Glacial Geomorphology

Over the past 9 years, the Geosciences Department has been mapping the glacial geology of portions of southwestern Michigan under the National Geologic Mapping Act of the USGS. This program is administered in Michigan by the MDEQ. Mapping is done on a 7 1/2 minute quadrangle scale. Two counties, St. Joseph and Van Buren, have been completely mapped and Allegan County is in progress.

The purpose of the mapping is to provide geological information for use in land use planning and decision making involving location of waste disposal facilities, well head protection, aggregate resource location, and other purposes. In addition, the landforms and sediments are being studied to better understand the stratigraphy, chronology, and glacial depositional processes involved in their formation. Reseaerch methods have included test drilling by rotasonic and other techniques, gamma ray logging of test holes and newly drilled water wells, and clay mineralogy. About 10 master's and PhD theses and dissertations have been completed or are in progress. Cores from the rotasonic drilling are being archieved for future study.