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Alluvium (Qa)
Topography
The alluvium forms narrow floodplains and underlies terraces. At least
one well-developed terrace is present along the principal streams of
the region.
Hydrology
The alluvium yields more than 100 gallons per day to most dug wells.
Where sandy material is present and saturated thickness is great enough,
the alluvium would yield more than 500 gallons per day to screened drilled
wells. Water is soft or moderately hard; it may contain large amounts
of iron at depth.
Breathitt Group (Pbu, Pbm, Pbl) (Princess Formation, Four Corners
Formation, Hyden
Formation, Pikeville Formation)
Topography
The topography of the Breathitt is rugged. Sandstones form narrow valleys
and cliffs or steep slopes on hillsides and shales form wide valleys
and moderate or gentle slopes on hills. Tops of hills and ridges commonly
are capped by sandstone.
Hydrology
The Breathitt yields more than 500 gallons per day to more than three-quarters
of the wells drilled in
valley bottoms. It yields more than 500 gallons per day to about three-quarters
of the wells on hillsides,
and more than 100 gallons per day to nearly all wells on ridges. Sandstones
yield water to most wells.
Shales also yield water to many wells, and coal yields water to a few.
Near-vertical joints and
openings along bedding plains yield most of the water to wells. Waters
are highly variable in
chemical character.
Grundy Formation, Alvy Creek Formation (contains Lee-type quartzose
sandstones of the former Lee Formation) (PMl)
Topography
Resistant sandstones in the Grundy form the high ridges of Pine Mountain.
Hydrology
Generally, the Grundy yields more the 500 gallons per day to about three-quarters
of the wells drilled in valley bottoms. It yields more than 500 gallons
per day to about half of the wells on hillsides and smaller quantities
of water to wells on hilltops; some wells flow. Sandstone is the principal
aquifer, but shale yields water to some wells. The highest yielding
wells obtain water from near-vertical joints and openings along bedding
plains. Intergranular pore spaces yield water slowly to joints and to
wells intersecting poorly cemented zones. Waters are generally soft
or moderately hard and contain noticeable amounts of iron in most wells
and salty water in very few wells.
Pennington Formation (PDpg)
Topography
The Pennington forms moderate slopes along the face of Pine Mountain.
Hard beds of sandstones within this predominantly shale formation form
small cliffs or ledges.
Hydrology
The Pennington yields almost no water. Impermeable shale may hold water
in overlying
sandstone and conglomerate.
Slade Formation (PDpg)
Topography
Upper Mississippian limestone of the Slade forms cliffs and steep slopes
at and just below the
crest of Pine Mountain.
Hydrology
The Slade yields as much as 50 or 100 gallons per minute to springs
in limestone.
Grainger Formation (PDpg)
Topography
The Grainger forms moderate slopes along the base of Pine Mountain.
Hydrology
The Grainger yields more than 500 gallons per day to wells near the foot of
Pine Mountain, but wells
drilled into the formation throughout most of its outcrop area will
yield little or no water.
Chattanooga Shale (MDc)
Topography
The Chattanooga forms moderate slopes along the base of Pine Mountain.
Hydrology
The shale yields essentially no water to wells.
The U.S. Geological Survey's Hydrologic
Atlas Series, published cooperatively with the Kentucky Geological
Survey, provides hydrologic information for the entire state.
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