Geology Commons^™

Karst Hydrogeologic Framework And Factors Contributing To Flooding In Burgin, Kentucky, Charles Taylor, Junfeng Zhu, Matthew Carmichael, Hudson J. Koch

KGS Publications and Maps

This report examines the karst hydrogeologic setting and drainage characteristics that are thought to contribute to frequent severe flooding in the city of Burgin in Mercer County, Kentucky. Burgin is located at the eastern end of an approximately 4.5 mi² mapped karst groundwater basin in the Ordovician limestone aquifer system in the Inner Bluegrass karst region. Flooding occurs within a streamless 1.4 mi² dry karst valley where almost all channelized surface runoff has been captured by sinkholes and sinking stream segments and diverted underground by con­duit piracy. The only natural outlet for water exiting from the karst valley and larger …

Deep Crustal Boundaries As Fluid Conduits: A Geochemical Investigation Of Mvt Mineralization In Kentucky And Beyond, Dairian Boddy M. Boddy

Theses and Dissertations--Earth and Environmental Sciences

Critical minerals are vital to the United States economy and national security, yet their supply chains are at risk. Common minerals in Mississippi Valley-type (MVT) deposits, such as sphalerite, galena, fluorite, and barite, host critical metals such as barium, gallium, germanium, and zinc, which are essential for energy technologies. An investigation of three MVT mineral districts in Kentucky elucidated previously unrecognized systematics, genetic relationships, and sources of ore components using stable and radiogenic isotope geochemistry, particularly from galena, sphalerite, barite, and gangue minerals (e.g., carbonates). The localization and dominant type of mineralization in each district are potentially influenced by deep …

Health On The Rocks: Geohealth In Kentucky, Rachel L. Washburn

Special Publication--KGS

Geohealth bridges the earth and life sciences, revealing how Kentucky’s unique geology directly shapes public health risks, clinical outcomes, and opportunities for innovation. This factsheet highlights the critical intersections between geologic processes and human health across the Commonwealth—from landslides, floods, and tornadoes to radon, mine drainage, and microbial contamination. It outlines how natural and anthropogenic forces influence respiratory illness, cancer, trauma, and infectious disease, and how bedrock and weather extremes define local exposure pathways. Beyond risk, it also showcases Kentucky’s leadership in developing geoscience-informed health solutions: bioremediation, microbial drug discovery, and geologic-health monitoring networks that strengthen preparedness and resilience. Understanding …

The Kentucky Microbiome Dataset, Rachel L. Washburn, Douglas C. Curl

Research Data--KGS

The Kentucky Microbiome Dataset is a continuously updated geolocated dataset which describes the distribution and diversity of microorganisms across the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Each geolocated point represents a location reported in the peer-reviewed literature where microorganisms were sampled from soil, water, geologic substrates, or clinical settings. Environmental studies include only non-host-associated, non-clinical microorganisms sampled from natural environments. Clinical studies are mapped separately to highlight locations where investigations into host-associated or human health-related microbes have occurred.

For each location, associated metadata include study information, taxonomic classifications, sample type, sampling method, latitude and longitude, sampling date, publication reference, and a direct link …

Natural Arches Of Kentucky, Steven L. Martin

Special Publication--KGS

This pamphlet provides general information about where natural arches occur in Kentucky, the definition of a natural arch, and how natural arches form. The taxonomy of natural arches is provided along with how the span, clearance, and width of arches are measured.

The Kentucky Arch Trail is a compilation of 40 selected natural arches accessible by trail or along roads across the state for the public to enjoy. Instructions and directions for the Arch Trail are included in the pamphlet. An interactive list of arches can be found at https://kgs.uky.edu/kygeode/services/arches/list.htm

More general information about Kentucky's natural arches can be found …

Joint Map Of Hardin County, Kentucky, Steven L. Martin, Emily Morris

Map and Chart--KGS

New field mapping of joints with previously published joint and fault locations. This fracture map can be used as a critical data source for hydrological, karst or geotechnical applications. Joint orientations were measured in 2009, 2022 and 2023, and are combined with joint and fault locations for Hardin County, Kentucky from 1:24,000-scale USGS geologic quadrangle maps that were published from 1962 to 1977. The geologic quadrangle maps for the county were digitized from 2002 to 2007.

The geology of Hardin County consists of Upper Devonian New Albany Shale overlain by Lower to Upper Mississippian-age sequences of limestone, dolomite, sandstone and …

Surficial Geologic Map Of The Smiths Grove 7.5-Minute Quadrangle, Kentucky, Meredith Swallom, Bailee Nicole Hodelka, Matthew Massey, Hannah Hayes, Charles Wells Iii, Emily Morris

Contract Reports--KGS

The Kentucky Geological Survey (KGS), a state-supported independent research center within the University of Kentucky, is committed to providing accurate and unbiased geologic information on natural resources, environmental issues, and natural hazards in Kentucky. While Kentucky boasts complete coverage by 1:24,000-scale geologic bedrock maps, surficial materials have been largely overlooked, except in regions with thick deposits obscuring the bedrock. Given the increasing trends in economic development and urbanization, detailed surficial geologic mapping has become crucial for supporting geotechnical planning, environmental management, and hazard assessment. In response, KGS has prioritized new, detailed surficial geologic mapping since 2004, specifically targeting areas anticipated …

Earth Mri Western Kentucky Fluorspar District 3d Geological Modeling, Devan M. Robinson, Anna Pearson, John B. Hickman, Georgina Lukoczki, William Morton Andrews Jr.

Research Data--KGS

The Illinois–Kentucky Fluorspar District (IKFD) three-dimensional (3D) geological data model plays a critical role in the EarthMRI IKFD project, which aims to utilize the vast and detailed geologic maps and datasets that the Kentucky and Illinois state geological surveys possess to develop a Geographic Information System (GIS)-based 3D geological framework model for the district. The model serves as a framework in which to view the subsurface geological and geochemical data, and to better comprehend the structural and other geologic processes acting on the region as they relate to the locations of critical minerals. The development of the model will also …

Assessing Seismic Hazard In Western Kentucky And At The Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant: An Overview Of The Issues, Mitigation Strategies, And The Research Conducted By The Kentucky Geological Survey, Zhenming Wang, Seth Carpenter

Bulletin--KGS

The exposure of homes, infrastructure, and critical facilities in western Kentucky, including the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant (PGDP), to potential strong seismic shaking from the New Madrid Seismic Zone (NMSZ) has been a major impetus for decades of effort to characterize seismic hazards by the Kentucky Geological Survey (KGS). The purpose of this report is to provide 1) a summary of the earthquake hazards that affect Kentucky and KGS’s ongoing earthquake research, including seismic monitoring, 2) background on the types of seismic hazards in general and how they are quantified in seismic hazard assessments, including strengths and weaknesses of the …

Surficial Geologic Map Of The Bowling Green South 7.5-Minute Quadrangle, Kentucky, Matthew Massey, Meredith Swallom, Bailee Nicole Hodelka, Hannah Hayes, Charles Wells Iii, Steven L. Martin, Emily Morris

Contract Reports--KGS

The Kentucky Geological Survey (KGS), a state-supported independent research center within the University of Kentucky, is committed to providing accurate and unbiased geologic information on natural resources, environmental issues, and natural hazards in Kentucky. While Kentucky boasts complete coverage by 1:24,000-scale geologic bedrock maps, surficial materials have been largely overlooked, except in regions with thick deposits obscuring the bedrock. Given the increasing trends in economic development and urbanization, detailed surficial geologic mapping has become crucial for supporting geotechnical planning, environmental management, and hazard assessment. In response, KGS has prioritized new, detailed surficial geologic mapping since 2004, specifically targeting areas anticipated …

Surficial Geologic Map Of The Bristow 7.5-Minute Quadrangle, Kentucky, Bailee Nicole Hodelka, Matthew Massey, Meredith Swallom, Steven L. Martin, Charles Wells Iii, Emily Morris

Contract Reports--KGS

The Kentucky Geological Survey (KGS), a state-supported independent research center within the University of Kentucky, is committed to providing accurate and unbiased geologic information on natural resources, environmental issues, and natural hazards in Kentucky. While Kentucky boasts complete coverage by 1:24,000-scale geologic bedrock maps, surficial materials have been largely overlooked, except in regions with thick deposits obscuring the bedrock. Given the increasing trends in economic development and urbanization, detailed surficial geologic mapping has become crucial for supporting geotechnical planning, environmental management, and hazard assessment. In response, KGS has prioritized new, detailed surficial geologic mapping since 2004, specifically targeting areas anticipated …

Recurrence Interval Estimates For The July 2022 Eastern Kentucky Floods, North Fork Of The Kentucky River, William C. Haneberg

Open File Reports--KGS

July 2022 flood recurrence interval calculations for three gages along the North Fork of the Kentucky River—Whitesburg, Hazard, and Jackson, Kentucky—based upon both empirical distributions and theoretical log-Pearson Type III distributions yield a range of results from 851 years for the Whitesburg gage near the headwaters of the North Fork to about 2 years for the Hazard gage to 94 years for the Jackson gage. While the log-Pearson Type III approach worked well for the Whitesburg and Hazard gages, it produced an unrealistically low estimate for the Jackson gage because the empirical and theoretical curves diverge significantly for large floods …

Kgs Joint Data, Steven L. Martin

Research Data--KGS

Joint orientation measurements collected by KGS personnel at rock exposures from 2009 to 2024. New joint data was collected using a Brunton compass. This data set is a compilation of joints measured by Steve Martin. There are three worksheets related to data structure. The joint location and joint measurement worksheets show a 1-to-many relationship. The 1to1 worksheet shows a 1-to-1 relationship between joint locations and measurements.

Version 2 uploaded December 2024, adding new data to existing set.

Kentucky Karst Dye Trace Database, Sarah M. Arpin, Benjamin W. Tobin, Maaz Fareedi, Adam Link, James C. Currens

Research Data--KGS

This dataset provides the geographical locations of karst groundwater basins, groundwater flowpaths, and dye injection/recovery points in Kentucky. Dye tracing is a common method used for understanding groundwater movement. Dye is poured (or injected) into a sinking stream, well, sinkhole, or body of water, where it is carried down-gradient by flowing water. The locations at which dye is recovered (typically at artesian springs) indicates a connection from injection to recovery site. This connection is refered to as a groundwater flowpath. Conducting multiple dye traces across an area allows for the interpretation of regional groundwater flow by assessing where flowpaths either …

New Surficial Geologic Mapping In Kentucky (2021-2022), Matthew Massey, Antonia Bottoms, Max Hammond Iii, Ann Hislop, Meredith Swallom, Michele M. Mchugh

Research Data--KGS

New surficial geologic mapping was performed in nine new 7.5-minute quadrangles in Hardin, Meade, Breckinridge, Grayson, Hart, and Larue Counties, Kentucky.

Quadrangles include Big Clifty, Big Spring (Hardin county only), Custer (Hardin County only), Flaherty, Madrid (Hardin county only), Millerstown, Summit, Tonieville (Hardin county only), and Upton.

Mapping data for each of the nine quadrangles is captured in a ZIP file that contains an ESRI geodatabase and associated FGDC-compliant metadata files (.xml).

The geodatabase is a relational geodatabase of spatial and non-spatial data that conforms to "GeMS (Geologic Map Schema)--a standard format for digital publication of geologic maps", available at …

Dvgq Joint Data, Steven L. Martin

Research Data--KGS

A compilation of digitally vectorized joint data from the U.S. Geological Survey geologic quadrangle maps. Joint data was collected by USGS and KGS geologists using a compass during geologic mapping of the 7.5-minute quadrangle. Field notes of mappers are not available, therefore the orientation of joints was determined by a script written by KGS personnel during the digitization process.

Surficial Geologic Map Of The Rockfield 7.5-Minute Quadrangle, Warren, Logan, And Simpson Counties, Kentucky, Wes Buchanan, Meredith Swallom, Antonia Bottoms, Matthew Massey, Bailee Nicole Hodelka, Emily Morris

Contract Reports--KGS

The Rockfield 7.5-minute quadrangle is located west of Bowling Green, Kentucky situated mostly in Warren County, but also includes small areas of Simpson and Logan Counties in its southwestern corner. Regionally, the quadrangle includes parts of the Pennyroyal and Mammoth Cave plateau within the Mississippian Plateaus physiographic region (McDowell, 1986). The Dripping Springs escarpment, which separates the lower-elevation Pennyroyal from the higher-elevation Mammoth Cave plateau is highly dissected in the quadrangle. Topography in the Pennyroyal is characterized by pervasive sinkhole development across a low-relief plain, which is mostly underlain by the Mississippian Ste. Genevieve Limestone. Higher-relief topography is restricted to …

Surficial Geologic Map Of The Hadley 7.5-Minute Quadrangle, Warren County, Kentucky, Matthew Massey, Meredith Swallom, Antonia Bottoms, Wes Buchanan, Bailee Nicole Hodelka, Emily Morris

Contract Reports--KGS

The Hadley 7.5-minute quadrangle is located in Warren County northwest of Bowling Green, Kentucky. Regionally, the quadrangle is entirely within the Mammoth Cave plateau, which is located in the Mississippian Plateaus physiographic region (McDowell, 1986). The Mammoth Cave plateau is a regional west-dipping cuesta, that has been extensively incised by the Green and Barren Rivers and their tributaries. The area is underlain by Upper Mississippian to Lower Pennsylvanian (Rainey, 1963): the lowest fluvial valleys are underlain by Ste. Genevieve Limestone; Girkin Formation is exposed on the steep slopes between the lower valleys and higher plateau; the plateau is underlain by …

Surficial Geologic Map Of The Bowling Green North 7.5-Minute Quadrangle, Warren County, Kentucky, Meredith Swallom, Matthew Massey, Wes Buchanan, Bailee Nicole Hodelka, Hannah Hayes, Charles Wells Iii, Emily Morris

Contract Reports--KGS

The Bowling Green North 7.5-minute quadrangle is located in Warren County immediately north of Bowling Green, Kentucky. Regionally, the quadrangle includes parts of the Pennyroyal and Mammoth Cave plateau, both within the Mississippian Plateaus physiographic region (McDowell, 1986). The Dripping Springs escarpment, which separates the lower-elevation Pennyroyal from the higher-elevation Mammoth Cave plateau is highly dissected in the quadrangle. Topography in the Pennyroyal is characterized by pervasive sinkhole development across the low-relief Pennyroyal, which is mostly underlain by the Mississippian St. Louis Limestone, Ste. Genevieve Limestone, and Girkin Formation (Shawe, 1963). Higher-relief topography is restricted to the slopes of the …

Phase I Activities Of The Earth Mapping Resources Initiative (Earth Mri) In The Western Kentucky Fluorspar District, Georgina Lukoczki, Craig Dietsch, John B. Hickman, Emily Morris, Douglas C. Curl, Carrie Pulliam, Stephanie Vicroy, William M. Andrews Jr.

Report of Investigations--KGS

The Western Kentucky Fluorspar District (WKFD), which comprises the Kentucky portion of the Illinois–Kentucky Fluorspar District, is well known for the occurrence of strategically important critical mineral resources, such as fluorite (fluorspar) and rare earth elements (REEs). Due to technological advances, demand has increased for critical minerals used in cell phones, magnets in wind turbines, batteries for electric vehicles, smart weapons, and other devices and systems. The overall objective of the Earth Mapping Resources Initiative (Earth MRI) program, directed by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), is to gather information that will help better understand the distribution of critical minerals in …

Landslide Susceptibility Map Of Johnson County, Kentucky, Matt M. Crawford, Hudson J. Koch, Jason M. Dortch, William C. Haneberg

Contract Reports--KGS

The purpose of this map is to identify landslide-prone areas in Johnson County in order to provide the public, as well as local and state government agencies, with information about where landslides are likely to occur. This map represents geomorphic-based susceptibility modeling that focuses on physical slope characteristics and morphology, the quality of which is dependent on data accuracy and resolution of terrain models. The availability of high-resolution (5-ft digital elevation model) lidar derived datasets allows for the generation of terrain elevation derivatives such as hillshades, slope, aspect, curvature, and roughness, as well as identification of existing landslide deposits. These …

Landslide Susceptibility Map Of Magoffin County, Kentucky, Matt M. Crawford, Hudson J. Koch, Jason M. Dortch, William C. Haneberg, Ashton A. Killen

Contract Reports--KGS

The purpose of this map is to identify landslide-prone areas in Magoffin County, Kentucky, in order to provide the public, as well as local and state government agencies, with information about where landslides are likely to occur. This map represents geomorphic-based susceptibility modeling that focuses on physical slope characteristics and morphology, the quality of which is dependent on data accuracy and resolution of terrain models. The availability of high-resolution (5-ft digital elevation model) lidar derived datasets allows for the generation of terrain elevation derivatives such as hillshades, slope, aspect, curvature, and roughness, as well as identification of existing landslide deposits. …

Landslide Susceptibility Map Of Pike County, Kentucky, Matt M. Crawford, Hudson J. Koch, Jason M. Dortch, William C. Haneberg

Contract Reports--KGS

The purpose of this map is to identify landslide-prone areas in Pike County in order to provide the public, as well as local and state government agencies, with information about where landslides are likely to occur. This map represents geomorphic-based susceptibility modeling that focuses on physical slope characteristics and morphology, the quality of which is dependent on data accuracy and resolution of terrain models. The availability of high-resolution (5-ft digital elevation model) lidar derived datasets allows for the generation of terrain elevation derivatives such as hillshades, slope, aspect, curvature, and roughness, as well as identification of existing landslide deposits. These …

Landslide Susceptibility Map Of Martin County, Kentucky, Matt M. Crawford, Hudson J. Koch, Jason M. Dortch, William C. Haneberg

Contract Reports--KGS

The purpose of this map is to identify landslide-prone areas in Martin County in order to provide the public, as well as local and state government agencies, with information about where landslides are likely to occur. This map represents geomorphic-based susceptibility modeling that focuses on physical slope characteristics and morphology, the quality of which is dependent on data accuracy and resolution of terrain models. The availability of high-resolution (5-ft digital elevation model) lidar derived datasets allows for the generation of terrain elevation derivatives such as hillshades, slope, aspect, curvature, and roughness, as well as identification of existing landslide deposits. These …

Jillson, Willard Rouse, 1890-1975 (Mss 682), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Manuscript Collection Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Manuscripts Collection 682. Writings and supporting materials of Willard Rouse Jillson, State Geologist of Kentucky, author and historian. Includes manuscripts, page proofs, photographic negatives, and promotional pamphlets for his books.

Surficial Geologic Map Of The Flaherty 7.5-Minute Quadrangle, Kentucky, Ann Hislop, Matthew Massey, Maxwell L. Hammond Iii, Antonia E. Bottoms, Michele Mchugh, Emily Morris

Contract Reports--KGS

The Flaherty 7.5-minute quadrangle is located southwest of Louisville and northwest of Elizabethtown along the boundary between Hardin and Meade Counties. The quadrangle includes mostly the Pennyroyal region of the Mississippian Plateau and also smaller areas of the Mammoth Cave plateau and the highly dissected Dripping Springs escarpment in the western half of the map area (McDowell, 1986). Topography is mostly characterized by pervasive sinkhole development in a lower elevation and low-relief plain, and high-relief plateaus, ridges, and knobs of the Dripping Springs escarpment scattered along the west side of the quadrangle. Swadley (1963) mapped the bedrock geology of the …

Dye Tracing And The Effects Of Infrastructure In Hidden River Cave, Horse Cave, Ky, Alexa G. Franks

Master's Theses or Doctor of Nursing Practice

Hidden River Cave is a stream cave system found in Horse Cave, KY with continuous water flow of its two branches, Wheet River and East River. The infrastructure of the city of Hose Cave, KY was originally designed to utilize natural sinkholes for drainage of all wastewaters. The city uses many of these, now modified, sinkholes for wastewater disposal and storm water drainage. Historically, Hidden River Cave has been severely impacted by unmonitored dumping of contamination. To better understand and identify specific flow paths from sinkholes and infrastructure into Hidden River Cave, this study documented various sinkholes and other infrastructure, …

Geochemistry, Petrology, And Palynology Of The Princess No. 3 Coal, Greenup County, Kentucky, Madison M. Hood, Cortland F. Eble, James C. Hower, Shifeng Dai

Center for Applied Energy Research Faculty and Staff Publications

The high volatile C bituminous-rank, Bolsovian-age Princess No. 3 coal, a correlative of the heavily-mined Hazard No. 7 coal and the Peach Orchard and Coalburg Lower Split coals, was investigated three sites at a mine in Greenup County, Kentucky. The coal exhibits a “dulling upwards” trend, with decreasing vitrinite and a greater tendency towards dull clarain and bone lithotypes towards the top of the coal. The relatively vitrinite-rich basal lithotype is marked by a dominance of lycopod tree spores. The palynology transitions upwards to a middle parting co-dominated by tree fern and small lycopod spores and an upper bench dominated …

A Geologically Based Indoor-Radon Potential Map Of Kentucky, William C. Haneberg, Amanda T. Wiggins, Douglas C. Curl, Stephen F. Greb, William M. Andrews Jr., Kathy Rademacher, Mary Kay Rayens, Ellen J. Hahn

Faculty, Staff, and Affiliated Publications--KGS

We combined 71,930 short-term (median duration 4 days) home radon test results with 1:24,000-scale bedrock geologic map coverage of Kentucky to produce a statewide geologically based indoor-radon potential map. The test results were positively skewed with a mean of 266 Bq/m³, median of 122 Bq/m³, and 75th percentile of 289 Bq/m³. We identified 106 formations with ≥10 test results. Analysis of results from 20 predominantly monolithologic formations showed indoor-radon concentrations to be positively skewed on a formation-by-formation basis, with a proportional relationship between sample means and standard deviations. Limestone (median 170 Bq/m³) …

Rare Earth-Bearing Particles In Fly Ash Carbons: Examples From The Combustion Of Eastern Kentucky Coals, James C. Hower, John G. Groppo Jr.

Center for Applied Energy Research Faculty and Staff Publications

Graphitic carbons from the combustion of bituminous coals and, perhaps, other coal ranks, tend to capture iron and a number of hazardous elements, including As, Hg, and Se. Rare earth elements in fly ashes occur in minerals, such as monazite, xenotime, and davidite. They also occur in sub-nm particles, probably in a mineral form, within the Al–Si glass on the investigated fly ashes. Just as graphitic carbons can capture Fe and hazardous elements, the carbons surrounding the fly ash glass and magnetic particles captures or encapsulates a broad suite of rare earth elements.