Foreword

Introduction

Acknowledgments

Overview

Water Use

Topography of the County

Geology of the County

Groundwater Availability

Exploration for Groundwater

Karst

Water Quality

Maps and Data

Additional Reading

References Cited

Definitions of Geologic Terms

Rock Descriptions

Discussion from McGrain and Currens (1978)

Oldham County is in the Outer Bluegrass Region of north-central Kentucky. The Ohio River marks the northwestern border, and the normal pool elevation of the Ohio River, 420 feet, is the lowest elevation in the county. Adjacent bluffs rise abruptly 200 to 350 feet above the river or narrow floodplain and mark the sites of the greatest local relief.

The terrain is gently rolling to hilly, with upland elevations ranging from 650 feet on the west to 900 feet on the east. The highest elevation in the county is 920 feet, a flat-topped ridge east of Kentucky 53 about 2 miles southeast of LaGrange.

The eastern edge of the county is more highly dissected by normal stream erosion and is noticeably hilly. A few ridges are flat topped. The width of the ridges increases to the west. In the vicinity of the western edge of the county, wide expanses of gently rolling to nearly flat land are present. Here, local relief is slight, except near Floyds Fork and Harrods Creek, which have carved valleys 150 to 200 feet below the surrounding upland.

The elevation of LaGrange, the county seat, is 867 feet. Other elevations include Ballardsville, 860 feet; Brownsboro, 721 feet; Buckner, 831 feet; Crestwood, 798 feet; Skylight, 730 feet; and Westport, 486 feet. The elevation of Crystal Lake, southeast of LaGrange, is 777 feet.

The 7.5-minute topographic quadrangle maps that cover Oldham County are shown, by name and by index code (Kentucky Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Cabinet) on the index map.

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