ByRalph Derickson

Among the towns covered by the new detailed digital maps are Nicholasville, Harrodsburg, Danville, Berea, Richmond and Winchester.

Many more data sets covering the rest of Kentucky will be available in the near future. Kentucky is the only state of significant size to be completely mapped geologically at a detailed scale.

The availability of geologic maps in Kentucky has been a great benefit for economic development, environmental protection, and hazard mitigation, said KGS Director James C. Cobb.

For the past five years, the KGS has been converting its geologic maps into digital format so they can be used in computer programs to address issues such as landslides, flooding, groundwater supply and protection, waste-disposal, and others, Cobb said.

The digital maps are also ideal for regional and county-level planning for such purposes as the construction of highways, managing watersheds, restoring wetlands, and planning land use and development, Cobb added.

The digital map data sets will enable geologists to gain new insight into regional trends in geology in Kentucky, understand structural trends such as the extent of a fault system, and the location of mineral and other resources.

The data sets will be of interest in other fields as well; they allow persons to use geologic information together with agricultural, archeological, biological, engineering, geographical, and medical data in GIS and other software.

Custom-designed maps can also be prepared to meet company or project requirements. This is a major step forward in KGS's quest to build a statewide GIS of geologic data for Kentucky.

The digital data sets are now available, individually or in groups, on CD-ROM for $10 per quadrangle. A tutorial is provided that explains the format of the data and other necessary information for its use.

For information about the digital mapping program, contact Jerry Weisenfluh at (859) 257-5500 or by e-mail, or visit the KGS Web site. To order the digital data sets on CD-ROM, contact Bart Davidson at (859) 257-5500 or by e-mail by clicking here.