Geological Survey Fact Sheet

DIVISION OF GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 2045 Morse Road, Building B-2 Columbus, Ohio 43229 (614) 265-6576 Web: ohiodnr.com/geosurvey

Mission Statement

To provide geologic information and services needed for responsible management of Ohio’s natural resources.

Historical Background

The Division of Geological Survey, the oldest natural resources agency in the state, was established by the legislature in 1837 to provide information on mineral resources and geology for the industrial and social development of the state. The division was one of the seven original chartered divisions of ODNR when it was created in 1949.

Main Purpose

The division is directed to conduct geologic investigations and mapping in order to reveal, interpret, and answer questions about the three-dimensional geologic framework of the entire state, showing the location, quantity, and quality of all mineral resources, fossil fuels, aquifers, geologic hazards, and land-use characteristics. It also is required to maintain records of all geologic information in the state, as well as geologic samples, and make both available to the public in the form of published maps and reports, open-file reports and records, and digital databases.

Priorities

• Continue to investigate the significant and costly problem of erosion along the Lake Erie shoreline. The division recently completed mapping and investigation of the Coastal Erosion Area (CEA), which is the land area along the coast that may potentially be lost to erosion within 30 years.
• Continue to map Ohio's unconsolidated surficial sediments using a three-dimensional mapping concept. This mapping will be vitally important for developing mineral resources, land-use planning, ground-water development, and assessment of geologic hazards, such as landslides and earthquakes. The division is planning to accomplish this mapping in a coalition with neighboring state geological surveys and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), bringing significant federal funding to support the work.
• In cooperation with Ohio Penal Industries, computerize oil and gas well records. When completed, the divisions of Geological Survey and Mineral Resources Management will have a comprehensive, integrated data-management and GIS system for oil and gas well information for the state.
• Continue to operate OhioSeis, a 22-station seismic-monitoring network established as a public/private/academic partnership to monitor earthquake activity in Ohio. The seismic network headquarters is located at the division's geological sample repository, the Horace R. Collins Laboratory, at Alum Creek State Park.
• Provide geologic information crucial to the identification, development, and management of hydrocarbon resources in Ohio. Oil and gas well maps and records are available to the public in both hard-copy and digital formats.
• Develop accurate, reliable information on the occurrence and characteristics of Ohio’s coal resources.
• Investigate, map, and characterize Ohio’s industrial mineral resources. Maps and reports are crucial to resource management and land-use considerations.
• Map and inventory abandoned underground mines in Ohio.

Significant Accomplishments

• Completed statewide, reconnaissance detail, bedrock geologic maps for all 788 7.5-minute quadrangles in the state.
• Mapped and finalized the Coastal Erosion Area along the Ohio portion of the Lake Erie shore.
• Completed mapping of Ohio’s karst terrain.
• Completed the "Quaternary Geology Map of Ohio" to replace the 1961 Glacial Map. The new map shows ten times the detail of the earlier one.
• The annual "Mineral Industries and the Environment" workshops for teachers continue to receive national acclaim and help educate teachers, and through them their studens, about the department's mission.
• Reinterpreted the deep subsurface geology of the state, providing citizens with a new understanding of hydrocarbon resources and seismic activity.
• A new map, "Physiographic Regions of Ohio," provides new insights into Ohio's geomorphology and gives a better framework for evaluating biodiversity.
• Completed digitization of Ohio's oil and gas well township maps.
• Completed digital oil and gas fields map series.
• Completed a new Precambrian structure map for the state.

Advisory Board

The Ohio Geology Advisory Council consists of seven members representing all aspects of geology and meets quarterly in order to advise the division chief on programs and policies.