Study of karst area in north-western Delaware County, Ohio

Field mapping, aerial photographs and soil maps were used in an attempt to determine if a study area in north-west Delaware County, Ohio, had karst features present. While conducting this study, an attempt was made to correlate features on the aerial photographs to karst features. A similar attempt was made to correlate a particular soil(s) with the presence of karst. Research was also conducted on this area to determine the geologic history in order to explain the different topography displayed in the study area from the surrounding areas to the north and south. The field mapping did identify the presence of karst through the detection of sink holes and caves in limestone in the study area. Some correlation could be made to the aerial photographs, but little correlation could be made with the soils. The aerial photographs provided an excellent initial source for detecting depressions. The presence of the depressions indicated the presence of a sinkhole that in turn identified a karst environment. However, the larger sink holes and caves were found in wooded areas resulting in the aerial photographs being less helpful. A specific correlation could not be made between the soils and karst environment. The two most common soils in the study area are present where the karst features were discovered. Therefore, a correlation cannot be predicted because the law of averages could be the reason rather than an interdependence between a particular soil and karstification