ISGS - June 2007 Activity Highlights

Celebrating the 100^th Anniversary of a Shoreline Vision

On June 6 and 7, 2007, the president and representatives of the Executive Board of the American Shore and Beach Preservation Association (ASBPA) were in Chicago to visit prospective hotel sites and field trip venues for the October 2008 Annual Meeting of ASBPA, which will be co-hosted by the Illinois State Geological Survey (ISGS). This meeting will be held on the eve of the 100^th anniversary year for the 1909 publication of the historic Plan of Chicago authored by architects and planners Daniel H. Burnham (1846 to 1912) and Edward H. Bennett (1874 to 1954). This historic publication, commonly known as the "Burnham Plan," is largely responsible for the park-dominated Chicago lakefront that we know today. The "Burnham Plan" provided a vision for Chicago to build what is now considered a world-class urban shoreline. The 2008 meeting of the ASBPA will bring to Chicago coastal managers, engineers, and geologists together for what will be promoted as the kick-off event for the commemoration of the 100^th anniversary of Plan of Chicago. The meeting will include Chicago lakefront field trips hosted by the ISGS Engineering and Coastal Geology Section. (Contact: M. Chrzastowski).

Geophysical Logging Conducted for Chicago Flood Control Project

The Illinois State Geological Survey (ISGS) provided borehole geophysical logging in support of the Transitional Flood Control Reservoir. The goal for this study for the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRDGC) is to identify fractures, bedding planes, and other features in order to implement a concrete curtain around the quarry. Part of the project requires pumping water into the holes in order to log the entire formation with acoustic imaging. The ISGS is currently coordinating with Raimonde Drilling and with the geologists and engineers with Black & Veatch and Arcadis. So far, five core holes have been logged, three of which were drilled at 15 degrees, and two of which are vertical. Three additional holes will be logged in the near future. Average depths are ~ 550 feet deep, and the holes are concentrated around the perimeter north lobe of Thornton Quarry. Logs that were recorded include gamma, 8-inch, 16-inch, 32-inch, 64-inch normal resistivity, spontaneous potential, single-point resistance, spinner/flowmeter, fluid temperature and resistivity, and acoustic televiewer. (Contact: T. Young)

Assistance Provided for Earthquake Planning

Two Illinois State Geological Survey (ISGS) staff members provided an updated and revised section on earthquake history and impacts in Illinois for the State of Illinois (ISGS) 2007 Hazard Mitigation Plan, assembled by the Illinois Emergency Management Agency. This plan for the state is updated every three years and is required and approved by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. With this plan, the state qualifies for various money funds for mitigation of hazards and response emergencies.

An ISGS engineering geologist was one of nine presenters on a two-day field trip starting in Memphis, Tennessee, and traveling through parts of Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, and Tennessee to review the earthquake history of the New Madrid Seismic Zone and findings of researchers. The 30 participants represented insurance, pipelines, cable, telecommunications, business continuity and disaster recovery specialists, big box stores, federal reserve banks, and financial advisors. The ISGS presenter provided a 14-page paper for the field book, which covered the geologic setting, earthquake impacts, and local history of the southernmost area of Illinois and a 6-page section on resources for information. (Contact: R. Bauer)

Highlights Archive

Updated 07/23/2012 SLD