Delaware Geological Survey

Last updated
Delaware Geological Survey
AbbreviationDGS
Formation1954
TypeResearch & Education
Location
  • Newark, Delaware
Coordinates 39°40′43″N75°44′56″W / 39.67853°N 75.74878°W / 39.67853; -75.74878
Region served
US State of Delaware
Director
David R. Wunsch
Website http://www.dgs.udel.edu

The Delaware Geological Survey (DGS) is a scientific agency for the State of Delaware, located at the University of Delaware (UD) which conducts geologic and hydrologic research, service, and exploration. The mission of the DGS is to provide objective earth science information, advice, and service to citizens, policymakers, industries, and educational institutions of Delaware. The DGS became formally affiliated with the university's College of Earth, Ocean, and Environment (CEOE) in July 2008. Most DGS scientists have secondary faculty appointments in the College's Department of Geological Sciences. [1]

Contents

The DGS is one of the 50 state geological surveys in the United States. By statute, the DGS is the state agency responsible for entering into agreements with its counterpart federal agencies, including the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the USGS Office of Minerals Information (formerly the U.S. Bureau of Mines), and the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement (formerly the U.S. Minerals Management Service), and for administering all cooperative programs of the state with these agencies. [2]

Establishment

A geologic survey of Delaware was originally authorized in 1837 for a period of four years under the direction of James C. Booth, State Geologist. A permanent state geological survey was established by the Delaware General Assembly in 1951 and is funded by direct state appropriation. The 1951 statute founding the Survey contains its fundamental charges: study the geology of Delaware, investigate mineral and water resources, advise state government, and provide the results of its studies to the citizens and agencies of Delaware through publication and consultation. Additional responsibilities have been assigned over the years as the varied applications of the Survey’s basic mission were recognized: notable among these are spatial data coordination, direct support for emergency planning, response, and recovery, and involvement in water-supply planning.

Past Directors

The Director of the DGS also serves as the official State Geologist and is a member of the Association of American State Geologists. The Director also has a secondary appointment with the UD Dept of Geological Sciences. Past Directors include:

Research Topics

DGS research and service activities are focused on surficial and subsurface geology, hydrology/hydrogeology, natural hazards, topographic mapping, and information dissemination. These efforts impact a wide variety of issues ranging from water resources, agriculture, environmental protection, and energy and mineral resources to economic development, land-use planning, emergency management, public health, and recreation.

Active project topics include:

Data and Publications

The DGS has published over 210 publications through its publication series. Publications represent the results of original professional research and, as such, are used by professionals and the public. All of the publications are free to read and download as PDF files. Many of the recent publications are accompanied by digital datasets, usually in spreadsheets or GIS datasets. Most of these data are also available as Web Mapping Services. [15]

Partners

  1. "About the Delaware Geological Survey | The Delaware Geological Survey". www.dgs.udel.edu. Retrieved 2022-12-12.
  2. "About the Delaware Geological Survey | The Delaware Geological Survey". www.dgs.udel.edu. Retrieved 2022-12-12.
  3. "James Curtis Booth was hired as the Delaware State Geologist June 1, 1837 | The Delaware Geological Survey". www.dgs.udel.edu. Retrieved 2022-12-12.
  4. "Johan J. Groot, Director of DGS and State Geologist (1951 - 1969) | The Delaware Geological Survey". www.dgs.udel.edu. Retrieved 2022-12-12.
  5. "Robert R. Jordan, Director and State Geologist (1969 - 2003) | The Delaware Geological Survey". www.dgs.udel.edu. Retrieved 2022-12-12.
  6. "John H. Talley, Director and State Geologist (2002-2011) | The Delaware Geological Survey". www.dgs.udel.edu. Retrieved 2022-12-12.
  7. "Staff Directory | The Delaware Geological Survey". www.dgs.udel.edu. Retrieved 2022-12-12.
  8. "Delaware Geologic Mapping Program (STATEMAP) | The Delaware Geological Survey". www.dgs.udel.edu. Retrieved 2022-12-12.
  9. "water supply | The Delaware Geological Survey". www.dgs.udel.edu. Retrieved 2022-12-12.
  10. "Delaware Groundwater Monitoring Network | The Delaware Geological Survey". www.dgs.udel.edu. Retrieved 2022-12-12.
  11. "Earthquake Felt Report | The Delaware Geological Survey". www.dgs.udel.edu. Retrieved 2022-12-12.
  12. "topography | The Delaware Geological Survey". www.dgs.udel.edu. Retrieved 2022-12-12.
  13. "Evaluation of Rapid Infiltration Basin Systems (RIBS) | The Delaware Geological Survey". www.dgs.udel.edu. Retrieved 2022-12-12.
  14. "GIS | The Delaware Geological Survey". www.dgs.udel.edu. Retrieved 2022-12-12.
  15. "DGS Publications | The Delaware Geological Survey". www.dgs.udel.edu. Retrieved 2022-12-12.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Geologic modelling</span> Applied science of creating computerized representations of portions of the Earths crust

Geologic modelling,geological modelling or geomodelling is the applied science of creating computerized representations of portions of the Earth's crust based on geophysical and geological observations made on and below the Earth surface. A geomodel is the numerical equivalent of a three-dimensional geological map complemented by a description of physical quantities in the domain of interest. Geomodelling is related to the concept of Shared Earth Model; which is a multidisciplinary, interoperable and updatable knowledge base about the subsurface.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kansas Geological Survey</span>

The Kansas Geological Survey (KGS), a research and service division of the University of Kansas, is charged by statute with studying and providing information on the geologic resources of Kansas. The KGS has no regulatory authority and does not take positions on natural resource issues.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">California Geological Survey</span> California state geologic agency

The California Geological Survey, previously known as the California Division of Mines and Geology, is the California state geologic agency.

The Floridan aquifer system, composed of the Upper and Lower Floridan aquifers, is a sequence of Paleogene carbonate rock which spans an area of about 100,000 square miles (260,000 km2) in the southeastern United States. It underlies the entire state of Florida and parts of Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, and South Carolina.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Geoscience Australia</span> Agency of the Australian Government

Geoscience Australia is an agency of the Australian Government. It carries out geoscientific research. The agency is the government's technical adviser on all aspects of geoscience, and custodian of the geographic and geological data and knowledge of the nation.

The Utah Geological Survey is based in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. It also has an office in Cedar City, Utah.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arizona Geological Survey</span> State agency

The Arizona Geological Survey (AZGS) was established by the Arizona Legislature to investigate and describe Arizona's geology and to educate and inform the public regarding its geologic setting. Each year since 1915, AZGS has released geologic maps, formal reports, and other geology-related publications. In Tucson, the Survey maintains a geological library comprising more than 15,000 volumes and approximately 100 linear feet of mine files that include newspaper clippings, maps, mine schematics and mine reports; it also maintains a small core repository of donated rock core. In addition, AZGS archives well cuttings of more than 1,000 oil and gas wells on behalf of the Arizona Oil and Gas Conservation Commission. The AZGS Phoenix branch maintains tens-of-thousands of mine maps and reports acquired in 2011 when the Arizona Department of Mines and Mineral Resources merged with AZGS. The Survey main office is located in the State Office complex in downtown Tucson).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Geology of Delaware</span> Overview of the geology of the U.S. state of Delaware

The geology of Delaware consists of two physiographic provinces located in the U.S. state of Delaware. They are the Atlantic Coastal Plain and the Piedmont.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">M. S. Krishnan (geologist)</span>

Maharajapuram Seetharaman Krishnan was an Indian Geologist. He was the first Indian to serve as the Director of the Geological Survey of India.

Talleyville is an unincorporated community in New Castle County, Delaware, United States. Talleyville is located at the intersection of U.S. Route 202, Mt. Lebanon Road, and Silverside Road to the north of Wilmington. Its ZIP code is 19803.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Geologist</span> Scientist who studies geology

A geologist is a scientist who studies the solid, liquid, and gaseous matter that constitutes Earth and other terrestrial planets, as well as the processes that shape them. Geologists usually study geology, earth science, or geophysics, although backgrounds in physics, chemistry, biology, and other sciences are also useful. Field research is an important component of geology, although many subdisciplines incorporate laboratory and digitalized work. Geologists can be classified in a larger group of scientists, called geoscientists.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United States Geological Survey</span> Scientific agency of the United States government

The United States Geological Survey (USGS), formerly simply known as the Geological Survey, is a scientific agency of the United States government. The scientists of the USGS study the landscape of the United States, its natural resources, and the natural hazards that threaten it. The organization's work spans the disciplines of biology, geography, geology, and hydrology. The USGS is a fact-finding research organization with no regulatory responsibility. The agency was founded on March 3, 1879.

The Louisiana Geological Survey is a state geological survey established by the Louisiana legislature by Act 131 in 1934 to serve the citizens Louisiana by collecting, preserving, and disseminating impartial information on the geomorphology, hydrogeology, geology, paleontology, economic geology, and geological resources of Louisiana. The Louisiana Geological Survey was originally part of the Louisiana Department of Conservation. Later it was a division of the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources and finally transferred by the Louisiana legislature's HB 2353 to Louisiana State University. At Louisiana State University, it is part of the Office of Research and Economic Development.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beaver Valley Rock Shelter Site</span> United States historic place

The Beaver Valley Rock Shelter Site is the only formally recognized caves in the US state of Delaware. It is located in New Castle County near Wilmington and the state line with Pennsylvania.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chesapeake Group</span> Fossiliferous geologic group in the eastern U.S.

The Chesapeake Group is a geologic group in Maryland, Virginia, Delaware, and North Carolina. It preserves mainly marine fossils dating back to the Miocene and Pliocene epochs of the Neogene period. This group contains one of the best studied fossil record of Neogene oceans in the world. Professional Paleontologists and amateur fossil hunters alike collect from this group intensely. The Calvert Cliffs stretch the length of Calvert County, Maryland and provide the best continuous stretch of the Calvert, Choptank, and St. Marys Formations. Ward (1985) recommended including the Old Church Formation in this group.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arkansas Geological Survey</span>

The Arkansas Geological Survey (AGS), formerly the Arkansas Geological Commission (AGC), is a government agency of the State of Arkansas. It is responsible for the investigation of the geology, geologic processes, and geologic resources within the state. It encourages the considered management and utilization of the state's mineral, fossil-fuel, and water resources with attention to the potential environmental issues of that activity.

Anna Jespersen was an American geologist best known for her aeromagnetic surveying work. Jespersen began her career as a teacher before commencing a 45-

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Remote sensing (geology)</span> Remote sensing used in the geological sciences as a data acquisition method

Remote sensing in geology is remote sensing used in the geological sciences as a data acquisition method complementary to field observation, because it allows mapping of geological characteristics of regions without physical contact with the areas being explored. About one-fourth of the Earth's total surface area is exposed land where information is ready to be extracted from detailed earth observation via remote sensing. Remote sensing is conducted via detection of electromagnetic radiation by sensors. The radiation can be naturally sourced, or produced by machines and reflected off of the Earth surface. The electromagnetic radiation acts as an information carrier for two main variables. First, the intensities of reflectance at different wavelengths are detected, and plotted on a spectral reflectance curve. This spectral fingerprint is governed by the physio-chemical properties of the surface of the target object and therefore helps mineral identification and hence geological mapping, for example by hyperspectral imaging. Second, the two-way travel time of radiation from and back to the sensor can calculate the distance in active remote sensing systems, for example, Interferometric synthetic-aperture radar. This helps geomorphological studies of ground motion, and thus can illuminate deformations associated with landslides, earthquakes, etc.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Geology of Rhode Island</span>

The geology of Rhode Island is based on nearly one billion year old igneous crystalline basement rocks formed as part of the microcontinent Avalonia that collided with the supercontinent Gondwana. The region experienced substantial folding associated with its landlocked position during the Alleghanian orogeny mountain building event. The region accumulated sedimentary rocks, including small deposits of coal. The region was covered with thick Atlantic Coastal Plain sediments, with the erosion of the Appalachians and the creation of the Atlantic Ocean throughout the past 200 million years. These surficial sediments and soils were substantially reworked by the Pleistocene glaciations. The state's geology is part of the broader geology of New England.

Holly Michael is an American hydrogeologist and Associate Professor of geology at the University of Delaware's College of Earth, Ocean, and Environment.