National Quaternary Geology Active
Photograph looking up at an alluvial fan and glacial moraine sourced from an alpine catchment. Deposits like these are often important records of past changes in erosion, sedimentation, and tectonic activity throughout the Quaternary.
A fault running up the center of the image divides accumulating sediments on the left from eroding mountains on the right. Colors on the left of the image highlight rough topography (warmer colors are rougher) created by active sedimentary processes.
Quaternary geologic deposits represent important reservoirs of hydrologic, aggregate, and other resources and preserve a record of landscape evolution and the distribution and frequency of geologic hazards. These deposits are cataloged in thousands of geologic maps produced over many decades, but many are inconsistent with their neighbors, decades out of date, only available as static representations, and limited by arbitrary boundaries. As a result, it is challenging to utilize geologic maps to assess regional- and national-scale problems in Quaternary geology and geomorphology, make assessments of resources, or systematically characterize natural hazards from earthquakes, landslides, flooding, and debris-flows.
The National Quaternary Geology task seeks to construct continuous Quaternary geologic map coverage to fulfill the mandate of the USGI and to transform the capacity for regional- and national-scale studies of Quaternary geology. By assembling and synthesizing new and existing geologic map compilations this task seeks to build map coverage at two broadly defined scales directly requested in congressional appropriations; ‘continental’ and ‘national’.
National Geologic Synthesis
National Bedrock Geology
National 3D Geology
3D Sedimentary Basins
Quaternary geologic deposits represent important reservoirs of hydrologic, aggregate, and other resources and preserve a record of landscape evolution and the distribution and frequency of geologic hazards. These deposits are cataloged in thousands of geologic maps produced over many decades, but many are inconsistent with their neighbors, decades out of date, only available as static representations, and limited by arbitrary boundaries. As a result, it is challenging to utilize geologic maps to assess regional- and national-scale problems in Quaternary geology and geomorphology, make assessments of resources, or systematically characterize natural hazards from earthquakes, landslides, flooding, and debris-flows.
The National Quaternary Geology task seeks to construct continuous Quaternary geologic map coverage to fulfill the mandate of the USGI and to transform the capacity for regional- and national-scale studies of Quaternary geology. By assembling and synthesizing new and existing geologic map compilations this task seeks to build map coverage at two broadly defined scales directly requested in congressional appropriations; ‘continental’ and ‘national’.