Louisiana Geology 1:500K

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Frequently-anticipated questions:


What does this data set describe?

    Title: Louisiana Geology 1:500K
    Abstract:
    This data set contains vector line map information. The vector data contain selected base categories of geographic features, and characteristics of these features, in digital form. The information was collected by digitizing the Geologic Map of Louisiana to create a digital overlay of the Geologic Map of Louisiana highlighting geologic areas of the State of Louisiana. The data set only captures areal information from the Geologic Map of Louisiana. It does not include point or line features such as faults, ceniers, or cap rock.

  1. How should this data set be cited?

    United States Geological Survey, Biological Research Division's, National W, 1998, Louisiana Geology 1:500K: United States Geological Survey, Biological Resources Division's, National Wetlands Research Center, Lafayette, Louisiana, United States.

    Online Links:

  2. What geographic area does the data set cover?

    West_Bounding_Coordinate: -94.043205
    East_Bounding_Coordinate: -88.758343
    North_Bounding_Coordinate: 33.019638
    South_Bounding_Coordinate: 28.854233

  3. What does it look like?

    <URL:geology1.gif> (GIF)
    thumbnail view of data set (4K)
    <URL:geology2.gif> (GIF)
    larger view of data set (18K)

  4. Does the data set describe conditions during a particular time period?

    Beginning_Date: Jan-1998
    Ending_Date: May-1998
    Currentness_Reference: Publication Date of Sources

  5. What is the general form of this data set?

    Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: vector digital data

  6. How does the data set represent geographic features?

    1. How are geographic features stored in the data set?

      This is a Vector data set. It contains the following vector data types (SDTS terminology):

      • G-polygon (4409)

    2. What coordinate system is used to represent geographic features?

      Horizontal positions are specified in geographic coordinates, that is, latitude and longitude. Latitudes are given to the nearest 0.000000. Longitudes are given to the nearest 0.000000. Latitude and longitude values are specified in Decimal degrees.

      The horizontal datum used is North American Datum of 1983.
      The ellipsoid used is Geodetic Reference System 80.
      The semi-major axis of the ellipsoid used is 6378137.000000.
      The flattening of the ellipsoid used is 1/298.257222.

      Vertical_Coordinate_System_Definition:
      Altitude_System_Definition:
      Altitude_Resolution: 1.000000
      Altitude_Encoding_Method:
      Explicit elevation coordinate included with horizontal coordinates

  7. How does the data set describe geographic features?

    la_geology_500k
    polygon attribute table (Source: NWRC)

    FID
    Geologic code for formation (Source: Geologic Map of Louisiana, Louisiana Geological Survey, 1984)

    ValueDefinition
    QalGeologic Map Unit Code with Code Description 'Alluvium' and Detailed Description 'Gray to brownish gray clay and silty clay, reddish brown in the Red River Valley, some sand and gravel locally. Includes all alluvial valley deposits except natural levees of major streams'
    QnlGeologic Map Unit Code with Code Description 'Natural Levees' and Detailed Description 'Gray and brown silt, silty clay, some very fine sand, reddish brown along the Red River. Shown only on past and present courses of major streams.'
    QdfGeologic Map Unit Code with Code Description 'Delta Plain, Fresh Marsh' and Detailed Description 'Gray to black clay of very high organic content, some peat. Area of active and abandoned delta lobes of the Mississippi River.'
    QdsGeologic Map Unit Code with Code Description 'Delta Plain, Saline Marsh' and Detailed Description 'Gray to black clay of high organic content, some peat. Area of active and abandoned delta lobes of the Mississippi River.'
    QcfGeologic Map Unit Code with Code Description 'Chenier Plain, Fresh Marsh' and Detailed Description 'Gray to brown to black clay and silt of high organic content. Area of accretion by longshore currents from major delta complex.'
    QcsGeologic Map Unit Code with Code Description 'Chenier Plain, Saline Marsh' and Detailed Description 'Gray to brown to black clay and silt of moderate organic content. Area of accretion by longshore currents from major delta complex.'
    QtdGeologic Map Unit Code with Code Description 'Deweyville Terrace' and Detailed Description 'Gray mixed with brown-to-red clay and silty clay; some sand and gravel locally. Topographically higher that Holocene alluvium and lower than Prairie terraces. Found along streams of intermediate size.'
    QbsGeologic Map Unit Code with Code Description 'Braided Stream Terraces' and Detailed Description 'Light gray, tan, and brown fine to coarse sand, some clay, silt, and gravel. Glacial outwash of ancestral Arkansas River.'
    QtpGeologic Map Unit Code with Code Description 'Prairie Terraces' and Detailed Description 'Light gray to light brown clay, sandy clay, silt, sand, and some gravel. Surfaces generally show little dissection and are topographically higher than t he Deweyville. Three levels are recognized: two along alluvial valleys, the lower coalescing with its broad coastwise expression; the third, still lower found intermittently gulfward'
    QtiGeologic Map Unit Code with Code Description 'Intermediate Terraces' and Detailed Description 'Light gray to orange-brown clay, sandy clay, and silt; much sand and gravel locally. Surfaces show more dissection and are topographically higher than the Prairie. Composed of terraces formerly designated as Montgomery, Irene, and most of the Bentley'
    QthGeologic Map Unit Code with Code Description 'High Terraces' and Detailed Description 'Tan to orange clay, silt, and sand with a large amount of basal gravel. Surfaces are highly dissected and less continuous than lower terraces. Composed of terraces formerly designated as Willana, Citronelle, and the highest Bentley'
    MfbGeologic Map Unit Code with Code Description 'Blounts Creek Member' and Detailed Description 'Gray to green silty clays, siltstones, and silts with abundant sand beds; some lignite and lenses of black chert gravel.'
    MfccGeologic Map Unit Code with Code Description 'Castor Creek Member' and Detailed Description 'Gray to dark gray calcareous slays which may weather to black soil; lignitic clays and noncalcareous clayey soils.'
    MfwGeologic Map Unit Code with Code Description 'Williamson Creek Member' and Detailed Description 'White to gray silts, siltstones, silty clays, and sand beds; some lenses of black chert gravel.'
    MfdGeologic Map Unit Code with Code Description 'Dough Hills Member' and Detailed Description 'Gray to yellow silty clays; light gray calcareous clays which may weather to black soil; some siliceous silt and volcanic ash beds.'
    MfcbGeologic Map Unit Code with Code Description 'Carnahan Bayou Member' and Detailed Description 'Yellow to gray siltstones, sandstones, and clays with thin tuffaceous beds; some lenses of black chert gravel; petrified wood locally.'
    MflGeologic Map Unit Code with Code Description 'Lena Member' and Detailed Description 'Gray calcareous clays which may weather to black soil, siltstones, tuffaceous clays, and s ome volcanic ash beds.'
    OcGeologic Map Unit Code with Code Description 'Catahoula Formation' and Detailed Description 'Gray to white sandstones, loose quartz sand, tuffaceous sandstone, volcanic ash, and brown sandy clays; petrified wood locally.'
    OvGeologic Map Unit Code with Code Description 'Vicksburg Group (Undifferentiated)' and Detailed Description 'Brown to gray lignitic clays with thin interbeds of lignite or micaceous sands; calcareous shale, petrified wood, and bluish fossiliferous clay locally.'
    EjGeologic Map Unit Code with Code Description 'Jackson Group (Undifferentiated)' and Detailed Description 'Light gray to brown lignitic clays with interbeds of limonitic sands or lignite; near base, calcareous, glauconitic, and fossiliferous beds may weather to black soil.'
    EcfGeologic Map Unit Code with Code Description 'Cockfield Formation' and Detailed Description 'Brown lignitic clays, silts, and sands; some sideritic glauconite may weather to brown ironstone in lower part.'
    EcmGeologic Map Unit Code with Code Description 'Cook Mountain Formation' and Detailed Description 'Greenish gray sideritic, glauconitic clay in upper part may weather to brown ironstone; yellow to brown clays and fossiliferous marl in lower part may weather to black soil. Ironstone concretions near base.'
    EcsGeologic Map Unit Code with Code Description 'Sparta Formation' and Detailed Description 'White to light gray massive sands with interbedded clays; some thin interbeds of lignite or lignitic sands and shales.'
    EcrGeologic Map Unit Code with Code Description 'Cane River Formation' and Detailed Description 'Brown silty clay with basal glauconitic, fossiliferous silts which may weather to ironstone locally.'
    PEwGeologic Map Unit Code with Code Description 'Wilcox Group (Undifferentiated)' and Detailed Description 'Gray to brown lignitic sands and silty to sandy lignitic clays, many seams of lignite; some limestone and glauconite. Includes small Carrizo Sand (Claiborne Group?) outcrops.'
    PmGeologic Map Unit Code with Code Description 'Midway Group (Undifferentiated)' and Detailed Description 'Dark gray to black shale. Only at surface in northwest Caddo Parish and at Prothro and Rayburns salt domes in Bienville Parish.'
    KuGeologic Map Unit Code with Code Description 'Upper Cretaceous' and Detailed Description 'Fossiliferous limestone and marl. Only at surface at Prothro and Rayburns salt domes in Bienville Parish.'
    Qbs-lGeologic Map Unit Code with Code Description 'Braided Stream Terraces - Loess' and Detailed Description 'Tan to reddish brown massive silt with some clay and minor amounts of very fine sand. Stippled map units are those overlain by 1 to 9 meters of loess. Also see Qbs detailed description.'
    Qtp-lGeologic Map Unit Code with Code Description 'Prairie Terraces - Loess' and Detailed Description 'Tan to reddish brown massive silt with some clay and minor amounts of very fine sand. Stippled map units are those overlain by 1 to 9 meters of loess. Also see detailed description for Qtp.'
    Qti-lGeologic Map Unit Code with Code Description 'Intermediate Terraces - Loess' and Detailed Description 'Tan to reddish brown massive silt with some clay and minor amounts of very fine sand. Stippled map units are those overlain by 1 to 9 meters of loess. Also see detailed description of Qti.'
    Qth-lGeologic Map Unit Code with Code Description 'High Terraces - Loess' and Detailed Description 'Tan to reddish brown massive silt with some clay and minor amounts of very fine sand. Stippled map units are those overlain by 1 to 9 meter of loess. Also see detailed description of Qth.'
    Oc-lGeologic Map Unit Code with Code Description 'Catahoula Formation - Loess' and Detailed Description 'Tan to reddish brown massive silt with some clay and minor amounts of very fine sand. Stippled map units are those overlain by 1 to 9 meters of loess. Also see detailed description of Oc.'
    Ov-lGeologic Map Unit Code with Code Description 'Vicksburg Group - Loess' and Detailed Description 'Tan to reddish brown massive silt with some clay and minor amounts of very fine sand. Stippled map units are those overlain by 1 to 9 meter of loess. Also see detailed description of Ov.'
    Ej-lGeologic Map Unit Code with Code Description 'Jackson Group - Loess' and Detailed Description 'Tan to reddish brown massive silt with some clay and minor amounts of very fine sand. Stippled map units are those overlain by 1 to 9 meters of loess. Also see detailed description of Ej.'
    WaterGeologic Map Unit Code with Code Description 'Water' and Detailed Description 'Water'

    Sequential unique whole numbers that are automatically generated.

    Shape
    short definition of meaning of Geologic Code (Source: Geologic Map of Louisiana)

    ValueDefinition
    AlluviumDescription of Geologic Map Unit Code 'Qal'
    Natural LeveesDescription of Geologic Map Unit Code 'Qnl'
    Delta Plain, Fresh MarshDescription of Geologic Map Unit Code 'Qdf'
    Delta Plain, Saline MarshDescription of Geologic Map Unit Code 'Qds'
    Chenier Plain, Fresh MarshDescription of Geologic Map Unit Code 'Qcf'
    Chenier Plain, Saline MarshDescription of Geologic Map Unit Code 'Qcs'
    Deweyville TerraceDescription of Geologic Map Unit Code 'Qtd'
    Braided Stream TerracesDescription of Geologic Map Unit Code 'Qbs'
    Prairie TerracesDescription of Geologic Map Unit Code 'Qtp'
    Intermediate TerracesDescription of Geologic Map Unit Code 'Qti'
    High TerracesDescription of Geologic Map Unit Code 'Qth'
    Blounts Creek MemberDescription of Geologic Map Unit Code 'Mfb'
    Castor Creek MemberDescription of Geologic Map Unit Code 'Mfcc'
    Williamson Creek MemberDescription of Geologic Map Unit Code 'Mfw'
    Dough Hills MemberDescription of Geologic Map Unit Code 'Mfd'
    Carnahan Bayou MemberDescription of Geologic Map Unit Code 'Mfcb'
    Lena MemberDescription of Geologic Map Unit Code 'Mfl'
    Catahoula FormationDescription of Geologic Map Unit Code 'Oc'
    Vicksburg Group (Undifferentiated)Description of Geologic Map Unit Code 'Ov'
    Jackson Group (Undifferentiated)Description of Geologic Map Unit Code 'Ej'
    Cockfield FormationDescription of Geologic Map Unit Code 'Ecf'
    Cook Mountain FormationDescription of Geologic Map Unit Code 'Ecm'
    Sparta FormationDescription of Geologic Map Unit Code 'Ecs'
    Cane River FormationDescription of Geologic Map Unit Code 'Ecr'
    Wilcox Group (Undifferentiated)Description of Geologic Map Unit Code 'PEw'
    Midway Group (Undifferentiated)Description of Geologic Map Unit Code 'Pm'
    Upper CretaceousDescription of Geologic Map Unit Code 'Ku'
    Braided Stream Terraces - LoessDescription of Geologic Map Unit Code 'Qbs-l'
    Prairie Terraces - LoessDescription of Geologic Map Unit Code 'Qtp-l'
    Intermediate Terraces - LoessDescription of Geologic Map Unit Code 'Qti-l'
    High Terraces - LoessDescription of Geologic Map Unit Code 'Qth-l'
    Catahoula Formation - LoessDescription of Geologic Map Unit Code 'Oc-l'
    Vicksburg Group - LoessDescription of Geologic Map Unit Code 'Ov-l'
    Jackson Group - LoessDescription of Geologic Map Unit Code 'Ej-l'
    WaterDescription of Geologic Map Unit Code 'Water'

    Coordinates defining the features.

    OBJECTID
    Detailed description of formation (Source: Geologic Map of Louisiana)

    Free text description corresponding to Geologic Code. The contents of this field are so lengthy that it is impossible to display the full contents of the field in ArcView under common display resolutions.

    GEOLOGY_CO
    area of polygon in square meters (Source: LSU Department of Geography and Anthropology)

    Range of values
    Minimum:526.6637
    Maximum:17710360000.0
    Units:square meters

    CODE_DESCR
    perimeter of polygon in meters (Source: LSU Department of Geography and Anthropology)

    Range of values
    Minimum:168.20
    Maximum:13556858.49
    Units:meters

    DETAILED_D
    area of polygon in acres (Source: LSU Department of Geography and Anthropology)

    Range of values
    Minimum:0.130
    Maximum:4376308.503
    Units:acres

    AREA_SQM

    PERIM_M
    Feature geometry. (Source: ESRI)

    Coordinates defining the features.

    AREA_AC

    SHAPE_AREA
    Area of feature in internal units squared. (Source: ESRI)

    Positive real numbers that are automatically generated.

    SHAPE_LEN


Who produced the data set?

  1. Who are the originators of the data set? (may include formal authors, digital compilers, and editors)

  2. Who also contributed to the data set?

    The National Wetlands Research Center acknowledges the Louisiana Geological Survey for use of data derived from the Geologic Map of Louisiana. Most of the metadata for this data set was created by Susan C. Touba, Geographer, National Wetlands Research Center.

  3. To whom should users address questions about the data?

    United States Geological Survey, Biological
    c/o Mr. Steve Hartley
    Senior Geographer/GIS Analyst
    700 Cajundome Boulevard
    Lafayette, Louisiana 70506

    318/266-8543 (voice)
    318/266-8616 (FAX)
    steve_hartley@usgs.gov

    Hours_of_Service:
    8 AM to 4 PM CST for phone calls. Any hours for e-mail or fax transmittal.


Why was the data set created?

To create a digitized overlay of the Geologic Map of Louisiana for the Louisiana Geological Survey (LGS), highlighting geologic areas of the State of Louisiana that can be updated easily in the future digitally. The data set was digitized from a scanned version of a 1 : 500,000 scale hard copy map of the Geologic Map of Louisiana developed by the Louisiana Geological Survey. The classified data was derived from actual field identification and sampling performed by the Louisiana Geological Survey. Coverage is of the entire State of Louisiana.


How was the data set created?

  1. From what previous works were the data drawn?

    LGS (source 1 of 1)
    Survey, Louisiana Geological , 1984, Geologic Map of Louisiana: Louisiana Geological Survey, Baton Rouge, LA.

    Type_of_Source_Media: Scanned version of Geologic Map
    Source_Scale_Denominator: 500,000
    Source_Contribution: Spatial and attribute information

  2. How were the data generated, processed, and modified?

    Date: Jan-1998 - 19980500 (process 1 of 3)
    Data, in the form of a digitized overlay of geologic areas, was collected from the Geologic Map of Louisiana. Polygons were digitized, in Arcview 3.0, on the computer screen by using a mouse to draw polygons over geologic areas on the scanned version of the Geologic Map of Louisiana. Polygons were subsequently edited and assigned attributes within the Arcview environment. The shapefiles were then converted to ARC/INFO coverages and cleaned.

    Person who carried out this activity:

    Mr. Steve Hartley
    United States Geological Survey,
    Senior Geographer/GIS Analyst
    700 Cajundome Boulevard
    Lafayette, LA 70506
    USA

    318/266-8543 (voice)
    318/266-8616 (FAX)
    steve_hartley@usgs.gov

    Hours_of_Service:
    8 AM to 4 PM CST for phone calls. Any hours for e- mail or fax transmittal.
    Data sources used in this process:
    • LGS

    Date: 1999 (process 2 of 3)
    Areas and perimeters of each polygon were calculated, then the data set was projected to geographic coordinates NAD83, and converted to a shapefile.

    Person who carried out this activity:

    Department of Geography and Anthropology, Louisiana State University
    c/o Hampton Peele
    Louisiana State University
    Baton Rouge, LA 70803

    (225) 388-3455 (voice)
    hampton@lsu.edu

    (process 3 of 3)
    Dataset copied.

    Data sources used in this process:

    • Server=dogbert.er.usgs.gov; Service=5151; User=usgs; Version=SDE.DEFAULT


How reliable are the data; what problems remain in the data set?

  1. How well have the observations been checked?

    The accuracy is not based on a formal quantitative assessment. Field checking was not performed for this assignment. To attain a better estimate of accuracy, a formal re-evaluation of the geology of Louisiana would be necessary. No accuracy assessment was performed for this dataset during this project.

  2. How accurate are the geographic locations?

    The accuracy of the dataset is dependant on the accuracy of the Geologic Map of Louisiana produced by the Louisiana Geological Survey of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 1984.

  3. How accurate are the heights or depths?

  4. Where are the gaps in the data? What is missing?

    none

  5. How consistent are the relationships among the observations, including topology?

    none


How can someone get a copy of the data set?

Are there legal restrictions on access or use of the data?

Access_Constraints:
None currently, but be aware, as is possible in all government situations, other constraints may have been required and added since the compilation and completion of this metadata file.
Use_Constraints:
Acknowledgement of the National Wetlands Research Center as a data source would be appreciated in products developed from these data, and such acknowledgement as is standard for citation and legal practices for data sources is expected by users of this data. Sharing new data layers developed directly from these data would also be appreciated by NWRC staff (contact staff cited in Distribution Information). These are not enforceable constraints, but are highly desired or expected by the National Wetlands Research Center in exchange for the access and use of NWRC data sets.

These data are not legal documents and are not to be used as such. Users should be aware that comparison with other data sets for the same area form other time periods may be inaccurate due to inconsistencies resulting from changes in photo-interpretation and mapping conventions over time. See Access Constraints, for the NWRC Standard Data Liability Disclaimer.

Any downloading and use of these data signifies a user's agreement to comprehension and compliance with all stated constraints in this metadata. Insure all portions of metadata are read and clearly understood before using these data in order to protect both user and NWRC interests.

  1. Who distributes the data set? (Distributor 1 of 1)

    USGS's National Wetlands Research Center
    c/o Steve Hartley
    Senior Geographer/GIS Analyst (serving as spatial data request
    700 Cajundome Blvd
    Lafayette, Louisiana 70506
    USA

    318/266-8543 (voice)
    318/266-8616 (FAX)
    steve_hartley@usgs.gov

    Hours_of_Service:
    8 AM to 4 PM CST for phone calls. Any hours for e-mail or fax transmittal.
  2. What's the catalog number I need to order this data set?

    Downloadable Data

  3. What legal disclaimers am I supposed to read?

    NWRC Standard Data Liability Disclaimer (April 1997): Although these data have been processed successfully on a computer system at the Biological Resource Division, no warranty expressed or implied is made regarding the accuracy or utility of the data on any other system or for general or scientific purposes, nor shall the act of distribution constitute any such warranty. This disclaimer applies both to individual use of the data and aggregate use with other data. It is strongly recommended that these data are directly acquired from a Biological Resource Division server, and not indirectly through other sources which may have changed the data in some way. It is also strongly recommended that careful attention be paid to the contents of the metadata file associated with these data. The Biological Resource Division shall not be held liable for improper or incorrect use of the data described and/or contained herein, based on the description of appropriate/inappropriate used described in this metadata document. This data was developed and is meant to be used for the purpose of having a digital version of the data for the LGS. The distributor makes no claims as to the data's suitability for other purposes.

    These data are not legal documents and are not to be used as such. Users should be aware that comparison with other data sets for the same area from other time periods may be inaccurate due to inconsistencies resulting from changes in photo-interpretation and mapping conventions over time.

    So, these data are provided "as is" and without any express or implied warranties, including, without limitation, the implied warranties of merchantability and fitness fordocument is solely for the purpose of providing specific information, and does not imply recommendation or endorsement by the U.S. Government.

  4. How can I download or order the data?


Who wrote the metadata?

Dates:
Last modified: 25-Jun-2003

Metadata author:
3001, Inc.
c/o Hugh Phillips
GIS Analyst
3655 SW 2nd Ave., Suite 3C
Gainesville, FL 32607

(352) 379-3001 (voice)
(352) 377-4234 (FAX)
<URL:mailto:hphillips@gnv.3001data.cpm>

Metadata standard:
FGDC Content Standards for Digital Geospatial Metadata (FGDC-STD-001-1998)

Metadata extensions used:


Generated by mp version 2.7.3 on Wed Jun 25 15:30:35 2003