Quillback Posted May 31, 2013 Posted May 31, 2013 Can anyone recommend a readable book on Ozark/Arkansas geology?
OzarksRiverman Posted May 31, 2013 Posted May 31, 2013 I haven't, but I'm interested in hearing the answer to your question.
bfishn Posted May 31, 2013 Posted May 31, 2013 UofA library is chock full of 'em, but few would qualify as "readable". Terms you can Google for online stuff (of interest to BV area) are; St Joe limestone formation Boone limestone formation Chatanooga Shale formation Springfield Plateau karst I can't dance like I used to.
jdmidwest Posted June 1, 2013 Posted June 1, 2013 Missouri Landscapes, a Travel Thru Time. Geologic Wonders and Curiousities of Mo. Springs of MO. Fossils of Mo. University of MO, Rolla has many publications. The Missouri Miner was a monthly I used to get. Missouri Natural Resource Magazine published quarterly. The Geologic Column that was ended about 2008, still some archives. "Life has become immeasurably better since I have been forced to stop taking it seriously." — Hunter S. Thompson
Feathers and Fins Posted June 1, 2013 Posted June 1, 2013 UofA no doubt good friend is a graduate from there in Geology and said he came to the U for the reason they are tops in geology. https://www.facebook.com/pages/Beaver-Lake-Arkansas-Fishing-Report/745541178798856
Al Agnew Posted June 1, 2013 Posted June 1, 2013 Geology, especially geomorphology, the study of how landscapes were shaped, is one of my hobbies, so I've sought out all the books on Ozark geology I could find. Here are the ones I've found most useful and readable: Missouri Landscapes, a Tour Through Time--this one is probably the best, and maybe the only one you'll need unless you want to delve more deeply into the subject. However, the geology of the Arkansas Ozarks is a little different in some ways, and it doesn't cover Arkansas, so if that's what you're interested in it won't be enough. Roadside Geology of Missouri--this one is just as good, maybe better, than the one above, a very useful and readable book on Missouri. Missouri Geology, Three Billion Years of Volcanoes, Seas, Sediments, and Erosion--this one is slightly more technical but still very readable, but it has the same problem of not covering Arkansas. Geologic Wonders and Curiosities of Missouri--this is the most entertaining book, with good pictures, and it's perfect for those who actually want to see geology on the ground, so to speak. I highly recommend it. Missouri, the Cave State--good on underground geology. The Springs of Missouri--good on springs and karst topography. Geomorphic History of the Ozarks of Missouri--very technical and rather outdated, but still interesting. I haven't found any books on Arkansas geology that are nearly as good or readable...not saying they aren't out there, but I haven't found them. Here are a few I've found useful: The Buffalo River Country--it has a nice section on geology in the Buffalo valley that is clear and readable. A Guidebook to the Geology of the Arkansas Paleozoic Area (Ozark Mountains, Arkansas Valley, and Ouachita Mountains)--this one is very technical and doesn't go into as much detail as I'd like on the geomorphology of the region.
bfishn Posted June 1, 2013 Posted June 1, 2013 Good stuff, thanks Al! I found that readability is directly proportional to your curiousity level. Adding a few new words to one's vocabulary can go a long ways in that respect. My own experience with a stack of college thesis' led to return trips to chase bibliography references, which led to even more trips. Quill There's some interesting examples no further than the highway here. The first road cut north of DQ displays the 3 geologic members I noted above, and the BV fault is partly exposed in the eroded vertical shears on the west side at the Co 40 light. Some things I find of interest; The White, Buffalo, and Kings rivers, and War Eagle Creek all begin within a few miles of each other on the same slope in the Boston Mtns, then spread out to cover NW AR, only to rejoin into a single body. Despite the high relief, the Ozark mountains aren't really mountains at all (in the geologic sense), and would be more appropriately called the Ozark Hollers. Conversely, the Quachitas are real mountains, their formation being far more violent and complex. The stuff we consider solid rock directly under the skimpy soils here is anything but (see karst, caves, springs). I can't dance like I used to.
Quillback Posted June 1, 2013 Author Posted June 1, 2013 Thanks for the list Al. Looks like some good reading in my future. I know where that cut is you're talking about Bfishin, often driving by I've seen people on the slope poking around. Anyone do any fossil hunting around here? I've poked around a bit, mainly looking at bluffs or road cuts when out on walks. Never found anything significant, sea life stuff, shells and crinoids.
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