geomorphology of kentucky – potential impact on land-use and watersheds william m andrews jr.,...

Geomorphology of Kentucky –Potential Impact on Land-use and Watersheds

William M Andrews Jr., Ph.D., P.G.Head, Geologic Mapping Section

Kentucky Geological Survey

CPE Summer PD 2014University of KentuckyLexington, Kentucky

Monday, June 23, 2014

Landform Regions

Soils

Land-Use Patterns

Geology

Geology &Geomorphology

Chemistry

Biology &Paleontology

Physics

Economics

Culture &Sociology

History

Politics

Engineering &Construction

Transportation

Ecology

AgricultureLand Use

Hazards

Soils

Geotechnical

Landforms

ResourcesGeology &

Geomorphology

Hydrology

BLUEGRASS REGION

• Calcareous shales, Outer Bluegrass (Ordovician)• Interbedded Limestones-Shales (Ordovician)• Phosphatic Limestones, Inner Bluegrass

(Ordovician)• Alluvial• Colluvial • Glacial till, northern KY (Quaternary)

Inner Bluegrass

Outer Bluegrass

Dominantly Limestone

Limestone and Shale

Phosphate-rich Limestone

Fayette County stone fences

Franklin County distillery

Fayette County horse farm

Modern horse farms only in limited area

Historical records suggest wider distribution in past

Certain areas better suited for horses, geologically.

Geology of Horse Farms

KNOBS REGION

• Calcareous gray shales (Silurian) • Acid black and gray shales (Devonian)• Dolomitic sandstones (Mississippian)• Lacustrine sediments (Quaternary)• Alluvial• Colluvial

Berea “Skyline”

Knobs

SandstonePlatform

Shale and SiltstoneSlopes

Limestone Caprock

LimestoneCaprock

Black shale

Diagram of Muldraugh Hill and Development of the Knobs area. Muldraugh Hill is a cuesta, or escarpment, capped with Middle Mississippian limestones and sandstones.

The Knobs are erosion remnants carved by stream erosion. Initially they may be flat-topped, but as the resistant cap is removed and softer shales and siltstones are exposed to weathering processes they take the shape of cones.

MOUNTAIN & EASTERN COALFIELDS REGION

• Sandstones (Pennsylvanian)• Shales (Pennsylvanian)• Siltstones (Pennsylvanian)• Alluvial • Colluvial

Harlan County coal mine

Appalachian Plateau coal fields

William AndrewsKentucky Geological Survey

wandrews@uky.edu