Geologic Atlas User's Guide: Using Geologic Maps and Databases for Resource Management and Planning

A geologic atlas is intended to describe the geologic framework of our home and how the subsurface environment provides the resources we need. It describes the materials and features that begin just beneath the soil and it continues down to the bedrock surface and beyond. The atlases provide information useful for resource management and land use planning. Sometimes they utilize terminology and concepts familiar to geologists and hydrologists that may be challenging to non-specialists. This guide is intended to overcome that gap and explain how an atlas is created, and more importantly how it can be used to support decisions that affect these essential resources.