2026 News Archive

Small Paducah-area earthquake on August 19

Dr. Seth Carpenter, with the Kentucky Geological Survey, said the 2.3 magnitude quake happened late last night near the edge of the New Madrid Seismic Zone, a region that regularly produces small tremors.

Digging into Kentucky’s critical mineral potential: major rock core donation from Western Kentucky Fluorspar District

KGS has received a generous donation of 9,930 feet of rock cores from the Western Kentucky Fluorspar District. The collection was donated by longtime driller William “Buddy” Davidson and geologist Walt Gaylord and has now been entrusted to KGS for long-term preservation and future research.

Kentucky landslide prediction project tracks soil, rainfall data in eastern counties

To better understand landslides, the Kentucky Geological Survey has installed monitoring stations across eastern Kentucky to measure soil and rainfall variables.

Kazakhstan Scientists Visit KGS Earth Analysis Research Library to Explore Critical Minerals Research

Scientists from Kazakhstan visited the Kentucky Geological Survey’s (KGS) Earth Analysis Research Library (EARL) as part of the U.S. Department of State’s International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP), the foundational professional exchange program of the U.S. government.

KGS to receive more than $168,000 from USGS to preserve and digitize historic maps

The Kentucky Geological Survey (KGS) has been awarded $168,584 from the U.S. Geological Survey’s National Geological and Geophysical Data Preservation Program (NGGDPP) to preserve and improve access to its historic geologic maps.

KET Kentucky Edition segment - Slope Hydrologic Monitoring Network

KGS's Matt Crawford, Sarah Johnson, and Ryan Ramsey are interviewed by KET's Kentucky Edition about the EPSCoR CLIMBS Project 5 Slope Hydrologic Monitoring Network.

Kentucky Shark Week 2026 - Before the Bluegrass, There Were Sharks

Shark Week 2026: Though not common, many kinds of ancient shark and shark-relative teeth can be found in Kentucky in Mississippian and Pennsylvanian strata. More than just having a tooth-like shape, fossil teeth have textural details which allow them to be identified as teeth.

New Grant Supports AI Innovation in Scientific Archives at the University of Kentucky

An interdisciplinary group of UK researchers at the University of Kentucky received a 2026 CURATE to advance a groundbreaking project that applies artificial intelligence to natural science archives.

65th KGS Annual Seminar: Powering Kentucky’s Future

Join us in June to discuss energy resources and related environmental projects in Kentucky and participate in hands-on workshops. The 2026 annual seminar will focus on Kentucky’s energy outlook, highlighting recent geoscience research in hydrogen, critical minerals, oil and gas, and environmental management.

From cave to CHAOS to community: Rachel Washburn shares geohealth research with Hidden River Cave stakeholders

Rachel Washburn, postdoctoral fellow with the Geohealth Team at the Kentucky Geological Survey (KGS) and Director of the CHAOS Lab (Center for geoHealth and Applied Omics Studies), recently visited Hidden River Cave and the American Cave Conservation Association (ACCA) to present new research findings generated directly from the cave system.

Burgin flood survivor returns home

Woman displaced 10 months by back-to-back floods refuses to leave neighborhood as geological survey tests dewatering wells

Kentucky geologist creates trail guide to showcase state’s natural arches

Kentucky Geological Survey visits Kentucky River landslide area in Frankfort

More than 500 homes in Franklin County were invaded by the Kentucky River during historic flooding last April. But in some places, homes were also affected by land movement. At that time, it was a difficult task to tell someone they weren't allowed in their own home. But that’s what Autumn Goderwis, the planning director for Franklin County, had to do because of landslides.