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Karst Interest Group (KIG) Workshop

By Water Resources

Karst Interest Group Workshop

Next USGS KIG workshop coming in October 2024

The Karst Interest Group’s (KIG) mission is to encourage and support inter-disciplinary collaboration and technology transfer among scientists working in karst areas.

The 9th USGS Karst Interest Group is planned for October 22-24, 2024 in Nashville, TN.   

The purpose of the KIG workshops is to bring together scientists from different offices of the USGS, Department of the Interior, other Federal and state agencies, research institutes, and universities to present the results of scientific work in karst areas or discuss karst related programs in their bureaus or offices. Workshops usually consist of technical presentations and poster sessions. 

2024 Workshop

The 9th USGS Karst Interest Group (KIG) Workshop is planned for October 22-24, 2024 in Nashville, TN.
If you have any questions, please reach out to us at KIG_group@usgs.gov.

2024 KIG Workshop Registration

 

Presentation guidelines

REQUIREMENTS FOR ABSTRACTS

Extended abstracts are limited to 10 pages and must be approved for publication. USGS personnel must provide the IPDS number for their individually approved extended abstract. 

REQUIREMENTS FOR PAPERS

Peer-reviewed, approved publications only.

All submitted papers must have a minimum of 2 peer reviews. Additionally, papers must be approved for publication through the normal report-review process of your agency. 

For example, USGS information products containing new research or interpretive information, that is, material that has not been published previously in a USGS series publication, outside publication, or elsewhere will need to be approved by a Bureau Approving Official (BAO) in the USGS Office of Science Quality and Integrity (OSQI). However, the KIG proceedings is for abstracts and extended abstracts and thus approval authority within the USGS is at the Center Chief level.

If you are having difficulty finding colleague/peer reviewers for your paper, contact the proceedings co-coordinators (KIG@usgs.gov). 

File icon KIG 2021 Manuscript Template
Click to download the KIG 2021 report template (Microsoft Word .docx)Instructions are on pages 1-2.The template begins on page 3.

USGS Report Standards and report template

After acceptance by the technical committee, use the KIG 2021 report template for submitting the final, approved paper.

 

Mission of the USGS Karst Interest Group

The Karst Interest Group’s (KIG) mission is to encourage and support inter-disciplinary collaboration and technology transfer among USGS scientists working in karst areas. Additionally, the KIG encourages the exchange of karst-related information between USGS scientists and scientists from various other entities.

 

UTSA Geoscience Department logo showing two mountain peaks and crossed rock hammers behind
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UTSA Geoscience department 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Black and white logo showing sketch of surface level and different underlying rock strata including a confined aquifer
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Carbonate Critical Zone Research Center

 

 

 

Blue and grey logo; a large open C forming a generalized cave with stalactites; reads National Cave and Karst Research Institute
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National Cave and Karst Research Institute

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Image: Various Karst Features Along Peace River, Fl

Karst Aquifers

Karst terrain is created from the dissolution of soluble rocks, principally limestone and dolomite. Karst areas are characterized by distinctive landforms (like springs, caves, sinkholes) and a unique hydrogeology that results in aquifers that are highly productive but extremely vulnerable to contamination.
By
Water Resources
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Karst Aquifers

Karst terrain is created from the dissolution of soluble rocks, principally limestone and dolomite. Karst areas are characterized by distinctive landforms (like springs, caves, sinkholes) and a unique hydrogeology that results in aquifers that are highly productive but extremely vulnerable to contamination.
Learn More

KIG Workshops often include an optional field trip to explore local karst terrain.  These photos were taken during previous KIG Workshop field trips.

Guadalupe River within Canyon Gorge, TX
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Eve Kuniansky at the Narrows
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Outcrop in the Glen Rose Limestone
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Overhead view of attendees gathered at Friesenhahn Cave. Presenter and locked cave entrance visible at center.
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Attendees gathered in the shade at the edge of the parking lot, presenter is standing to the center right
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KIG members exploring the Narrows
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Fractures and bedding planes along Canyon Gorge channel
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Canyon Lake Gorge
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Presentation on urban karst at Stone Oak Park in San Antonio
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Mid-crowd view of KIG attendees listening to lecture at Friesenhahn Cave. Locked cave entrance visible in the foreground.
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Locked metal gate covering the group opening to Friesenhahn Cave
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Rocky scrub savannah vegetation. Scattered groups of about 10 people in the background exploring a line of small outcrops.
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Fractures and bedding planes along Canyon Gorge walls
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Panoramic shot from within Canyon Gorge. About 30-40 KIG attendees are gathered loosely in the center
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The Narrows in Hays County with Trinity hydrostratigraphic units.
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Ladder descending into Friesenhahn Cave opening
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Attendees gathered in the shade at the edge of the parking lot. Trail leading to the Narrows is visible in the background.
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Examples of variable rock sizes within Canyon Gorge
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Proceedings from previous Karst Interest Group workshops

U.S. Geological Survey Karst Interest Group Proceedings, October 19–20, 2021

Karst hydrogeologic systems represent challenging and unique conditions to scientists attempting to study groundwater flow and contaminant transport. Karst terrains are characterized by distinct and beautiful landscapes, caverns, and springs, and many of the exceptional karst areas are designated as national or state parks. The range and complexity of landforms and groundwater flow systems associa
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Water Resources

U.S. Geological Survey Karst Interest Group Proceedings, San Antonio, Texas, May 16–18, 2017

Introduction and AcknowledgmentsKarst aquifer systems are present throughout parts of the United States and some of its territories, and have developed in carbonate rocks (primarily limestone and dolomite) and evaporites (gypsum, anhydrite, and halite) that span an interval of time encompassing more than 550 million years. The depositional environments, diagenetic processes, post-depositional tect
By
Water Resources

U.S. Geological Survey Karst Interest Group Proceedings, Carlsbad, New Mexico, April 29-May 2, 2014

Karst aquifer systems are present throughout parts of the United States and some of its territories, and have developed in carbonate rocks (primarily limestone and dolomite) that span an interval of time encompassing more than 550 million years. The depositional environments, diagenetic processes, post-depositional tectonic events, and geochemical weathering processes that form karst aquifers are
By
Water Resources, Utah Water Science Center

U.S. Geological Survey Karst Interest Group Proceedings, Fayetteville, Arkansas, April 26-29, 2011

Karst aquifer systems are present throughout parts of the United States and some of its territories and are developed in carbonate rocks (primarily limestone and dolomite) that span the entire geologic time frame. The depositional environments, diagenetic processes, and post-depositional tectonic events that form carbonate rock aquifers are varied and complex, involving both biological and physica
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Water Resources, Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center

U.S. Geological Survey Karst Interest Group Proceedings, Bowling Green, Kentucky, May 27-29, 2008

*INTRODUCTION AND ACKNOWLEDGMENTS* Karst aquifer systems are present throughout parts of the United States and some of its territories. The complex depositional environments that form carbonate rocks combined with post-depositional tectonic events and the diverse climatic regimes under which these rocks were formed result in unique hydrologic systems. The dissolution of calcium carbonate and th
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Water Resources

U.S. Geological Survey Karst Interest Group Proceedings, Rapid City, South Dakota, September 12-15, 2005

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Water Resources

U.S. Geological Survey Karst Interest Group proceedings, Shepherdstown, West Virginia, August 20-22, 2002

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Water Resources

U.S. Geological Survey Karst Interest Group: proceedings, St Petersburg, Florida February 13-16, 2001

Karst and similar landscapes are found in a wide range of biogeographic classes. In the U.S. for example, Everglades, Mammoth Cave, and Hawaii Volcanoes National Parks have little in common - except karst or pseudokarst, and a cultural past (even though these are very different). This diversity of geologic settings makes karst difficult to categorize and work with when designing a national program
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Natural Hazards, Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program

KIG 2021 Workshop Partners

Carbonate Critical Zone Research Coordination Network

National Cave and Karst Research Institute

University of Texas at San Antonio

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