International Year of Planet Earth

Indiana University Scholar Works

Member of the Alliance of Bloomington Museums

New Geologic Maps Published for Bloomington and Monroe County

The Bedrock Geologic Map of Monroe County is a color map that shows the distribution of the bedrock units immediately below the soil and unconsolidated material in the county at a scale of 1:48,000 (meaning that one inch on the map represents 4,000 feet on the land). Also shown on the map is the surface topography in shaded relief, the location of stone quarries, and the main roads and highways in the county.

A more detailed map (scale 1:24,000) of the Bloomington area—Geologic Map of the Bloomington 7.5-Minute Quadrangle—was published in 2008. Both maps contain detailed geologic information that can be used as a guide for infrastructure development; the use of resources, such as the economically important Salem Limestone; and delineation of areas of karst features for environmental planning. Land-use planners, county officials, environmental planners, geologists, and educators will find these new maps useful.

For more information about the Bedrock Geologic Map of Monroe County see this press release.

Unusual Mud Balls Found in Southern Indiana

Following the torrential rains of June 2008, this group of small armored mud balls was found in a ravine in northeastern Monroe County, Indiana. They consist of a core of red clay armored by an assortment of granules and pebbles from 2 to 15 millimeters in diameter. The mud balls themselves are 3 to 6 centimeters in diameter.

Though uncommon, armored mud balls are found throughout the world both on the ground and also enclosed within lithified rocks of various ages. For more information, see the Armored Mud Balls page.

New Geologic Names Web Page

The Geologic Names Committee of the Indiana Geological Survey (IGS) is developing an online database of geologic names officially recognized by the IGS. Users can access information about specific Paleozoic units by searching on a formal stratigraphic name or can select units by specifying system(s) and stratigraphic rank(s). The Web display shows IGS nomenclature for the selected unit(s), names of equivalent units, and applicable higher-rank stratigraphic terms for each of the Indiana areas delineated in the Midwestern Basin and Arches Region (COSUNA Project). The IGS will continue to expand the online site to serve a broad audience of technical and nontechnical users.

New Geology and
Interactive Map Web Site
for Allen County, Indiana

Allen County–A Geologic Atlas is now available online. The atlas includes an interactive map viewer along with illustrations, photos, and descriptions of the geology and landforms of this region. Primary geologic data is also accessible in the form of water-well reports and gamma-ray logs. Visit the site now to create your own custom map!