Frequently Asked Questions:

What should I consider when I drill a domestic well on my property?

For many homeowners the primary consideration is getting the well as close to the house as possible to minimize plumbing costs. However, unless careful attention is given to the siting of the well, the hole may be dry or prone to contamination. It is difficult to choose a successful water well location in limestone aquifers because the water occurs in discrete openings, as opposed to dispersed through the rock. These openings can be easily missed by the drill hole. Several shallow holes, as opposed to drilling a dry hole deeper, are commonly a better strategy in limestone aquifers. Throughout the state, if a well is drilled too deep it may encounter salty water. In eastern Kentucky, wells drilled in valley bottoms may hit salt water at very shallow depths. Better water quality may be found at the bottom of hill slopes. Along the Ohio River and its tributaries, and in the Jackson Purchase, most well locations will produce adequate water quality and quantity.

Domestic wells should also be sited up gradient (usually up hill) from known sources of contamination, such as septic fields and animal feed lots. In addition to the plumbing cost, future access to the well bore for replacing pumps or reconditioning the well should be considered when drilling a well. For more information, contact Jim Currens at KGS, (859) 257-5500.

What areas are vulnerable to water contamination?

It is possible for ground water in any part of the state to become contaminated. Rainwater that soaks into the ground reaches most aquifers (water bearing geologic formations) in Kentucky in a few hours to a few years. Therefore any source of pollution can conceivably travel through an aquifer into a water well supply depending on the type of aquifer and the type of pollution. In Kentucky, however, many water-quality problems with ground water are caused by poor well construction or deteriorated well conditions. The best defense against pollution is to use a certified water well driller to construct the well in accordance with state regulations and to routinely service and maintain the well and associated plumbing. Owners of domestic wells should also be aware of potential pollution sources, such as their own septic tank, service stations, waste handling operations, factories, animal feed lots, and other industrial sites, near their home. Water samples from all water supply wells should be tested annually.

The aquifers most vulnerable to ground-water contamination are those in which ground water travels relatively quickly. Those include the limestone, or karst aquifers, in the Inner Bluegrass, the Eastern Pennyroyal, and the Western Pennyroyal. Sand and gravel aquifers along the Ohio River and some of the other larger rivers are also vulnerable to pollution. The shallowest sand and gravel aquifers in the Jackson Purchase are also somewhat vulnerable. The bedrock aquifers of the eastern and western coal fields are comparatively less vulnerable to contaminant pollution, but can be significantly impacted by coal mining. For more information, contact Jim Currens at KGS, (859) 257-5500.

How can I get information on the water wells in this area?

The Kentucky Ground-Water Data Repository was initiated in 1990 by the Kentucky Geological Survey. The repository was established to archive and disseminate ground-water data collected by State agencies, other organizations, and independent researchers. Prior to the initiation of the repository, ground-water data were housed at many different locations throughout the State. The repository was established to provide public service at a centralized location to anyone requiring ground-water information.

The complete database contains information for over 40,000 water wells, 875 springs, 350 dye traces, and 20,000 water-quality analyses. Computerized data in the repository include general water-well information such as location, usage, total depth, and static water level; well-construction information; water-quality data such as major and minor ionic constituents and volatile organic compounds, isotopic analyses, trace-organic analyses, and bacterial analyses; spring data; discharge measurements; and ground-water dye-trace data. The repository also contains many reports on ground-water topics and maps showing various types of ground-water information.

Products and services of the repository include well searches within a user-specified radius of a site location; overlay maps showing well locations; hard-copy printouts of ground-water data; ground-water data downloaded to electronic media or by the internet; and assistance with public service requests concerning ground water. A nominal fee is charged for computer data and map products. For more information on water well data, contact Bart Davidson (859) 257-5500.

How can I get information on the oil and gas wells in this area?

The Geologic Data Center of the Kentucky Geological Survey houses an oil and gas well records library. Oil and gas well data have been collected by the Survey since the late 1800's. However, the data file was permanently established as the archive of oil and gas information in 1960 with the passage of a law that mandated the submission of drilling records by oil and gas operators. Data available in the library include:

• Well location plats
• Well log and completion reports (drillers' logs)
• Plugging affidavits
• Geophysical logs (electrical, nuclear, and mechanical)
• Sample descriptions
• Copies of drilling records may be obtained at the data center.

Additionally, computer data searches, well lists, and well-location base maps are available. Well-record data and stratigraphic tops are available on electronic media. Well-location base maps are available as overlays for the standard USGS 7.5-minute quadrangle topographic or geologic maps (1:24,000 scale).

For more information on the Oil and Gas well records library, contact Bart Davidson at (859) 257-5500. See the list of Oil and Gas FAQs at the website.

How can I get information on the availability of industrial minerals in this area?

Industrial minerals, as used here, are non-fossil fuel rocks, minerals, and sediments that have an industrial use. We subdivide them into two broad groups, bulk rocks, and ore minerals. Bulk rocks are those that are used as aggregate, or for the production of lime, ceramics, Portland cement, or as a product used in coal-fired electricity-generating plants for the removal of sulfur. These bulk rocks or sediments include limestone, dolostone, clay, shale, sandstone, sand, and gravel. The ore minerals are mineral concentrations found in veins or in uncommon sedimentary rocks. Ore minerals that have been produced in Kentucky include calcite, barite, gypsum, fluorspar (fluorite), sphalerite, galena, saltpeter, and various phosphate and iron minerals.

The KGS website has basic information about industrial minerals. The location of specific industrial minerals is best determined by discussions with our industrial minerals geologists. For more information, contact Bart Davidson or Garland Dever at (859) 257-5500.

How can I get information about coal in this area?

The KGS has compiled a large amount of coal information in the form of borehole records, coal thickness and location data, coal quality data, and coal resource data. This information is available to the public in a variety of formats. The KGS coal website has general information about coal in Kentucky. For more information about coal or coal data, contact William Andrews or Bart Davidson at (859) 257-5500.

Where do I get information about maps available for Kentucky?

The Earth Science Information Center (ESIC) at the Kentucky Geological Survey is the doorway to data on maps, remote sensing (old and new aerial photos, radar, and satellite images), geodetic data, digital data, and almost anything related to earth science in Kentucky. If you have any questions about maps, the availability of aerial photographs, bench marks, place names, contact Richard Smath at (859) 257-5500. You may also visit the KGS map data website for other map information.

If I am considering buying a house, what should I look for when I inspect the property around my house?

Purchasing property? Look at geologic hazards and slope stability before you buy. Observation and common sense are your most important tools. It is always a good idea to hire an expert, but there are a lot of things you can recognize yourself and take some of the mystery out of it if you just know what to look for.

1. Water! Water almost always plays a role in most Geologic Hazards, therefore look for water first. Try to understand the drainage area affecting the property...
   • springs and seeps--These are easiest to spot in freezing weather because of the ice. In warmer weather, look for greener, heavier vegetation.
   • wetlands, bogs, or fens--If it is wet in dry weather, remember it can only get worse in the wet seasons. Beware of wet areas and standing water in general. These do not always occur in bottom lands but can be found on hillsides as well.
   • floodplains--Note potential future floodplain development which may impact your property. Floodplains change as an area develops and you get more and faster runoff because more area is under roof and pavement. Are you the first or last house in the subdivision? It can make a significant difference.
   • drainage--Stand at various points and look at the drainage of surrounding land. Is it all toward your property? Can you drain your property without causing someone else some problems or destabilizing your own property, especially if it is on or near a slope? Does construction on your property or the alteration of the topography interfere with someone else's drainage?
2. If you are buying a house, look for water problems, look for cracks, look for anything that seems unusual (e.g., water in basement or crawl space).
3. Look for anything unusual about the property. Especially if it is on a hillslope or there is a slope nearby. Look for unusual breaks in slope (e.g. building on spoil pile, slump blocks, on hillside versus flat areas). Always beware of property that has not sold, especially if there is no obvious reason. Be reluctant to buy the last lot in the subdivision. Someone probably knows something that you don't.
4. Ask where the septic tank and drain field is located with respect to the house (and water well if there is a well). If you are building, be careful where you locate the septic system. This can saturate the hillslope and cause movement.
5. Look for any signs of depressions or settlement around the house. If there is water in the baement, it may be because the fill has settled around the walls and foundation and water runs back toward the house. And remember, downspouts are the enemy of mankind. Make certain that the drainage is carried well away from the house. You don't want any opportunity for water to drain toward the house and to pool near it.
6. Note any cracks in the ground even if it is a dry season. These may not be simple shrinkage cracks. Even if they are shrinkage cracks, this could indicate a problem as many of the shales in eastern Kentucky are capable of absorbing a large amount of water and expanding.
7. Note the attitude or lay of the rocks if you are buying in a rocky area. Tilted rocks can be a bad situation, but one not encountered too often in Kentucky. On the other hand, it may look unusual and not appear to be a good situation but could be a good site if developed properly.
8. If the property is on a slope, look for signs of instability like leaning or sharply bending trees (i.e., to remain vertical). Also look for springs, areas of darker green and thicker vegetation, rought hummocky topography, breaks in the slope or slide scarps. All of these may indicate slope failure and downhill movement.
9. Always check the available maps for the area...
   • geologic maps showing faults
   • flood prone area maps. It is not always so obvious that it is in a flood plain.
   • mined-out area maps
   • sinkhole maps
   • landslide or slope stability maps
   • general geologic hazard maps
   • aerial photographs
10. If there is any doubt, get some expert advice from a geotechnical professional. And remember, NEVER, NEVER cut into a hillside, especially the toe of a slope, or load the top of a slope by adding fill, without first getting some expert advice.

If you have any questions about geologic hazards contact Asst. State Geologist, John Kiefer at (859) 257-5500.