Obed Wild and Scenic River: Geologic and Soil Resources Inventory Summary
Thornberry-Ehrlich T. 2026. Obed Wild and Scenic River: Geologic and Soil Resources Inventory Summary. National Park Service
This document summarizes the status of National Park Service (NPS) Geologic and Soil Resources Inventory (GSRI) deliverables for Obed Wild & Scenic River (OBRI). It also provides information on current geology and soil resources management concerns with a focus on identified inventory needs related to geologic heritage, geohazards, and related soil features and processes. This document is intended to assist park staff with prioritizing technical assistance or new inventory and assessment funding requests in the near term (1–5 years). GRI hosted a baseline scoping meeting for OBRI in 2007. Baseline bedrock and surficial geologic maps were delivered to the park in 2015 and updated in 2024. SRI delivered a legacy soil database and map to the park in 2006 and delivered updated data and an “enhanced report” in 2013. Geologic heritage resources of particular interest include the Obed River, its tributaries and gorge; stratotypes; rock shelters and first inhabitants; homesteading; oil, gas, and coal; unique, geologically controlled habitats and ecological relationships; and river rapids and recreation. Soils at OBRI are generally thin and rocky on upper slopes with limited fertility. In the river floodplains and valley bottoms, the soils are thicker and more fertile but of limited spatial extent. Geologic and soil resource management issues include fluvial issues, abandoned mineral lands (oil, gas, and coal), land use, visitor overuse, slope movements, and seismicity. Geohazards include flooding, extreme precipitation events, landslides, earthquakes, and toxicological soils. Inventory needs for geologic heritage include cliff use surveys, trail use studies, field inventories, ecological flow studies, and streambed mapping. For soils, inventory needs include detailed correlations of soil type and vegetation communities. Geologic and soil resource management inventory needs include cave and karst mapping (talus caves), landscape evolution mapping, slope movement potential mapping, identifying gaps in cliff lines and gorge access points, studying effects from urban and exurban sprawl, hydrogeologic modeling, slope analyses, digitizing mine maps, spoil area mapping, and abandoned mineral land site identification.
- Type
- Unpublished Report
- Authors
- Thornberry-Ehrlich, Trista
- Date of Issue
- 2026-05
- Publisher
- National Park Service
- Units
- APHN , GRI , OBRI , SER
- Keywords
- Abandoned Mineral Lands, Acid Mine Drainage, Caves, Coal, Contaminated Mine Drainage, Fluvial Issues, Free-Flowing River, Geologic Features, Geologic Hazards, Geologic Heritage, Geologic History, Geologic Processes, GIS, GSRI, Homesteading, Karst, Map Units, Oil and Gas, Paleontological Resources, Periglacial, Rapids, Resource Management, Rock Shelters, Seismicity, Slope Movements, Stratotype Inventory, Wild and Scenic River
- Subjects
- Ecological Framework: Geology and Soils | Geomorphology | Glacial Features and Processes , Ecological Framework: Geology and Soils | Geomorphology | Hillslope Features and Processes , Ecological Framework: Geology and Soils | Geomorphology | Stream/River Channel Characteristics , Ecological Framework: Geology and Soils | Subsurface Geologic Processes | Cave/Karst Features and Processes , Ecological Framework: Geology and Soils | Subsurface Geologic Processes | Seismic Activity , Ecological Framework: Geology and Soils | Soil Quality | Soil Function and Dynamics , Ecological Framework: Geology and Soils | Paleontology | Paleontology