| Geology of the County | ||
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In Butler County, water is obtained from consolidated sedimentary rocks of Mississippian through Pennsylvanian ages and from unconsolidated sediments of the Quaternary age. Geologists call the oldest rocks found at the surface in Butler County the Girkin Formation. These Mississippian rocks were deposited as sediment 350 million years age in the bottom of a warm, shallow sea. At the end of the Mississippian Period, 320 million years ago, the seas receded and sediments of the Pennsylvanian period were deposited. The warm climate of the Pennsylvanian grew extensive forests and great coastal swamps at the edges of water bodies. Marine waters advances and receded many times which produces many layers of sandstone, shale, and coal. Vegetation of all sorts fell into the water and was buried under blankets of sediments, which over long geologic time were compressed into coal. The nonvegetative sediments such as sand, clay, and silt were compressed into sandstone and shale. Over the last one million years Quaternary sediments have been deposited along the larger streams and rivers. Geologic Formations in the County Sandstones Coals, sandstones, and shales Interbedded limestones, sandstones, and shales For more information, see the definitions of geologic terms and rock descriptions, a geologic map of the county, a summary of the geology of Kentucky, and a discussion of fossils and prehistoric life in Kentucky. Previous--Next--Back to "Groundwater Resources in Kentucky"
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