Summary of some current and possible future environmental problems related to geology and hydrology at Memphis, Tennessee

This report summarizes information concerning many aspects of the geology and hydrology at Memphis, Tenn. It also outlines some of the current problems related to the local geology and hydrology or ones that may arise as a result of urbanization and industrialization of the area. The city is in the Coastal Plain physiographic province and is underlain at shallow depths by sand, clay, silt, gravel, and lignite. These post-Midway strata (Wilcox and younger) make up geologic units belonging to the uppermost Paleocene, Eocene, and Pliocene ( ) Series of the Tertiary System and to the Pleistocene and Holocene Series of the Quaternary System. Environmental problems of immediate or future concern are associated with six general topics: (1) aggregate resources, (2) foundation materials, (3) earthquake hazards, (4) flood hazards, (5) water resources, and (6) solid waste disposal. Consideration of these topics provide an overall insight into the close interrelation of the problems and the need for coordinated studies of the geology and hydrology at Memphis. (Woodard-USGS)