Researcher ORCID Identifier
Matthew Massey https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3316-9550
Emily Morris https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3310-3175
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Abstract
The Millerstown 7.5-minute quadrangle is located south of Louisville and southwest of Elizabethtown along the boundaries between Hardin, Grayson, and Hart Counties and within the Mississippian Plateau physiographic region (McDowell, 1986). Topography is characterized by the low relief Pennyroyal plain that sits at altitudes below about 650 ft above sea level, the low relief Mammoth Cave plateau at altitudes above about 650 ft, and steep slopes of and isolated knobs of the incised Dripping Springs escarpment that separates the two plains. Moore (1965) mapped the bedrock geology of the quadrangle, which was later digitized by Johnson (2006). Mississippian bedrock and local areas of Pennsylvanian bedrock are exposed throughout most of the quadrangle, all, of which, are cut by several vertical faults. The Ste. Genevieve Limestone is the oldest lithology and underlies the Pennyroyal region in the northeast and southwest corners of the quadrangle, and locally along the Nolin River. The Beaver Bend Limestone, Mooretown Formation, Paoli Limestone, Sample Sandstone, and Reelsville Limestone stratigraphic sequence underlie most of the remaining Pennyroyal plain and several steep slopes of the Dripping Springs escarpment. The Beech Creek Limestone, Big Clifty Sandstone, and Haney Limestone Members of the Golconda Formation are exposed along the Dripping Springs escarpment the edges of the Mammoth Cave plateau region. Most of the Mammoth Cave plateau is underlain by the Hardinsburg Limestone, and, locally in the southwest corner of the quadrangle, the Glen Dean Limestone, Leitchfield Formation, and Pennsylvanian Caseyville Formation. Previously mapped surficial deposits include minor areas of alluvium in tributaries across the Millerstown quadrangle (Moore, 1964).
Publication Date
2022
Series
13
Report Number
52
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
doi.org/10.13023/kgs13ct522022
Spatial Coverage
Millerstown Quadrangle, Hardin County, Grayson County, Hart County
Funding Information
This map was generated using new field mapping along with compilation of unpublished and previously published data and was funded in part by the U.S. Geological Survey’s National Cooperative Mapping Program under the STATEMAP program authorized by the National Geologic Mapping Act of 1992, Grant No. G21AC10834, and by the Kentucky Geological Survey.
Language
English
Repository Citation
Massey, M. A., Hammond, M. L. III, Bottoms, A.E., Hislop, A., McHugh, M. M., Morris, E.R., 2022, Surficial Geologic Map of the Millerstown 7.5-Minute Quadrangle, Kentucky, Kentucky Geological Survey, ser. 13, Contract Report 52
Methodology
This map was generated using new field mapping, sample analysis, elevation data from the Kentucky statewide lidar dataset (5-ft average horizontal spacing), aerial imagery, data compiled from water well logs, oil and gas records, Kentucky Transportation Cabinet geotechnical reports, and landslide inventory mapping from Crawford (2014). Sinkholes in Hardin County were identified using the random forests algorithm by Zhu and Pierskalla (2016). The extent of colluvium was determined using image classification analysis to detect areas exceeding estimated slope stability determined to be approximately 12° by field and geotechnical evidence. Samples were described by Munsell color and petrography. Grain size analysis was performed on sediment fractions of less than 2 mm with a laser particle analyzer; results were interpreted using methods discussed in Folk (1966), and grain size is reported using the modified Wentworth scale. Samples representative of major map units were analyzed by X-ray fluorescence and X-ray diffraction for bulk chemistry and mineralogy, respectively. Previously published reports by Moore (1965), Whitaker and others (1972), Arms and others (1979), and Mitchell (1993) were also used for interpretation.