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Alluvium (Qa)
Topography
The alluvium forms narrow flood plains and underlies terraces. At least
one well-developed terrace is present along the principal streams of
the region.
Hydrology
The alluvium yields more than 100 gal/day to most dug wells. Where sandy
material is present, and saturated thickness is great enough, would
yield more than 500 gal/day to screened drilled wells. Water is soft
or moderately hard; may contain large amounts of iron at depth.
Breathitt Group (Pbm, Pbl) (Princess Formation, Four Corners Formation,
Hyden Formation, Pikeville Formation)
Topography
The Breathitt Group underlies the valleys and forms the hills of almost
all the areas. Tops of hills and ridges commonly are capped by sandstone.
Shales form wide valleys and moderate or gentle slopes on hills.
Hydrology
The Breathitt yields more than 500 gal/day to more than three-quarters
of the wells drilled in valley bottoms. Throughout this area, the Breathitt
yields more than 500 gal/day to about threequarters of the wells on
hillsides and more than 100 gal/day to nearly all wells on ridges. Sandstones
yield water to most wells. Shales also yield water to many wells, and
coal yields water to a few. Near-vertical joints and openings along
bedding plains yield most of the water to wells. Waters are highly variable
in chemical character.
The U.S. Geological Survey's Hydrologic
Atlas Series, published cooperatively with the Kentucky Geological
Survey, provides hydrologic information for the entire state.
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