Using State-wide GIS data to identify the coincidence betwen sinkholes and geologic structure

Abstract

The Kentucky GIS coverage of sinkholes, completed in 2003, consists of 101,176 polygons representing the uppermost closed contour of every karst sinkhole identified using USGS 1:24,000 scale topographic maps. This resource is a useful tool for delineating karst landscapes in Kentucky because karstified limestones underlie 55% of the areal surface of the state. For hydrologic studies, alignments of sinkholes commonly indicate preferential flowpaths for groundwater; and this information aids in large-scale planning and zoning. In this paper, I demonstrate the effectiveness of using this sinkhole coverage as a tool for delimiting structural features of Kentucky.