Developing a Karst Map for West Virginia Hancock Hohn, Michael E.; McCreery, Samantha; Moore, Jessica Pierson; Dinterman, Philip The Final Map Brooke For the WV Department of Environmental Protection to implement West Virginia Geological and Economic Survey the new legislation, they needed some way to determine from our Ohio map when a proposed well would potentially intersect underground voids. We considered applying a buer to the outcrop and designating the enclosed area as a karst region. However, it is ABSTRACT not obvious what distance should be used to create the buer. The Hancock Hancock Marshall potential for underground voids depends on local geology such as State regulatory agencies increasingly consider karst terrain when issuing structure and topography. In conjunction with geologists at WVDEP Geologic Map of Brooke Brooke Underground Injection Control permits, approving new horizontal oil and gas well Outcropping Carbonate Published Cave we decided to de ne karst regions to be those county tax districts permits, and allowing land lls to accept drill cuttings. These activities hold the Monongalia West Virginia Ohio Ohio Wetzel with karst. potential for environmental damage, aquifer contamination, or serious accident Rock Units Locations Morgan Marion Preston Berkeley through surface spills, poor casing jobs, or drilling into underground voids. New Tyler Permit applications that lie within these tax districts will require Marshall Marshall horizontal drilling legislation tasked the West Virginia Geological and Economic closer study to see whether the proposed drilling will intersect karst. Pleasants Mineral Survey (WVGES) with developing a map showing areas of potential karst in the state. Monongalia Monongalia Taylor Hampshire Jefferson WVDEP regulations specify what additional precautions must be Wetzel Morgan Wetzel Morgan Harrison Karst can occur in West Virginia where soluble rocks such as the Greenbrier and Marion Preston Berkeley Marion Preston Berkeley Doddridge Tyler Tyler taken during well drilling operations to protect from environmental Helderberg limestones occur near or at the surface. These rocks occur predominantly Wood Pleasants Mineral Pleasants Mineral damage. Taylor Hampshire Jefferson Taylor Hampshire Jefferson Ritchie in the eastern and southeastern parts of the state. Using a digitized map of the Doddridge Harrison Doddridge Harrison Barbour Tucker Wood Wood Grant Ritchie Ritchie Geology of West Virginia at 1:250,000 scale, WVGES geologists created a map showing Barbour Barbour Tucker Grant Tucker Grant Wirt Hardy Hancock where thick carbonate units crop out, and overlaid locations of publically-known Wirt Hardy Wirt Hardy Lewis Lewis Lewis Gilmer Gilmer caves as well as information from various karst related datasets pertaining to West Upshur Upshur Gilmer Brooke Tax Districts Jackson Calhoun Jackson Calhoun Upshur Virginia. Where available, modern WVGES maps at a scale of 1:24,000 created with Randolph Randolph Ohio Mason Mason Jackson Calhoun Roane Braxton Pendleton Roane Braxton Pendleton with Karst funding from the National Park Service and the US Geological Survey STATEMAP Outcrops: Mason Randolph Marshall program were invaluable in developing the statewide karst map. This map serves as a Roane Putnam Webster Avis Limestone Outcrop Putnam Webster Braxton Pendleton Monongalia guide to regulatory agencies to determine whether areas need further examination Cabell Clay Cabell Clay Wetzel Morgan Known Caverns (Davies, 1949; 1965) Marion Preston Berkeley Kanawha Greenbrier Outcrop Kanawha Tyler Pocahontas Pocahontas Pleasants Mineral before industrial operations proceed. While useful in the regulation of drilling Nicholas Nicholas Taylor Hampshire Jefferson Doddridge Harrison Wood activities and associated waste disposal, the statewide karst map can be re ned Lincoln Lincoln Putnam Completed Marcellus Wells Ritchie Other Carbonate Units Barbour Wayne Wayne Webster Tucker Grant Clay Wirt Hardy further with completion of 1:24,000 scale mapping of quadrangles with karst terrain, Cabell Lewis Boone Fayette Boone Fayette Known Caverns (Davies, 1949; 1965) Gilmer Greenbrier Upshur observation of of surface karst features from LidAR data, and hydrological studies. Marcellus Shale Wells: Greenbrier Permitted Marcellus Wells Jackson Calhoun Kanawha Mason Randolph Pocahontas Roane Braxton Pendleton Logan Completed Logan Raleigh Raleigh Nicholas µ Putnam Avis Limestone Outcrop Webster Mingo Mingo Clay Permitted Cabell Kanawha Summers Lincoln Pocahontas Wyoming Wyoming Summers Nicholas Monroe Monroe 0 15 30 60 Miles 0 15 30 60 Miles Wayne Greenbrier Outcrop Lincoln WV Tax Districts with Karst Potential Wayne Generalized Stratigraphic Chart for West Virginia Mercer Mercer Boone Fayette WV Tax Districts without Karst McDowell McDowell µ Greenbrier Boone Fayette Series/ Other Carbonate Units Logan Greenbrier Raleigh Era System Stage Western WV Eastern WV Mingo Wyoming Summers CENOZOIC Paleogene Eocene Igneous Intrusives Monroe µ MESOZOIC Jurassic Igneous Intrusives WV Tax Districts with Karst Potential Logan McDowell Mercer PERMIAN Dunkard Group Outcrops of carbonate rock units is used as a rst approximation to karst potential. This map shows the outcrop of these carbonate units based on the state geologic map as well as eld The only public source for cave locations in West Virginia is West Virginia Geological and Raleigh µ WV Tax Districts without Karst 0 15 30 60 Miles Upper Monongahela Fm. Karst-forming carbonates occur in generally narrow bands in the Valley and Ridge Province observations by geologists who have conducted detailed geologic mapping in the state. Also shown Economic Survey Volume 19A by William E. Davies, “Caverns of West Virginia.” Despite the fact Mingo Conemaugh Group within eastern West Virginia. are locations and pathways of completed horizontal wells in the state. In general the karst region Summers Middle Allegheny Fm. that Davies’ locations were somewhat generalized, the vast majority fall within the bands of Wyoming Kanawha Fm. Monroe (Subsystem) overlaps very little with the oil and gas producing fairway. The principal exceptions are in Preston New River Fm. Pottsville carbonate outcrop. Cave locations in other parts of the state are generally isolated, very small, in

PENNSYLVANIAN 0 15 30 60 Miles Acknowledgements Lower Pocahontas Fm. Group County in the northern part of the state adjacent to Pennsylvania and Maryland. some cases “shelter” caves, or formed in sandstone, and not part of a karst terrain. Thin marine Bluestone Fm. Princeton Ss. Mauch Chunk limestones occur in the coal measures, but where these units crop out in the northern part of the Mercer The authors would like to thank John Bocan, Wayne Perkins, and Upper Hinton Fm. Group McDowell Bluefield Fm. Avis Limestone state, isolated caves are few in number and small in size.

CARBONIFEROUS Sarah Gooding for help in creating this poster. We would also like Middle Greenbrier Group to thank members of the West Virginia Speleological Survey for (Subsystem) MISSISSIPPIAN Lower information and advice helpful in creating the West Virginia Karst Sunbury Sh. Price Fm. Berea Ss. We used the outcrop of limestones units, published cave locations, and information provided by the community of cavers to determine the occurence of karst within Map, and Ryan R. Maurer for allowing us to use photographs Cleveland Sh. Hampshire Group Ohio Sh. Chagrin Sh. “Under a Rock.”. Huron Sh. county tax districts, a readily-available government unit in West Virginia. Java Fm. Hanover Sh. Pipe Creek Sh. Greenland Foreknobs Fm. Scherr Fm. Upper West Falls Fm. Angola Sh. Gap Group THE PROBLEM U.S. Geological Survey: Karst in the United States: A Digital Map Compilation and Database Rhinestreet Sh. Cashaqua Sh. Sonyea Fm. Middlesex Sh. By David J. Weary and Daniel H. Doctor; U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2014–1156 Genesee Fm./ West River Sh. Brallier Fm. Harrell Sh. Geneseo Sh./Burket Sh. Technological advances in oil and gas well drilling have led to development of Harrell Sh. In 2014 the U.S. Geological Survey Hancock Hancock DEVONIAN Tully Ls. Millboro Sh. Hamilton Group Mahantango Fm. Mahantango Fm. unconventional reservoirs including the Utica and Marcellus shales in the Marcellus Sh. released an open le report showing karst Middle Marcellus Sh. Tioga ash beds Tioga ash beds Appalachian basin. The potential exists for these technologies—including horizontal or the the potential for karst across the U.S. Brooke Brooke WEST VIRGINIA CODE Huntersville Chert Needmore Sh. Rock Units Containing Relative Proportion of What’s Next? Onondaga Ls. drilling and hydraulic fracturing—to be applied to conventional oil and gas reservoirs The map and accompanying database Ohio Ohio Oriskany Ss. were generated from state geologic maps Limestone or Dolomite Limestone in Rock Unit §22-6A-3a. Karst terrain; rulemaking. Lower in the region. (a) Because drilling horizontal wells in naturally occurring karst terrain may require Our ability to draw accurate maps of karst potential depend on Helderberg Group and included areas of soluble rocks, Marshall Marshall precautions not necessary in other parts of the state, the secretary [of the WV Department availability of 1:24,000 geologic maps in conjunction with Bass Islands Fm. Big Mountain Sh. primarily rock units with signi cant Clifton Forge Ss. Keyser Fm. Monongalia Monongalia of Environmental Protection] may require additional safeguards to protect this geological observations collected during eld mapping. A focus of our Karst presents a special concern because surface spills associated with drilling could Wetzel Morgan Wetzel Morgan PALEOZOIC Lower Keyser Mbr. proportions of carbonate or evaporitic Marion Preston Berkeley Marion Preston Berkeley Tyler Tyler formation. When drilling horizontal wells in naturally occurring karst terrain, such mapping has been karst, but we need to complete mapping PHANEROZOIC Salina Fm. Tonoloway Fm. contaminate shallow aquifers and spread underground very quickly. In addition, minerals. Mineral Mineral Pleasants Hampshire Jefferson Pleasants Hampshire Jefferson additional safeguards may include changing proposed well locations to avoid damage to quadrangles with signi cant carbonate outcrops in Upper Wills Creek Fm. Taylor Taylor Bloomsburg drilling into underground voids unexpectedly could represent an environmental Doddridge Harrison Doddridge Harrison Williamsport Fm. Fm. Wood Wood water resources, special casing programs, and additional or special review of drilling Lockport Dol. Ritchie Ritchie southeastern West Virginia. McKenzie Fm. Barbour Barbour hazard. Many of the areas of karst potential Tucker Grant Tucker Grant procedures. Rochester Sh. Wirt Hardy Wirt Hardy SILURIAN Lewis Lewis (b) In order to carry out the purposes of this section, the secretary, in consultation with Keefer Fm. corresponded with ones on our own maps Gilmer Gilmer Upshur Upshur This area is shown by the rectangle. Rose Hill Fm. of carbonate outcrop. However, relatively Jackson Calhoun Jackson Calhoun the state geologist, shall propose emergency and legislative rules in accordance with the Lower In response to public concerns over the environmental and social issues associated Mason Randolph Mason Randolph Roane Roane provisions of chapter twenty-nine-a of this code to establish designated geographic Tuscarora Ss. thin carbonate units occur in Braxton Pendleton Braxton Pendleton with new drilling, the West Virginia legislature passed a comprehensive “horizontal Major Rock Type regions of the state where the provisions of this section are applicable and to establish As a result of severe ooding in this part of the state in 2016, the Juniata Fm. Juniata Fm. Carboniferous units in the northern part of Putnam Putnam Oswego Fm. Webster Webster Federal Emergency Management Agency has aquired LiDAR well law” late in 2011, followed by legislation regulating the disposal of well cuttings Cabell Clay Cabell Clay standards for drilling horizontal wells in naturally occurring karst terrain. For horizontal the state. Geologic mapping con rmed Kanawha Limestone Kanawha Pocahontas Pocahontas wells drilled into naturally occurring karst terrain in such designated geographic regions, covering most of this area under the 3DEP program. Once “Martinsburg” Fm. Reedsville Fm. Martinsburg Nicholas Nicholas Upper “Utica Shale” Fm. in land lls. Both pieces of legislation pay speci c attention to karst and charge the the existence of generally very small, Lincoln Dolomite Lincoln Limestone is the major component of rock unit the rules shall, at a minimum: processed and available we can use this information to “Trenton” Ls. Trenton Dolly Ridge Fm. Wayne Wayne Group Nealmont Ls. WV Geological Survey with mapping karst regions in the state. scattered caves and we did not include (1) Require operators to perform certain predrilling testing to identify the location of Boone Fayette Boone Fayette Limestone is a subsidiary component of rock unit supplement our geologic maps in providing advice to the WV Black River Group these areas in our map of karst. Greenbrier Sandstone Greenbrier caves and other voids, faults and relevant features in the strata and the location of surface Limestone is a minor component of rock unit DEP and others. Lincolnshire Fm. Logan Logan Wells Creek Fm. St. Paul Group New Market Ls. features prevalent in naturally occurring karst terrain such as sink holes; and ORDOVICIAN Middle St. Peter Row Park Ls. Raleigh µ Raleigh Ss. Mingo Shale Mingo (2) Provide any other requirements deemed necessary by the secretary to protect the Pinesburg Station Dol. Although we did not include some of the Summers Summers Rockdale Run Fm. Wyoming Wyoming Finally, pending availailability of funding, we plan to cooperate Beekmantown Dol. Monroe Monroe Lower Knox Beekmantown Dol. Stonehenge Ls. 0 15 30 60 Miles 0 15 30 60 Miles unique characteristics of naturally occurring karst terrain, which requirements may Group Stoufferstown Mbr. units in our nal map, this publication was with the US Geological Survey in hydrogeological studies of Mercer Mercer include baseline water testing within an established distance from a drilling site. Upper Copper Ridge Dol. Conococheague Fm. Principal karst-forming carbonate rocks in West Virginia (shown in blue) are McDowell McDowell µ very useful to us as a check on our karst areas in southeastern WV. Middle Conasauga Group Elbrook Fm. within the Mississippian Greenbrier Group; Devonianand Silurian previous assumptions that karst in West Rome Group Waynesboro Fm. Helderberg Group and Tonoloway Limestone; and Cambrian and §22-15-8 Tomstown Dol. Virginia was largely found within a Lower Antietam Fm. Ordovician Tomstown Dolomite, Elbrook Formation, Conococheague The USGS map and database included all rock units with some portion of carbonate, This map is another representation of the same data, in this instance showing the (g) . . . a commercial solid waste facility that is not located in a county that is, in whole or “Chilhowee Group”/ Harpers Fm. CAMBRIAN northeast to southeast band of counties. basal ss. Weverton Fm. Formation, Beekmantown Group, Saint Paul Group, and Black River Group. whether they are principally limestone, dolostone, sandstone or shale. This map relative importance of carbonate within each unit mapped by the USGS as having in part, within a karst region as determined by the West Virginia Geologic and Economic Catoctin Fm. Based on recent geologic mapping in southern West Virginia the PRECAMBRIAN shows the major lithology of each unit. the potential for karst. Survey may lawfully receive drill cuttings and drilling waste generated from horizontal Swift Run Fm. Mississippian Avis Limestone, also known as the Little Stone Gap, can be well sites . . . Igneous/ Coal-bearing Organic unconformity added to this list. Metamorphic interval shale Fm. Formation Ss. Sandstone Sh. Shale Ls. Limestone Dol. Dolomite Mbr. Member facies

Maxwellton Sink, Greenbrier County Buckeye Creek Cave, Greenbrier County Culverson Creek, Greenbrier County Dry Cave, Greenbrier County Monster Caverns, Sites Cave, Pendleton County Shreve Hollow Pit, Randolph Organ Cave, Greenbrier County Organ Cave, Greenbrier County Smoke Hole Cavern, Grant County Laurel Creek Cave, Monroe County Pocahontas County County