This present report has not been formally peer reviewed, but I had limited discussions with David Franzi, recently retired geology professor at SUNY Plattsburgh, and Stephen Wright, former Senior Lecturer at UVM.
Franzi has a long history of research on the Pleistocene history of New York and has mapped several locations in Vermont. He has recently developed(as of February 2025) a report on the proglacial water body history of the southeastern Ontario Basin and Champlain Basin w 1 ibid , discussed below, and as he himself states, his work presents a new paradigm for the proglacial water body history of the region. Information from his report has been drawn on in the development of this present report. I see many parallels with his thinking and approach to the subject, each of us interested in and willing to explore new paradigms. David introduces new terms for Fort Ann and Coveville Lake Vermont, which I am happy to accept, but continue to use the old terms here, as for the moment they are more familiar.
Further, Franzi presently is undertaking a major re-examination of the deglacial history of northeastern New York. Thanks to LiDAR, he has identified multiple moraines which can be traced extensively in northern New York across the north sloping flank of the Adirondacks, toward Vermont. No doubt his findings, when published, will present substantial documentation for the deglacial history of this region. Whether or not the findings presented here will fit with his findings remains to be seen. Franzi has provided me with published reports for northeastern New York, as referred to below for ice margin positions as he presently (as of discussions in 2024) understands them. Information from these has been incorporated into this present report.
Franzi believes my study of the entire State of Vermont is an ambitious undertaking, and recommends that I focus on smaller pieces. However, as indicated above, my goal remains to present my findings in their entirety and move on, leaving to succeeding generations the job of producing a more perfect history.
Based on a partial review of an early draft of my report Wright strongly takes issue with my work, believing that it reflects a lack of understanding about the basic nature of glaciers and ice sheets and that I am ignorant about the findings of others in Vermont. Regrettably, we were unable to continue a discussion of his views. My sense is that he is correct in believing that my methods and thinking are unconventional. In my defense I submit that my work first comes from close association with glaciers, having conducted my MS research on the Kaskawalsh and Hubbard glaciers in the Yukon, and my PhD on glacial history in Alberta. And further, in exploring the Vermont history I drew on a substantial review of recent glaciological literature. Suffice it to say, in my opinion the understanding of ice sheets and glaciers has undergone major changes in recent years, as reflected in current literature, for which my findings are entirely consistent. Regarding my ignorance about published findings in the Vermont literature, I likewise made a substantial effort in this regard, and believe that I am sufficiently familiar with salient previous work, which in any case I would add for Vermont is predominantly local, generally not peer reviewed, and in no way aimed at synthesizing and developing a more comprehensive understanding of Vermont deglacial history comparable to what I have done here. As I said to Stephen in parting, history will be the judge of the merit of my findings, and I am content to leave it there.
I also shared a draft of my report with Jeff Munroe at Middlebury College, who indicated that owing to recent cuts in the funding of his research and teaching programs it is impossible for him to review and comment about my findings, other than to note that he sees my findings as part of a major change taking place in surficial geology as a consequence of LiDAR technology. I agree with his observation, but regret his inability to continue the discussion. I had hoped that his program at Middlebury College would recognize that the calving ice margin features I have identified in the Middlebury area could serve as an ideal field base for further investigation by Middlebury students. Perhaps someday that may happen. Unfortunately, more recently Jeff has informed me that he is leaving Middlebury, but will inform his successor about this interest.
I likewise shared early drafts of my report with Michel Parent in Quebec, who unfortunately was waylaid with a medical issue, and with David DeSimone in New York, and have reached out to numerous others in New York, Maine, and Massachusetts. I also gave a draft of my report to Woody Thompson, a former student of mine at UVM. Woody has done remarkable work in Maine and New Hampshire (to his credit, not mine). In my opinion, his WMMS research is truly exceptional in its rigor and thinking. Woody tells me he has recently retired and is consumed by unfinished projects. In as much as I see his findings as having significant bearing on Vermont deglacial history, Styles, and Glacial Dynamics, his thoughts likely would be helpful.