KYGeoCast

Kentucky was the first state in the United States to be completely mapped topographically and geologically at a scale of 1 i inch to 2,000 feet (1:24,000). Kentucky was the first state to digitize their geologic map coverage and post those data on the web. These data have now been compiled and released at a scale of 1:100,000. These milestones and the future of geologic mapping are discussed in this podcast. The Kentucky Geological Survey is a research and public service institute that is part of the University of Kentucky. You can find us on the web at www.uky.edu/kgs.

A discussion of what the Kentucky Geological Survey does, what's in it's future, and a bit about the geology of the Bluegrass State. The Kentucky Geological Survey is a research and public service institute that is part of the University of Kentucky. You can find us on the web at www.uky.edu/kgs.

This podcast is produced by the Kentucky Geological Survey for students, teachers, and anyone interested in exploring the geology of Kentucky. McConnell Springs is a National Registered Historic Site owned by the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government and managed by its Division of Parks and Recreation. McConnell Springs is a 26-acre natural area containing a variety of geologic, cultural, and historic features. The park hosts trails that wander through areas with natural springs, sinkholes, stone fences, and unique vegetation. Hunters encamped near the spring named their settlement Lexington when they received word of the opening battle of the Revolutionary War. McConnell Springs is located in an industrial area of Lexington. Its location makes the park a valuable site for protecting unique and scenic habitats and providing quality education to the public. More information on McConnell Springs and a schedule of events at the park can be found on their web site, http://www.mcconnellsprings.org/. This music is Mr. Panda and was contributed by Jacob Miller for use in this podcast. The Kentucky Geological Survey is a research and public service institute that is part of the University of Kentucky. You can find us on the web at www.uky.edu/kgs.

Today we'll return to the Cove Springs Nature Preserve for a visit to the wetland for a quick lesson in geomorphology, which is the study of the shape of landforms. This city park is located north of downtown Frankfort on Highway 127 just north of the intersection with Wilkinson Boulevard. River systems can be classified by their basic shapes. Old streams, like the lower part of the Mississippi River have very low gradients, that is, the elevation changes very little over long distances. If water can go downhill only so fast and you can't pile it up, what happens when there is too much water? It spreads out. A stream or river will flood when there is more water coming in to its valley than can flow out. One way old streams handle extra water is with broad flat valleys, flood plains. Another way is to change the length of the river itself. The curves and loops in rivers, called meanders, are a balance between the amount of water a river has to carry and its gradient. This wetland is a cutoff meander. Many thousands of years ago, the looping Kentucky River once took a path around Fort Hill along Holmes Street and directly through this valley. The area is an ephemeral wetland, meaning the area alternates between being flooded and dry. Wetlands are an important habitat used by migrating and native birds, frogs, salamanders, snakes, deer, raccoon and many other animals and plants. The diversity of the things that live here make the area important. For more information on Cove Springs, visit www.frankfortparksandrec.com. This music is Eternityscape by HAK and is used under the Creative Commons License, see Archive dot org. The Kentucky Geological Survey is a research and public service institute that is part of the University of Kentucky. You can find us on the web at www.uky.edu/kgs.

Cove Springs Nature Preserve is a city park located north of downtown Frankfort on Highway 127. Cove Spring at the head of this valley is the source of Penitentiary Branch. Early pioneers in the Frankfort area used Cove Spring as a water supply; the spring water being cleaner and cooler than Kentucky River water. The gray and brown rock that makes the falls, the flat area where the bench sits, and the short vertical cliff at the base of the ridge form an outcrop of a rock unit known as the Tyrone Limestone. The Tyrone was deposited during the Ordovician, between 460 and 455 million years ago. During that time, Kentucky was covered by a warm, shallow, tropical ocean. Some of the animals that lived in those seas included trilobites and brachiopods, which is the Kentucky state fossil. You won't find many fossils in the Tyrone, however. For more information on Cove Springs, visit www.frankfortparksandrec.com. This music is Eternityscape by HAK and is used under the Creative Commons License, see Archive.org. The Kentucky Geological Survey is a research and public service institute that is part of the University of Kentucky. You can find us on the web at www.uky.edu/kgs.