Tag Archive for: geologic

Utah Geological Survey

TWO NEW FOSSIL RODENTS DISCOVERED IN UTAH

A newly-published report describes the discovery of two new prehistoric rodents in Utah. The report also identifies two fossil rodents and a rabbit previously known from other states. All are from a site near Sevier in central Utah.

“In addition to identifying the new species, the findings are significant because until now, Utah has been a big hole in the Miocene map of western North America for fossil mammals,” said Don DeBlieux, report co-author and paleontologist with the Utah Geological Survey (UGS). “The uplift and erosion of the Colorado Plateau which makes Utah such a good place for finding dinosaur fossils means that younger rocks and fossils, such as those from the Miocene Epoch which lasted from 23 to five million years ago, have been washed way.”

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Utah Geological Survey

COUNTY TO WEIGH IN ON SUBDIVISION

The Spectrum

In light of the proposed Capo Di Monte subdivision on Cedar Mountain, the issue of the west facing side being declared a landslide, one of the largest in the state, is up for debate at Thursday’s Iron County Planning Commission meeting.

The Cedar Highlands subdivision exists on the mountain and has activated two of the smaller landslides since comprehensive studies were completed in 1981, which found the larger landslide to be inactive.

Bill Lund, Utah Geological Survey geologist, said based on his findings he would recommend that more research be done on the mountain before making any decisions to approve further development.

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Utah Geological Survey

UTAH GEOLOGIST HONORED FOR LIFETIME'S WORK

Fox 13

A Utah geologist was recognized for keeping Utahns safe. Geologist William Lund ate, slept, and studied fault lines and earthquakes for a number of years for the Utah Geological Survey, which has studied and investigated geologic hazards in Utah for more than 40 years. “I’m very honored and surprised, I had no idea, but it’s truly an honor and I’m happy,” Lund said.

Lund said he has spent a good part of his career trying to characterize past big earthquakes and figure out what might happen in the future.

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Utah Geological Survey

2009 UGS EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR

Congratulations to Mike Hylland who was named the 2009 UGS Employee of the Year.  Mike has worked for the UGS for 16 years and does an extraordinary job balancing duties as technical editor and geologic researcher. Mike is quite knowledgeable and professional, and his work ethic and demeanor are exemplary. As a patient, positive, and well-rounded reviewer, he strives for consistency and thoroughness, but is also flexible and willing to look at an author’s particular viewpoint. His ongoing contributions to fault studies in northern Utah and maintenance of the Quaternary fault database are long-lasting. Overall, Mike’s excellent technical skills and great temperament make him the perfect UGS role model.

Utah Geological Survey

WATER QUALITY QUESTION IN SCOFIELD PLAN

Sun Advocate

With the Scofield Pleasant Valley Plan going before the county commission for final approval later this year, new development regulations will likely come into effect. However, throughout the approval process, many questions arose concerning the water quality in Scofield reservoir, because it supplies most of the county’s drinking water. While many questions were answered, a few remained unresolved. Now Carbon County and the Utah Division of Water Quality (DWQ) are considering conducting an extensive ground water study in the Pleasant Valley area. Although funding is not yet secured, most personnel who are involved with the project are confident that an agreement between the county and the state can be arranged.

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Utah Geological Survey
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PUBLIC INFORMATION SERIES 95

UTAH’S ENERGY LANDSCAPE
Michael D. Vanden Berg

Did you know that Utah is one of only six states that generate electricity from geothermal sources? Did you know that Utah recently produced its one billionth ton of coal? Did you know that Utah has the second lowest price for home-heating natural gas in the nation? Did you know that Utah has been a net-exporter of energy since 1980?

These little known facts, along with many more interesting details, can be found in the Utah Geological Survey’s (UGS) new publication Utah’s Energy Landscape – a visual-based comprehensive description of Utah’s entire energy portfolio.

41p. booklet

PI-95……….$18.95

GET IT HERE

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IN THE MEDIA
Emery County Progress

Utah Geological Survey

OPEN-FILE REPORT 560

GROUND-WATER QUALITY CLASSIFICATION FOR THE PRINCIPAL BASIN-FILL AQUIFER, SALT LAKE VALLEY, SALT LAKE COUNTY, UTAH
Janae Wallace and Mike Lowe

This CD contains a report (15 pages + 64-page appendices) and three plates (maps at 1:75,000 scale), all in PDF format, that address ground-water quality in Salt Lake Valley’s basin-fill aquifer and provide recommendations for water-resource management and land-use planning.  The maps are described in detail in the report and show total-dissolved-solids concentration, ground-water quality classes, and potential contaminant sources.

CD (15 p. + 64 p. appendices, 3 pl.)

OFR-560……….$19.95

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Utah Geological Survey

SURVEY NOTES volume 42, number 1

This issue contains:

*Utah Potash
*Major Oil
*The Mercur District
*Survey News
*Teacher’s Corner
*Energy News: Legislative Directives to the Utah State Energy Program 2009
*Glad You Asked:  What are Those Lines on the Mountain? From Bread Lines to Erosion-Control Lines
*GeoSights: Cascade Falls, Kane County
*New Publications

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PAST ISSUES

Utah Geological Survey

REPORT OF INVESTIGATION 265

GROUND-WATER SENSITIVITY AND VULNERABILITY TO PESTICIDES, CURLEW VALLEY, BOX ELDER COUNTY, UTAH
Mike Lowe, Janae Wallace, Stefan Kirby, Rich Emerson, Anne Johnson, and Rich Riding

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has recommended that states develop Pesticide Management Plans for four agricultural chemicals—alachlor, atrazine, metolachlor, and simazine—herbicides used in Utah in the production of corn and sorghum, and to control weeds and undesired vegetation (such as along right-of-ways or utility substations).  This 27-page report and two accompanying plates are intended to be used as part of these Pesticide Management Plans to provide local, state, and federal government agencies and agricultural pesticide users with a base of information concerning sensitivity and vulnerability of agricultural pesticides in Curlew Valley, Box Elder County, Utah.

CD (27 p., 2 pl.)

RI-265………$19.95

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Utah Geological Survey

MAP 244

GEOLOGIC MAP OF THE PELICAN POINT QUADRANGLE, UTAH COUNTY, UTAH
Barry J. Solomon, Robert F. Biek, and Scott M. Ritter

This quadrangle is located in central Utah within the eastern Basin and Range Province.  The quadrangle includes the northern part of Utah Lake in western Utah Valley, the northern and northeastern lakeshore, and Pelican Point, extending into Utah Lake from the eastern edge of the Lake Mountains.  Bedrock near Pelican Point includes Mississippian-age sedimentary strata on the eastern limb of the Lake Mountains syncline.  The majority of the quadrangle is covered by Utah Lake, which is underlain by normal faults that form the western boundary of Utah Valley.  Surficial deposits along the lakeshore are primarily associated with lacustrine deposition from Holocene Utah Lake and its precursor, late Pleistocene Lake Bonneville.

CD (2 pl., 1:24,000)

M-244……….$14.95

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