ISGS - August 2010 Activity Highlights

August 2010 Monthly Activities

New STATEMAP Releases

The ISGS recently completed new geologic maps of the following 7.5-minute quadrangles, at a scale of 1:24,000: Waukegan, Naperville, Foley, Karbers Ridge, and Oregon. In addition, surficial geology maps completed under previous STATEMAP contracts for St. Clair County were compiled into a county-wide 1:62,500-scale map.

Each year the Illinois State Geological Survey (ISGS) participates in the STATEMAP component of the National Cooperative Geologic Mapping Program (http://ncgmp.usgs.gov/), which provides federal funds for detailed two-dimensional geologic mapping to state geological surveys. The U.S. Geological Survey administers the program, and funds are distributed to state geological surveys on a competitive basis. The program also includes a federal component (FEDMAP) and an education component (EDMAP). The ISGS encourages universities to participate in the EDMAP component and welcomes cooperation with its ongoing mapping projects. Geologic maps and their databases are identified in the National Geologic Map Database.

Overall, the ISGS ranks eighth among state surveys in federal dollars received under this program, having received more than $2.9 million for geologic mapping in the state's high-priority areas since the program's inception in 1993. The high-priority areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, where there is a high demand for groundwater resources; southern Illinois, where mapping has focused on identifying economic mineral resources such as coal, calcium carbonate, and other minerals; and the St. Louis Metropolitan East area, to meet the societal needs of the greater St. Louis region. Prioritization of the map areas for the STATEMAP program involves dialogue with the Illinois Geologic Mapping Advisory Committee, which includes representation from local, state, and federal governments, private industry, and higher education.

The STATEMAP mapping team includes geologists Joe Devera, Brett Denny, Mary Seid, Mike Barnhardt, Andy Stumpf, Drew Philips, Dave Grimley, Brandon Curry, and Steve Brown. Database, GIS, and cartographic work are carried out by Barb Stiff, Jane Domier, and Jennifer Carrell. The team is assisted by a number of students and interns. (Contact: Steve Brown, Dick Berg, and Don Keefer)

National Geothermal Data Compilation Project Award

The Illinois portion of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) National Geothermal data compilation project has been awarded to the Illinois State Geological Survey (ISGS). Students will be hired to compile subsurface temperature data primarily from well logs. Bryan Huff will be the principal investigator and manager of this 3-year, $300,000 project. (Contact: Bryan Huff)

New Carbon Capture Technology Funding Received

The DOE's National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) has selected the ISGS to develop a hot carbonate absorption process with crystallization-enabled high-pressure stripping (Hot-CAP) for carbon dioxide (CO₂) capture from coal-fired power plants. Yongqi Lu, a chemical engineer at the Advanced Energy Technology Initiative (AETI) of the ISGS, will lead the 3-year, $1.28 million DOE/NETL project. In addition, Illinois Clean Coal Institute is providing $201,000, and Energy Commercialization, LLC is providing $40,000 of in-kind support of the project.

The AETI scientists will perform laboratory and bench-scale studies aimed at generating process engineering and scale-up data that can help evaluate technical feasibility and commercial competitiveness of the Hot-CAP process as a viable post-combustion carbon dioxide (CO₂) capture technology. Energy Commercialization, LLC will use the results from the AETI experimental and modeling studies to conduct a process simulation and techno-economic analysis. The proposed Hot-CAP technology is expected to achieve 90% CO₂ removal from coal-fired power plants while meeting the cost target of 35% increase in the cost of electricity. The DOE award will allow AETI to advance the Hot-CAP technology to a pilot-scale level within three years. (Contacts: Yongqi Lu and Massoud Rostam-Abadi)

Bioswales Research Funded

The Wetlands Geology Section of the Illinois State Geological Survey has received a 5-year, $2.0 million grant to monitor the effectiveness of bioswales to be installed along I-294 north of O'Hare Airport between Touhy Avenue and Lake-Cook Road. (Contacts: James Miner and Keith Carr)

Havana Requests Assistance with Flooded Wetland

Illinois State Geological Survey wetlands geologist James Miner attended a meeting at IDOT District 6 headquarters to discuss a request by the City of Havana for assistance and right-of-way permitting to drain a large wetland complex east of Havana. The mostly farmed wetland greatly expands during periods of high precipitation, such as the past 18 months, and then diminishes for several years at a time. The wetland is currently flooding county roads and large areas of farmland. The wetland is an Illinois Natural Areas Inventory site that is habitat for the federally endangered chorus frog. The wetland was the site of extensive study by the Illinois State Water Survey and the Office of Water Resources, Illinois Department of Natural Resources during the 1990s, and a groundwater model was made of the site. The model suggests that much more drainage capacity is needed than is currently being planned. The City of Havana received and acknowledged the information, which includes the recommendations that new modeling is needed to correctly design the system. Expectations are that permits from several state and federal agencies may be needed, and the city plans to proceed when funding is found. (Contact: James Miner)

Highlights Archive

Updated 08/01/2012 SLD