February 2007 Activities Highlights

Discussions Further Development of Coal Gas

Two coal geologists met with representatives from a Michigan energy company from Michigan to assist them in locating possible coal bed methane prospects near some of their coal mine methane holdings. The Michigan company, the only producer of coal mine methane in Illinois, has about twenty wells in production, primarily in Franklin County. The geologists provided numerous maps, stratigraphic data and reports to aid in their evaluation and development. A series of custom maps also were created to assist the company in their search for new areas to drill.

A coal geologist met with a second energy company in Edwardsville to review their coalbed methane exploration and development program and to compare their coal data with that collected by the ISGS. The company has 87 producing wells in Saline County and a 10-well pilot project in Shelby County. They have the largest lease holding for coal gas in Illinois and have been the only producer of coal bed seam gas in Illinois for the last two years. They have been providing technical data such as permeability values, which greatly augment our studies. (Contacts: David Morse and Scott Elrick)

Paper Published on Geologic Record of Droughts

A paper entitled "A 10,000 Year Record of Dune Activity, Dust Storms, and Severe Drought in the Central Great Plains" by an ISGS geologist and geologists from the University of Wisconsin and University of Nebraska was published in the February 2007 issue of Geology. This paper, by applying Optically Stimulated Luminescence dating on dune sand and loess deposits in the central Great Plains, gives new information on the timing and causal mechanism of severe droughts during Holocene. Dune fields and loess deposits of the Great Plains of North America contain stratigraphic records of eolian activity that can be used to extend the short observational record of drought. This paper presents a 10,000 year reconstruction of dune activity and dust production in the central Great Plains Region based on 95 optically stimulated luminescence ages. Clusters of ages define episodes of extensive high winds, which were interpreted as a response to frequent severe drought, at 1,000 to 700 years ago and 2,300 to 4,500 years ago (with peaks centered on 2,500 and 3,800); sustained windy periods also occurred from 9,600 to 6,500 years ago. Parts of this record may be consistent with hypotheses linking Holocene drought to sea surface temperature anomalies in the Pacific or Atlantic oceans, or to the El Niño-Southern Oscillation phenomenon.

This paper has already received wider recognition. It was reported upon by Science News in the February 10^th issue with the title of "Why So Dry? Ocean temperatures alone don't explain droughts." It also made the February 1^st issue of The Christian Science Monitor under the title of "A Clearer Global Climate Forecast." (Contact: Xiaodong Miao).

ISGS geochemists recently completed a study examining some geochemical characteristics of groundwater samples from a landfill in southern Illinois where monitoring wells contained elevated concentrations of chloride ions. In addition to the typical chemical analyses, oxygen and hydrogen isotopes as well as halide (chloride, bromide, and iodide) analyses were completed on 25 water samples (both up-gradient and down-gradient of the landfill) to help determine the origin of the elevated chloride concentrations observed in several monitoring wells. The isotopic data showed that the two leachate samples collected from the landfill had a very different isotopic composition compared to the local surface water and groundwater monitoring wells. Based on the isotopic results, no detectable leachate contamination was evident for any of the monitoring wells. However, this did not explain the elevated chloride concentrations in many of the monitoring wells at the landfill. This is important because landfill leachate typically contains thousands of milligrams per liter of chloride, making the chloride ion a more sensitive parameter of contamination compared to the oxygen and hydrogen isotope analyses. Furthermore, in some areas, such as in this case, there are multiple sources of chloride which could result in elevated levels of chloride in shallow groundwater wells.

Using graphing techniques recently developed by the ISGS for distinguishing various sources of chloride in groundwater, the monitoring well samples with elevated chloride concentrations showed characteristics similar to other groundwater samples in Illinois that were known to have been affected by brine and/or road salt contamination. Mixing curves were generated from the halide and chemical data in this study to further evaluate the range of concentrations observed in the data. Data from the monitoring wells followed the mixing curves that were generated between the brine (and road salt) end members and the up-gradient wells rather than along the curves calculated for the landfill leachate and up-gradient groundwater. Thus, the halide results agreed with the isotopic data suggesting the monitoring wells with elevated chloride concentrations were probably not impacted by landfill leachate but instead had been impacted by brine and/or road salt contamination. The physical presence of old oil wells in close proximity to the landfill suggested that brine contamination in shallow monitoring wells in the area was possible, if not likely, corroborating the isotope results. (Contacts: Keith Hackley and Sam Panno)

ISGS Helps Evaluate Impacts to Illinois-Wisconsin Natural Areas

A wetland scientist attended an interagency and interstate meeting regarding Spring Bluff Nature Preserve in Winthrop Harbor, Illinois, and Chiwaukee Prairie in adjoining Wisconsin. Multiple alterations have been observed that are causing impacts to the various native plant communities, and the various agencies are trying to implement interagency monitoring, assessment, and remediation programs. Potential sources of impacts were identified, federal funding was discussed especially regarding coastal zone opportunities, and additional meetings were planned for implementation of monitoring. Participating agencies included Lake County Forest Preserve District, DNR, ISGS, ISWS, USGS, The Nature Conservancy, Lake County Stormwater Management Department, Wisconsin DNR, Southeastern Wisconsin planning agencies, and others. (Contact: James Miner)

Presentations Given for Earthquake Awareness Week

As part of Missouri's Earthquake Awareness Week, an engineering geologist participated in booth displays at the St. Louis Science Center presenting posters and information to children on what to do during an earthquake. Also presented were pictures and information on damage in St. Louis from the largest earthquake in the Central U.S. occurring during the last Century. It occurred in southeastern Illinois, 110 miles east of St. Louis. The ISGS engineering geologist was also one of three speakers at the annual presentation to the public on the Greater St. Louis Urban Hazard Mapping Project. This project covers parts of both Missouri and Illinois. The University of Missouri-Rolla, U.S. Geological Survey, Missouri and Illinois State Geological Surveys are mapping the materials resting on top of the bedrock and measuring properties of these materials that indicate how these materials will amplify earthquake ground motions. The resulting maps can be used in earthquake loss estimation computer programs to estimate the amount of damage the area can expect from various magnitude earthquakes located in various areas in relation to the metropolitan area. This information can be used by federal and state emergency managers for preparation and running exercises, city and regional planners and business contingency planners. (Contact: Bob Bauer)

Assistance Provided to Consulting Firm Conducting Local Road Site Assessments

A consulting firm from St. Louis, Missouri has been asked by the Illinois Department of Transportation to assist the City of Madison, in Madison County, IL, to conduct a preliminary environmental site assessment for a local road project in the city. The company was given extensive assistance by ISGS regarding the process and philosophy of performing preliminary environmental site assessments for road projects. The databases on the ISGS clearinghouse were discussed, as well as numerous other resources for site assessment work such as those made available by regulatory agencies in Illinois. Additionally, the philosophy of field sampling and how it relates to proposed road construction work was discussed. (Contact: Anne Erdmann)

Presentation on Global Warming Given to the Save the Prairie Society

An ISGS geologist was invited to present a two-hour talk on "Glaciers and Global Warming" to the Save the Prairie Society at the Wolf Road Prairie in Westchester, IL. Save the Prairie Society has been working since 1975 to preserve and restore the 80-acre Wolf Road Prairie and bufferlands in Westchester in partnership with IDNR, the Forest Preserve District of Cook County, and the Illinois Nature Preserves Commission. About 24 society members were in attendance, and a half-hour question-and-answer session followed the presentation. (Contact: Greg Kientop)

The Friends of the Chicago River hosted the 2007 Chicago River Student Congress on Saturday, February 3, at Amundsen High School in Chicago. This annual congress brings over 1,000 Chicago high school science students to this half-day event of workshops, displays and presentations to learn about the science and management of the Chicago River. An ISGS coastal geologist provided workshops on the geologic history of the Chicago River. The theme for this tenth annual Student Congress was: "Fight for Your Right for Clean Water!" (Contact: Mike Chrzastowski)

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