Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Rocks To Roads To Ruin: A Brief History Of Western Kentucky’S Rock-Asphalt Industry, 1888–1957, J. Richard Bowersox

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The history of western Kentucky’s rock-asphalt industry required substantial research of primary sources to correct the disjointed and often conflicting record published to date. Its history is checkered with characters from visionary entrepreneurs and ambitious businessmen to financial scoundrels. The earliest evidence of exploitation of bitumen resources at the surface in western Kentucky is in Native American artifacts recovered from several sites. Early settlers in the region used heavy oil and bitumen found in seeps as lubricants and wood preservatives, among other uses. The commercial value of the widespread western Kentucky rock-asphalt deposits was first recognized in the 1880’s, leading …

Quality Of Water From Tile Drains In Fields Treated With Poultry Litter In Mclean County, Kentucky, E. Glynn Beck, Lisa Y. Blue, David A. Atwood

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Poultry litter (a mixture of feed, manure, and bedding material) is commonly used as a soil amendment to row-crop fields in western Kentucky. Because of feed additives, litter typically has elevated concentrations of contaminants, including metals and anions. These metals and anions can accumulate in the soil and therefore could be transported to surface water through drainage tiles. In order to assess water quality in tile drains, a pilot study was conducted in 2008 in McLean County, Kentucky, in which 10 tile drains and six drainage ditches were sampled for total metals and anions. Seven of the tile-drained fields were …

Kentucky Geological Survey Landslide Inventory: From Design To Application, Matthew M. Crawford

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The Kentucky Geological Survey is compiling a landslide inventory database to better document the distribution and geologic context of Kentucky’s landslides. The database provides users with easy access to landslide information, raises awareness of landslide causes, and will help prevent property damage or injury. The database was used to create an online landslide information map, which provides online access to landslide data and gives users the ability to customize the map using other data layers pertinent to landslides. The database design is based on common attributes collected by other states with active inventories and landslide hazard programs, as well as …

Seismic Velocity Database For The New Madrid Seismic Zone And Its Vicinity, Qian Li, Edward W. Woolery, Matthew M. Crawford, David M. Vance

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Over the last 20 years, researchers at the University of Kentucky have collected seismic-reflection and refraction data to characterize seismic velocity models of the soil-sediment overburden throughout the central United States. The data are in different forms, such as published reports, theses, and journal articles, and in digital form. In order to construct a unified database for easier management, access, and use, Microsoft Access was used to design the data structure and field properties. The database consists of four tables with unified field names, data type, and units. An ArcGIS geodatabase with the same data structure as the Access database …

Joint Orientations In The Red River Gorge Geological Area, East-Central Kentucky, Steven L. Martin

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The Red River Gorge Geological Area and Clifty Wilderness Area of Daniel Boone National Forest and Natural Bridge State Park in east-central Kentucky provide an excellent opportunity to observe and study differential weathering and erosion, mass wasting, and jointing in the development of cliffs, rock shelters, and natural arches. Joints in the study area have varying orientations, but dominant northeast- and northwest-striking orientations are prevalent. Jointing in the study area is related to unloading of overburden and regional tectonic stresses. Unloading joints result from removal of overburden from a rock mass, and orientations of joints are controlled by either residual …

Model Ordinance For Development On Karst In Kentucky: Guidance For Construction On Karst Terrain And The Reduction Of Property Damage And Threat To Human Health Resulting From Karst Geologic Hazard, James C. Currens

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I have dealt with hundreds of incidents of karst-related geohazards; some have caused major damage to buildings and infrastructure. Although cases are largely limited to the ground surface being made unusable, a significant number of structures are damaged by karst flooding or cover collapse each year, which is devastating to families who have lost their homes. Most of these events should never have happened, because the karst hazard could have been avoided by selecting a better building site or designing the building to withstand the damage from the hazard. Furthermore, most of the planning authorities I have had experience with …

Depositional Environments And Sequence Stratigraphy Of A Breathitt Group Exposure, U.S. 25e, Flat Lick, Kentucky, Kathryn E. Hoffmeister, Eric G. Hogan, Steven M. Holland

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The Pennsylvanian fluvial deltaic Breathitt Group is exposed along U.S. 25E near Flat Lick, Ky. This exposure is ideal for field trips because of the quality of the exposure, its accessibility, the range of facies present, and its potential for demonstrating principles of outcrop-based sequence-stratigraphic interpretation. Eight facies are present and represent deposition in fluvial, delta-plain, and delta-front environments. Several facies contain an abundance of trace fossils, and a wide range of sedimentary structures are also present. Flooding surfaces are well developed in the delta front and delta plain and are characterized by abrupt contacts with distal, deeper-water deltaic environments …

Soil- And Groundwater-Quality Data For An Abandoned Cattle And Hog Feedlot In Henderson County, Kentucky, E. Glynn Beck, James S. Dinger, Eugenia Pena-Yewtukhiw, John H. Grove

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Groundwater samples collected from a livestock well in southwestern Henderson County, Ky., contained nitrate-N concentrations greater than 20 mg/L, two times the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s maximum contaminant level. The well is located in an abandoned cattle and hog feedlot. The feedlot is located in an upland bedrock setting with Pleistocene loess overlying Pennsylvanian bedrock. One hundred twenty-one soil cores were collected to better define the areal extent of organic-rich soil believed to be the source of the elevated nitrate-N in the groundwater. Cores were collected on 25-ft centers to a depth of 4 ft below the land surface. Soil …

Assessment Of Row Crop, Alfalfa, And Pasture Field Practices On Groundwater Quality In An Upland Bedrock Setting, Henderson County, Kentucky: Report Of Soil- And Water-Quality Data, E. Glynn Beck, James S. Dinger, John H. Grove, Eugenia Pena-Yewtukhiw

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An assessment of how present agricultural practices have influenced shallow groundwater and soil quality was conducted on a 540-acre farm in north-central Henderson County. Groundwater- and soil-quality data were collected from row crop (corn and soybean), alfalfa, and pasture fields. In addition to the field settings, groundwater and soil data were collected from the existing farmyard and an abandoned feedlot. Groundwater samples were analyzed for pH, specific conductance, temperature, oxidation-reduction potential, metals, anions, nutrients, herbicides, and various isotopes. Soil samples were analyzed for pH, bioavailable phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, zinc, organic matter, total nitrogen, and inorganic nitrogen (nitrate-N). Soil- and …

Assessment Of Groundwater Quality In An Abandoned Feedlot, Henderson County, Kentucky: Data Report, E. Glynn Beck, James S. Dinger, John Grove, Eugenia Pena-Yewtukhiw

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A three-phase project investigated the influence of past and present agricultural practices on groundwater resources in the Western Kentucky Coal Field. Phase II concentrated on past practices, specifically those associated with an abandoned dairy feedlot and an old homestead. Results of phase II analyses are presented in this report.

Sources And Occurrences Of Nonpoint-Source Chemicals In Groundwater, Jackson Purchase Region, Kentucky: Data Report, E. Glynn Beck

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Groundwater from the Jackson Purchase Region was sampled to investigate possible contamination by nonpoint-source chemicals. Conclusions drawn from the resulting data and methodology can be found in “Sources and Occurrences of Nonpoint-Source Chemicals in Groundwater, Jackson Purchase Region, Kentucky,” Kentucky Geological Survey Report of Investigations 22 (series 12), by R.S. Fisher and E.G. Beck.

Assessment Of Groundwater Quality In A Remediated Abandoned Feedlot, Henderson County, Kentucky: Data Report, E. Glynn Beck, James S. Dinger, John Grove, Eugenia Pena-Yewtukhiw

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A three-phase project investigated the influence of past and present agricultural practices on groundwater resources in the Western Kentucky Coal Field. Phase III concentrated on an abandoned dairy feedlot that had been remediated. Results of phase III analyses are presented in this report.

Groundwater Quality In Kentucky: Iron, R. Stephen Fisher, Bart Davidson

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Iron is one of the most abundant elements in rocks and soils, and one of the most common problems in groundwater supplies. Rainwater seeping through soils and bedrock dissolves iron and carries it to wells and springs. In deep groundwater systems that lack oxygen, iron occurs as dissolved ferrous ion and the water is clear. Under oxidizing conditions such as in shallow groundwater systems or where the water is exposed to air at a tap or faucet, however, iron converts to a ferric form when it combines with oxygen to form reddish-brown rust particles. In addition to natural sources, elevated …

Groundwater Quality In Kentucky: Manganese, R. Stephen Fisher, Bart Davidson

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Manganese is a common constituent of Kentucky rocks and soils and, along with iron is one of the most widespread causes of problems in groundwater supplies. Rainwater seeping through soils and bedrock dissolves manganese and carries it in the groundwater system to wells and springs. In deep, slow-moving systems that lack oxygen, manganese remains in solution. Under oxidizing conditions, however, such as in shallow groundwater systems or where the water is exposed to air, manganese combines with oxygen to form black particles that can clog plumbing fixtures and stain containers and clothing.

Groundwater Quality In Kentucky: 2,4-D, Bart Davidson, R. Stephen Fisher

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2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, commonly known as 2,4-D, is an herbicide used for selective control of broadleaf and grassy weeds in crops such as corn and wheat, along roadways and rights-of-way, and on pasture and rangeland. 2,4-D is the most widely used herbicide in the world, and the third most widely used in North America after metolachlor and atrazine. 2,4-D is a synthetic, organic, white to yellow, odorless, crystalline powder that dissolves readily in water. It is widely used today primarily because of its low cost.

Groundwater Quality In Kentucky: Atrazine, Bart Davidson, R. Stephen Fisher

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Atrazine is an organic herbicide used for selective control of broadleaf and grassy weeds in crops such as corn, soybeans, sorghum, sugarcane, macadamia nuts, pineapples, pine trees, grasslands, and roses. Atrazine does not harm the crops, which can absorb and metabolize the herbicide, thereby removing the toxins. It controls targeted plants by inhibiting photosynthesis (Wilkes University Center for Environmental Quality, 2003). Atrazine is a white, odorless, crystalline powder that dissolves readily in water and does not occur naturally. It is widely used because of its low cost and ability to reduce crop losses from weed interference.

Water-Quality And -Quantity Data For Abandoned Underground Coal Mines In Eastern Kentucky, Steven E. Webb, Dennis H. Cumbie, James S. Dinger, Leslie K. Russo

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Water-quality and -quantity analyses were performed between 1997 and 2003 by the Kentucky Geological Survey under contract from the Kentucky River Authority and the Kentucky Infrastructure Authority to study abandoned underground coal mines as possible water supplies for communities in the Eastern Kentucky Coal Field. The steep terrain of the coal field limits surface-water supplies, and groundwater systems are difficult to locate and often have too low a yield to provide community water supplies. KGS has been working with the Kentucky River Authority, the Kentucky Infrastructure Authority, and local government officials to search for water supplies in abandoned underground coal …

Groundwater Quality In Kentucky: Barium, Bart Davidson, R. Stephen Fisher

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Barium is a silver-white alkaline earth metal that is not found free in nature because it is highly reactive with sulfate and carbonate. Barium compounds can be naturally occurring or man-made. The most common natural occurrence of barium is in the mineral barite (barium sulfate), which has many uses in industry, such as a filler in the making of rubber, plastic and resin, white pigment, drilling lubricants used in the oil and gas industry, paint, bricks and glass (Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, 2004). Barium sulfate is very slightly soluble in water and absorbs X-rays, making it an …

Chemical Analysis Of Fish Tissue: Kentucky Army National Guard Wendell H. Ford Western Kentucky Training Site, Muhlenberg County, Kentucky, Steven E. Webb, James S. Dinger, Dennis H. Cumbie

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Thirty-one analytes were measured in fish tissue taken from largemouth bass, catfish, and bluegill harvested from lakes and ponds in reclaimed and unreclaimed coal-mine spoil of Pennsylvanian age. The spoil area is approximately 7,756 acres created primarily from surface mining, and has been used in increasing intensity since 1969 as a training site by the Kentucky Army National Guard. Four fish were harvested for analysis from the area of unreclaimed spoil that resulted from mining prior to 1977, and 15 fish were harvested for analysis from the part of the training facility that was reclaimed by 1985. Twenty-six analytes had …

Groundwater Quality In Kentucky: Mercury, Bart Davidson, R. Stephen Fisher

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Mercury is a naturally occurring metal that occurs in trace amounts in water, soils, and rocks. Elemental mercury is a liquid that occurs in some ore deposits; it may also be concentrated around hot springs. Currently, about 50 percent of mercury use is for electrical products such as dry-cell batteries, fluorescent lights, switches, and other control equipment. Mercury is also used in the electrolytic preparation of chlorine gas and caustic soda, and in paint manufacture and pesticide production (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2002). In the past, significant amounts of mercury were used in thermometers and pressure gauges.

Groundwater Quality In Kentucky: Selenium, Bart Davidson, R. Stephen Fisher

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Selenium is a naturally occurring element found in most rocks and soils (Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, 2003). In its solid form, selenium is black, gray, or red and is odorless (New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services, 2002). Most selenium is obtained from byproducts of the copper refining industry. Selenium compounds are often used in electronic components, photocopiers, metal alloys, rubber, paint pigments, glass-making (ruby red glass), and photographic emulsions (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2003). Selenium exhibits both photovoltaic and photoconductive properties. As more light shines on selenium, its electrical conductivity increases, making it extremely useful …

Groundwater Quality In Kentucky: Cadmium, Bart Davidson, R. Stephen Fisher

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Cadmium is a metallic element that occurs naturally in the earth's crust, especially in zinc-, lead-, and copper-bearing ores (Forstner and Whittmann, 1981). Pure cadmium is a soft silver-white metal, but is rarely found naturally in its pure form. It is commonly combined with other elements, such as oxygen (cadmium oxide) and sulfur (cadmium sulfate).

Groundwater Quality In Kentucky: Arsenic, R. Stephen Fisher

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Arsenic is a naturally occurring element found in low concentrations in rocks, soils, water, plants, and animals (Nriagu, 1994 a, b). In Kentucky, arsenic is commonly found in iron sulfide minerals associated with coal deposits and black shales. Arsenic is released when iron sulfides oxidize during weathering. Once released, it is readily sorbed onto iron oxides and iron oxyhydroxides, which limits arsenic concentrations in the near-surface environment.

Kentucky Is Karst Country! What You Should Know About Sinkholes And Springs, James C. Currens

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Kentucky is one of the most famous karst areas in the world. What is karst? It's a landscape with sinkholes, sinking streams, caves, and springs. Much of Kentucky's beautiful scenery, particularly in the Inner Bluegrass Region, is the result of the development of karst landscape. A large amount of Kentucky's prime farmland (including its famous horse farms) is underlain by karst, and springs and wells in karst areas supply water to thousands of homes. Many of Kentucky's major cities, including Frankfort, Louisville, Lexington, Lawrenceburg, Georgetown, Winchester, Paris, Versailles, Nicholasville, Fort Knox, Bowling Green, Elizabethtown, Munfordville, Russellville, Hopkinsville, …

Groundwater Quality In Kentucky: Ph, R. Stephen Fisher

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The parameter pH (the negative base-10 logarithm of hydrogen ion activity, measured in moles per liter) indicates whether a substance will behave as an acid or base. It is one of the most important parameters that describe groundwater quality, because pH largely controls the amount and chemical form of many organic and inorganic solutes in groundwater.

Overview Of Environmental Regulations That Affect Coal Combustion, Cortland F. Eble

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Environmental regulations have had, and continue to have, an effect on the combustion of coal. These regulations largely affect the electric utility industry, the largest consumer of domestic coal, but they ultimately affect everyone, because we all use electricity, and the cost of compliance is usually passed on to the consumer, resulting in higher electric bills.

Ground-Water Quality In Kentucky: Nitrate-Nitrogen, Philip G. Conrad, Daniel I. Carey, James S. Webb, James S. Dinger, Matthew J. Mccourt

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No abstract provided.

Ground-Water Quality In Kentucky: Fluoride, Philip G. Conrad, Daniel I. Carey, James S. Webb, James S. Dinger, R. Stephen Fisher, Matthew J. Mccourt

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Fluoride (F-) is an ion of the element fluorine, and is a natural component in most water resources. According to Hem (1989), fluoride concentrations in fresh water are generally less than 1 mg/L (milligrams per liter), and the concentration of fluoride in the world's oceans is about 1.3 mg/L. The source of most fluoride in natural fresh-water resources is various rocks and minerals in bedrock and sediments.

Kentucky's Coal Industry: Historical Trends And Future Opportunities, Gerald A. Weisenfluh, James C. Cobb, John C. Ferm, Carol L. Ruthven

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Coal has been produced in Kentucky since the late 18th century. In the early years, all mining was by underground methods, but surface mining became the dominant method during and after World War II. In recent years, surface-mine production in both fields has decreased while underground mining has increased.

In the last half of this century, the traditional steam coal market for locomotives has virtually disappeared, leaving electric power generation and coking coal for the steel industry as the principal markets. More than half of all coal produced in the State has been produced in the last 25 years. Whether …

Cambrian Hydrocarbon Potential Indicated In Kentucky's Rome Trough, David C. Harris, James A. Drahovzal

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A recent gas discovery in the Rome Trough has resulted in a new phase of deep exploration in eastern Kentucky. This activity is located in Elliott County, near the northern boundary fault of the Cambrian Rome Trough graben. The Carson Associates No. 1 Kazee well was drilled in 1994, and blew out with a reported uncontrolled flow of 11 million cubic feet of gas per day. Although completed at a much lower rate, this well renewed interest in the deep gas potential of the Rome Trough, which has seen sporadic drilling activity since the 1940's. Gas production in the Rome …