Cooperative Agreement G25AC00291

PROJECT TITLE: STATEMAP - THE STATE COMPONENT OF THE NATIONAL COOPERATIVE GEOLOGIC MAPPING PROGRAMPROJECT PERIOD: 10 01 2025 THROUGH 09 30 2026THE PURPOSE OF THIS AWARD TO THE NORTH DAKOTA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY (SURVEY) FROM THENATIONAL COOPERATIVE GEOLOGIC MAPPING PROGRAM IN THE AMOUNT OF $9,352 IS FOR THE COMPLETIONOF A NEW GEOLOGIC MAP OF THE SHELDON NE 7.5 QUADRANGLE IN SOUTHEASTERN NORTH DAKOTA SOUTHWESTOF THE GREATER FARGO AREA. THE STATE OF NORTH DAKOTA IS PROVIDING AN ADDITIONAL $9,352 IN MATCHINGFUNDS FOR THIS PROJECT. NEW GEOLOGIC MAPPING ACTIVITIES IN THE PROJECT AREA WILL CONSIST OF THECOMPILATION OF EXISTING GEOLOGIC INFORMATION INCLUDING AERIAL IMAGERY, HIGH-RESOLUTION LIDARELEVATION DATA, AVAILABLE DRILLING RECORDS, AND OTHER PUBLICLY AVAILABLE INFORMATION FROM CIVILINFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS, SUPPLEMENTED WITH ORIGINAL FIELD DATA COLLECTION AND OBSERVATIONS FROMSHALLOW BORINGS, SURFACE EXPOSURES, AND OUTCROPS WHERE AVAILABLE.A STANDARD 7.5 1:24,000 SCALE DETAILED GEOLOGIC MAP WILL BE PRODUCED WHICH DESCRIBES THESURFICIAL DEPOSITS OCCURRING IN THIS QUADRANGLE. THESE GEOLOGIC UNITS INCLUDE DELTAIC SANDS, SILTS,AND CLAYS DEPOSITED IN GLACIAL LAKES, WINDBLOWN SAND DEPOSITS, GLACIAL TILL DEPOSITED DIRECTLY FROMICE SHEETS, ORGANIC-RICH MUD DEVELOPED IN PONDS AND SLOUGHS, AND SAND AND GRAVEL DEPOSITED BYMELTWATER FROM GLACIERS, MODERN RIVERS, AND ALONG GLACIAL LAKE BEACHES.IT IS EXPECTED THAT THIS MAP WILL PROVIDE USEFUL GEOLOGIC INFORMATION ON THE NATURE AND TYPESOF SURFICIAL DEPOSITS AND POTENTIAL GEOLOGIC HAZARDS THAT MAY BE FOUND IN THIS 51 SQUARE MILE AREA(132 SQUARE KILOMETERS) AREA SUCH AS SLUMPING SLOPES ALONG RIVERBANKS AND SETTLEMENT ISSUES INAREAS WHERE UNSTABLE GROUND IS FOUND RESULTING FROM SHALLOW GLACIOLACUSTRINE DEPOSITS. IT MAY ALSOPROVIDE INFORMATION ON THE NATURE AND EXTENT OF UNIDENTIFIED SHALLOW GROUNDWATER RESOURCES ANDPROVIDE FOR A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE GEOLOGIC HISTORY OF THE REGION. SINCE THE AWARD WAS FULLYFUNDED, A DETAILED EXAMINATION OF DRILLING RECORDS AND CONTOUR MAPPING OF NEAR SURFACE FORMATIONDEPTHS AND THICKNESSES OF PROBLEMATIC GEOLOGIC UNITS WILL BE COMPLETED FOR THIS MAPPING PROJECT IFENCOUNTERED.THE AREA SOUTHWEST OF FARGO IS EXPERIENCING SOME OF THE MOST RAPID URBAN DEVELOPMENT INTHE STATE OF NORTH DAKOTA. THIS MAP WILL BE PRODUCED TO INFORM THE PUBLIC, LAND-USE PLANNERS,NATURAL RESOURCE DEVELOPERS, GEOLOGICAL SCIENCE PROFESSIONALS, AND THE ENGINEERING COMMUNITY OFTHE CURRENT UNDERSTANDING OF THE GEOLOGIC CONDITIONS IN THIS AREA WHICH WILL SUPPORT INFORMEDDECISION MAKING AND REDUCTIONS IN DEVELOPMENT COSTS BY MITIGATING COSTLY GEOLOGIC HAZARDS.THIS AWARD IS USED TO DIRECTLY COMPENSATE THE SURVEY FOR THE STAFF TIME AND TRAVEL REQUIREDTO COMPLETE THIS NEW GEOLOGIC MAPPING PROJECT. THE SURVEY IS THE ONLY BENEFICIARY OF THESE FUNDS.