Lineament study of stream patterns in a portion of east-central Kansas.

Abstract

An investigation into the influence of structure on the pattern of stream development in a Butler, Greenwood and Chase Counties was undertaken based on a Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) subscene and field observations. Surface drainage in the 225 km2 study area is related to the: Walnut, Cottonwood/Neosho, and Fall/Verdigris Rivers in Kansas. The area is a grassland with soils developed on cherty limestones of Permian age. The lineament study used Landsat TM data in a digital format and a geographic information system (Panacea) for display and manipulation. Lineament orientations of stream valleys were compared to the orientations of the regional joint system. The joint system orientations are a combination of field measurements and a previous joint pattern study by Ward (1968). A comparison of the two studies indicates a relationship between the lineament orientations and the joint system in the area. Major lineament orientations correspond to major joint orientations. The orientations and frequencies of lineaments in the study area also correspond to the patterns of stream lineaments in eastern Kansas and the trend of the Humboldt Fault in Kansas. The Humboldt Fault is the controlling factor in the orientations of the joint systems in eastern Kansas. Based on the observations of this study it is apparent that the Humboldt Fault and its associated geologic structures, namely joints, control the pattern of stream development in eastern Kansas.