Bedrock-Surface Elevation and Overburden Thickness Maps of the Five Boroughs, New York City, New York
Links
- Document: Report (9.00 MB pdf) , HTML , XML
- Related Work: NYC Bedrock and Groundwater Mapper
- Data Releases:
- USGS data release - Horizontal-to-vertical spectral ratio soundings and depth-to-bedrock data for bedrock surface elevation of the five boroughs, New York City, New York
- USGS data release - Geospatial data for bedrock surface elevation of the five boroughs, New York City, New York
- USGS data release - Continuous marine seismic-reflection surveys and derived depth-to-bedrock point data from the East River, New York City, New York
- Download citation as: RIS | Dublin Core
Abstract
Digital maps of bedrock elevation and overburden thickness (depth to bedrock) were constructed for the five boroughs of New York City by the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the New York City Department of Design and Construction, from a compilation of historical and newly acquired data. Raster surfaces were interpolated from a point database containing data from more than 14,000 locations collected from a variety of sources. These data were collected between 1905 and 2021. These maps were constructed to supplement existing tools for the evaluation of potential construction of geothermal heat pump technology for buildings in New York City.
The bedrock underlying the study area ranges from easily weathered to very resistant to weathering. This differential susceptibility to erosion, along with numerous north-northwest-trending faults, is believed to control the shape of the bedrock surface. Glacial scouring of the bedrock during the Pleistocene Epoch is the most recent control on the topography of bedrock surfaces. Overburden thickness is an important consideration for evaluation and construction of geothermal systems.
Bedrock-surface elevation ranges from about 360 feet above sea level (in central Staten Island and northern Bronx) to 1,200 feet below sea level (in southern Queens) (North American Vertical Datum of 1988). The overburden thickness ranges from 0 foot thick at surface outcrops on Staten Island, Manhattan, and the Bronx, to 1,280 feet thick in southeastern Queens.
Suggested Citation
DeMott, L.M., Stumm, F., and Finkelstein, J., 2023, Bedrock-surface elevation and overburden thickness maps of the five boroughs, New York City, New York: U.S. Geological Survey Data Report 1176, 22 p., https://doi.org/10.3133/dr1176.
ISSN: 2771-9448 (online)
Table of Contents
- Acknowledgments
- Abstract
- Introduction
- Database and Methods
- Bedrock-Surface Elevation and Overburden Thickness
- Limitations
- Summary
- References Cited
| Publication type | Report |
|---|---|
| Publication Subtype | USGS Numbered Series |
| Title | Bedrock-surface elevation and overburden thickness maps of the five boroughs, New York City, New York |
| Series title | Data Report |
| Series number | 1176 |
| DOI | 10.3133/dr1176 |
| Year Published | 2023 |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | U.S. Geological Survey |
| Publisher location | Reston, VA |
| Contributing office(s) | New York Water Science Center |
| Description | Report: vi, 22 p.; 3 Data releases |
| Online Only (Y/N) | Y |
| Additional Online Files (Y/N) | N |
| Google Analytic Metrics | Metrics page |