Webster County,
Kentucky
Geologic Hazards
The most prominent
geologic hazard for Webster
County is flooding. Areas
underlain by alluvium, are subject to regular
flooding. Urban development often exacerbates flooding, and therefore potential
flooding should always be considered in urban development plans. Areas of steep
walled drainage, such as that formed in terrain underlain by shale, sandstone,
and limestone, are conducive to flash flooding, especially in developed areas.
Flood information is available from the Kentucky Division of Water, Flood Plain
Management Branch, (www.water.ky.gov/floods/).
None of the faults in
Webster County
are considered to be active; however, the proximity of active seismic zones,
such as the New Madrid, Wabash, or East Tennessee,
calls for precautions to be taken for earthquake damage mitigation. The
presence of thick alluvium, which normally has a high water table, should also
be treated with special concern, because of the possibility of augmented
shaking and liquefaction during a strong earthquake. In addition, alluvium
often contains high amounts of clay minerals, which can give a soil a high
shrink/swell capacity.
Steep slopes are
present, especially along streams, in areas underlain by shale, sandstone, and
limestone throughout the county. Steep slopes can develop soil creep and
landslides if not properly treated during development. Proper engineering
techniques should be followed when developing on hillsides, and care should be
taken not to affect property above and below a development site on a hillside.
Several underground
coal mines are located in Webster
County. The locations of
known mine workings and shafts are shown on the map. Precautions need to be
taken when developing over old mined areas, because of the possibility of mine
subsidence. Mine subsidence insurance is available in Kentucky. Abandoned mine boundaries shown on
the map are approximate and do not represent all the mining that has occurred
in the county.
The Land
There are approximately 190 chicken houses in Webster County.
Each house holds 5 to 6 flocks per year.
One flock equals about 27,000 birds.
Chicken litter associated with these operations is used as a substitute
for synthetic fertilizers on row crop fields.
Proper nutrient management is extremely important to ensure that local
soil and water resources are not impaired.
Photograph by Glynn Beck,
Kentucky Geological Survey.
Agriculture is a
major part of the Webster
County economy. According to the 2002-2003 Kentucky
Agricultural Statistics Service 72,528 acres (34 percent) of the 215,161 acres
available were planted in corn, soybeans and tobacco. Photograph by Glynn Beck, Kentucky
Geological Survey.
Along with row
crop agriculture, harvesting hardwood trees for furniture and pulp is a
sustained land use in Webster
County. Photograph by Glynn Beck, Kentucky
Geological Survey.
Water Resources
According to the 2002-2003 Kentucky Agricultural Statistics
Service, there are 96 acres of surface water in Webster County. Walker Lake,
pictured above, is an 86 acre private lake.
Groundwater
In Webster
County, most wells that
penetrate sandstone formations to depths less than 300 feet are adequate for a
domestic supply. In the highlands of the northwestern part of the county, in
the old Camp Breckinridge area, only a few wells
yield enough water for a domestic supply. In a thin highly faulted zone running
east-west across the county between the towns of Sebree
and Tilden, yields to drilled wells are unpredictable because of faulting.
Generally, groundwater is hard to very hard, and iron and
salt may be present in objectionable amounts. Often groundwater becomes saltier
with depth. For more information on groundwater in the county see Carey and
Stickney (2001).
Source Water Protection Areas
Source-water protection areas are areas in which activities
are likely to affect the quality of the drinking-water source. For more
information, see kgsweb.uky.edu/download/water/swapp/swapp.htm.
Coal
Coal mining continues to be a vital part of the Webster County economy. Approximately 3 percent
of Webster County has been strip mined and 25 percent
of the county has been deep mined for coal. Photograph by Glynn Beck, Kentucky
Geological Survey.
Housing
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the
population of Webster
County grew 1.2 percent
between 1990 and 2000. However, new home construction has recently become a
growing land use in certain parts of the county. Photograph by Glynn Beck, Kentucky
Geological Survey.
Topography
The topography of Webster County ranges from flat narrow lowlands
to very steep sloped uplands. The elevation ranges from approximately 630 feet
above
mean sea level (AMSL) to 340 feet AMSL.
Photograph by Glynn Beck, Kentucky Geological Survey.