Illinois Landscapes
Loess and Sand Dunes













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GeoT Geography | Glacial Erratic Boulders | The Ultimate Erratic? | Ultimate Erratic -- Page 2 | Glacial Landforms -- 1 | Glacial Landforms -- 2 | Glacial Landforms -- 3 | Glacial Landforms -- 4 | Loess and Sand Dunes | Hoopeston's Location | Landscape of Northern Vermilion County | Penfield Illinois





Loess Deposits

Click Here: Dust Storms in Illinois

Click Here: Loess deposits well beyond the extent of Pleistocene glaciers

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Examining and photographing an exposure of loess -- near the Sangamon and Illinois Rivers.

Snail shells were abundant in this deposit.

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Adhesion of particles of loess allow an almost vertical angle of repose.

The reason for this adhesion is a matter of some discussion.

If saturated with water -- loess will slump.

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Near the Illinois River, loess may be 25 feet thick!

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Modern soil developed on loess.

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Near vertical roadcut in loess.

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Loess near the edge of the Havana Lowland -- the source of much of the silt.

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The white objects are carbonate concretions.
Called 'Loess Kindchen' (loess children)
they were used as toys by Native Americans.

Some are hollow and rattle when shaken.

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Three somewhat cat-shaped loess kindchen
are near a boulder of Gowganda Tillite.

Sand Dunes in Downstate Illinois

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Trees are growing on a small sand dune east of Rossville, Illinois.

In a limited area, outwash sand was blown into dunes.

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A low sand dune along the Rossville Road -- approximately 2 miles east of Rossville.

People have been observed here collecting sand -- for sandboxes, or kitty. . .

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An uprooted tree exposes sand -- east of Rossville, Illinois.

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Upper Photo -- Sandy outwash plain in front of the Paxton Moraine, Rossville, Illinois.

Lower Photo -- Tractor tires imprint outwash sand in recent drainage improvement works.

Click Here: Sand dunes northeast of Saint Anne, Illinois

Click Here: Sand dunes near Havana, Illinois

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Sand dune near Woodland, Illinois.

Note the gentle windward side of the dune to the left -- and the gradient leading to the slip-off slope to the right.

Bossie had good advice!

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Photographer's audience across
the road offers advice and council.

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Ok Bossie -- here it is!

Thanks!

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Dune sand and snow.

Woodland, Illinois.

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Body Cemetery, Woodland, Illinois

(pronounced BO-dee)

Cemetery on a Sand Dune

Click Here: Cemetery on a Sand Dune

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Sand dune crest at Body Cemetery, Woodland, Illinois.

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Glacial erratic monument -- Body Cemetery, Woodland, Illinois.

Hoopeston's Location