Publications Catalog

The Driftless Area of southwestern Wisconsin and northwestern Illinois got its name from the lack of glacial sediment ("drift") covering the landscape. The surficial geology and topography of the Driftless Area are thus distinct from the surrounding region where multiple phases of glaciation left their mark. This pamphlet, a collaborative effort between...

Series of 43 page-size maps showing the chronology of the last glaciation's advances and retreats across Wisconsin. Includes a brief discussion about how the maps were made, how lake positions were determined, as well as a list of selected references.

Trading cards profile five rocks (dolomite, granite, quartzite, shale, and sandstone) and one fossil (trilobite). Learn when and how the rocks formed, how the trilobite lived, plus a handful of interesting facts for each.

Most Wisconsin municipalities already disinfect their water supply. For those that don't, this publication describes how viruses from untreated sewage can contaminate groundwater, causing acute gastrointestinal illness. It also identifies available technology for treating water.

Three-part series describes the results of a comprehensive inventory and assessment of Columbia County's groundwater resources. Covers water-table elevation, groundwater recharge, and groundwater susceptibility.

Chart showing the layers of rock (stratigraphy) present in Wisconsin, their geologic ages, and the associated rock units. The page-size version explains how to read and interpret this complex diagram. (The stratigraphic column is also available as a poster, see WOFR2006-06.)

This four-part series describes the results of a comprehensive inventory and assessment of Iowa County's groundwater resources. Covers water-table elevation, groundwater recharge, groundwater susceptibility, and the springs of Iowa County.

A groundwater flow model developed for Geneva Lake and the surrounding region helps answer questions about flow into and out of the lake, and projects scenarios given increased pumping rates and potential long-term changes in climate.

Describes how and where fossils form, what fossils tell us about ancient environments, how to collect fossils, and where to look for them. Heavily illustrated.

A guide to understanding the basics of township, range, and section.

Explains the geologic causes of the county’s natural landscape and follows each description with an exploration of the parts of the county that showcase specific geologic features. Includes a folded color map that shows the surface geology and locations of parks. Heavily illustrated.

The Survey's annual poster calendar featuring Wisconsin scenery. The 2016 image showcases the Wisconsin River from the Ferry Bluff overlook.

Brief technical description of Wisconsin’s geologic history, glacial phases and lobes, and correlation and distribution of Pleistocene units. Heavily illustrated.

Devils Lake State Park is a place of striking geologic contrasts, where some of the oldest rock exposed in southern Wisconsin lies next to some of the youngest geologic materials in the state. The purple rock (called Baraboo quartzite) in the walls of Devils Lake gorge is more than 1.7 billion years old; the glacially deposited ridges that block both ends...