Geology Commons^™

Changing Depositional Environments In An Upper Ordovician Stratigraphic Sequence, Ashlock Formation, Madison County, Kentucky, Kevin G. Greff, Walter S. Borowski

EKU Faculty and Staff Scholarship

We investigate the sedimentology, stratigraphy, and depositional environments of a 7-meter, Upper Ordovician limestone sequence cropping out in Richmond, Madison County, Kentucky. The stratigraphic section lies within the Ashlock Formation with good lateral exposure stretching along 200 meters of a highway roadcut. We took approximately 20 samples from the measured section, focusing on representative samples and lithologic transitions. We use standard laboratory procedures in slabbing rock samples and making thin sections.

The Ashlock Formation here consists of alternating layers of limey mudstone and limestone (field units A through F). Megafossils - brachiopods, bryozoans, trilobites, gastropods, ostracodes, coralline algae, and bivalves …

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

Information Circular--KGS

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 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

Information Circular--KGS

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

Information Circular--KGS

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.

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

Information Circular--KGS

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 …

Evaluation Of Geologic Co2 Sequestration Potential And Co2 Enhanced Oil Recovery In Kentucky, Thomas M. Parris, Stephen F. Greb, Brandon C. Nuttall

Report of Investigations--KGS

Kentucky gets approximately 95 percent of its electricity from coal-fired power plants, which produce significant amounts of carbon dioxide (CO₂). In 2005, Kentucky coal-fired plants vented 102.8 million short tons of CO₂ into the atmosphere. The economic vitality of the state will be affected by its ability to develop and apply a portfolio of technologies that will mitigate input of CO₂ into the atmosphere. One technology that has the potential to assist in this challenge is geologic carbon storage, which captures CO₂ at point sources and injects it into deep rock strata that can store …

Use Of Surface Geophysical Techniques To Locate A Karst Conduit In The Cane Run - Royal Spring Basin, Kentucky, Ganesh N. Tripathi

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

Groundwater flow in karst terrains is difficult to map because it can be concentrated through conduits that do not necessarily coincide with the surface features. We applied electrical resistivity (ER) and self-potential (SP) techniques at three sites to locate an inferred trunk conduit feeding a major spring in the Inner Bluegrass region of Kentucky. Royal Spring is the primary water supply for the city of Georgetown; the upper part of its basin coincides with the Cane Run watershed. ER and SP profiles were perpendicular to the inferred trunk conduit orientation. ER profiles (972 m total length) were measured using a …

Foundation Problems And Pyrite Oxidation In The Chattanooga Shale, Estill County, Kentucky, Warren H. Anderson

Report of Investigations--KGS

Pyrite oxidation in the Chattanooga Shale has caused serious foundation problems in numerous buildings and structures in Estill County, Ky. Pyrite oxidizes and various secondary sulfates form when excavated shale or shale fill are used in foundations. These secondary sulfates are water- and humidity-sensitive and can form when only minor amounts of water are present in foundation materials. These sulfates form by crystal growth and expand by volume change, which causes subsequent soil expansion and heaving of any foundation materials when the materials are confined. Several structures have undergone expensive remediation to repair damaged sidewalks, floors, walls, and foundations. Zones …

Marks, Mary E. (Sc 1523), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Manuscript Collection Finding Aids

Finding aid and full-text scan (Click on "Additional Files" below) for Manuscripts Small Collection 1523. Dissertation (126 p.; illus.; maps) by Mary E. Marks titled "The Rock Asphalt Industry of Western Kentucky" written for the Department of Geography at the University of Chicago and submitted in December 1931. Discusses several important asphalt rock mining operations in the south central section of Kentucky.

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

Information Circular--KGS

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.

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

Information Circular--KGS

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 …

Generalized Geologic Map For Land-Use Planning: Warren County, Kentucky, E. Glynn Beck, David A. Williams, Daniel I. Carey

Map and Chart--KGS

No abstract provided.

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

Information Circular--KGS

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: Manganese, R. Stephen Fisher, Bart Davidson

Information Circular--KGS

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.

A Taxonomic Survey Of Lamp Flora (Algae And Cyanobacteria) In Electrically Lit Passages Within Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky, Thomas Smith, Rick Olson

International Journal of Speleology

A taxonomic survey of the lamp flora from electrically lit passages in Mammoth Cave, Mammoth Cave National Park, identified 28 species. Overall, cyanobacteria were dominant represented by 14 species (50% of the total), green algae had eight species (29%), and six diatoms species (21%) were present. There was not a correlation between species diversity and temperature, but there is a general trend of increasing diversity with warmer temperatures. There were two algal or cyanobacterial species identified in this study that overlapped with previous studies. There is a lack of continuity between previous studies only having one species identified in more …

Hydrolgeologic Groundwater Sensitivity And Vulnerability Mapping In South Central Kentucky, Andrea Croskrey

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Groundwater sensitivity (Ray and O'dell 1993 a) refers to the inherent ease with which groundwater can be contaminated based on hydrogeologic characteristics. We have developed digital methods for identifying areas of varying groundwater sensitivity for a ten county area of south-central Kentucky relevant to a scale of 1: 24,000. The study area includes extensive limestone karst sinkhole plains, with groundwater that is generally extremely sensitive to contamination. Digitally Vectorized Geologic Quadrangles (DVGQs) were combined with elevation data to both identify hydrogeologic groundwater sensitivity regions and to identify zones of "high risk runoff where contaminants could be transported in runoff from …

Generalized Geologic Map For Land-Use Planning: Nelson County, Kentucky, Stephen F. Greb, Bart Davidson, Daniel I. Carey

Map and Chart--KGS

This map is not intended to be used for selecting individual sites. Its purpose is to inform land-use planners, government officials, and the public in a general way about geologic bedrock conditions that affect the selection of sites for various purposes. The properties of thick soils may supercede those of the underlying bedrock and should be considered on a site-to-site basis. At any site, it is important to understand the characteristics of both the soils and the underlying rock.

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

Information Circular--KGS

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

Information Circular--KGS

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 …

Stratigraphic Column Of The Kope And Fairview Formations, Kentucky 445, Brent, Kentucky, Steven M. Holland, Arnold I. Miller, David L. Meyer, Benjamin F. Dattilo, Sharon C. St. Louis Diekmeyer

Map and Chart--KGS

The Upper Ordovician Kope Formation is exposed over a broad area of southwestern Ohio, southeastern Indiana, and northern Kentucky (Weir and others, 1984). Roadcuts along Ky. 445 near Brent (Figs. 2-3) and adjacent roadcuts along Interstate 275 expose a nearly complete section of the Kope Formation as well as the overlying Fairview Formation.

Pyritized Tube Feet In A Protasterid Ophiuroid From The Upper Ordovician Of Kentucky, U.S.A., Alexander Glass

All Faculty Scholarship for the College of the Sciences

A single specimen of the protasterid ophiuroid Protasterina flexuosa from the Kope Formation (Cincinnatian, Upper Ordovician) of Kentucky exhibits three−dimensionally pyritized tube feet. This represents the first report of soft−tissue preservation in an echinoderm from the type−Cincinnatian series. The tube feet are solid and lack all internal structure. They consist of aggregated masses of small euhedral to subhedral pyrite crystals suggesting that pyritization, although decay−induced and mediated, did not necessarily replicate soft−tissues but might instead have formed inside the void−spaces left behind during the decay process. The discovery of pyritized soft−tissue as delicate as ophiuroid tube feet suggests that similar …

Generalized Geologic Map For Land-Use Planning: Hopkins County, Kentucky, Matthew M. Crawford, E. Glynn Beck, David A. Williams, Daniel I. Carey

Map and Chart--KGS

This map is not intended to be used for selecting individual sites. Its purpose is to inform land-use planners, government officials, and the public in a general way about geologic bedrock conditions that affect the selection of sites for various purposes. The properties of thick soils may supercede those of the underlying bedrock and should be considered on a site-to-site basis. At any site, it is important to understand the characteristics of both the soils and the underlying rock.

Generalized Geologic Map For Land-Use Planning: Wolfe County, Kentucky, Richard A. Smath, Bart Davidson, Daniel I. Carey, John F. Stickney

Map and Chart--KGS

This map is not intended to be used for selecting individual sites. Its purpose is to inform land-use planners, government officials, and the public in a general way about geologic bedrock conditions that affect the selection of sites for various purposes. The properties of thick soils may supercede those of the underlying bedrock and should be considered on a site-to-site basis. At any site, it is important to understand the characteristics of both the soils and the underlying rock.

Generalized Geologic Map For Land-Use Planning: Clinton County, Kentucky, T. Jeffrey Adams, Bart Davidson, Daniel I. Carey

Map and Chart--KGS

This map is not intended to be used for selecting individual sites. Its purpose is to inform land-use planners, government officials, and the public in a general way about geologic bedrock conditions that affect the selection of sites for various purposes. The properties of thick soils may supercede those of the underlying bedrock and should be considered on a site-to-site basis. At any site, it is important to understand the characteristics of both the soils and the underlying rock.

Generalized Geologic Map For Land-Use Planning: Christian County, Kentucky, E. Glynn Beck, David A. Williams, Daniel I. Carey

Map and Chart--KGS

This map is not intended to be used for selecting individual sites. Its purpose is to inform land-use planners, government officials, and the public in a general way about geologic bedrock conditions that affect the selection of sites for various purposes. The properties of thick soils may supercede those of the underlying bedrock and should be considered on a site-to-site basis. At any site, it is important to understand the characteristics of both the soils and the underlying rock.

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

Information Circular--KGS

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

Information Circular--KGS

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 …

Generalized Geologic Map For Land-Use Planning: Bullitt County, Kentucky, Bart Davidson, Stephen F. Greb, Daniel I. Carey

Map and Chart--KGS

This map is not intended to be used for selecting individual sites. Its purpose is to inform land-use planners, government officials, and the public in a general way about geologic bedrock conditions that affect the selection of sites for various purposes. The properties of thick soils may supercede those of the underlying bedrock and should be considered on a site-to-site basis. At any site, it is important to understand the characteristics of both the soils and the underlying rock.

Generalized Geologic Map For Land-Use Planning: Oldham County, Kentucky, Bart Davidson, Daniel I. Carey, Stephen F. Greb, Anthony Mount

Map and Chart--KGS

This map is not intended to be used for selecting individual sites. Its purpose is to inform land-use planners, government officials, and the public in a general way about geologic bedrock conditions that affect the selection of sites for various purposes. The properties of thick soils may supercede those of the underlying bedrock and should be considered on a site-to-site basis. At any site, it is important to understand the characteristics of both the soils and the underlying rock.

Lithostratigraphy Of Precambrian And Paleozoic Rocks Along Structural Cross Section Ky-1, Crittenden County To Lincoln County, Kentucky, Martin C. Noger, James A. Drahovzal

Report of Investigations--KGS

This east–west cross section across western Kentucky is one of a network of regional cross sections prepared by the Illinois Basin Consortium that illustrate the structural and stratigraphic framework of the Illinois Basin. The structural cross section uses wireline logs of deep tests, as well as proprietary reflection seismic data, to show the relationship of Paleozoic rocks to each other from the surface to the top of the Precambrian unconformity.

The line of the cross section extends east from the complexly faulted Western Kentucky Fluorspar District across the Moorman Syncline and the underlying Rough Creek Graben to the Cincinnati Arch …