertile valleys of the region's northwestern perimeter. Intentional and natural reforestation soon obscured almost all evidence of the core's relatively brief agricultural era. The core Tug Hill region encompasses 150,000 acres (610 km) of unbroken, generally second-growth, northern hardwood forest , and
1435-632: The south and west of the region. These and other lands were seized from the Iroquois following the American Revolution . Four million acres (16,187 km) in and around the Tug Hill region were initially purchased by colonial land speculator William Constable, who in turn subdivided the land to sell to New Englanders and newly arrived European immigrants. He also set aside 10,500 acres (42 km) for regional improvements, such as roads and canals. Inexpensive land, abundant timber resources, and available farmland drove increased settlement in
1476-866: The south. The Deosai Plains in Pakistan are situated at an average elevation of 4,114 meters (13,497 ft) above sea level. They are considered to be the second highest plateaus in the world. Other major plateaus in Asia are: Najd on the Arabian Peninsula , elevation 762 to 1,525 m (2,500 to 5,003 ft), Armenian Highlands (≈400,000 km (150,000 sq mi), elevation 900–2,100 metres (3,000–6,900 ft)), Iranian Plateau (≈3,700,000 km (1,400,000 sq mi), elevation 300–1,500 metres (980–4,920 ft)), Anatolian Plateau , Mongolian Plateau (≈2,600,000 km (1,000,000 sq mi), elevation 1,000–1,500 metres (3,300–4,900 ft)), and
1517-480: The surrounding coastline through enormous glaciers . The polar ice cap is so massive that the echolocation measurements of ice thickness have shown that large areas are below sea level . But, as the ice melts, the land beneath will rebound through isostasy and ultimately rise above sea level. The largest and highest plateau in the world is the Tibetan Plateau , sometimes metaphorically described as
1558-543: The unofficial New York State 24-hour snowfall record of 77 inches (6.4 ft; 2.0 m) in January 1997. Hooker (a hamlet in the town of Montague) holds the state record for snowfall in a single season, after accumulating 466.9 inches (38.91 ft; 11.86 m) of snow during the winter of 1976–1977. On February 12, 2007, the National Weather Service reported on "tremendous" snowfall totals in
1599-538: The winter months, the average annual extreme minimum air temperature at the Tug Hill Wildlife Management Area is −29.5 °F (−34.2 °C). Since 1981, the coldest air temperature was −34.3 °F (−36.8 °C) on 01/04/1981. Episodes of extreme cold and wind can occur with wind chill values < −45 °F (−43 °C). The Tug Hill region is renowned for its bountiful snowfall. The region's topography and location in relation to Lake Ontario often creates ideal conditions for lake-effect snow ; snowfall totals for
1640-474: Was developed in the mid 1950s by phytosociologist Reinhold Tüxen , partly expanding on the concept of climax vegetation . PNV is widely used in modern conservation and renaturation projects to predict the most adapted species for a definite ecotope . Native species being considered having optimum ecological resilience for their native environment, and the best potential to enhance biodiversity . To determine "natural" vegetation, scientists research
1681-605: Was once called Gallayat Plateaus, rising 3,300 ft above sea level. Another very large plateau is the icy Antarctic Plateau , which is sometimes referred to as the Polar Plateau or King Haakon VII Plateau, home to the geographic South Pole and the Amundsen–Scott South Pole Station , which covers most of East Antarctica where there are no known mountains but rather 3,000 m (9,800 ft) high of superficial ice and which spreads very slowly toward