GEOLOGICAL SURVEY CIRCULAR 27

April 1949

CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS

IN 

ROOKS COUNTY, KANSAS

By 

Frank E. Byrne, Henry V. Beck, and Max S. Houston

PREPARED IN COOPERATION WITH 

STATE. HIGHWAY COMMISSION OF KANSAS

R. C. Keeling, State Highway Engineer 

S. E. Horner, Chief Geologist
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

J. A. Krug, Secretary

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 

W. E. Wrather, Director

WASHINGTON, D. C.

Free on application to the Director, Geological Survey, Washington 26, D. C.
CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS IN ROOKS COUNTY, KANSAS

By

Frank E. Byrne, Henry V. Beck, and Max S. Houston

CONTENTS

Introduction. .........................

Purpose of the investigation......

Area covered by the investigation. 

Geography of the area.............

Investigation procedure...........

Acknowledgments...................

Characteristics of the outcropping 

stratigraphic units.................

General...........................

Carlile shale......................

Areal distribution........

General description.......

Representative measured 

section.........^.......

Thickness..................

Construction materials.... 

Port Hays limestone member of

Niobrara formation..............

Areal distribtuion........

General description.......

Representative measured . 

section.................

Thickness.................

Construction materials.... 

Smoky Hill chalk member of

Niobrara formation..............

Areal distribution........

General description.......

Representative measured 

section.................

Thickness.................

Construction materials.... 

Ogallala formation................

Areal distribution....'....

General description.......

Representative measured 

section.................

Thickness............;....

Construction materials.... 

Sanborn formation.................

Areal distribution........

General description.......

Representative measured 

section.................

Thickness.................

Construction materials.... 

Terrace deposits..................

Areal distribution........

General description.......

Representative measured 

section.................

Thickness.................

Construction materials.... 

Dune sand.........................

Areal distribution........

General description.......

Representative meas\ired 

section.................

Thickness.................

Construction material...,. 

Alluvium.............. ............

Areal distribution........

General description.......

Representative measured 

section.................

Thickness.................

Page

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Characteristics of the outcropping 

stratigraphic units Continued

Construction materials 

Inventory of construction materials....

General............................

Aggregate for concrete.............

Engineering and geologic

characteristics..............

Stratigraphic sources and

performance characteristics.. 

Ogallala formation.........

Sanborn formation..........

Terrace deposits...........

Alluvium...................

Road metal.........................

Engineering and geologic

characteristics..............

Stratigraphic sources and

performance characteristics.. 

Sanborn formation..........

Ogallala formation.........

Blue Hill shale member of 

Carlile shale............

Niobrara formation.........

Mineral filler.....................

Engineering and. geologic

characteristics..............

Stratigraphic sources and

performance characteristics.. 

Sanborn formation..........

Terrace deposits............

Alluvium...................

Blending sand.......................

Engineering and geologic

characteristics..............

Stratigraphic sources and

performance characteristics.. 

Volcanic ash.......................

Engineering and geologic

characteris tics..............

Stratigraphic sources and

performance characteristics.. 

Riprap.............................

Engineering and geologic

characteristics..............

Stratigraphic sources and

performance characteristics., 

Ogallala formation.........

Port Hays limestone member 

of Niobrara formation....

Structural stone...................

Engineering and geologic ,

characteristics..............

Stratigraphic sources and

perfoTmance characteristics.,

Port Hays limestone member

of Niobrara formation.....

Ogallala formation.........

Calcareous binder..................

Engineering and geologic

characteristics..............

Stratigraphic sources and

performance characteristics.. 

Ogallala formation.........

Niobrara formation.........

Page

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ILLUSTRATIONS

Plate 1. Map showing construction materials and geology of Rooks County, Kans....

Figure 1. Index map of Kansas showing area covered "by this and other construction

materials reports.....................................................

2. Geologic cross section from Bow Creek south to the South Pork Solomon

River.................................................................

3. Outcropping stratigraphic units in Rooks County, Kans., and their

construction materials................................................

Page

In pocket 

..... 3 

..... 5 

..... 6

TABLES

Table 1. Summary of materials tests, In pocket

INTRODUCTION 

Purpose of the investigation

The U. S. Geological Survey in the summer 

of 1946 sent a field party into Rooks County, 

Kans., to investigate sources of engineering 

construction materials, as part of a Statewide project conducted in cooperation with 

the State Highway Commission of Kansas. This 

report is a part of that inventory and a contribution to the geologic mapping and mineral 

resource investigations being made in connection with studies of the Missouri River 

Basin. I/

The primary aim of the investigation was 

to accumulate field and laboratory data pertaining to the geologic materials in Rooks 

County that would be of use in the construction of dams, irrigation canals, highways, 

airports, or other engineering structures. 

Additional geologic data are included in this 

report only to the extent of providing 

information useful in the exploitation of the 

prospects reported or in the location of other 

sites where materials required to fulfill 

future engineering needs might be obtained.

Area covered by the investigation

Rooks County is in the second tier of 

Kansas counties south of the Nebraska border 

and in the fifth tier east of the Colorado 

border. (See figure 1.) It has an area of 

about 900 square miles and comprises 25 townships. The county is bounded by. parallels 

39°08' and 39°32'30n north latitude, and 

meridians 98°58' and 99°38' west longitude. 

It is bordered on the east'by Osborne County, 

on the west by Graham County, on the north by 

Phillips County, and on the south by Ellis 

County.

Geography of the area

Rooks County is in the border region of 

the Great Plains physiographic province. 

Streams cutting headward from the'Central 

Lowlands province to the east have dissected

i/ Missouri River Sasln conservation control, 

and use of water resources* ?8th Song., 21 sess.i 

3. doo. 191t PP. 94. 95. map of Kansas (la pocket).

1944-

the border region to one of low to moderate 

relief. The streams occupy steep-sided valleys, 

many of which are cut more than 150 feet below 

the gently rounded upland surface. The areas 

of greatest relief in Rooks County are along 

the South Pork Solomon River in the central 

part -of the county, along Bow Creek at the 

northern edge of the county, and along the tributaries to the Saline River in the southern 

part of the county.

The South Pork of the Solomon River is the 

larg-est stream in Rooks County. It rises about 

100 miles farther west, crosses the west boundary slightly north of the middle, and flows generally eastward across the county. Its most important tributaries in Rooks County are northward-flowing streams; these are, in order from 

west to east, Lost Creek, Box Elder Creek, Elm 

Creek, and Medicine Creek. The tributaries 

entering from the north are markedly shorter 

than those that enter from the south. Bow 

Creek, the second largest stream in Rooks 

County, rises about 45 miles to the west,flows 

eastward, paralleling roughly the northern % 

boundary of the county to a point slightly east 

of the center line, then turns sharply north 

into Phillips County. Paradise Creek rises a 

few miles west of the city of Plainville and 

flows generally eastward, leaving the county 4 

miles north of the southeast corner to join the 

Saline River, which flows across the northern 

part of Ellis County. Other southward-flowing 

tributaries of the Saline River drain the south 

part of Rooks County.

Rooks County is served by two railroads, 

A branch line of the Union Pacific Railroad 

enters the county at about the center of the 

western border, swings south through the cities 

of Damar and Palco, and then runs east across 

the county. A spur line of the Missouri 

Pacific Railroad starts at Stockton and runs 

east to the county line. Stockton, the county 

seat and largest city in the county, and 

Woodston also are served by the Missouri Pacific 

Railroad. With the exception of Webster, the 

remaining cities in Rooks County are located 

along the branch line of the Union Pacific.

There is a well-developed system of 

Federal, State, and county roads. The Federal 

highways are of the black-top type of construction. U. S. 24, a major east-west transcontinental route, crosses the northern part 

of the county. U. S. 183, an important northsouth highway, extends through the center of 

the county. The two highways intersect at
This report Report published Report in preparation

Figure 1. Index map of Kansas showing areas covered by this and by other 

construction materials investigations.
Stockton. Kansas State Highway 18 nearly 

parallels the Union Pacific Railroad through 

the southern part of the county. The county 

and township roads follow or parallel section 

lines except in the more rugged parts of the 

county. Only a few of these roads are metaled, 

but most of them are maintained by grading.

Investigation procedure

The field work on which this report is 

based was of'the reconnaissance type. The 

base map (Highway planning map, scale 1 inch 

equals 1 mile) was provided by the State 

Highway Commission of Kansas. Drainage lines 

were added to the base map for greater ground 

control in mapping; these were taken from 

aerial photographs (scale, 1 inch equals 

1,000 feet) made available for that purpose 

by the Soil Conservation Service of the United 

States Department of Agriculture.

The areal distribution of the stratigraphic units that crop out in Rooks County 

was then mapped In the field. The mapped 

stratlgraphic units are those recognized as 

of 1947 by the U. S. Geological Survey and 

the Kansas Geological Survey. Because the 

project is primarily concerned with construction materials, no attempt has been made 

to consider geologic problems not related to 

the occurrence of these materials.

An effort was made to accumulate all 

existing^ data pertaining to construction 

materials in the county. These data and their 

sources are incorporated In this report. In 

addition, the Geological Survey field party 

collected samples of construction materials 

not previously reported. The samples of sand 

and gravel were analyzed at Kansas State 

College in the laboratory of the Department 

of Geology. A simplified sieve analysis of 

a sample was made first. Mlneralogical 

analyses of the resultant coarse fraction 

(defined as that portion of the sample retained on the no. 4 screen) and fine fractions 

were then made under a binocular microscope. 

This information and data from other sources 

are presented in table 1, Summary of materials 

tests.

Acknowledgment s

Generous assistance in the compilation of 

the areal map and the data on construction 

materials was given by the following, to whom 

acknowledgment is made: State Highway 

Commission of Kansas at Topeka and Manhattan, 

Kans., S. E. Horner, chief geologist, R. D. 

Plnney, materials engineer, and associates; 

State Geological Survey of Kansas, J. C. Prye, 

executive director; the county engineer of 

Rooks County; and the Rooks County office of 

the Soil Conservation Service, U. S. Department of Agriculture.

CHARACTERISTICS OP THE OUTCROPPING 

STRATIGRAPHIC UNITS

General

This discussion of the geologic formations cropping out in Rooks County emphasizes 

the areal distribution, general characteristics, and thickness of each stratlgraphic 

unit. A representative measured section is 

given for each formation or member, and the 

construction materials in each unit are 

listed.

The measured sections are not necessarily 

intended to be complete, their purpose being 

chiefly that of giving a typical occurrence 

of a formation or member. The geologic 

information required for the location and 

effective exploitation of the construction 

materials are given in this part of the report.

The relations of the stratigraphic units 

to one another are illustrated in figure 2, 

Geologic cross section from Bow Creek south 

to the South Fork Solomon River, and a summary 

of the data for each unit is presented in 

figure 3, Outcropping stratigraphic units in 

Rooks County, Kans., and their construction 

materials.

Plate 1, Map showing construction materials and geology of Rooks County, Kans., shows 

the areal distribution of the local stratigraphic units and operating or prospect pits 

and quarries for construction materials. Each 

stratigraphic unit is indicated by an identifying symbol and its outcrop areas are shown 

by a distinctive pattern. Railroads, roads, 

and drainage lines are shown to provide a 

rough basis for evaluating the availability of 

construction materials sources.

Suitable symbols Indicate whether a pit 

or quarry is operating, has been operated, or 

is a prospect. Other symbols indicate the 

type of construction materials available and 

the quantity of those materials (in units of 

10,000 cubic yards) that can be removed under 

conditions of no more than moderate overburden (unconsolidated sediments less than 6 

feet thick). Most of these sources are listed 

in table 1. The materials sources Indicated 

on the map by inclined symbols have not been 

tested and are not listed in table 1. The 

materials listed In table 1 are numbered within each materials classification according to 

the following plan: The numbering starts in 

the northeasternmost township and continues 

along the same tier to the western boundary 

of the county. The numbering Is continued in 

the next tier south, starting again with the 

township in the easternmost range and proceeding to the western boundary of the county, 

and so on. Within a township the sources are 

numbered in the same sequence as are the 

sections of the township.

Carllle shale

Areal distribution. The Carllle shale, 

of Upper Cretaceous age (see f*ig. 3),'is the 

oldest formation cropping out in Rocks County 

and Is therefore the lowest exposed unit in 

the local stratlgraphic section. This formation crops out most extensively along the 

southern border of the county (see pi. 1), 

where the southward-flowing tributaries of the 

Saline River have cut their valleys into the 

formation. This outcrop area extends from 

the eastern border of the county westward 

over about two-thirds of the width of the 

county. The Carlile shale crops out also In 

the base of the valley walls along the eastern 

half of the valley of the South Pork Solomon 

River and In similar topographic positions in 

the valleys at the mouths of several tributaries to this river. There are narrow outcrop 

bands of the formation in the eastern part 

of the valley of Paradise Creek. Elsewhere 

in the county the Carllle shale Is concealed 

beneath younger formations.
to 

d> 

O

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00

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CO

CO

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o

o

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900 1000 1100 1200 

Altitude in feet (on ossumed datum)

1300

Solomon River 

CD
O 

JL

en

Tertiary 

Pliocene 

pll o << ._

Q » 0*Q

S

t

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«-« 0.5 

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Cretaceous

Upper Cretaceous

Carl He shale Niobrara formation

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general description. The Carlile shale 

was deposited in marine waters. Where it is 

overlain by the next younger Cretaceous formation, the Niobrara, there is no intervening 

erosional break; but in places where it is 

overlain by Tertiary or Quaternary deposits, 

erosional breaks are present. The Carlile shale 

is composed of three members; named in order 

from the base to the top of the format ion these 

are the Pairport chalky shale, the Blue Hill 

shale, and the Codell sandstone. Only the Blue 

Hill shale member and Codell sandstone member 

crop out in Rooks County. The Pairport chalky 

shale member crops out along the Saline River 

a few miles to the south in the northeastern 

part of Ellis County.

The Blue Hill shale member is a thinbedded to very thin bedded dark-gray to black 

clay shale. It weathers to a characteristic 

blue-gray color. Several zones of septarian 

concretions occur in the member as well as 

zones in which gypsum in the form of selenite 

crystals is extremely abundant. This member 

erodes to form a nbadlandn type of topography.

The Codell sandstone member overlies the 

Blue Hill shale member without an intervening 

erosional break. The upper part of the Codell 

is composed of fine-grained, clear quartz 

sand, which ranges in color from gray to tan. 

The lower part of'the Codell is transitional 

into the underlying Blue Hill shale member. 

The Codell sandstone member, as defined by 

Bass,£5/ includes two sandstone layers sepa*- 

rated by a thick intervening shale layer.

Representative measured section* The 

following section, measured In a road cut in 

the NEfcNEfc sec..21, T. 73., R. 18 W., shows 

the base of the Port Hays limestone member of 

the Niobrara formation, the full thickness of 

the Codell sandstone member and the uppermost part of the Blue Hill shale member of the 

Carlile shale.

Niobrara formation:

Port Hays limestone member:

.Top eroded. Limestone, chalky, 

massive, cream weathering buff; 

Inoceramus and Ostrea..........

Shale, chalky, very thin bedded, . 

blue gray weathering buff......

Limestone, chalky, massive, cream 

weathering buff; limonite concretions and stains; Inoceramus 

and Ostrea.....................

Shale, chalky, very thin bedded, 

blue gray weathering buff; 

limonite-stained...............

Limestone, chalky, massive, cream 

weathering buff; limonite concretions and stains; silty in 

basal part; Inoceramus and 

Ostrea........................

Carlile shale:

Codell sandstone member:

Sandstone, fine-grained, powdery, 

rust brown....................

Shale, clayey, very thin bedded, 

blue gray.....................

Shale, silty, blue to gray......

Shale, clayey, very thin bedded, 

blue gray.....................

Feet

3.5 

.1

3.0 

.1

3.8

0.3

3.0 

1.2

2.1

2/ Bass, H. W., Seologlo investigations in 

weatsrn Kansas, Part 1, *5ecuogy of Sills Oouucyi 

-Kansas Geol. Survey Bull. 11, pp. 27-28, 1926.

Carlile shale Continued

Codell sandstone member Continued 

Shale, silty, blocky, blue gray 

with limonite streaks...........

Sandstone, powdery, poorly 

cemented, gray weathering 

buff; irregular limonite stains 

Blue Hill shale member:

Shale, silty, blocky, blue gray.., 

Shale, clayey, very thin bedded, 

blue gray with irregular 

limonite stains.................

Base covered.

Feet

1.8

4.2

1.0

5.0 

16.6

Thickness. The outcrops of the Blue Hill 

shale member range in thickness from S feet to 

a maximum of 75 feet. The aggregate exposed 

thickness of this member in Rooks County is 

about 125 feet. The Codell sandstone member 

ranges from less than 1 foot to a maximum of 

about 20 feet, the average thickness being 

about 5 feet. The aggregate total thickness of 

the Carlile shale, as exposed in Rooks County, 

is about 145 feet.

Construction materials. No engineering 

construction materials were found in theCarlile 

shale in Rooks County. The Codell sandstone 

member is too thin or, if thick enough, under 

an overburden too heavy for economipal exploitation.

Port Hays limestone member of Niobrara formation

Areal distribution. The Port Hays limestone member and the Smoky Hill chalk member 

constitute the Niobrara formation of Upper 

Cretaceous age. Inasmuch as the Port Hays limestone is more important than the Smoky Hill 

chalk as a source of construction materials, 

the two members are mapped as individual units 

and will be described separately. (See pi. 1 

and fig. 3.) The Port Hays limestone member 

crops out along the walls of the ma^or stream 

valleys and in the mouthward portions of the 

tributaries in the eastern two-thirds of Rooks 

County. This member forms conspicuous bluffs 

along the South Fork Solomon River, along the 

eastern part of Paradise Creek, and at the heads 

of tributaries to the Saline River along the 

southern border of the county.

General description. The Fort Hays limestone member was deposited in marine waters. 

It is in contact with the underlying Codell 

sandstone member of the Carlile shale and with 

the overlying Smoky Hill chalk member of the 

Niobrara formation, without interveningerosional breaks. (See fig. 2.) The Port Hays limestone member is composed predominantly of beds 

of soft, massive chalk-which average about 3 

feet in thickness. The chalk beds are separated 

by thin beds of chalky shale, usually 0.1 foot 

thick. The chalk is buff-colored on fresh surfaces and weathers to tan gray. The chalky 

shales are buff to tan gray. The Fort Hays 

limestone member includes fossil specimens of a 

clam (Inoceramus deformis) and am oyster (Ostrea 

congesta). which may be quite abundant in some 

zones.

Where the Fort Hays limestone member is at 

the surface, it characteristically weathers to 

form a "shattered" zone. The shattered zone 

usually is about 3 feet thick and consists of 

Irregular flattish limestone fragments about 4 

to 5 inches long and an inch or two thick.

All exposed stratigraphic units deposited 

during the Cretaceous period (fig. 3) dip
generally toward the northwest, 10 to 15 feet 

to the mile. Minor faults (fractures) and 

folds (flexures) were observed in the Niobrara 

formation but are not mapped, inasmuch as they 

do not affect the construction materials 

characteristics of the formation.

Representative measured section. The 

upper part of the measured section already 

given in this report in connection with the 

discussion of the Carlile shale is representative of the Port Hays limestone member. A 

more complete section of the Port Hays limestone member was found in a cut bank in the 

NWiNEi sec. 12, T. 6 S., R. 18 W., but will 

not be cited here, as the section previously 

presented is thought to be adequate to serve 

the purpose of field recognition.

Thickness. Outcrops of the Port Hays 

limestone member average about 30 feet in 

thickness. The aggregate total thickness of 

the member in Rooks County is about 55 feet. 

The member is concealed beneath younger 

formations in most of the county, but along 

the valleys of the major streams and in the 

mouthward portions of their tributaries it 

has been entirely removed by erosion.

Const ruction materials. -*- 

Structural stone. 

Road metal. 

Calcareous binder.

Smoky Hill chalk member of 

Niobrara formation

Area! distribution. The Smoky Hill chalk 

member of the Niobrara formation (Upper 

Cretaceous) crops out extensively in Rooks 

County. (See pi. 1 and fig. 3.) In the 

eastern two-thirds of the county this member 

generally overlies the basal member of the 

Niobrara formation, the Port Hays limestone. 

The Smoky Hill unit crops out higher on the 

hillsides or nearer the heads of the draws 

than does the Port Hays. In the western 

third of the county the Port Hays limestone 

member, because of the regional dip, is well 

below the land surface, and the Smoky Hill 

chalk is the only member of the Niobrara 

formation exposed. The chalk crops out along 

most of the draws tributary to the major 

drainage lines. In the divide areas this 

member is concealed by the younger formations, 

Ogallala and Sanborn.

General description. Like the other 

Cretaceous units that crop out in Rooks 

County, the Smoky Hill chalk member was 

deposited in marine waters. It overlies the 

Port Hays limestone member without an 

erosional break, but conspicuous erosional 

breaks intervene between it and the overlying 

younger formations.

The Smoky Hill chalk member consists of 

layers of blocky or massive chalky shale, blue 

gray in the lower part but becoming orange 

gray in the upper part. Thin layers of gray 

to tan-gray massive chalk are interbedded with 

the chalky shales. Some zones in this manber 

contain numerous specimens of a fossil clam, 

Inoceramus (Haploscapha) grandis. and an 

oyster, Ostrea congeata. An extensive outcrop area of the Smoky Hill chalk east of 

Webster has been eroded to form a badland type 

of topography. Probably other badland areas 

in the soft chalky shales of the Smoky Hill 

lie concealed beneath younger formations.

Representative measured section. A cut 

bank in the NWtSWt sec. 32, T. 7 S., R. 20 W., 

shows the following section;

Feet

Smoky Hill chalk member of Niobrara 

formation: 

Top covered. 

Shale, chalky, very thin bedded,

light gray weathering buff;

limonite streaks; Ostrea.........

Shale, chalky, platy, light gray

weathering buff, limonite

streaks; Ostrea..................

Shale, chalky, laminated, orange

gray; limonite-stained; Ostrea... 

Shale, chalky, very thin bedded,

orange gray weathering buff;

Ostrea...........................

Shale, bentonitic, rust brown......

Limestone, chalky, blocky, buff

gray.................. ...........

Shale, chalky, platy, orange and

- buff gray; Ostrea................

Cove red............................

Limestone, chalky, platy, buff gray,

limonite-stained.................

Shale, chalky, very thin bedded,

buff; Ostrea..................^..

Limestone, chalky, platy, light

 gray to white, weathering buff; 

Inoceramus, Ostrea...............

Shale, chalky, very thin bedded, 

alternating thin layers buff gray 

and orange; Inoceramus , Ostrea...

Shale, chalky, platy to very thin 

bedded, blue gray; occasional 

pipe-like concretions of limonite; 

Inoceramus. Ostrea. fragments of 

fossil wood......................

Base covered.

2.0

.9 

1.4

.3

.1

1.4

3.0 

.1.8

.7 

.7

1.0 

4.8

15.0

33.1

Thickness. The aggregate thickness of 

the Smoky Hill chalk member in Rooks County is 

thought to be about 300 feet. The maximum 

thickness exposed in any one outcrop is about 

35 feet.- The formation has been completely 

eroded from the valleys of the major stream 

and from the mouthward portions of their 

tributaries. It is extensively present under 

the divide areas but is concealed beneath 

younger formations.

Construction materials. 

 RoacL metal.

Calcareous binder.

Ogallala formation

Areal distribution. The Ogallala formation, of Pliocene age, crops out only in the 

higher divide areas in Rooks County. (See 

pi. 1 and fig. ,3.) One such area is the 

divide in the southern half of the county that 

separates the streams flowing northward to 

the South Pork Solomon River from those flowing southward to the Saline River. The 

Ogallala crops out along the flanks of the 

divide as a series of thin, ribbon-like belts. 

At the crest of the divide the Ogallala is 

covered by the overlying Sanborn formation. 

.There are discontinuous outcrops of the 

Ogallala near the northern county line on the 

flank of the divide separating the Bow Creek 

drainage from that of the South Pork Solomon 

River. In this area the Ogallala is generally 

obscured by the overlying Sanborn formation, 

and the outcrops are more or less isolated 

from each other.
Certain zones in the Ogallala formation 

are very similar in physical characteristics 

to zones in the overlying Sanborn formation, 

and in some places only an arbitrary line of 

contact can be drawn between the two formations. The differentiation is'based upon the 

generally more silty character of the Sanborn 

formation and its more subdued topographic 

expression in contrast to the somewhat more 

sandy character of the Ogallala formation, 

its bolder outcrop expression, and the 

presence in it of lenses of quartzite and 

mortar beds.

General description. The Ogallala formation overlies with an intervening erosional 

break the Smoky Hill chalk member of the 

Niobrara formation, the only older unit with 

which it is found in contact in thi"s county. 

(See fig. 2.) The Ogallala is overlain by 

the Sanborn with an erosional break intervening between the two formations.

The Ogallala formation consists of interbedded lenses of sand, gravel, and silt. The 

lenses vary in thickness and extent. The bulk 

of the material was stream-deposited, although 

some of the beds may have been laid down on 

the floors of shallow lakes. The lower part 

of the formation is composed of somewhat 

coarser mineral and rock fragments than is the 

upper part.

This formation is characterized by 

"mortar beds," lenses of lime-cemented sand 

gravel, or sand and gravel. The lenses range 

in thickness from less than 1 foot to about 

12 feet. Mortar beds make bold outcrops high 

on the flanks of the divides. The constituent 

rock and mineral fragments have been more or 

less firmly cemented by deposits of calcium 

carbonate laid down by percolating subsurface 

waters. The degree of cementation varies, 

some of the mortar-bed .lenses being extremely 

well cemented and firm, whereas others are 

only poorly cemented and are easily crumbled. 

Mortar-bed ledges usually are light gray in 

color.

At many places there is a ledge of very 

dense, hard, compact limestone at the top of 

the Ogallala formation. The limestone is 

rather nodular and may be somewhat silicified. 

Its color usually is white or light gray. 

It is thought that this bed was deposited as 

a surface caliche.

Ledges of* quartzite characterize the 

Ogallala formation in Rooks County as well as 

in adjacent counties. The quartzite is in 

the form of lenses of variable thickness and 

extent. The thickest ledge, 6 feet, was found 

at a locality known as Twin Mounds in the 

SEiSEi sec. 4, T. 9 S., R. 17 W. The 

quartzite is the cap rock of the mounds. It 

is green, fine-grained, and firmly silicacemented. Another conspicuous green quartzite 

ledge about 4 feet thick, is in the Ogallala 

outlier known locally as Sugar Loaf Mound, in 

the NW^NWi sec. 10, T. 63., R. 19 W. This 

ledge consists of sand and scattered gravel 

rather firmly cememted by silica. Several 

small quartzite lenses about 2 feet thick 

crop out on the south wall of the valley of 

Bow Creek in the northwest corner of the 

county. The quartzite there is somewhat 

coarser than in the other two localities and 

not quite so well cemented.

Representative measured section. A 

representative section or tne oganala formation was- measured by Frye and Swineford 5/ 

west of Sugar Loaf Mound, in the SE^ sec. 8, 

T. 6 S., R. 19 W.

Feet

Ogallala formation:

7. Sand, loose, partly covered; 

contains carbonate nodules. 

Approximately at the same 

horizon as the lenticular 

quartzite forming the caprock 

of Sugar Loaf Mound........... 5.

6. Sand, loose, green; contains

calcium carbonate nodules in 

lower part; cemented in upper 

part to a bench-forming ledge; 

contains root molds........... 4.5

5. Sand, silty, green; poorly

cemented with calcium carbonate 

in lower part; upper 2 feet 

well cemented to a benchforming ledge; contains Celtls 

wi111ston! (Cockerell) Berry.. 11.

4. Covered......................... 21.

5. Sandstone, cemented with

calcium carbonate, silty in

upper part, grains o'f lower

part stained green; lower 2

feet green and partly

silicified in SE^NE^f sec. 8,

T. 6 S., R. 19 W.............. 10.

2. Covered......................... 21.

Nibbrara^ formation:

1. Chalky shale, blue gray.........

Total........................... 72.5

Thickness. The aggregate thickness of 

Ogallala formation in Rooks County is about 

175 feet. Individual outcrops average about 

35 feet thick. At one time the formation 

undoubtedly extended over the entire area of 

Rooks County, but subsequent erosion has 

removed it from all areas except the divides.

Construction materials. 

Koad metal.

Riprap.

Fine aggregate.

Mixed aggregate.

Structural stone.

Sanborn formation

AreaL distribution. The Sanborn formation, of Pleistocene and Recent(?) age, crops 

out more extensively in Rooks County than any 

other afcratlgraphic unit. (See pi. 1) It 

overlies all older formations with an intervening erosional break.(see fig. 2), although 

the break between the Sanborn and the Ogallala 

formations Is not conspicuous because the two 

formations are lithologically similar. The 

Sanborn is a blanket of variable thickness 

capping most of the divide areas and forming 

a layer of material along the sides of many 

stream valleys. The formation once extended

%l Frye, J. 3., and Swineford, Ada, Silioified 

root in toe Ogallala formations Kansas Teol. 

Bull. 64, pt. 2, p. 44, 1946.
over the entire county but has been eroded 

along most of the stream courses.

general description. The Sanborn formation includes unconsolidated sediments deposited by the wind, streams, slope'wash, and 

through the action of gravity. Prye and 

Pent 4/ have subdivided the formation into 

members. It was not feasible to attempt to 

distinguish the various phases of the formation in the field mapping on which this report is based, as to do so would have required 

a greatly extended field program. The treatment of the Sanborn formation as an undivided 

unit is believed to be adequate to serve the 

purpose of this inventory of construction materials.

The upper part of the formation is predominantly silty with particles, of sand and 

fine gravel scattered throughout. Conspicuous 

amounts of calcium carbonate are also present 

in the form of pipe-like structures, concretions, or disseminated material. The color 

of this part of the formation ranges from gray 

through gray brown to brown. The differences 

in color are thought to reflect the groundwater drainage conditions. The darker phases 

of the Sanborn are usually in topographic areas 

where ground-water drainage is slow. There is 

a well-developed soil zone at the top of the 

formation, and Hibbard, Prye, and Leonard 5/ 

have reported one or more buried soil zones 

in the formation.

The basal part of the Sanborn formation 

consists of silt, sand, and fine 1 to medium 

gravel locally derived from other formations. 

It is generally coarser than the upper part 

and includes lenses of interbedded sand and 

gravel. In the areas where the formation 

overlies the Port Hays limestone or the Smoky 

Hill chalk members of the Niobrara, lenses of 

limestone gravel, of local extent only, are 

often found in the base of the formation. 

Where the Sanborn overlies the Ogallala formation, lenses of sand and gravel, presumably 

dervied through the weathering and erosion of 

the Ogallala, are found. Bedding is usually 

w'ell-developed. The color in this part ranges 

from tan to light brown.

Lenses of volcanic ash occur at or near 

the base of the Sanborn formation. The sites 

of accumulation were placed in the pre-Sanborn 

topography that were sheltered from the wind. 

The volcanic ash is fine-grained, white or 

light gray, and generally free from extraneous 

materials. Thin lenses of sand and. gravel 

occasionally are interbedded with the ash.

The Sanborn formation is reported to contain fossil shells of snails (gastropods) and 

fragments of skeletons of vertebrates.

J* S., and Faat, 0. 3., Lata 

Pleistocene loesses of central Keusasi Kansas leol. 

Survey Bull. 70, pt. 3, pp. 41-51t 1947.

Jj/ Hibbird, 3. »., Frya, J. 3., and Leonard, 

A. S.t Reconnaissance of Pleistocene deposits In nortaoentral Kansas; Kansas "eol. survey Bull. 5«, pt. 1, 

p. 13, 1944.

Representative measured section. The 

following section of the Sanborn formation was 

measured in the SEjSBi sec. 15, T. 63., R. 

19 W.:

Feet 

1.1

1.0 

2.2 

3.0

10

Soil zone, dark gray-brown........

Sanborn formation:

Silt, calcareous with numerous

nodules of calcium carbonate;

gray..........................

Silt, calcareous, nodules and

pipes of calcium carbonate;

rust gray.....................

Silt, calcareous, calcium

carbonate disseminated and in

nodules; light gray...........

Base covered.

Thickness. The thickness of the Sanbarn 

f o mat ion "vari es greatly over the county. It 

has been eroded from the major stream courses 

and their tributaries. In some other places 

there is only a feather edge of the material 

remaining. The maximum thickness is about 

60 feet, the average about 25 feet.

Construction materials. 

Nixed aggregate. 

Pine aggregate. 

Road metal. 

Volcanic ash. 

Mineral filler.

Terrace deposits

Areal distribution. The terrace deposits 

are confined to the valleys of the major 

streams and their principal tributaries. The 

terrace deposits were laid down in at least 

two depositional cycles but are mapped as a 

single unit. (See pi. 1 and fig. 3.) The 

older and higher terrace is the more extensive.

The terrace deposits in the valley of 

South Pork Solomon River range in width from 

1 mile to 2 miles, those in the valley of 

Bow Creek from a quarter of a mile to 1 mile, 

and those in the valley of Paradise Creek 

average about half a mile. Finger-like extensions of the terrace deposits project into 

the valleys of the smaller streams and usually 

are quite narrow.

general description, The terrace deposits 

overlie other formations with an intervening 

erosional break. (See fig. 2.) The upper 

part of the terrace deposits is composed predominantly of red-brown to brown silt probably 

reworked from the Sariborn formation. Only the 

silty upper part of the terrace deposits is 

present in valleys other than that of the 

South Pork Solomon River. In this valley the 

terrace deposits lie high enough above the 

present floodplain of the river so that the 

basal part is exposed. This part is characterized by lenses of sand and gravel interbedded 

with silt. Much of the coarse material consists of fragments of soft chalky limestone 

of local origin.

Representative measured section. Inasmuch 

as the terrace deposits in Rooks County are 

generally uniformly silty it is not necessary 

to cite any one section as typical of the 

formation.

Thickness. The thickness of the various 

terraces could have been determined accurately
only by test drilling, and such data are not 

available for Rooks County. The total thickness of the terrace deposits in the valley of 

the South Pork Solomon River is estimated to 

be about 60 feet; in Bow Creek.Valley, about 

30 feet; and in the valley of Paradise Creek, 

about 20 feet. The terrace deposits in the 

small tributary valleys are from 3 feet to 

about 15 feet thick.

Construction materials. 

Mixed aggregate. 

Pine aggregate. 

Road metal. 

Mineral filler.

Dune sand

Areal distribution. Three dune sand 

areas are mapped on plate 1. The most extensive of these is on the south side of Bow 

Creek in sec. 8, T. 6 S., R. 19 W. The other 

two areas are along the South Pork Solomon 

River, one near Webster in the SWj sec. 36, 

T. 7 S., R. 19 W., and the other near Woodston 

in the E| sec. 16, T. 7 S., R. 16 W.

General description. The dune sand (see 

also fig. 3) is a fine-grained quartz sand, 

light tan to gray, an& cross-bedded. The 

flood plains of the South Pork Solomon River 

and Bow Creek are the sources of the material 

that was reworked by the wind to form the 

dunes. Dune sand areas are characterized by 

a hummocky topography. Some of the dunes in 

the Woodston area are 25 to 30 feet high. 

Dunes in the other areas have a maximum 

height of about 10 feet.

Representative measured section. No 

section of the dune sand was measured because 

of the uniformity of the material composing 

this stratigraphic unit.

Thicknes s. The maximum thickness of the 

dune sand in Rooks County is about 30 feet, 

the average being 10 to 15 feet.

Construction material. 

Blending sand.

Alluvium

Areal distribution. The deposits formed 

by streams in their present gradational cycles 

are mapped as alluvium. (See pi. 1.) The 

alluvial deposits and the sand dunes constitute 

the most recent stratigraphic units in the 

county. (See fig. 3.) There are alluvial 

deposits along the South Pork Solomon River 

and along Bow Creek. The alluvium of the 

river valley varies in width from a quarter of 

a mile to three-quarters of a mile. Short extensions of the alluvium project into the 

valleys tributary to the river and to Bow 

Creek.

General description. The material composing the alluvium in Rooks County usually 

is silty. Locally, the alluvium of the South 

Pork Solomon River is fine sandy or, in a few 

places, gravelly. It is probable that at some 

distance below the floodplain surface the 

alluvial material is coarser.

Representative measured section. The 

relief of the alluvium is so low that a 

representative section could not be measured.

Thickness. It is estimated that the

maximum thickness of the alluvium-In the 

valley of South Pork Solomon River is~about 50 

feet. Alluvium in Bow Creek Valle* probably 

is no more than 20 or 25 feet thick.

Construction materials. 

Pine aggregate. 

Mixed aggregate. 

Mineral filler.

INVENTORY OP CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS 

general

This part of the report inventories the 

construction materials in Rooks County. Its 

objectives are to establish the bases upon 

which the construction materials are classified and to establish the geologic pattern 

required for the location and exploitation of 

the materials at those places in the county 

where they may be needed.

All available laboratory test data have 

been included in the report to aid the 

engineer in his evaluation of the materials. 

This information is given in table 1, Summary 

of materials tests. Data on samples collected 

by the Geological Survey field party are not 

so precise as the data on grading and test 

characteristics developed in a materialstesting laboratory. It is expected that the 

prospects listed in this report will be proved 

by subsequent augering, drilling, or test 

pitting and that the materials themselves will 

be subjected to laboratory testing prior to 

exploitation.

Aggregate for concrete 

Engineering and geologic characteristics

Aggregates for concrete are distinguished 

as fine aggregates or mixed aggregates in 

table 1. The distinction is based on the percentage of material retained on the No. 4 

screen. Those materials in which 5 percent or 

more of the sample was retained are classified as mixed aggregates. For convenience, 

however, both will be discussed under a single 

heading, inasmuch as the finjs aggregates may 

be sweetened to the gradings1 required of mixed 

aggregates.

Aggregates for concrete consist of 

particles of hard, durable minerals or rocks 

of sand or gravel size. The constituent 

particles are free from adherent coatings that 

would interfere with the bonding of cement 

with the material. The operated or prospect 

pits listed in table 1 or located on plate 1 

are those in which the overburden is thin 

enough to permit profitable exploitation of 

the material.

Stratigraphic sources and performance 

characteristics

The following stratigraphic units are 

actual or potential sources of aggregates for 

concrete in Rooks County!

(1) Ogallala formation. Numerous 

prospect and operated pits ,for both fine and 

mixed aggregates are listed in table 1 (fa 

12-18, 22-25; ma 1, 2, 9, 14-16) and mapped 

on plate 1, The Ogallala formation is probably 

the most important potential source of 

aggregate for concrete in Rooks County. The 

coarse fraction of samples, of the Ogallala

11
formation is composed predominantly of silt 

and clay balls; subordinately of fragments 

of quartz, chert and opal, and granite, with 

a minor amount of feldspar. The high percentage of silt and clay balls^and of chert 

and opal fragments might mitigate against the 

use of this material as aggregate for 

concrete. The fine fraction of the Ogallala 

samples is -composed predominantly of particles 

of feldspar, with minor anounts of chert, 

hornblende, magnetite, and calcite.

The characteristics of the samples tested 

indicate an average weight of 111 pounds per 

cubic foot; an average specific gravity of 

2.6; a 31 percent loss under the Los Angeles 

abrasion test; and a soundness ratio of 0.94 

after 25 freeze-and-thaw cycles.

Sand and gravel zones are numerous in the 

Ogallala formation. In many places, however, 

overlying mortar-bed ledges present problems 

in removing the overburden. In other places 

the overlying Sanborn formation is so thick 

that it obscures Ogallala formation or forms 

an excessively thick overburden. Intensive 

exploration of the Ogallala outcrop area extending east and west from the city of 

Plainville should yield additional pit sites. 

The Ogallala formation is exposed to best ' 

advantage in the headward parts of small 

tributary valleys. The outcrop area in the 

northwest corner of the county, along the 

south wall of the valley of Bow Greek, might 

also be explored.

(2) Sanborn formation. Ten prospect or 

operated pits for fine aggregate (fa 1-5, 8, 

11, 19-21) and one for mixed aggregate (ma 13) 

are listed in table 1 and indicated on plate 1. 

Analyses of samples indicate that the coarse 

fraction Is composed predominantly of fragments of granite and local limestone, subordinately of particles of quartz and chert 

or opal, with minor amounts of feldspar, and 

calcite. The fine fraction is composed predominantly of particles of quartz, with a 

subordinate amount of feldspar, and minor 

amounts of chert, calcite, magnetite, and 

hornblende. The abundance of particles of 

soft local limestone might be deleterious for 

use of this material as aggregate for concrete.

Laboratory tests of aggregate material 

in the Sanborn-t indicate an average weight of 

111 pounds per cubic foot; an average specific 

gravity of 2.7; a 32 percent loss under the 

Los Angeles abrasion test; and a soundness 

ratio of 0.96 after 25 freeze-and-thaw cycles.

Prospects for aggregate materials in the 

Sanborn formation are restricted to its basal 

part. The sands and gravels occur as lenses, 

usually of very local extent. Additional pit 

sites may be found in places where the larger 

tributaries have cut well down into the formation, thus exposing the coarse basal part.

(5) Terrace deposits. Pour samples 

classified as fine aggregate (fa 6, 7, 10, and 

26, table 1 and plate 1) and seven samples 

classified as mixed aggregate (ma 3-6, 10-12) 

were collected from terrace deposits. The 

coarse fraction of the samples consists predominantly of particles of soft local limestone 

and fragments of granite; subordinate constituents are particles of quartz, chert, and 

feldspar. The fine fraction is composed predominantly of quartz, subordinately of feldjapar and calcite, with minor amounts of lime12

stone, chert, hornblende, and magnetite. The 

average test characteristics of the samples of 

terrace deposits are as follows: Weight, 

109 pounds per cubic foot; specific gravity, 

2.6; Los Angeles abrasion test, 33 percent 

loss; and soundness ratio of 0.80 after 25 

freeze-and-thaw cycles*

The basal part of the terrace deposits is 

the productive zone for aggregate; the upper 

part is composed entirely of silt. In Rooks 

County the basal part containing the sand and 

gravel crops out in the valley of South Pork 

Solomon River. Other pit sites can be located 

by exploration of outcrops of the basal terrace 

deposits, particularly in the eastern half of 

the river valley.

(4) Alluvium. Several pits have been 

operated in the alluvium of the South Pork 

Solomon River. (See table 1 and pi. 1.) 

The material from one pit (fa 9) is classified as fine aggregate, but the material from 

two other pits (ma 7 and 8) is classified 

here as mixed aggregate. No information is 

available on the mineral composition of the 

material. The average weight of the three 

samples is 111 pounds per cubic foot; the 

average specific gravity is 2.6; the percentage of loss in the Los Angeles abrasion test 

is 34 percent; and the soundness ration after 

25 freeze-and-thaw cycles is 0.77. Other pits 

could be opened in the alluvial deposits of 

South Pork Solomon River. The sands and 

gravels, however, are rather local in extent, 

the bulk of the alluvium being silt. Surface 

prospecting should be adequate to locate sites 

convenient for exploitation.

As far as could be determined by interviews with county officers and with local 

contractors, th« sources of aggregate for concrete listed above have not been so used. The 

aggregate materials used in Rooks County are 

procured from areas outside the county.

Road metal 

Engineering and geologic characteristics

As defined in this report, road metal is 

any material that may be applied to roads as 

a surfacing agent. The materials are widely 

diverse in their engineering and geologic 

characteristics. Some of them are quartz sand 

with a varying content of gravel. Others are 

crushed rock of various composition. The 

engineering requirement is that the material 

added to the road improve the performance 

characteristics of the road. Many geologic 

materials fulfill this' requirement. The materials discussed previously as aggregate for 

concrete have been used as road metal on 

secondary roads in Rooks County. Field 

observation indicates that they are adequate 

for this purpose.

Stratigraphic sources and performance 

characteristics

(1) Sanborn formation. The basal part 

of the Sanborn formation yields a material 

classified by the State Highway Commission of 

Kansas as limestone gravel. This material consists of rounded fragments of soft local limestones (Niobrara formation) about three-fourths 

of an inch long, with silt intermixed. Limestone gravel is extensively used throughout 

north-central Kansas as road metal on Secondary roads.
Deposits of limestone gravel are local 

inasmuch as they occur orily as lenses in the 

basal part of the Sariborn|' formation. The 

greatest concentration of?this material in the 

Sariborn formation is in those areas where the 

formation overlies the Carlile, shale. The 

limestone fragments were derived from beds of 

the Port Hays limestone exposed nearby and, to 

a lesser extent, from chalk beds in the Smoky 

Hill chalk member of the Niobrara formation.

Characteristics of this material are given 

in table 1, and seven operated pits are listed.

(2) Ogallala formation. In addition to 

sand and gravel, ledges of mortar bed and 

quartzite in the Ogallala formation are now 

used or are potentially useful as road metal. 

Ledges of mortar bed can be crushed in a 

portable jaw crusher and the resultant material applied to the roads. The sand and gravel 

particles in the mortar bed would be bound by 

the calcium carbonate cement to form a trafficbound macadam. Mortar-bed material has been 

used in other Kansas counties .for this purpose. 

Mortar-bed ledges are fairly well distributed 

over the outcrop area of the OJgallala formation.

Ledges of quartzite can be quarried and 

the material crushed in portable jaw crushers 

for application as road metal. This use of 

crushed quartzite was observed in Norton 

County. Field observation indicates, however, 

that the quartzite should be crushed so that 

the largest dimension of the particles is less 

than half an inch. Particles of larger size 

tend1 to "kick out*1 from the road. It is prqbable that a binder material added to the crushed 

quartzite would lessen this tendency. Roads 

in Wisconsin metaled in this way have given 

satisfactory performance. The localities in 

which quartzite crops out are given in this 

report in the section on the Ogallala formation.

Thin ledges of dense, hard, nodular limeatone present at the top of the Ogallala formation might also be used for road metal in the 

same manner as quartzite. The ledges of 

nodular limestones, however, are too thin and 

too small for economical exploitation.

(5) Blue Hill shale member of the 

Garllle shale. The thin-bedded clay shales of 

the Blue Hill shale member of the Carlile 

shale have been used as road metal in Rooks 

County. The results have been so unsatisfactory that this use has been abandoned.

(4) Niobrara formation. Both the Port 

Hays limestone member and the Smoky Hill chalk 

member of the Niobrara formation have been 

crashed and applied to secondary roads in Rooks 

County. The material forms a traffic-bound 

macadam. Field observation of roads of this 

type indicates that the material produces a 

good all-weather road. In dry weather, 

however, traffic causes clouds of fine, white 

dust to be blown free. It is possible that 

dry-weather "dusting" could be lessened by 

impregnating the road with a solution of 

calcium chloride, providing the humidity is 

sufficiently high (50 percent or higher).

Additional quarries, as needed, could be

opened in this formation throughout most of 

the extent of its outcrop. (See pi. 1).

Mineral filler 

Engineering and geologic characteristics

This material is composed of mineral 

fragments of silt size. A small percentage of 

fine sand and a subordinate percentage of clay 

may be present. To be classified as mineral ' 

filler the material must not contain more than 

a trace of sticks or other organic debris.

Stratigraphic sources and performance 

charact e ri s ti cs

Mineral filler is the'most abundant construction matei*ial in,' Rooks County. It occurs 

in three stratigraphic units and is almost 

universally distributed over the county.

(1) Sanborn formation. The upper silty 

part of the Sanborn formation is the most 

widespread source of mineral filler in Rooks 

County. This part of the formation is composed almost entirely of silt-size particles 

with only minor quantities of particles of 

sand or gravel size intermixed with the silt. 

There may be a fairly thick soil zone at the 

top of the formation and a buried soil zone 

from 5 to 10 feet below the top. The B zone 

of the soil profile may contain deleterious 

amounts of calcium carbonate, either in the 

form of nodules and pipes or disseminated 

through the zone. The State Highway Commission 

of Kansas 6/ recommends that silt from the 

Sanborn formation be used as mineral filler 

only if tests of the material indicate a low 

coefficient of cementation. Mineral filler 

could be procured from the Sanborn formation 

over almost the entire area of its outcrop.

(2) Terrace deposits. Terrace deposits 

are the second\ most important source of 

mineral filler' in Rooks County. The upper 

part of the formation is composed entirely of 

silt-size particles. The principal outcrop 

areas of the terrace deposits in Rooks County 

are, in order of importance, in the valleys 

of South Fork Solomon River, Bow Creek, .and 

Paradise Creek.

(5) Alluvium. Much of the alluvium of 

the floodplain of South Fork Solomon River is 

composed of silt-size particles, but with more 

extensive sources of mineral filler available 

in the nearby terrace deposits and in the 

Sariborn formation it is doubtful that it would 

be worth while to exploit the allivium of 

South Fork Solomon River for this material.

Blending sand 

Engineering and geologic characteristics

Blending s.and is composed of sand-size 

particles, predominantly of quartz. As it 

occurs in Rooks County the material may be 

intermixed with a low percentage of silt. The 

upper part may include a well-developed soil 

zone.

Sbratigraphic source and performance 

characteristics

Fine dune sand is the only source of 

blending sand mapped in Rooks County. The material occurs in three areas in the county 

13

6/ Horner, S. B., chief geologist, State Higbway Commission of Kansas t letter dated Jan. 4t 1947.
near Webster, near Woodston, and along Bow 

Creek. It is probable that a coarser sand 

for blending can be obtained by screening 

the material from the aggregate.sources 

mentioned previously.

There is no record of dune sand being 

used in Rooks County as blending sand.

Volcanic ash 

Engineering and geologic characteristics

Volcanic ash consists predominantly of 

the fine, glass-like shards ejected during 

the explosive phase of a volcanic eruption. 

It may include silt-size particles of other 

origin. Thin seams of gravel and sand are 

interbedded with the volcanic ash in many 

places.

Stratigraphic source and performance 

characteristics

The Sanborn formation is the only 

stratigraphic unit in Rooks County in which 

volcanic ash has been found. The material 

occurs as lenses at or near the base of the 

formation. 'Five operated or prospect pits 

are listed in table 1 and mapped on plate I. 

The material has been widely used throughout 

this area in the construction of roads of the 

black-top type.

Engineering and geologic characteristics

Riprap is any material suitable for 

protecting earthen fills from erosion. To 

be acceptable for this use the stone must be 

relatively sound and free from cracks and 

other structural defects or impurities that 

would cause it to disintegrate. The stone 

should be in blocks having approximately 

rectangular faces 7 inches or more in width. 

The specific gravity of th» rock should be 

2.5 or higher.

Stratigraphic sources and performance 

characteristics

(1) Ogallala formation. Quartzite lenses 

in the Ogallala formation are adequate sources 

of riprap, although the quartzite is difficult 

to quarry. The material has a fairly high 

specific gravity, little abrasion loss, and is 

sound. (See table 1.) Some of the quartzite 

ledges in Rooks County are sufficiently thick 

to fulfill the requirement for minimum size 

of blocks. Smaller fragments of this rock 

would serve adequately as material -for filter 

bed. Field observation of Logan Lake In 

Phillips County indicates that the quartzite 

of the Ogallala is entirely satisfactory when 

used as riprap. Ho perceptible deterioration 

was detected 6 years after Installation. .The 

known areas of outcrop of quartzite ledges 

are given in this report In the section on the 

Ogallala formation.

(2) Fort Hays limestone member of the 

Niobra^ra formation. Several earthen dams 

riprapped with limestone blocks from the Fort 

Hays limestone member were observed in north-' 

central Kansas, including the Lake Stockton 

dam southwest of Stockton. In all of these 

the riprap material had deteriorated so 

markedly, presumably through slaking or 

..freeze-and-thaw, that further use for this

purpose is inadvisable.

Structural stone 

Engineering and geologic characteristics

Structural stone, as defined in this 

report, is any hard, unlform-textured rock 

material that can be quarried and cut to 

desired size and form. The sources of such 

material in Rooks County are somewhat 

deficient in one respect or another, as indicated in the following descriptions.

Stratigraphic sources and performance 

characteristics

(1) Fort gays limestone member of the 

Niobrara formirtion. This rock has been used 

extensively throughout Rooks County as a 

structural stone for dwellings, farm buildings, 

and, to a lesser extent, for bridge abutments. 

The stone hardens after being cut, and 

structures built of It seem to stand up well 

In the relatively dry climate of north-central 

Kansas. Field observations indicate that the* 

Fort Hays limestone should not be used in any 

place where it Is subjected to water saturation unless protected by a cement cover coat, 

as it deteriorates rapidly when saturated. 

Additional quarries could be opened at convenient sites in the outcrop area. 

(See pi. 1.)

(2) Ogallala formation. Quartzite 

ledges in the Ogallala formation have been 

quarried extensively in north-central Kansas 

for structural stone. Numerous city and 

county buildings and several bridges constructed of this material were observed. It 

is the opinion of some engineers that the opal 

of the quartzite is reactive with standard 

cement to the detriment of a structure in 

which the quartzite Is used as a structural 

stone or as a constituent of concrete 

aggregate. No field evidence of this type 

of failure was observed. The stone, however, 

is so hard that cutting it to required size 

and shape Is difficult.

Occasional use of hard mortar-bed" ledges 

in the Ogallala formation as a source of 

structural stone for farm buildings, such as 

barns, was observed in north-central Kansas. 

This material is not uniformly hard and 

appears to deteriorate seriously within a few 

years.

Calcareous binder 

Engineering and geologic characteristics

Calcareous binder includes a variety of 

geologic materials. They are composed 

essentially of calcium carbonate, are soft, 

and are easily pulverized.

Stratigraphic sources and performance 

characteristics

(1) Ogallala formation. Lenses of 

mortar bed described In this report In the 

section on the Ogallala formation are sources 

of calcareous binder. . Although some of the 

mortar-bed lenses are perhaps too hard to be 

so used, many others are soft enough to be 

easily pulverized and would serve adequately 

as a binder material..

14
(2) Nlobrara formation. Both the Smoky 

Hill chalk and the Fort Hays limestone 

members of the Hiobrara formation have been 

accepted by the State Highway Commission of 

Kansas as sources of material suitable for 

use as calcareous binder. The chalky limestones are soft, easily pulverized, and free 

from deleterious substances. The Hiobrara 

formation (see pi. 1} is the most widespread 

source of calcareous binder in Hooks County.

15
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9. OT

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ro 1 ^

3. ja «T (J)

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oA m * a § §' g.

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s ° ^ !3. $ CO ®

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CD

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oiUpper Cretaceous ______A______ IIta ^ o ? $ 3* I' ^ o % ff> 03 s I I o «< i ^ 2, o $ f e ? s g- s- 5» <A I I Q O g. i 8- s f a i s a i ° s. S o ? 8 a f 31 g ? ill « -* § § $£§ =* | Oj f " a | J 1 S s S s s s i- 3 & C/> o co s i I 1s 3> S ^ CD Pliocene S, uI

CRETACEOUS

§ I ^ ? I J 3 §.n § 1 2. 2 * 3. J*

S. o * z.

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O O I. *Q

a

» o Q S a*

<0i

O !{

« a i "2 5-' 3

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Zf 

I cT §

I s,I f 

f

TERTIARY

1

fl

1 *

I

o

Q.

II'

Q 

(A

CO§ D

| 1

(A

§ ? Q. ^

= ff CO

O- 3

CA

a a- -H

3 to

1^ .J.

Pleistocene and Recent

8 c 9 T>

9

^ C/) 5^

j^ CD CA >

* o j?

3

i §

-0 £>3 S § ^1 S

a _»« JI *8 ?

a. 1

(A Q

, 3

» °-d, Q.O)

O

(A§Q.

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S

8

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 Z -t CD 3 o a.

. ** _ ^ o 2

1?

c

i

QUATERNARY

m 

x

5
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY CIRCULAR 27 TABLE !.

. Table 1. Summary of materials tests

(Blank spaces indicate data not available)

Ho

Classificatior materia the 

Fine aggregate

Mixed aggregate

Q>

> 

O

&_o>

a>

c

In 

a>

E 

Ll

%a

.u

1

Qtzite

£

c 

a.

0

fa I

fa 2

fa 3

fa 4

fo5

fa 6

fa 7

fa 8

fa9

falO

fall

fa 12

fa 13

fa 14

fa IS

fa 16

fa 17

fa 18

fa 19

fa 20

fa 21

fo22

fa23

fa 24

fa 25

fa 26

ma 1

ma 2

ma 3

ma 4

ma 5

ma 6

ma 7

ma 8

ma9

malO

mall

ma!2

ma 13

ma 14

ma IS

ma 16

igl

Ig2

Ig3

Ig4

IgS

Ig6

Ig7

val

va2

va3

va4

va5

ql

Location

fraction 1/4 

NE

NE

NE

SW

NW

SE

NE

SW

SE

SE

SE

SE

SW

SW

SE

SW

SE

SW

SE

NW

NE

NW

si

SE

NW

SW

NE

SW

NW

SW

SW

NW

NW

SW

NW

|

u

0 to

?

SW

NE

NW

NW

NW

SW

NE

SW

SW 

NW

C

NW

SW

SE

SE

NE

SW

NE

SW

SE

SW

SW

NE

NE

NW

NW

SW

NE

NW

NE

SE

NE

NW

SW

SE

SW

NW

NW

NW

NW

NW

NE

SW

SE

NE

SE

NE

SW

SE

SW

SW

SW

NW

NW

NW

NW

Section

18

24

24

24

30

2

5

8

24

25

25

II

18

15

21

23

26

29

19

15

15

10

14

15

21

29

32

7

7

13

13

19

30

24

30

4

4

1

8

25

8

8

9

31

35

19

12

12

13

15

18

14

22

8

15

10

(S) Township 

6

6

6

6

6

6

6

7

7

7

8

9

9

9

9

9

9

9

10

10

10

10

10

10

10

10

6

6

7

7

7

7

7

7

7

8

8

8

9

10

10

10

7

7

8

8

8

10

10

7

9

9

10

10

6

(W) Range 

17

18

18

18

18

20

20

16

18

18

20

18

19

19

19

19

19

20

17

17

18

18

18

19

19

20

19

19

16

17

17

17

18

18

20

19

20

20

20

19

20

20

18

18

17

18

18

16

16

18

20

20

16

17

19

TS 

TS° 1

£ £ .9 *

1 1 £ S

ts ? o P uS o- E 3

15,000

4,000

3,000

40,000

1,500

3,000

1,500

3,000

30,000

1,500

1,000

1,600

8,000

8,000

1,000

3,000

4,000

1,000

7,000

6,500

3,000

3,000

12,000

10,000

1,000

4,000

8,000

I,OOO

10,000

4,000

12,000

10,000

6,000

12,000

2,500

15,000

16,000

15,000

8,000

1,000

15,000

10,000

10,000

40,000

15,000

6,000

12,000

6,000

8,000

5,000

4,000

7,000

1,000

1,500

3,500

Average 

thickness

"o

 S

S£

9

9

6

 7

5

8

6

6

22

6

6

6

5

6

3

8

9

6

5

7

12

6

10

10

5

6

II

4

8

10

12

8

8

II

9

10

7

10

9

4

17

8

4

4

6

6

5

7

10

15

6

20

2

5

1 Overburden 

(feet)

3

1-4

1-4

3

2-6

2-4

2-6

0-3

0

IH5

4-6

1-4

1-2

1-3

1-2

1-3

3-9

2-5

3

4

2-6

2-4

3

1-3

1-4

1-4

1

2-4

3

2-5

4-6

o-i

2

0

2-4

0

1

0

4

1-3

3-5

2-4

1

1-8

3

1

4

1-2

4

1-10

0-4

0-5

0-2

0-4

0-2

Accessibility

Good

do

Fair

Good

do

Fair

Good

do

Fair

Good

do

do

do

do

do

do

do

do

do

do

do

Good

do

Fair

Good

do

do

Fair

do

Good

do

Fair

Good

Fair

Good

Fa'ir

Good

do

do

do

do

do

Fair

Good

do

Fair

Good

do

Fair

Good

do

do

do

do

Fair

Geologic formation 

or member

Sanborn

do

do

do

do

do

Terrace deposit

Sanborn

Alluvium

Terrace deposit

Sanborn

Ogallala

«

do

do

do

do

do

do

Sanborn

do

do

Ogallala

do

do

do

Sanborn

Ogallala

do

Terrace deposit

do

do

do

Alluvium

do

Ogallala

Terrace deposit

do

do

Sonborn

Ogallala

do

do

Sanborn

do

do

do

do

Terrace deposit

Sanborn

do

do

do

do

do

Ogallala

o 

.2>~o 

'te o 

1^3S

SHCK

do

SHCK 

USGS

SHCK

SHCK 

USGS

do

do

do

SHCK

SHCK 

USGS

do

do

do

do

do

do

SHCK

SHCK 

USGS

SHCK

do

SHCK 

USGS

do

SHCK

SHCK 

USGS

do

do

SHCK

SHCK 

USGS

SHCK

do

SHCK 

USGS

SHCK

do

do

SHCK 

USGS

SHCK

do

do

do

SHCK 

USGS

do

do

SHCK

do

do

do

do

do

do

SHCK 

USGS

do

do

do

do

CE

TH 

£

 *-

0

a>

a 

a

2-46

do

2-47

2-46

2-47

do

do

do

2-46

2-47

do

do

do

do

do

do

2-46

2-47

2-46

do

2-47

2-47

2-46

2-47

do

do

2-46

2-47

2-46

do

2-47

2-46

do

do

2-47

2-46

do

do

do

2-47

do

do

2-46

do

do

do

do

do

do

2-47

do

do

do

do

9-45

Sieve analysis

s^

I s

a. S«

0

0

0

!

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

1

7

1

1

0

2

2

2

0

2

4

2

1

0

6

0

-

§^

l-£ 

£a> > »» 

a. to

9

6

9

6

12

6

15

S

It 

££

2

3

1

3

0

2

3

3

0

2

1

1

4

3

3

0

4

0

2

2

1

1

2

0

3

4

4

19

6

5

6

6

6

5

9

4

8

4

4

6

1!

5

27

20

25

20

24

23

30

%

S a> U 

fe 0

a. z

30

37

15

33

6

23

20

25

1

14

8

20

30

36

28

9

45

5

28

32

25

17

25

23

7

12

42

40

26

35

23

25

28

27

24

26

33

32

43

16

47

47

52

44

53

45

44

52

55

0

0

0

0

0

g

c 0

8 ° 

S 6 

a. z

95

96

96

93

98

98

99

97

94

98

98

97

98

98

96

98

93

95

93

92

99

98

93

98

98

99

93

97

96

96

99

98

97

98

98

98

96

98

94

98

99

98

70

74.

72

63

70

70

70

4

8

6

10

20

Pcrcflnt posccd 200(wash) No. 

3

3

3

2

4

5

4

5

3

2

1

2

1

1

2

1

3

25

23

23

30

25

25

26

65

50

55

60

50

Description of the material 2

Fraction | Limestone Mortar bed

14

1

0

^

o 

a.

£

£

Z

1

6

Quarzite

S "5

(O

*- '5

T> «

S-S °.o 

>..n

5 S

Sandstone

"oS

0

o

Hornblende Magnetite

| Caliche

C

F

C

F

65

Tr

2O

70

5

60

3O

5

5

5

IO

25

Tr

2O

35

10

C

F

C

F

C

F

C

F

Tr

40

30

Tr

40

5

65

30

65

5

65

IS

55

Tr

20

5

Tr

5

IO

5

IS

Tr

25

5

25

5

20

30

25

5

Tr?

15

10

Tr

Tr

Tr

5

Tr

Tr

15

IO

5

30

Tr

Tr

Tr

Tr

5

10

Tr

Tr

Tr

Tr

5

Tr

5

3

C

F

C

F

C

F

C

F

C

F

C

F

C

F

3O

Tr

50

5

i

5

55

15

60

25

60

3O

70

SO

7O

20

7O

75

10

5

Tr

Tr

25

IO

IO

Tr

5

5

5

Tr

5

5

20

10

20

IO

2O

2O

25

20

25

15

20

20

4O

5

4O

4O

50

5

Tr

4O

5

5

Tr

Tr

IO

15

20

IO

Tr

Tr

Tr

Tr

Tr

5

Tr

Tr

Tr

Tr

5

5

5

Tr

Tr

5

Tr

Tr

Tr

10

C

£

65 5 20 5 Tr 5

C

F

C

F

C

F

7O

30

75

40

8O

Tr

10

5

15

Tr

2O

IO

15

IO

15

bO

30

10

5

Tr

Tr

5

5

Tr

Tr

Tr

T5"

F

C

F

C

F

6O

15

65

SO

5

55

10

Tr

25

2O

5

15

15

5

100

IS

Tr

5

9

IO

Tr

5

IO

5

Tr

C

F

10

45

15

5

5

20

IS 55

IS IO 5

C

F

C

F

2O

10

6O

5

IO

40

IO

55

5

5

2O

IO

20

IO

10

SO

10

Tr

Tr

IO

15

5

5

Tr 5

10

Tr

C

F

5

SO 5 2O

5 9O

15 5 5

C

F

60

5

15

60

Tr 5

IS

IS b

10 5 5

C

F

C

F

C

F

Tt

Tr

Tr

2O

6O

25

70

35

60

IO

5

25

5

25

5

5

2O

5

2O

15

2O

20

3O

5

45

5

5

5

5

IS

5

5

Tr

5

Tr 5

5

5

Tr

Tr

White, clean, powdery, non-calcareous.

Light gray, silty, slightly cemerted with lime.

do

do

Tan, somewhat silty.

Chemical composition (percent): Si02, 96.5-. AlaO,, O.78; Fe 2 O3, O.32-, CaO, O.44; MgO,O.O6* 

undetermined, O.58-, soluble in HCT acid, 5.107 2 3

i 1. SHCK, State Highway Commission of Kansas. SHCK and USGS, sieve analysis and 

laboratory tests by State Highway Commission of Kansas; sample collection and 

description of material by U S. Geological Survey. CE, Corps of Engineers, U.S. Army. 

2. C, coarse fraction, retained on No. 4 sieve; F, fine fraction, passed through No. 4 

sieve-, Tr, trace. 

3. Loss ratio.

Laboratory test data

ii 

li* 3

117

110

108

104

no

112

116

113

108

106

1 12

110

109

110

110

113

«r»

0 

0>

£5

s '> s. s

(0 CT

258

2.6

2.6

2.57

2.55

259

2.62

2.62

260

2.61

2.62

2.62

2.84

257

2.57

2.6

239

. 8

£ o

u

32.8

33.4

30.4

34.6

31.6

30.8

26.2

336

36.0

31.8

38.0

38.0

30.6

28.2

/

54.4

53.5

1 

3 Soundness 

cycles) (25 

033

0.96

0.95

0.96

0.95

0.91

0.81

0.79

0.78

0.77

0.87

0.85

0.58

0.98

Remarks

This and subsequent mineral analyses by USGS-, high percentage of 

chert fragments in coarse fraction.

Same location as fa 4 but estimated by augering.

Fine-textured material.

High percentage of soft local limestone and chert fragments in coarse 

fraction.

High percentage of soft local limestone fragments and pebbles of silt 

and clay In coarse fraction.

Fairly high percentage of soft local limestone fragments in coarse 

fraction.

Accepted by SHCI'as filler sand; fine-textured material.

Fairly high percentage of soft local limestone fragments in coarse 

fraction.

High percentage of soft local limestone fragments in coarse fraction.

Fairly high percentage of chert fragments In coarse fraction; overburden is Sanborn formation.

Fairly high percentage of silt and clay pebbles in coarse fraction; 

overburden is Sanborn formation.

Overburden Is Sanborn formation.

Overburden is Sanborn formation.

Fine-textured material.

ThicK overburden (Sanborn formation).

Fine-textured material.

No material retained on No. 4 sieve in USGS sample.

Coarse fraction composed entirely of pebbles of silt and clay.

High percentage of soft local limestone fragments in coarse fraction.

Overburden Is Sanborn formation.

High percentage of silt and clay pebbles in coarse fraction; 

overburden is Sanborn formation.

High percentage of shale fragments In coarse fraction.

High percentage of soft local limestone fragments in coarse 

fraction; fairly thick overburden.

High percentage of silt and clay pebbles in coarse fraction; overburden Is Sanborn formation.

High percentage of local limestone fragments in coarse fraction.

High percentage of silt and clay pebbles in coarse fraction.

Fairly high percentage of chert fragments in coarse fraction.

Fairly high percentage of chert fragments in coarse fraction.

Av. cementation lOO+jov. slaking 3O+ min.

Av. cementation IOO-»-,av. slaking 15 min.

Av. cementation IOO-h,av. slaking 25 min.

Av. cementation lOO-tjov. slaking 2 2 min.

Av. cementation IOO+;ov. staking 27 min.

Av. cementation IOO+; av. slaking 21 min.

Av. cementation IOO-h,av. slaking 30t- min.

Deval abrasion loss, 8 percent; soundness, 0.77 percent loss after 

5 freeze-and-thaw cycles.

Circular 27 Rooks county, Kansas