USGS Science⌕ Search

SEARCH · USGS Science

Results for “Coal Map”

Search indexed USGS publications on groundwater, aquifers, geologic maps, mineral resources and earthquakes. Explore source records by subject and place.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 829 records · Page 46Linked to original sources
USGS2015

Geologic Cross Section I–I′ Through the Appalachian Basin from the Eastern Margin of the Illinois Basin, Jefferson County, Kentucky, to the Valley and Ridge Province, Scott County, Virginia

Geologic cross section I‒I’ is the fourth in a series of cross sections constructed by the U.S. Geological Survey to document and improve understanding of the geologic framework and petroleum systems of the Appalachian basin. Cross section I‒I’ provides a regional view of the structural and stratigraphic framework of the Appalachian basin from the eastern margin of the Illinois basin in central Kentucky, across the Cincinnati arch (Lexington dome), to the Valley and Ridge province in southwestern Virginia, a distance of approximately 280 miles. This cross section is a companion to cross sections E‒E’ , D‒D’ , and C‒C’ that are located about 200 to 300 miles to the northeast. Cross section I‒I’ either updates or complements earlier geologic cross sections through the central Kentucky and southwestern Virginia part of the Appalachian basin. Although other published cross sections through parts of the basin show more structural and stratigraphic detail, these other cross sections are of more limited extent geographically and (or) stratigraphically. Cross section I‒I ’ contains much information that is useful for evaluating energy resources in the Appalachian basin. Many of the key elements of the Appalachian basin petroleum systems (such as source rocks, reservoir rocks, seals, and traps) can be inferred from lithologic units, unconformities, and geologic structures shown on the cross section. Other aspects of petroleum systems (such as the timing of petroleum generation and petroleum migration pathways) may be evaluated by burial history, thermal history, and fluid flow models on the basis of what is shown on the cross section. Cross section I‒I’ also provides a stratigraphic and structural framework for the Pennsylvanian coal-bearing section. In addition, geologists and engineers could use cross section I‒I’ as a reconnaissance tool to identify plausible geologic structures and strata for the subsurface storage of liquid waste or for the sequestration of carbon dioxide.

Kentucky, Pensylvania↗
USGS2014

The environmental and medical geochemistry of potentially hazardous materials produced by disasters

Many natural or human-caused disasters release potentially hazardous materials (HM) that may pose threats to the environment and health of exposed humans, wildlife, and livestock. This chapter summarizes the environmentally and toxicologically significant physical, mineralogical, and geochemical characteristics of materials produced by a wide variety of recent disasters, such as volcanic eruptions, hurricanes and extreme storms, spills of mining/mineral-processing wastes or coal extraction by-products, and the 2001 attacks on and collapse of the World Trade Center towers. In describing these characteristics, this chapter also illustrates the important roles that geochemists and other earth scientists can play in environmental disaster response and preparedness. In addition to characterizing in detail the physical, chemical, and microbial makeup of HM generated by the disasters, these roles also include (1) identifying and discriminating potential multiple sources of the materials; (2) monitoring, mapping, and modeling dispersal and evolution of the materials in the environment; (3) understanding how the materials are modified by environmental processes; (4) identifying key characteristics and processes that influence the materials' toxicity to exposed humans and ecosystems; (5) estimating shifts away from predisaster environmental baseline conditions; and (6) using geochemical insights learned from past disasters to help estimate, prepare for, and increase societal resilience to the environmental and related health impacts of future disasters.

Book chapter↗
USGS2018

Gas emissions, tars, and secondary minerals at the Ruth Mullins and Tiptop coal mine fires

Both the Tiptop and Ruth Mullins coal fires, Kentucky, were reinvestigated in 2009 and 2010. The Tiptop fire was not as active in 2009 and may have been on the path to burning out at the time of the 2009 visit. The Ruth Mullins coal mine fire, Perry County, Kentucky, has been the subject of several field investigations, including November 2009–February 2010 investigations in which we measured gas emissions, collected minerals and tars, and characterized the nature of the fire. Vents exhibiting the greatest gas flux (>100,000 mg/s/m 2 ) are those with the largest amount of condensate minerals and tars. Vents with moderate gas flux (10,000–100,000 mg/s/m 2 ) are less likely to contain condensate minerals, but are collocated with tars, and vents with the lowest flux (<10,000 mg/s/m 2 ) generally lack both minerals and tars. Aliphatic hydrocarbons present in the gases include C1-C9 compounds, and aromatics include BTEX compounds. Diffuse-CO 2 emissions are concentrated along the fracture zones overlying abandoned mine works. The area of peak diffuse flux corresponds to the trend of the collapsed portal that forms vent 5. The greatest vent emissions were also recorded at vent 5. The snow-melt zone mapped in January 2010 overlies the areas of peak diffuse-CO 2 emissions measured in November; together they delineate the zone of active combustion. Comparison of greenhouse gas emissions from the two sources shows that vent emissions exceed diffuse emissions. The highly fractured, quartz-cemented roof rock funnels the majority of emissions toward the vents. Significant decreases are seen in estimates of yearly greenhouse emissions based on data gathered from November 2009 to February 2010, with estimates from November significantly exceeding any previously published estimates. For example, September 2009 estimates from vent 3 alone indicated that 19 ± 7.5 T CO 2 /yr were emitted while the November 2009 estimates were 1800 ± 690 T/yr. Barometric pressure was lower in November than September. This implies that there are many factors influencing the seasonal variations in fire emissions and that more frequent monitoring will be necessary to derive accurate estimates of coal fires' contribution to the carbon budget.

Kentucky↗
USGS2019

A re-examination of the three most prominent Holocene tephra deposits in western Canada: Bridge River, Mount St. Helens Yn and Mazama

Volcanic ash deposits (tephra) in western Canada are instrumental in providing independent chronologic control for many archaeological and paleoenvironmental sites. In Alberta, tephra are a key chronologic tool in a region where radiocarbon dates are often unreliable because of the prevalence of carbonate-rich bedrock and other “old carbon” sources, such as coal. However, many studies using tephra for age control, particularly archaeological projects, identify tephra simply through field characteristics or light microscopy. In both Alberta and British Columbia, many radiocarbon dates that were used to date key tephra deposits were bulk conventional ages on peat and lake sediments, which are not always reliable. These factors have led to uncertainty in the age and number of Bridge River and Mount St. Helens (MSH) set Y tephra present in the region and incomplete distribution maps. New major-element geochemical analyses from archaeological and sedimentary sites across south-central Alberta, complemented by new analyses of tephra from British Columbia and Saskatchewan, refine the distribution of the Bridge River, MSH Yn and Mazama tephra. New geochemical data, radiocarbon dates, and a detailed overview of proximal MSH set Y stratigraphy and geochemistry show that only one MSH layer, Yn, is present in this region, rather than two MSH set Y tephra as previously suggested. Additionally, re-assessment of age data combined with new geochemical analyses confirm that there is also only one Bridge River tephra. A Bayesian modelled age estimate is determined for MSH Yn based on new AMS dates on the tephra and vetted existing conventional ages, providing a revised age estimate for MSH Yn of 3805–3535 cal BP (mean of 3660 cal BP).

Quaternary International↗
USGS1966

Geology of the Cerro Summit quadrangle, Montrose County, Colorado

The Cerro Summit quadrangle covers 58 square miles of dissected plateau on the south flank of the Gunnison uplift in southwestern Colorado. It lies east of the Uncompahgre River valley and south of the Black Canyon of the Gunnison River. Rocks dip gently in most of the quadrangle, but they are locally upturned and faulted on the margin of the Gunnison uplift and are intensely deformed in the core of the uplift. The rocks exposed are of Precambrian, late Mesozoic, and Cenozoic age. Precambrian rocks include metasedimentary schist and gneiss, granitic pegmatite, and olivine gabbro. The oldest Mesozoic rocks exposed are continental, fresh-water, and lagoonal deposits in the Late Jurassic Entrada Sandstone, Wanakah Formation, and Morrison Formation. Channel-fill deposits that unconformably overlie the Jurassic rocks are possibly the Burro Canyon Formation of Early Cretaceous age. Upper Cretaceous rocks include marine and nearshore deposits of the Dakota Sandstone, Mancos Shale, and Pictured Cliffs Sandstone, and the fresh- and brackish-water sandstone, shale, and coal of the Fruitland Formation. Rocks of Late Cretaceous age that crop out in the adjacent Cimarron Ridge area may also have been deposited in this quadrangle but are now eroded; these rocks include the nonmarine Kirtland Shale and an unnamed volcanic conglomerate and tuff breccia. Nine faunal zones in the Mancos Shale help to establish the correct correlation of units in the Upper Cretaceous. The Pictured Cliffs Sandstone, Fruitland Formation, and Kirtland Shale of the Cerro Summit area have been mapped by some geologists as the Mesaverde Formation. Fossils indicate that the rocks are younger than the type Mesaverde. The unnamed volcanic rocks represent major volcanism in nearby areas. A Late Cretaceous (Maestrichtian) age for the volcanism is indicated by palynological evidence and an isotopic age of approximately 66 million years. Middle Tertiary rocks are conglomerate and tuff breccia. Upper Tertiary or lower Quaternary rocks include gravel along Pool Gulch and older landslide debris on Waterdog Peak. Pleistocene and Recent deposits consist of the older stream gravel of Shinn Park, valley-fill deposits of Bostwick-Shinn Park, and pediment, landslide, eolian, alluvial, and colluvial deposits. P1elstocene valley-fill deposits of Bostwick-Shinn Park were deposited during the Cedar Ridge, or Kansan, to Pinedale or late Wisconsin times. The valley-fill deposits are divided into five units that are separated by strong Interglacial or Interstadial soils and that contain three volcanic ash beds. Chemical and petrographic data suggest that the middle ash bed may correlate with the Pearlette Ash Member (late Kansan) of the Sappa Formation in Nebraska. Alluvium on two pediment surfaces seems to be of Sacagawea Ridge or Illinoian age. Landslide deposits, of Pleistocene and Recent age, cover about 85 percent of the quadrangle; most of the deposits were formerly mapped as till. The name Cerro Till was abandoned because till does not occur in the type area. The dominant tectonic structures are the high-angle Cimarron fault of a few thousand feet displacement and the broad Montrose syncline. Evidence in the Cimarron Ridge area suggests that these structures formed in Late Cretaceous (Maestrichtian) time. Much of the strata near the surface of the quadrangle has been involved in landsliding that has continued from late Tertiary to the present.

Open-File Report↗
USGS2012

Compression map, functional groups and fossilization: A chemometric approach (Pennsylvanian neuropteroid foliage, Canada)

Nearly all of the spectrochemical studies involving Carboniferous foliage of seed-ferns are based on a limited number of pinnules, mainly compressions. In contrast, in this paper we illustrate working with a larger pinnate segment, i.e., a 22-cm long neuropteroid specimen, compression-preserved with cuticle, the compression map. The objective is to study preservation variability on a larger scale, where observation of transparency/opacity of constituent pinnules is used as a first approximation for assessing the degree of pinnule coalification/fossilization. Spectrochemical methods by Fourier transform infrared spectrometry furnish semi-quantitative data for principal component analysis. The compression map shows a high degree of preservation variability, which ranges from comparatively more coalified pinnules to less coalified pinnules that resemble fossilized-cuticles, noting that the pinnule midveins are preserved more like fossilized-cuticles. A general overall trend of coalified pinnules towards fossilized-cuticles, i.e., variable chemistry, is inferred from the semi-quantitative FTIR data as higher contents of aromatic compounds occur in the visually more opaque upper location of the compression map. The latter also shows a higher condensation of the aromatic nuclei along with some variation in both ring size and degree of aromatic substitution. From principal component analysis we infer correspondence between transparency/opacity observation and chemical information which correlate with varying degree to fossilization/coalification among pinnules.

Nova Scotia↗
USGS2013

Controls on the deposition and preservation of the Cretaceous Mowry Shale and Frontier Formation and equivalents, Rocky Mountain region, Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming

Regional variations in thickness and facies of clastic sediments are controlled by geographic location within a foreland basin. Preservation of facies is dependent on the original accommodation space available during deposition and ultimately by tectonic modification of the foreland in its postthrusting stages. The preservation of facies within the foreland basin and during the modification stage affects the kinds of hydrocarbon reservoirs that are present. This is the case for the Cretaceous Mowry Shale and Frontier Formation and equivalent strata in the Rocky Mountain region of Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming. Biostratigraphically constrained isopach maps of three intervals within these formations provide a control on eustatic variations in sea level, which allow depositional patterns across dip and along strike to be interpreted in terms of relationship to thrust progression and depositional topography. The most highly subsiding parts of the Rocky Mountain foreland basin, near the fold and thrust belt to the west, typically contain a low number of coarse-grained sandstone channels but limited sandstone reservoirs. However, where subsidence is greater than sediment supply, the foredeep contains stacked deltaic sandstones, coal, and preserved transgressive marine shales in mainly conformable successions. The main exploration play in this area is currently coalbed gas, but the enhanced coal thickness combined with a Mowry marine shale source rock indicates that a low-permeability, basin-centered play may exist somewhere along strike in a deep part of the basin. In the slower subsiding parts of the foreland basin, marginal marine and fluvial sandstones are amalgamated and compartmentalized by unconformities, providing conditions for the development of stratigraphic and combination traps, especially in areas of repeated reactivation. Areas of medium accommodation in the most distal parts of the foreland contain isolated marginal marine shoreface and deltaic sandstones that were deposited at or near sea level lowstand and were reworked landward by ravinement and longshore currents by storms creating stratigraphic or combination traps enclosed with marine shale seals. Paleogeographic reconstructions are used to show exploration fairways of the different play types present in the Laramide-modified, Cretaceous foreland basin. Existing oil and gas fields from these plays show a relatively consistent volume of hydrocarbons, which results from the partitioning of facies within the different parts of the foreland basin.

Colorado;Utah;Wyoming↗
USGS1985

Potentiometric surface and water quality in the Principal Aquifer, Mississippian Plateaus region, Kentucky

The Mississippian Plateaus region is the outcrop area of rocks of Mississippian age which extends as a broad arcuate band around the Western Coal Field in westcentral Kentucky. Much of the area is characterized by plains of low relief containing numerous sinkholes, subsurface drainage, and a low density of surface streams. The principal aquifer consists of a thick sequence of limestones extending downward stratigraphically from the base of the Chesterian Series to the black shales at the top of the Devonian rocks. Well yields range from several gallons per minute to as much as 500 gallons per minute in some karst areas where secondary openings are well developed. The potentiometric map indicates that ground-water movement generally conforms to the surface drainage pattern. The actual direction of movement varies from river basin to river basin. Most water from the principal aquifer is a calcium magnesium bicarbonate type and is generally good relative to current drinking water standards. The lower St Louis Limestone, in places, yields a calcium magnesium sulfate water that is corrosive and has a strong hydrogen sulfide odor. The karst areas of the principal aquifer are vulnerable to contamination because of the well-developed subsurface drainage. Urban areas, industries, and agriculture are sources of contaminants that can be easily flushed into the ground-water system. (USGS)

Water-Resources Investigations Report↗
USGS1910

Johnstown folio, Pennsylvania

By reference to the key map (fig. 1) it will be seen that the Johnstown quadrangle is in southwest-central Pennsylvania. It lies mostly in Cambria County but covers also small parts of Somerset, Westrmoreland, and Indiana counties. Most of it is included in the valley of Conemaugh River and its tributaries Little Conemaugh River and Stony Creek, at the confluence of which is Johnstown and its suburbs. The northern part of the area is in the valleys of Blacklick Creek and it South Branch, along which are the small but prosperous coal-mining town Nanty Glo, Twin Rocks, Weber, Vintondale, and Wehrum.

Pennsylvania↗
USGS2009

Geologic Cross Section D-D' Through the Appalachian Basin from the Findlay Arch, Sandusky County, Ohio, to the Valley and Ridge Province, Hardy County, West Virginia

Geologic cross section D-D' is the second in a series of cross sections constructed by the U.S. Geological Survey to document and improve understanding of the geologic framework and petroleum systems of the Appalachian basin. Cross section D-D' provides a regional view of the structural and stratigraphic framework of the Appalachian basin from the Findlay arch in northwestern Ohio to the Valley and Ridge province in eastern West Virginia, a distance of approximately 290 miles. The information shown on the cross section is based on geological and geophysical data from 13 deep drill holes, several of which penetrate the Paleozoic sedimentary rocks of the basin and bottom in Mesoproterozoic (Grenville-age) crystalline basement rocks. This cross section is a companion to cross section E-E' (Ryder and others, 2008) that is located about 25 to 50 mi to the southwest. Although specific petroleum systems in the Appalachian basin are not identified on the cross section, many of their key elements (such as source rocks, reservoir rocks, seals, and traps) can be inferred from lithologic units, unconformities, and geologic structures shown on the cross section. Other aspects of petroleum systems (such as the timing of petroleum generation and preferred migration pathways) may be evaluated by burial history, thermal history, and fluid flow models based on information shown on the cross section. Cross section D-D' lacks the detail to illustrate key elements of coal systems (such as paleoclimate, coal quality, and coal rank), but it does provide a general geologic framework (stratigraphic units and general rock types) for the coal-bearing section. Also, cross section D-D' may be used as a reconnaissance tool to identify plausible geologic structures and strata for the subsurface storage of liquid waste or for the sequestration of carbon dioxide.

Scientific Investigations Map↗
USGS2012

Geologic cross section C-C' through the Appalachian basin from Erie County, north-central Ohio, to the Valley and Ridge province, Bedford County, south-central Pennsylvania

Geologic cross section C-C' is the third in a series of cross sections constructed by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to document and improve understanding of the geologic framework and petroleum systems of the Appalachian basin. Cross section C-C' provides a regional view of the structural and stratigraphic framework of the Appalachian basin from north-central Ohio to the Valley and Ridge province in south-central Pennsylvania, a distance of approximately 260 miles (mi). This cross section is a companion to cross sections E-E' and D-D' that are located about 50 to 125 mi and 25 to 50 mi, respectively, to the southwest. Cross section C-C' contains much information that is useful for evaluating energy resources in the Appalachian basin. Although specific petroleum systems are not identified on the cross section, many of their key elements (such as source rocks, reservoir rocks, seals, and traps) can be inferred from lithologic units, unconformities, and geologic structures shown on the cross section. Other aspects of petroleum systems (such as the timing of petroleum generation and preferred migration pathways) may be evaluated by burial history, thermal history, and fluid flow models based on what is shown on the cross section. Cross section C-C' also provides a general framework (stratigraphic units and general rock types) for the coal-bearing section, although the cross section lacks the detail to illustrate key elements of coal systems (such as paleoclimate, coal quality, and coal rank). In addition, cross section C-C' may be used as a reconnaissance tool to identify plausible geologic structures and strata for the subsurface storage of liquid waste or for the sequestration of carbon dioxide.

Kentucky;Maryl;Ohio;Pennsylvania;Tennessee;Virgini↗
USGS2010

Summary of Hydrologic Data for the Tuscarawas River Basin, Ohio, with an Annotated Bibliography

The Tuscarawas River Basin drains approximately 2,600 square miles in eastern Ohio and is home to 600,000 residents that rely on the water resources of the basin. This report summarizes the hydrologic conditions in the basin, describes over 400 publications related to the many factors that affect the groundwater and surface-water resources, and presents new water-quality information and a new water-level map designed to provide decisionmakers with information to assist in future data-collection efforts and land-use decisions. The Tuscarawas River is 130 miles long, and the drainage basin includes four major tributary basins and seven man-made reservoirs designed primarily for flood control. The basin lies within two physiographic provinces-the Glaciated Appalachian Plateaus to the north and the unglaciated Allegheny Plateaus to the south. Topography, soil types, surficial geology, and the overall hydrology of the basin were strongly affected by glaciation, which covered the northern one-third of the basin over 10,000 years ago. Within the glaciated region, unconsolidated glacial deposits, which are predominantly clay-rich till, overlie gently sloping Pennsylvanian-age sandstone, limestone, coal, and shale bedrock. Stream valleys throughout the basin are filled with sands and gravels derived from glacial outwash and alluvial processes. The southern two-thirds of the basin is characterized by similar bedrock units; however, till is absent and topographic relief is greater. The primary aquifers are sand- and gravel-filled valleys and sandstone bedrock. These sands and gravels are part of a complex system of aquifers that may exceed 400 feet in thickness and fill glacially incised valleys. Sand and gravel aquifers in this basin are capable of supporting sustained well yields exceeding 1,000 gallons per minute. Underlying sandstones within 300 feet of the surface also provide substantial quantities of water, with typical well yields of up to 100 gallons per minute. Although hydraulic connection between the sandstone bedrock and the sands and gravels in valleys is likely, it has not been assessed in the Tuscarawas River Basin. In 2001, the major land uses in the basin were approximately 40 percent forested, 39 percent agricultural, and 17 percent urban/residential. Between 1992 and 2001, forested land use decreased by 2 percent with correspondingly small increases in agricultural and urban land uses, but from 1980 to 2005, the 13-county area that encompasses the basin experienced a 7.1-percent increase in population. Higher population density and percentages of urban land use were typical of the northern, headwaters parts of the basin in and around the cities of Akron, Canton, and New Philadelphia; the southern area was rural. The basin receives approximately 38 inches of precipitation per year that exits the basin through evapotranspiration, streamflow, and groundwater withdrawals. Recharge to groundwater is estimated to range from 6 to 10 inches per year across the basin. In 2000, approximately 89 percent of the 116 million gallons per day of water used in the basin came from groundwater sources, whereas 11 percent came from surface-water sources. To examine directions of groundwater flow in the basin, a new dataset of water-level contours was developed by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. The contours were compiled on a map that shows that groundwater flows from the uplands towards the valleys and that the water-level surface mimics surface topography; however, there are areas where data were too sparse to adequately map the water-level surface. Additionally, little is known about deep groundwater that may be flowing into the basin from outside the basin and groundwater interactions with surface-water bodies. Many previous reports as well as new data collected as part of this study show that water quality in the streams and aquifers in the Tuscarawas River Basin has been degraded by urban, suburban, and rural

Scientific Investigations Report↗
USGS1979

Coal deposits of the Hedstrom Lake area, McCone, Garfield, Prairie, Custer, and Rosebud counties, Montana

The Hedstrom Lake area is located on the southwestern flank of the Williston basin, which is a major structural feature in eastern Montana and western North Dakota. Locally, the rocks have a structural high in T. 12 N., R. 47 E., a structural low in T. 18 N., R. 46 E., and a maximum structural relief of more than 700 ft. The exposed rocks in most of the area are part of the Tongue River Member of the Paleocene Fort Union Formation. The Tongue River Member consists of interbedded siltstone, sandstone, shale, and coal. In ascending order, the five main or principal coal beds are the S, Haughins, R, Q, and Rogers. The S bed ranges in thickness from 0 to 11 ft. The Haughins bed is usually a single bed 2-10 ft thick; in the southern part of the area, it splits into two benches which have a total thickness of 12 ft. The R bed is thin in most of the area, but in the northern part it attains a thickness of 9 ft.. The Q bed occurs at about the same horizon as the Rogers bed, but the drilling control and surface mapping are insufficient for correlation. The Rogers bed has a maximum thickness of 17.1 ft in sec. 15, T. 13N., R. 47 E., but thins rapidly to the northwest.

Open-File Report↗
USGS1981

Maps showing mines, quarries, prospects, and exposures in the Cheat Mountain Roadless Area, Randolph County, West Virginia

The Wilderness Act (Public Law 88-577, September 3, 1964) and related acts require the U.S. Geological Survey and the U.S. Bureau of Mines to survey certain areas on Federal lands to determine their mineral resource potential. Results must be made available to the public and be submitted to the President and the Congress. This report presents the results of a mineral survey of the Cheat Mountain Roadless Area in the Monongahela National Forest, Randolph County, West Virginia. The area was designated as a further planning area during the Second Roadless Area Review and Evaluation (RARE II) by the U.S. Forest Service, January 1979. The Cheat Mountain Roadless Area is in the Greenbrier Ranger District of the Monongahela National Forest, east-central West Virginia. It is located in Randolph County about 10 mi southeast of Elkins, W.Va., and is accessible there via U.S. 219-250 to Beverly, W.Va., and then southeastward along an improved country road. From the east, the study area can be reached via U.S. 33 and by a paved country road that extends from Alpena, W.Va. to the village of Bemis. Unimproved Forest service roads, abandoned logging railroad grades, and primitive trails provide access by foot or horseback into the interior of the study area. Physiographically, the Cheat Mountain Roadless Area is in the Allegheny Mountain section of the Appalachian Plateaus province and is situated at the eastern edge of the Appalachian coal region. Cheat Mountain, a northeast-trending ridge, is bordered on the west by the right fork of Files Creek and on the east by Shavers Fork and its tributaries. Most of the area occupies an elevated plateau capped by resistant sandstone and conglomerate. Altitudes range form 2,320 ft on Lime Kiln Run to more than 3,900 ft on Cheat Mountain. The topography ranges from relatively flat in the uplands to very steep in the canyons along tributaries of Shavers Fork. The area is heavily forested with vegetation varying from mixed hardwoods on the western slope of Cheat Mountain to thickets of conifers in the uplands. Hemlocks are sparsely interspersed and red spruce, the dominant tree at higher elevations prior to logging in the mid 1920's, is again reforesting upland areas. Rhododendron and laurel flourish in moist protected areas along drainage courses and in coves.

West Virginia↗
USGS2008

Geologic Cross Section E-E' through the Appalachian Basin from the Findlay Arch, Wood County, Ohio, to the Valley and Ridge Province, Pendleton County, West Virginia

Geologic cross section E-E' is the first in a series of cross sections planned by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to document and improve understanding of the geologic framework and petroleum systems of the Appalachian basin. Cross section E-E' provides a regional view of the structural and stratigraphic framework of the basin from the Findlay arch in northwestern Ohio to the Valley and Ridge province in eastern West Virginia, a distance of approximately 380 miles (mi) (fig. 1, on sheet 1). Cross section E-E' updates earlier geologic cross sections through the central Appalachian basin by Renfro and Feray (1970), Bennison (1978), and Bally and Snelson (1980) and a stratigraphic cross section by Colton (1970). Although other published cross sections through parts of the basin show more structural detail (for example, Shumaker, 1985; Kulander and Dean, 1986) and stratigraphic detail (for example, Ryder, 1992; de Witt and others, 1993; Hettinger, 2001), these other cross sections are of more limited extent geographically and stratigraphically. Although specific petroleum systems in the Appalachian basin are not identified on the cross section, many of their key elements (such as source rocks, reservoir rocks, seals, and traps) can be inferred from lithologic units, unconformities, and geologic structures shown on the cross section. Other aspects of petroleum systems (such as the timing of petroleum generation and preferred migration pathways) may be evaluated by burial history, thermal history, and fluid flow models based on information shown on the cross section. Cross section E-E' lacks the detail to illustrate key elements of coal systems (such as paleoclimate, coal quality, and coal rank), but it does provide a general framework (stratigraphic units and general rock types) for the coal-bearing section. Also, cross section E-E' may be used as a reconnaissance tool to identify plausible geologic structures and strata for the subsurface storage of liquid waste (for example, Colton, 1961; Lloyd and Reid, 1990) or for the sequestration of carbon dioxide (for example, Smith and others, 2002; Lucier and others, 2006).

Scientific Investigations Map↗
USGS1986

Correlation of coal beds in the Fruitland Formation as interpreted from geophysical logs, east-central San Juan County, New Mexico

Correlation of coal beds in the Fruitland Formation (Upper Cretaceous) in the subsurface, from interpretation of geophysical logs, is an outgrowth of unpublished studies of deep coal on the Navajo Reservation by the author in the Toadlena 30 x 60 minute quadrangle, New Mexico, and by W. J. Mapel in the Farmington 30 x 60 minute quadrangle, New Mexico. The lines of sections of this report extend eastward from the reservation into east-central San Juan County, which is in the western part of the San Juan Basin. In this area, the rocks dip gently northeast toward the central part of the basin. The thick coal is less than 1,500 feet beneath the surface. Of the 53 logs in the sections, 48 are from oil- and gas-test holes, and 5 are from coal-test holes (see table 1). Stratigraphic relations of the Upper Cretaceous Lewis Shale, Pictured Cliffs Sandstone, and Fruitland Formation, shown on the cross sections and briefly reviewed below, have been previously described for this or other parts of the San Juan Basin by Hayes and Zapp (1955), Beaumont (1971), Fassett and hinds (1971), O;Sullivan and other (1972), and Molenaar (1983), among others.

New Mexico↗
USGS2004

Geologic map of the Kanab 30' x 60' quadrangle, Utah and Arizona

The 1:100,000-scale geologic map of the sparsely populated Kanab 30' x 60' quadrangle in southernmost Utah and a narrow strip in northernmost Arizona delineates 17 formations and numerous subdivisions of sedimentary rock units of Permian, Triassic, Jurassic, Cretaceous, and Tertiary ages; 12 Quaternary alluvial, eolian, and mass-wasting units; and Quaternary basaltic igneous rocks and vents.Units within the Straight Cliffs Formation are correlated with those of the Kaiparowits Plateau. Palynological edidence indicates that the Kaiparowits(?) Formation is older than the type formation in the Kaiparowits Plateau. Structures include parts of the Sevier, Kanab Creek, Johnson Canyon, and Paunsaugunt fault zones. Regional dip is generally northeast at very low angles. Coal beds are presentin the upper unit of the Straight Cliffs Formation, in the Tropic Shale, and in the Dakota Formation.

IMAP↗
USGS1976

Ground-water conditions in the Kingston area, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, and their effect on basement flooding

Ground water underlying the Kingston area occurs in one very complex reservoir that consists of two essential parts--a shallow system and a deep system. The shallow system is composed of the unconsolidated deposits in the buried valley. The deep system is composed of bedrock, including anthracite coal, some of which has been removed by mining. Ground-water levels in the shallow system are affected by fluctuations in the stage of the Susquehanna River as far as 1 mile (1.609 kilometers) from the river. At greater distances, ground-water levels are controlled by local stream losses and ground-water conditions outside the study area. Ground-water levels in the deep system are also affected by fluctuations in the stage of the Susquehanna River. Significant vertical movement-of groundwater is probably occurring between the-shallow and deep systems. Areas of potential basement flooding by ground water are delineated on a depth-to-water map of the shallow system. Eight major problem areas are widely scattered throughout the study area. Although potential for basement flooding decreases as water levels decline seasonally, shallow ground-water levels in parts of the study area fluctuate so little that basement flooding can be a year-round problem. The low relief of the study area and its proximity to the Susquehanna River favor a naturally high water level in the shallow system. In addition, two other factors probably contribute significantly to the basement flooding in all areas: recovery of water levels in the deep ground-water system following the cessation of deep mining and associated pumping, and land subsidence. The following nonpumping methods of lowering the high water level in problem areas were evaluated: (1) gravity drainage wells, (2) gravity overflow wells (relief wells), (3) sealing of Toby Creek, and (4) a drainage ditch deep enough to intercept ground water moving into the study area from upgradient sources.

Open-File Report↗