Research Guides: Geology Research Guide: GeologicMaps

Indexes and Guides - United States

Guide to USGS Geologic and Hydrologic Maps (Andriot) 1992 (Docs Abstr QE 77 G85 1992) - Lists maps published in 16 US Geological Survey series. Maps are listed by series with area and subject indexes.

National Geologic Map Database
(US Geological Survey) - In several parts: The "Map Catalog" database contains over 90,000 paper and digital geologic maps for the United States produced by the USGS, other federal agencies, tribal governments, state geological surveys, local governments, academic institutions, and the private sector. Search by geologic theme, interactive map, geographic coordinate), author, title, map scale, publisher, or format. Replaces the older Geologic Map Index of [State] (Docs I 19.86) that was published between 1970 and 1990. The "MapView" interface can be used to discover geologic maps. The" Mapping in Progress" interface lists current mapping projects.
Publications Warehouse
(US Geological Survey) Indexes more than 70,000 USGS publications, including numbered series begun as early as 1880. Many of the indexed publications are available online in fulltext format.

Indexes and Guides - Western States

Oregon: Index to Geologic Maps of Oregon by US Geological Survey Quadrangle Name, 1883-1996
(Stark)
Washington: Library Catalog and Bibliography of Washington Geology
(Washington State Department of Natural Resources) Includes references from 1798 to the present.

Individual Maps and Atlases

The HSU Map Collection(see link below) contains many state level or country level geologic maps. In the HSU Library Catalog(see link below) limit to the "Map Collection" and do a keyword search using the keywords geolog? and [the name of a state or country]. Listed below are selected general world and United States geologic maps available in print in the HSU Library or on the Internet.

Basement Rock Map of the United States (Exclusive of Alaska and Hawaii) (Bayley & Muehlberger) 1968 (map G 3701 C5 1968 U5) 1:2.5 million scale map on 2 sheets published by the US Geological Survey.
Generalized Tectonic Map of North America (King and Edmonston) 1972 (Docs I 19.91: 688) (USGS Miscellaneous Geologic Investigations Map I-688) Map at scale of 1:15M.
Geologic Map of North America (Reed, Wheeler and Tucholke) 2005 (map G 3301 C9 2005 R44) Geologic map at a scale of 1:5M that distinguishes more than North American 900 rock units, including 110 that are offshore.
Quaternary Geologic Atlas of the United States (US Geological Survey) 1983 (Miscellaneous Investigations Series I-1420) (Docs I 19.91:I-1420) Series of 51 1:1,000,000 scale maps (when complete) that show Quaternary bedrock and materials of Quaternary age that overlie bedrock of all ages. A few are available online(see link below).
Set of One Hundred Topographic Maps Illustrating Specified Physiographic Features (US Geological Survey) 1955 (map G 3701 C2 svar U5) - Set of 7 1/2', 15', and 30' topographic maps that illustrate physical features resulting from glaciation, karst, tectonics, volcanism, and erosion. A print "Index" to the set is available in the Map and Atlas filing cabinet as well as an online index to USGS Topographic Maps Illustrating Physiographic Features(see link below). Features are indexed by type, physiographic province, and state.
Tectonic Map of North America (Muehlberger) 1992-1996 (map G 3301 C55 1992 M84) Series of 4 maps at a scale of 1:5 million published by the American Association of Petroleum Geologists.
Tectonic Map of the United States (Exclusive of Alaska and Hawaii) (Cohee) 1962 (map G 3701 C55 1962 U5) 1:2.5 million scale map on 2 sheets published by the US Geological Survey.
United States Geological Highway Map Series (American Association of Petroleum Geologists) 1968-1990 (Map Collection call number varies--search under series name) Series of 12 state/regional geological maps that show surface rock outcrop information: age, depositional environment, rock type, and names of formations. Includes major highways, towns, and landmarks. Cross sections, tectonic and physiographic inset maps, small structural-history maps, and brief texts are found on the reverse side.

Quaternary Geologic Maps
Digital State Geologic Maps
(US Geological Survey Mineral Resources Program) For each state lists availability of a digital geologic map, source map from which it is derived and other comments.
Geologic Map of the United States
(King & Beikman) 1974 (print copy available in map G 3701 C5 1974 U5) 1:2.5 million scale geologic map of the United States produced by the US Geological Survey. The website implemented by William Menke includes a clickable map for more detailed regional views. See also the Explanatory Text to Accompany the Geologic Map of the United States(see link below) (King & Beckman) 1974 (USGS Professional Paper 901) (print copy available in Docs I 19.16:901).
Explanatory Text to Accompany the Geologic Map of the United States
Landforms of the Conterminous United States - A Digital Shaded-Relief Portrayal, 1991
(Thelin & Pike) (US Geological Survey Miscellaneous Investigations Series Map I-2206) (print copy plus explanatory text available in map G 3701 C5 1991 T44)
Magnetic Anomaly Map of North America
(North American Magnetic Anomaly Group) 2002 (print copy available in map G 3301 C93 2002 N6) Shows the magnetic anomalies for North America and offshore areas.
Mineral Resources On-line Spatial Data
(US Geological Survey) Interactive mapper containing geologic, lithologic, geochemical, geophysical and mineral resource information for the US, selected states, and the world. Approximately 30 data layers can be spatially represented on a map, including active mines, cities, federal lands, geologic faults, value of mineral production, type of land cover, and sediment chemistry. Also available are spatial metadata files which contain information on each data layer.
North American Tapestry of Time and Terrain
(Barton, Howell and Virgil) 2003 (US Geological Suvery Geologic Investigations Series I-2781) (print copy available in map G3301 C5 2003 G4) Shows surface form and age of bedrock across the North American continent. Similar to the earlier Tapestry of Time and Terrain map that covered only the United States.
Surface of the Earth
(US National Geophysical Data Center) Global relief image generated from digital databases of seafloor and land elevations on a 2-minute latitude/longitude grid. More detailed images available in clickable 45x45 degree squares.
Tapestry of Time and Terrain
(Vigil, Pike, and Howell) 2000 (US Geological Survey Geologic Investigations Series I-2720) (print copy available in Docs I 19.91:I-2720) Brilliantly colored map that shows geologic time by 52 colors overlaid on a shaded relief map of the United States. The Tapestry of Time and Terrain: The Union of Two Maps - Geology and Topography website (see link below) includes the combined map plus separate maps of geology and relief that can be merged through a Quicktime movie. Also includes separate geologic maps for each state, separate maps showing distribution of rocks for each of the 52 geologic time periods, a map of the physiographic regions of the United States, and description of 48 physiographic features shown on the map.
This Dynamic Earth: Historical Perspectives
(US Geological Survey) Includes text and series of maps depicting continental plate boundaries over time.

United States Geological Survey Map Series

US Geological Survey publishes maps in the following series. The Publications Warehouse(see link below) allows one to search for USGS publications by author, title, subject, or series. The Advanced Search(see link below) option allows one to search or browse by series or limit to publications that are online or that can be downloaded for GIS applications. Print publications of the US Geological Survey are found in the US Government Documents Collection(see link below).

Publications Warehouse
Geologic Atlas of the United States
(print copies available in Docs I 19.5/1 folio) 227 volume map folio series produced from 1894 to 1945. Each volume includes a topographic map and several thematic maps with accompanying text describing the geology and economic geology of the mapped area. Most maps are at scales of 1:62,500 or 1:125,000. Superceded in 1949 by the Geologic Quadrangle Map series.
Mineral Investigations Resource Map
(formerly Mineral Investigations Field Studies) (print copies available in Docs I 19.90)
Miscellaneous Field Studies Map
(print copies available in Docs I 19.113) Contains more than 2,200 mostly black and white maps that cover nearly all aspects of USGS investigations and research. Later maps are on various subjects such as bedrock and surficial geology, offshore geology, mineral resource assessments, geophysical and geochemical surveys, and environmental studies. The maps are either the preliminary results of ongoing studies or the final results of studies that lack the scope necessary for the I and GQ Series.
Oil & Gas Investigations Chart
(print copies available in Docs I 19.93) Show the subsurface structure and stratigraphy and surface geology of selected oil and gas fields and of other areas having hydrocarbon potential. They may be black and white or multicolor.
Scientific Investigations Map
(print copy available in Docs 19.91/3) Scholarly series aimed at the professional that includes both black-and-white and multicolor sheets and pamphlets covering such diverse subjects as geology, bathymetry, vegetation, landforms, hydrology, hydrogeology, land classification, map projections, quality of water, aquifers, distribution of species, and maps of the Moon, planets, and other satellites.