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Geology
Summary of Stratigraphy
[Note: The geologic classification and nomenclature of this report follow the usage of the State Geological Survev of Kansas (Moore, and others, 1951 ) and do not conform in all respects to the usage of the U. S. Geological Survey.]
The geologic formations that crop out in Jackson County are of sedimentary origin and range in age from Pennsylvanian to Quaternary (Table 3). The areal distribution of the formations is shown on Plate 1. The Cedar Vale shale, which is Pennsylvanian in age, is the oldest formation exposed in the county. The Wreford limestone crops out in a small area along the extreme western edge of the county and is the youngest outcropping Paleozoic formation in the county. Much of the Paleozoic bedrock is mantled by deposits of Pleistocene glacial drift and Recent alluvium.
The character and ground-water supplies of the geologic formations are discussed in the section on geologic formations and their water-bearing characteristics.
Table 3--Generalized section of the geologic formations of Jackson Coitnty, Kansas. Classification of the State Geological Survey of Kansas [1953].
| System | Series | Group | Formation | Members | Thickness, feet | Physical character | Water supply |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quaternary | Pleistocene | Alluvium | 0-50 | Silt and clay, with minor quantities of sand in the upper part. Sand and gravel with thin beds of clay in the lower part. | Yields large quantities of water to wells along the major streams of the county. Alluvium of minor tributary streams yields supplies adequate for domestic or stock needs. | ||
| Sanborn formation | Peoria silt | 0-3 | Tan, massive silt. | Does not furnish water to wells in Jackson County. | |||
| Kansas till and associated deposits. | 0-150 | Unconsolidated clay and boulders, with incorporated deposits of sand and gravel | Supplies small to moderate quantities of water to many domestic and stock wells where a sufficient thickness lies below the water table. | ||||
| Atchison formation | 0-110 | Silt and very fine sand in the upper part, coarse sand and fine gravel in the lower part. | Yields moderate supplies of water to wells in eastern and northern Jackson County. | ||||
| Pre-Kansan gravel | 0-12 | Medium to coarse chert gravel with a minor amount of quartzite gravel. | Yields moderate supplies of water to a few wells in the county. | ||||
| Permian | Wolfcampian | Chase | Wreford limestone | Threemile limestone. | 0-5 | Cherty limestone beds, with thin beds of shale. | Not known to yield water to wells in Jackson County due to its unfavorable topographic position. |
| Council Grove | Speiser shale | 15-18 | Varicolored shale and a thin but peristent limestone bed. | Yields no water to wells in Jackson County. | |||
| Funston limestone | 4-7 | Massive gray limestone, and light colored shale. | Yields very little water to wells in Jackson County. | ||||
| Blue Rapids shale | 22? | Blocky gray shale, contains some green, red, and black. | Yields no water to wells in Jackson County. | ||||
| Crouse limestone | 3-5 | Massive and platy limestone, contains some shale. | Yields small quantities of water to a few wells. | ||||
| Easly Creek shale | 15-20 | Light colored and red shale. | Yields no water to wells in Jackson County. | ||||
| Bader limestone | Middleburg limestone Hooser shale Eiss limestone |
13-18 | Massive limestone beds, alternating with shale. | Yields small quantities of water to wells. | |||
| Stearns shale | 20 | Gray or green calcareous shale. | Yields no water to wells in Jackson County. | ||||
| Beattie limestone | Morrill limestone Florena shale Cottonwood limestone |
15-19 | Gray to black shale and impure limestone in the upper part, massive limestone in the lower part. | Yields moderate supplies of water to wells in Jackson County. | |||
| Eskridge shale | 34 | Varicolored shale and impure limestone. | Not known to yield water to wells in Jackson County. | ||||
| Grenola limestone | Neva limestone Salem Point shale Burr limestone Legion shale Sallyards limestone |
25-35 | Alternating beds of massive limestone and gray shale. | Yields moderate supplies of water to wells. | |||
| Roca shale | 18 | Composed chiefly of gray-green, calcareous shale, contains some red shale. | Does not furnish water to wells in Jackson County. | ||||
| Red Eagle limestone | Howe limestone Bennett shale Glenrock limestone |
9-15 | Massive limestone beds and gray or black shale. | Yields small to moderate quantities of water to wells in Jackson County. | |||
| Johnson shale | 12-18 | Consists chiefly of gray shale, contains several impure limestone beds. | Does not furnish water to wells in Jackson County. | ||||
| Foraker limestone | Long Creek limestone Hughes Creek shale Americus limestone |
34-48 | Impure limestone and limy shale in the upper part; hard, massive limestone in the lower part. | Furnishes moderate supplies of water to wells in Jackson County. | |||
| Admire | Hamlin shale | Oaks shale Houchen Creek limestone Stine shale |
35-45 | Alternating beds of shale and limestone with minor amounts of sandstone. | Yields small quantities of water to wells. | ||
| Five Point limestone | 1-2 | Hard, massive, fossiliferous limestone. | Yields little or no water to wells in Jackson County. | ||||
| West Branch shale | 17-23 | Consists chiefly of gray shale and shaly sandstone. | Yields little or no water to wells in Jackson County. | ||||
| Falls City limestone | 5-9 | Massive, coquina-like limestone in the upper part , shale and impure limestone in the lower part. | Yields little or no water to wells in Jackson County. | ||||
| Hawxby shale | 15-20 | Blocky, gray shale; and minor amounts of impure limestone. | Does not furnish water to wells in Jackson County. | ||||
| Aspinwall limestone | 1-2 | Gray to white, non-resistant limestone. | Yields small quantities of water to wells in Jackson County. | ||||
| Towle shale | 12-18 | Red and gray silty to sandy shale. | Yields little or no water to wells in Jackson County. | ||||
| Pennsylvanian | Virgilian | Wabaunsee | Brownville limestone | 1-3 | One or two beds of soft impure limestone. | Not known to yield water to wells in Jackson County. | |
| Pony Creek shale | 14-20 | Red silty shale, and soft massive sandstone. | Yields small quantities of water to wells in Jackson County. | ||||
| Caneyville limestone | Grayhorse limestone (not recognized in Jackson Co.) Nebraska City limestone |
1-2 | Soft, impure, fossiliferous limestone. | Yields no water to wells in Jackson County. | |||
| French Creek shale | 18-22 | Gray to yellow sandy shale, coal and sandstone. | Yields small quantities of water to wells in Jackson County. | ||||
| Jim Creek limestone | 0-1 | Dark, fossiliferous limestone. | Does not yield water to wells in Jackson County. | ||||
| Dry-Friedrich shale | 35-45 | Sandy and micaceous yellow shale, and crossbedded sandstone. The intervening Grandhaven limestone was not recognized in Jackson County. | Yields small to moderate quantities of water to wells in Jackson County. | ||||
| Dover limestone | 3-6 | Massive, brown, fossiliferous limestone. | Supplies very small quantities of water to a few wells in Jackson County. | ||||
| Langdon shale | 35-45 | Light-brown and gray shale, and soft sandstone. | Yields small supplies of water to a few wells in Jackson County. | ||||
| Maple Hill limestone | 1-2 | Medium-hard gray limestone. | Yields small supplies of water to a few wells in Jackson County. | ||||
| Pierson Point shale | 13-25 | Yellow to dark gray shale with minor amounts of impure limestone and shaly sandstone. | Yields little or no water to wells in Jackson County. | ||||
| Tarkio limestone | 3-5 | Consists of one or two beds of massive brown limestone. | Does not yield water to wells in Jackson County. | ||||
| Willard shale | 30-40 | Dark gray to brown shale and crossbedded sandstone. | Yields little or no water to wells in Jackson County. | ||||
| Elmont limestone | 3-4 | Alternating beds of massive limestone and calcareous gray shale. | Yields small quantities of water to wells in Jackson County. | ||||
| Harveyville shale | 9-15 | Calcareous, blocky, greenish-gray shale. | Does not yield water to wells in Jackson County. | ||||
| Reading limestone | 2-3 | Hard, massive, dark blue limestone. | Yields small quantities of water to a few wells in Jackson County. | ||||
| Auburn shale | 25-50 | Consists chiefly of gray shale with minor amounts of sandstone and limestone. | Does not yield water to wells in Jackson County. | ||||
| Wakarusa limestone | 2-4 | Massive, hard, crystalline limestone. | Yields small quantities of water to a few wells in Jackson County. | ||||
| Soldier Creek shale | 7-9 | Bluish-gray, clayey to sandy shale. | Does not yield water to wells in Jackson County. | ||||
| Burlingame limestone | 6-10 | Thick-bedded, brown brecciated limestone. | Yields small quantities of water to a few wells in Jackson County. | ||||
| Silver Lake shale | 25-35? | Alternating beds of bluish to brown, sandy shale, and sandy to massive sandstone. | Furnishes small quantities of water to a few wells in Jackson County. | ||||
| Rulo limestone | 1-2 | Dark colored, fossiliferous limestone. | Does not yield water to wells in Jackson County. | ||||
| Cedar Vale shale | Bluish to brown sandy shale, contains persistent Elmo coal near top. (Entire formation not exposed in Jackson County.) | Yields small quantities of water to a few wells in Jackson County. |
Geologic History
Paleozoic Era
The Paleozoic geologic history of the area is known because of the studies that have been reported in several publications. Lee (1943) shows that the area was subjected both to erosion and deposition during the Paleozoic Era. Jackson County is on the east flank of the Nemaha anticline and in the west part of the Forest City basin. Both of these structural features were developed mainly after Mississippian time. Logs of several oil-test wells in the county indicate that as much as 3,300 feet of sediment overlies Pre-Cambrian granite. All the Paleozoic systems are represented in either the subsurface or on the surface. Geologic conditions along the northern side of the county are shown in cross section by Jewett and Abernathy (1945, pl. 1), and along the eastern side of the county by Jewett (1949, pl. 2).
Mesozoic Era
After the retreat of Permian seas, erosion was the predominant geologic process until Quaternary time. No rocks of Mesozoic age occur in Jackson County, but possibly Cretaceous rocks were deposited and later removed by erosion.
Cenozoic Era
During the Tertiary Period Jackson County was again an area of erosion. Any Cretaceous rocks that may have been deposited and many feet of older sediments were stripped away by erosion. Several small areas in the county are strewn with poorly sorted chert gravel resting on Permian or Pennsylvanian beds. These gravel deposits may be remnants of Tertiary stream deposits. At the beginning of the Quaternary Period, continental ice sheets advanced toward the central United States. The first Pleistocene ice sheet, the Nebraskan, probably did not extend into Jackson County. The only known glacial deposits of Nebraskan age in Kansas are found at a considerable distance to the north and east of Jackson County (Frye and Leonard, 1952). Gravel classified as pre-Kansan in this report may have been deposited as a result of Nebraskan glaciation, or it may have been deposited as earliest Kansan outwash and would be comparable to the basal part of the Atchison formation.
An east-trending low area in the bedrock surface of northern Jackson County is probably a post-Nebraskan pre-Kansan valley eroded in a position marginal to the Nebraskan ice front (Frye and Walters, 1950). Deposits, locally as much as 100 feet thick, consisting of sand and silt in the upper part and sand and gravel at the base fill the lower part of this area. These deposits are pro-Kansan outwash and have been named the Atchison formation from exposures in Atchison County. Glacial deposits overlying the Atchison formation in this area are lithologically similar to Kansan deposits overlying the remainder of the county and are judged as being of Kansan age. The Kansan glacier, which was the second and last to invade Kansas, extended approximately as far south as Kansas River and as far west as Big Blue River. The surface developed in Jackson County and surrounding areas after the close of the Permian Period was mantled by thick deposits of glacial drift. Immediately after the retreat of the ice sheet the area probably was relatively flat, but many of the filled valleys were reopened by streams carrying meltwater from the retreating glacier. The Grand Island sand and gravel member of the Meade formation was deposited along these streams and is of late Kansan age. Thin veneers of eolian silt or loess were deposited over the flat uplands during later Pleistocene time, but at no place in Jackson County are these deposits thick enough to be an important source of ground water, and therefore they are not shown on the geological map.
Since the close of the Kansan Stage, streams have eroded their valleys to their present levels and have deposited alluvium and terrace deposits along their courses.
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Kansas Geological Survey, Geology
Placed on web Aug. 9, 2007; originally published June 1953.
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