Fonthill Kame
Encyclopedia
The Fonthill Kame is a geological feature (a kame
is a giant hill) located in the centre of the Niagara Peninsula
in Pelham
, Ontario
, Canada
. It is composed of sand
and gravel
deposited by the retreating glacier
s of the last ice age
. It rises some 75 m (246 ft) above the surrounding land (290 m above sea level) and is the highest elevation in the region.
The kame is 6 km (4 mi) east to west and 3 km (2 mi) north to south. It slopes gradually on the west side, more steeply on the south and east and merges with the Short Hills Provincial Park
area of the Niagara Escarpment
on the north.
The Fonthill Kame has considerable influence on the climate of Pelham by sheltering it from the winds from the southwest. This provides good growing conditions for fruit crops, including the vine
s that supply the local wine industry. It is also mined for sand and gravel.
Research on the kame centres on its hydrogeological
features, which are important to the Niagara Peninsula. The Government of Ontario Ministry of the Environment
has committed $85,000 toward the study of groundwater flow, discharge, and baseflow measurements.
Kame
A kame is a geological feature, an irregularly shaped hill or mound composed of sand, gravel and till that accumulates in a depression on a retreating glacier, and is then deposited on the land surface with further melting of the glacier...
is a giant hill) located in the centre of the Niagara Peninsula
Niagara Peninsula
The Niagara Peninsula is the portion of Southern Ontario, Canada lying between the south shore of Lake Ontario and the north shore of Lake Erie. It stretches from the Niagara River in the east to Hamilton, Ontario in the west. The population of the peninsula is roughly 1,000,000 people...
in Pelham
Pelham, Ontario
The Town of Pelham is located in the centre of Niagara Region in Ontario, Canada.The town's southern boundary is formed by the Welland River, a meandering waterway that flows into the Niagara River. To the west is the township of West Lincoln, to the east the city of Welland, and to the north the...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. It is composed of sand
Sand
Sand is a naturally occurring granular material composed of finely divided rock and mineral particles.The composition of sand is highly variable, depending on the local rock sources and conditions, but the most common constituent of sand in inland continental settings and non-tropical coastal...
and gravel
Gravel
Gravel is composed of unconsolidated rock fragments that have a general particle size range and include size classes from granule- to boulder-sized fragments. Gravel can be sub-categorized into granule and cobble...
deposited by the retreating glacier
Glacier
A glacier is a large persistent body of ice that forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its ablation over many years, often centuries. At least 0.1 km² in area and 50 m thick, but often much larger, a glacier slowly deforms and flows due to stresses induced by its weight...
s of the last ice age
Ice age
An ice age or, more precisely, glacial age, is a generic geological period of long-term reduction in the temperature of the Earth's surface and atmosphere, resulting in the presence or expansion of continental ice sheets, polar ice sheets and alpine glaciers...
. It rises some 75 m (246 ft) above the surrounding land (290 m above sea level) and is the highest elevation in the region.
The kame is 6 km (4 mi) east to west and 3 km (2 mi) north to south. It slopes gradually on the west side, more steeply on the south and east and merges with the Short Hills Provincial Park
Short Hills Provincial Park
Short Hills Provincial Park is a provincial park located in the centre of the Niagara Peninsula, bordering the city of St. Catharines and the town of Pelham in the Niagara Region in southern Ontario, Canada. It occupies an area of 6.6 km²...
area of the Niagara Escarpment
Niagara Escarpment
The Niagara Escarpment is a long escarpment, or cuesta, in the United States and Canada that runs westward from New York State, through Ontario, Michigan, Wisconsin and Illinois...
on the north.
The Fonthill Kame has considerable influence on the climate of Pelham by sheltering it from the winds from the southwest. This provides good growing conditions for fruit crops, including the vine
Vine
A vine in the narrowest sense is the grapevine , but more generally it can refer to any plant with a growth habit of trailing or scandent, that is to say climbing, stems or runners...
s that supply the local wine industry. It is also mined for sand and gravel.
Research on the kame centres on its hydrogeological
Hydrogeology
Hydrogeology is the area of geology that deals with the distribution and movement of groundwater in the soil and rocks of the Earth's crust, . The term geohydrology is often used interchangeably...
features, which are important to the Niagara Peninsula. The Government of Ontario Ministry of the Environment
Ministry of the Environment (Ontario)
The Ministry of the Environment, established in 1972, is the portfolio in the Executive Council of Ontario responsible for addressing the environmental issues affecting the environmental protection of the Canadian province of Ontario and the World...
has committed $85,000 toward the study of groundwater flow, discharge, and baseflow measurements.