The Vale of Pickering: an Initial Summary of the Quaternary/Superficial Geology and Data Holdings Geology & Regional Geophysics Programme Open Report OR/15/064
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The Vale of Pickering: an initial summary of the Quaternary/superficial geology and data holdings Geology & Regional Geophysics Programme Open Report OR/15/064 BRITISH GEOLOGICAL SURVEY GEOLOGY AND REGIONAL GEOPHYSICS PROGRAMME OPEN REPORT OR/15/064 The Vale of Pickering: an initial summary of the Quaternary/superficial geology and data holdings The National Grid and other Ordnance Survey data © Crown J R Ford, L Hughes, H F Burke and J R Lee Copyright and database rights 2015. Ordnance Survey Licence No. 100021290 EUL. Keywords Report; Vale of Pickering; Quaternary Bibliographical reference FORD, J R, Hughes, L, Burke H F & Lee, J R. 2015. The Vale of Pickering: an initial summary of the Quaternary/superficial geology and data holdings. British Geological Survey Open Report, OR/15/064. 21pp. Copyright in materials derived from the British Geological Survey’s work is owned by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) and/or the authority that commissioned the work. You may not copy or adapt this publication without first obtaining permission. Contact the BGS Intellectual Property Rights Section, British Geological Survey, Keyworth, e-mail [email protected]. You may quote extracts of a reasonable length without prior permission, provided a full acknowledgement is given of the source of the extract. Maps and diagrams in this book use topography based on Ordnance Survey mapping. © NERC 2015. All rights reserved Keyworth, Nottingham British Geological Survey 2015 BRITISH GEOLOGICAL SURVEY The full range of our publications is available from BGS shops at British Geological Survey offices Nottingham, Edinburgh, London and Cardiff (Welsh publications only) see contact details below or shop online at www.geologyshop.com BGS Central Enquiries Desk Tel 0115 936 3143 Fax 0115 936 3276 The London Information Office also maintains a reference collection of BGS publications, including maps, for consultation. email [email protected] We publish an annual catalogue of our maps and other publications; this catalogue is available online or from any of the Environmental Science Centre, Keyworth, Nottingham BGS shops. 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Colour- ramped and shaded NextMap Britain elevation data from Intermap Technologies. ................ 3 Figure 3 DiGMap50 superficial geology for the Vale of Pickering and surrounding area. ...... 5 Figure 4 Key to the superficial deposits shown on the Pickering 1:50 000 scale provisional map sheet; not all of these units are recorded in the Vale area. ............................................... 6 Figure 5 Borehole distribution based on BGS Single Onshore Borehole Index (SOBI). .......... 6 Figure 6 BGS rockhead elevation model; colour ramp ranged to highlight local variation. ..... 7 Figure 7 Advanced superficial thickness model (ASTM); colour ramp ranged to highlight local variation. .......................................................................................................................... 7 Figure 8 Map showing the distribution of borehole data used in the ASTM and rockhead models.8 Figure 9 The distribution of borehole records considered as part of this study. ....................... 9 Figure 10 Extract and transcript from a log for a borehole located approximately 2 km to the east of Kirby Misperton. ......................................................................................................... 10 Figure 11 Map showing inferred distribution of concealed sand and gravel deposits at rockhead based on the schematic cross sections. ................................................................... 10 Figure 12 Key to the schematic cross-sections. ............................................................................ 11 Figure 13 West-east oriented schematic cross section, split into two parts (VOPSection3_HBU and VOPSection1_LH; about 50 times vertical exaggeration; for section location and key see Figure 11 and Figure 12). ....................................................................................................... 12 Figure 14 Northwest-southeast oriented schematic cross section (VOPSection2_LH; about 25 times vertical exaggeration; for section location and key see Figure 11 and Figure 12). ...... 13 Figure 15 North-south oriented schematic cross section (VOP_Section4_HBU; about 50 times vertical exaggeration; for section location and key see Figure 11 and Figure 12). ................ 13 Figure 16 Southwest-northeast oriented schematic cross section (VOP_NS_f_JF; about 50 times vertical exaggeration; for section location and key see Figure 11 and Figure 12). ...... 13 ii OR/15/064 Last modified: 10/11/15 Foreword The British Geological Survey (BGS), together with a number of partners is undertaking an independent environmental monitoring programme to characterise baseline conditions across the Vale of Pickering in North Yorkshire, in the vicinity of a site close to Kirby Misperton (Third Energy, KM8) proposed for shale-gas exploration and production. The monitoring will include measurement of: water quality (groundwater and surface water), seismicity, ground motion, air quality including radon, and soil gas. The programme aims to establish the environmental baseline before any shale-gas explorations begin. This report presents the results of a desk study to develop an initial summary of the Quaternary superficial geology across the Vale of Pickering. It is a component and specific deliverable of the environmental baseline project. The Quaternary deposits form a shallow aquifer that is used locally for drinking water