REGIONAL SURFICIAL MAPPING IN NORTHWESTERN PENNSYLVANIA

Northwestern Pennsylvania contains a thick sequence of glacial deposits that represent multiple advances and retreats of Quaternary ice sheets. In spite of their significant economic and natural resource value, these regional unconsolidated materials remain poorly described and mapped. Here, we present the synthesis of our regional compilation of published and new work towards a regional aquifer resource map. We have digitized extant county sediment thickness maps (Richards et al., 1987; Shiner and Gallaher, 1979; Schiner and Kimmel, 1976) along with a regional surficial geology map (Shepps et al., 1959). Surface topography, soil maps, and more than 3,000 borehole measurements of sediment thickness (from water and oil/gas well records) have also been added to our geospatial database. Faculty-student research efforts have created field maps to cover previously undocumented portions of the region. Based on sediment thickness, surficial geology, soil association, landscape position, and slope, we have compiled these collective resources to create a regional map of aquifer potential for northwestern Pennsylvania.

References

Richards, D.B., H.J. McCoy, and J.T. Gallaher, 1987, Groundwater resources of Erie County, Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania Geological Survey, 4th ser., Water Resource Report 62, 101 p., 2 plates. 1:62,500.

Schiner, G.R., and G.E. Kimmel, 1976. Geology and groundwater resources of northern Mercer County: Pennsylvania Geological Survey, 4^th ser., Water Resource Report 33, 136 p, 2 plates. 1:24,000.

Schiner, G.R., and J.T. Gallaher, 1979, Geology and groundwater resources of western Crawford County, Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania Geological Survey, 4th ser., Water Resources Report 46, 103 p, 3 plates. 1:50,000.

Shepps, V.C., G.W. White, J.B. Droste, and R.F. Sitler, 1959. Glacial geology of northwestern Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania Geological Survey, General Geology Report 32, 59 p., 1 plate. 1:125,000.