The Big Blue Rock Pod

Ep. 11: Lakes and rivers and streams, Oh My! A lively discussion about Kentucky’s surface hydrology

Matt, Doug, and Sarah discuss surface hydrology, differentiating natural and engineered lakes, Kentucky watersheds, geology's role in Kentucky lake characteristics, and cool factoids about the Commonwealth's rich surface freshwater resources. And poke a little fun at a few of our border states (who we love). Photo is from Grayson Lake in eastern Kentucky (by Doug Curl).

Ep. 10: Diving Into Geologic Time

Matt, Sarah, and Doug discuss all things geologic time with KGS geologist and geomorphologist Jason Dortch (a lover of geologic time and our first repeat guest!) including the abstract concept itself, the geologic time scale, deep time, love/hate with the Anthropocene, geologic hazards and resiliency, and much more!

Ep. 9: A Chat with Ky State Geologist and KGS Director, Dr. Bill Haneberg

Our guest is Bill Haneberg, State Geologist of Kentucky and Director here at the Kentucky Geological Survey. Listen as we talk about all things geological surveys, where they fit into the geologic community, KGS accomplishments, Bill's background, current research, and his billiards game.

Ep. 8: GIS and Spatial Data in KY: Leading the Way

In this episode, we talk with Kent Anness, Director of the Kentucky Division of Geographic Information, about the wealth of cutting-edge spatial data, like aerial photography and lidar, available in Kentucky. We discuss uses and analysis that go well beyond geology, including disaster planning, emergency 911 location, business siting, and transportation planning.
Program note: we recorded this episode before the recent flooding in eastern Kentucky (July 2022), and in the weeks, months, and years ahead many of these GIS resources we discussed will likely be used for rescue, recovery, and planning in the affected areas. Our thoughts are with those impacted by the flooding in eastern Kentucky. If you would like to help, here are some links for donations and needs:
 
Team Eastern KY Flood Relief Fund:
https://secure.kentucky.gov/FormServices/Finance/EKYFloodRelief
 
Foundation for Appalachian Kentucky, Appalachian Crisis Fund:
https://www.appalachianky.org/
 
Appalshop Flood Relief Resources:
https://appalshop.org/news/appalachian-flood-support-resources

Ep. 7: The Brachiopodcast: Paleontology, Fossils, and More!

The Big Blue Rock Pod hosts talk with Steve Greb, KGS geologist and resident paleontology expert, about fossils, fossil preservation, paleontology’s role in other geologic theories and disciplines, shark jaws, and Matt’s love of stromatoporoids. Does Sarah mention caves and karst? Tune in to find out!