On December 1, 2011, the Kentucky Geological Survey at the University of Kentucky celebrated a major achievement in the mapping of Kentucky's geology. KGS has published all 25 maps in the 30 by 60 minute geologic map series (1:100,000 scale), making them available for free to the public on their website and through a new app.

This achievement is unparalleled by any other state, making Kentucky a leader in geologic mapping and map technology.

These detailed maps show surface and subsurface rock types, formations, and structures such as faults. Geologic formations and faults control the occurrence of minerals and fuels, groundwater, and geologic hazards.

"They are an important contribution to society because the information they provide assists in the production of resources, protection of groundwater and the environment, stability of foundations and infrastructure, and avoidance of hazards," says KGS Director and State Geologist Jim Cobb. "Because the maps are available on the Web, they are always accessible to the public at no cost. Hardcopy versions of the maps can be ordered from the Survey's Publication Sales Office."

At a news conference on campus, a super-sized geologic map of Kentucky, 10 feet high by 23 feet wide, was unveiled in the foyer of the Mining and Mineral Resources Building on campus. A symposium on geologic mapping, "Celebrating Geologic Mapping for Science and Society," was held later that day at the Boone Center and featured experts from the University of Kentucky, KGS and other state surveys, the United States Geological Survey, and academic institutions.

KGS also announced a new mapping application available to the public. Smartphone and tablet users can explore the geology of Kentucky in their vicinity by using this new Web-based app for mobile devices. This requires available GPS to pinpoint their location and data access to download the map layers. If users direct their device browsers to the KGS GeoMobile site at kgs.uky.edu/kgsmap/mobile/kgsgeoserver, they can see the geologic formations and a number of other features found at the KGS geologic mapping site.

All of these maps and mapping resources are a product of the Kentucky Geological Survey and the National Cooperative Geologic Mapping Program of the U.S. Geological Survey which provides annual funding for such mapping. Also significant was another geologic mapping partnership between the Kentucky Geological Survey and the USGS from 1960 to 1980 that produced the original geologic maps that laid the framework for this series. The new map series is a testament to the work that can be accomplished through federal-state-university partnerships.

On a GPS-enabled device, browse to the KGS GeoMobile site at kgs.uky.edu/kgsmap/mobile/kgsgeoserver. You can choose to view geologic formations like water wells and springs, sinkholes, coal beds, and oil and gas wells. A map of Kentucky showing the 30 x 60 minute geologic maps can be found on the KGS website at uky.edu/KGS/mapping/100k.htm.

A full-size version of each map can be found through the KGS publication search page at kgs.uky.edu/kgsweb/PubsSearching/PubsSimpleSearch.asp.

Produced by Alicia P. Gregory (Research Communications), videography/direction by Chad Rumford (Research Communications)

This video appears courtesy of Reveal: University of Kentucky Research Media research.uky.edu/reveal/index.shtml