THE GEOLOGIC SETTING OF GREATER KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI-KANSAS

The topography and surface features are described, the most prominent rock types are reviewed, and the economic resources are outlined of Pennsylvania rocks underlying greater Kansas City. The City is located at the Confluence of the Kansas and Missouri Rivers and the most conspicous erosional features are northeast-trending escarpments. Glaciation is noted to have had an impressive role in the local landscape. The aggregate thickness of Pennsylvania rock is less than 900 feet at Kansas City and only 300-400 ft of this total is exposed. For the most part the rock section is composed of alternating limestone and shale, and its repetitious succession illustrates a feature referred to as cyclothem. Details are outlined of some of the 25 separable exposed rock units. The exploitation of the readily accessible high quality limestone has been important to the economic growth of Kansas City. Other local resources include sand, gravel, clay, shale, sandstone, oil, gas and water. A major economic resource is the open space created by extensive mining: a large volume of underground space is now utilized for storage, warehousing, manufacturing, offices, and a variety of other purposes.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Published in the Proceedings of the Symposium on the Development and Utilization of Underground Space, March 5-7, 1975, Kansas City, Mo., sponsored by the Department of Geosciences, University of Missouri, Kansas City.
• Corporate Authors:

  National Science Foundation

  1800 G Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20550
• Authors:
  • Parizek, E J
• Conference:
  • Published in the Proceedings of the Symposium on the Development and Utilization of Underground Space, March 5-7, 1975, Kansas City, Mo., sponsored by the Department of Geosciences, University of Missouri, Kansas City.
• Publication Date: 1975-3

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References;
• Pagination: p. 9-23

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Drainage; Economics; Geology; Glacial soils; Handling and storage; Industrial plants; Limestone; Natural resources; Rocks; Shale; Topography; Underground structures; Warehousing
• Old TRIS Terms: Lithography; Underground storage
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Economics; Freight Transportation; Geotechnology; Highways; Hydraulics and Hydrology;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00130626
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: Proceeding
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Apr 7 1976 12:00AM