The Tully Valley Mudboils are located south of Syracuse, NY in the Tully Valley (just west of HW 81). They are a curious geologic phenomena whose origins are uncertain. The first record of the mudboil appeared in about 1900.
What are Mudboils?
Mudboils are essentially springs. Just as other springs, groundwater is discharged from the mudboil. What makes the mudboils different is that along with water glacial sediments are discharged. The Tully Valley has about 300 feet of glacial sediments, lacustrine sediments and delta deposits. These fine clays and sands are "mined" by the groundwater as it flows from the mudboils. The mudboils are dynamic, often forming over just a few weeks. Sometimes the sediments are deposited around the spring forming a cone very similar to the shape of a volcano. Thus sometimes mudboils are called "mud volcanoes". As you might guess, as sediments are removed, the area must be subsiding. This has become a big problem for nearby residents as land collapses into depression areas. (Photos of these features will be added to this page over time, keep watching for updates).
I worked with Mary Gail Perkins, from the Upstate Freshwater Institute, Syracuse, New York) studying the shallow hydrogeology. We were determining if there are any seasonal fluctuations or long term changes in the vertical hydraulic head gradients. We found that there was a gradual increase in the hydraulic heads over time. This increase was due to the added pore-pressure caused by the accumulation of sediments discharged by the mudboils.
