GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF IOWA

Spring 2008 NEWSLETTER

 

INTERNET EDITION

EDITORS:. . Raymond R. Anderson
Chad Fields
Volume 45
Number 1
March 2008		 Geological Survey Bureau
109 Trowbridge Hall
Iowa City Iowa 52242-1319
 

GSI world wide web homepage: http://www.igsb.uiowa.edu/gsi

 

Fall 2007 GSI Field Trip, "The Natural History of Dolliver Memorial State
Park, Webster County Iowa" Displayed Flood Damage
 September 29, 2007

     

     In keeping with our recent practice, the 2007 GSI fall field trip once again featured the investigation the natural history of one of Iowa's spectacular State Parks, last year it was "The Natural History of Dolliver Memorial State Park, Webster County Iowa." With heavy rains in the area we were concerned that our spirits might be dampened, but with only a few sprinkles early in the day we were not distracted from the science and the beauty of the park.

     The trip began at the north shelter area of Dolliver Memorial Park where we gathered for an introduction of field trip leaders and a welcome by Park Manager Kevin Henning. The cars then headed south down the park road to the parking area across from Boneyard Hollow, while many field trip participants hiked the trail from the shelter area to the hollow. Ray Anderson (Iowa Geological Survey) presented information on the early history of the park area, and the reports of great piles animal bones from early settlers that gave the hollow its name. He discussed the popular suggestion that Native American hunters had driven the animals over the cliff walls. He also described a lead tablet found buried in the hollow that purported in Latin to have been left by Father Hennepin and others after their visit to the site in 1750. The tablet was quickly found to be a hoax perpetrated by two local men. The group advanced up the hollow, examining Pennsylvanian river channel sandstones and their exquisitely preserved structures, including an area of unusual deformation attributed to Pennsylvanian earthquakes. On the way back out of the hollow, Mark Anderson (Office of the State Archaeologist) described the Paleo Indian cultures that inhabited the region and pointed out two petroglyphs (the only known in central Iowa). The next stop was at the Dolliver Memorial Plaque near the center of the park. The bronze plaque, which pictures Jonathan Dolliver and describes his virtues, was installed by local residence and unveiled at the park's dedication in 1925. Daryl Howell (DNR) also described the park's birds and other animals. Following lunch at the south shelter area, field trip participants hiked up Pine Creek to the "Copperas Beds," and area where hydrated iron sulfate minerals precipitate on and around conglomeratic beds. Returning to the cars, the group moved back to the confluence of Pine Creek with the Des Moines River. There they briefly discussed a sandstone cliff that had been collapsed by flooding during the previous spring and examined large concretions in the sandstone first reported by geologist Sam Calvin. John Pearson (DNR) then led a hike onto the bluffs north of Pine Creek to observe and discuss upland prairie and forest communities. The last stop of the day was at the Stumpf sand and gravel pit, located on terraces above the Des Moines River north of Dolliver Memorial Park. Deb Quade (Iowa Geological Survey) led the tour and discussion of the pits. This was an interesting end to a good trip.
 

 

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2008 GSI Spring Field Trip

Geologic Features of Eastern Linn County, Iowa

April 12, 2008

 

 

     The 2008 GSI Spring Field Trip will continue the recent practice of following completion of the Geology Session of the Annual Meeting of the Iowa Academy of Science. This year the Academy will be meeting at Kirkwood College, just south of Highway 30 off Kirkwood Boulevard in southwest Cedar Rapids. The Geology Session will take place in the morning of Saturday, April 12. The field trip will be led by Iowa Geological Survey geologists, and although the trip stops have not yet been identified (everything is still under snow) stops will include a look at and discussion of the Kirkwood Paha (on which much of the campus is built), a stop to see and discuss features of the Iowan Surface, a stop to examine local rock geology, possibly rocks of the Otis Formation (Devonian Wapsipinicon Group) at the Hennessey Quarry, and a stop along the Cedar River to view the water and discuss the water quality and geologic history of the river. We will travel by personal cars between field trip stops.

     Field trip participants should gather in parking south of the Facilities building just off Kirkwood N. Road on the east side of the campus (see map above) at 1:00 pm. We will try to get there early, so look for the DNR Iowa Geological Survey cars. Hopefully we will be able to collect rocks and fossils at some stops, so bring your collecting bag along with your camera! As usual there is no charge for field trip participations, and GSI members will get their guidebooks at no charge (others must pay a nominal fee for a guidebook).

 

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Geological survey impacted by yet another dnr reorganization

 

The Iowa Geological Survey has once again found itself in the middle of a DNR reorganization. This time the change may be of benefit to the Survey. In this move, the two regulatory sections of the Iowa Geological Survey and Land Quality Bureau; Contaminated Sites and Underground Storage Tanks, were moved to the Water Quality Bureau. This leaves the non-regulatory Geology and Groundwater, Geographic Information, Watershed Monitoring and Assessment, and Watershed Improvement sections in the bureau. The first three of these sections were the components of the Iowa Geological Survey Bureau prior to the last organization. Since the new bureau contains these three sections along with the Watershed Improvement Section, Bureau Chief Tim Hall, in consultation with the section supervisors, decided to rename the bureau the Iowa Geological and Water Survey. So from now on (until the next reorganization) that will be our name.

 

 

iowa in the process of obtaining lidar coverage

 

The Iowa Geological Survey, working with other state agencies, the NRCS, and the USGS are in the process of obtaining LIDAR (light detection and ranging) coverage for the state. The LIDAR process involves the use of an airborne infrared laser system to collect detailed information on the elevation and other attributes of the land surface. In the LIDAR process an aircraft flying at 5,000 feet beams lasers down to the surface and accurately records the time that it takes the light to bounce back to a detector. When combined with detailed GPS location of the aircraft, this process produces information with a horizontal accuracy of about 3 feet and a vertical accuracy up to 6 inches. This information is many times more accurate that existing topographic maps. When completed in 2010 the available products will include new 2-foot contour interval topographic coverage for the state. The data will be used to identify sink holes, monitor soil loss, plan highway rights of way, geologic mapping, and a variety of other uses. The final cost for the collection and processing of LIDAR data for the state will be about $4.5 million, with about 5 terabytes of data collected and used to generate about 20 terabytes of information following processing. To date about 20% of the state has been imaged, including portions of nw, ne, sc, and se Iowa. The imaging requires that there be no leaves on trees and no snow cover (so this winter has allowed almost no data collection), limiting data acquisition principally to the early spring and late fall. Iowa is one of seven states currently collecting LIDAR data, and the availability of this data will be of great use to the state. For more information on Iowa LIDAR data contact Chris Kahle at the Iowa Geological Survey.
 

 

2007 GSI ELECTION RESULTS

 

The winners in last year's (2007) GSI elections and new GSI officers for 2008 are:

 

President Elect - Ray Anderson

Secretary/Treasurer - Chad Fields

Director (2008-10) - Jim Caldwell
 

 

2008 GSI OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS 

 

President:

Ben Greenstein

 

Board of  Directors:

 

President Elect.:

Ray Anderson

 

 

David Pals (2006-2008)

 

Secretary-Treasurer:

Chad Fields

 

 

Art Bettis (2007-2009)

 

Past President:

Anya Butt

 

 

Jim Caldwell (2008-2010)

 

 

 

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This is the OFFICIAL GSI reminder that 2008 dues are due. The GSI fiscal year is the calendar year, therefore, dues are due on January 1st each year. GSI dues are now $10 per year, due to inflation and the increasing cost of printing guidebooks and mailing newsletters. We strive to provide you the best quality and value for your membership dollar.

Please check the Membership Section to see if you need to pay your membership dues. GSI policy is to automatically drop persons if their dues are over three years in arrears. If you have not paid dues since 2005 and do not pay this year, you will lose your GSI membership!

ALL GSI records, including YOUR name, professional address, home address, work phone number, home phone number, membership status, record of dues payments, are being kept in a secure database. To make any corrections, or if you have any questions, please contact the Secretary-Treasurer, Chad Fields, at 319/335-1575.

The GSI by-laws state, in part, "No dues shall be charged any member who has been retired or placed on emeritus status by his employer or who has reached the age of seventy" [ Article IV, Section 6]. We are more than happy to honor such individuals, if we know who they are. If you know of any GSI member who deserves this recognition, please inform the Secretary-Treasurer. Thanks!

 

 

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