FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES
MAP SERIES NO. 80 BUREAU OF GEOLOGY


ENVIRONMENTAL GEOLOGY SERIES



FORT PIERCE SHEET



Ed Lane. Michael S. Knapp.and Tom S-o1

FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES
DIVISION OF RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
BUREAU OF GEOLOGY



Tallaha
1980







Development of guidelmes for wie management of I Honda's natural re
sures depends uPon a good working knowledge ot the State's geology as it
rates to man's environmental problems. Management decisions must be basd


mapping, mining ad rechmation Envronmental gologic maps provde the
basic data needed for the creation and execution of sund programs m the above.

of geologi9lly related data of a more spc9al9zed or local nature The ultimate
purpo of the Stae's environmntal geogy mappmg program is to misure
development of Florida's natural eues with the least possible envIonmental




u or most purposs. Mappmg involved aeral photographic and topocg.aph,
n. prrtat.on and f -cd work (-w-ing qn--es, rrow pits, nds. oad .. us
ind other rock exposures) to provide the necessary data pomts. Us was d1m
made of all pubbshcd and unpubhshed data in the files of the I londa Burau of
Geology plus published ports of the U S. Geologial Surey and the US Soil


REGIONAL SETTING

The study ra is looted east central peninlar I lorIda and includes
Highlands. Indan RIer. Okecchobee. and St. LUCI ~ unies, the nor thrn parts
of Cha]ott, Glades, and Martm cuntles, the eastern parts of De St-, and


POPULATION AND DEVELOPMENT


o9 r 10,000; 1the were Bartw. 12,891, 11 Pilerce 29,721, Lake Wales -
23,714, and Vro Beah 11.908 The pIrtnIn of ladeses anid Charlotte -unt
shown on the map do not con. m an) urban aras. tt has a rural population
9119it2 09 l9299992919 1 1 t-a iour 99991 9d999 9 9192 9191922

population by unity was Brcvard 230,006, 70% urban, De Sate. 13.0-I 0.
43% urban, Hardee 14,889, 20% urban; lHihlands 29507, 48% urba--tnd-n
River 3S,992. 70% U1ban; M2artin 28.035. 982% urban. Oke-obec1. 911.233,
339 urban, Oso2 a 215.267, S urban; Pol. 227,222. 61 9 urban, and
St LuCe 50.836,66% urban



INDUSTRY AND TRANSPORTATION


cattleraisMng and trunk-fam a predomian., Tousmec, nlbutast r

e Ier, past trnds mthcate tat tourism dli prnhably groI rapily In the future
and w-i, nt-rlt te more to the economy-
Many small, shallow, open-pit mmes are attered through the area which
extract sand, hmstone, c.quma, shlls, and clavey hands. These cmmodtles
ae primaly for locahIed consumption n construction and for roads Part of
the Central I Iorida phosphate distnc located n the ea-em p.t of Polk

Several major roads on the area. US. 1 p.a1lels the Atlantic Ocean on
the east .ast and I s as the main route for mur-m to South Florida. Inter,
ate 95 ( I9ord 1 's Turnpike) runs from the2 approximate north nteI of the
area to the -utheast crner. U.S. 27 .ns down the cnter of the Lake Wales




"In Many other "Ilndly, cast-west roads mnterconst amon them mjor
hbhways Innumerable dirt roads and trais ton he -ampy h~mos,


phate dustyy Other r-il lnes run do-n the Atlnthc coast and the Lake WaWIs
Rde to rr he -pa -o nr d ther industry. Atmos p-y pou-

St LucI anl is the eastern hll ol a barge al system that cross the entire
peninsula from the city of Stun on hc Atlantic Oan, aos Lake Okeechobee,
thence suthwestward m the Calnosatcihe River/Carl (not shwn on this
map) to Iort Myers on he Gulf The K-ssmmee River has been extensily
dredged and now provih s a vigable waterway between Lake K mme on
th- north ad Lake .Okeechobe on the buth. The Intra, astl Waterway
between the m9ainla9 *astline ad the outer barer island, provides sheltered
paie for b boatrameong the Atlantic cast

CLIMATE


Temperatus range from an average low of 63 degrees I- (17 deges C) I Jan.
Iyto an -e of fi d.r- s1i (27 degrs )m A ust a y -
round avomge of 73 deg s (22 dgies C). Average nuI rafa, l s 50-55
inches (l7-139 c) wlt the heaviest -..nfal Junn, July. August, Sepember
ad Otobel.


GEOLOGIC S19CSSION

Thick equences of sdimentary -ofs overlie the crysmaln atrent rocks
m this part of the -ntral prnoia The diments range from o 6,000 feet
thick (1.830 my no.hwe .rn Pe County to over 12,00fecat thhl (3,660m)
m eastern St Lucre and southern highlands counties Sedmiits whmn a few
hundred feet of the surface gener9a9y con2st of clast9222cs snoha nds. sits and
clays; Iand carbonales such as lit0ons, dolonmtes or Ash s bd In many 1. s
thes litholog c units are intcbcddcd or mterfmgnred maic gradational from







all0d marss, clays anti cayey snds that e dhaow ditches and
sreams, aund Lake rOkechobee, and aLong the _tlaitic .ast, Also. P.eis-
tocene sedimcnts arc the meto medum size ande and s.ts that comprise he


Ridges. Re s edmts are the deposts of peat, lake depa hs, dune rands and

A .ot of St. Luci. Martin. O(A obc. HghlMads. Brvjrd, Osceola.




deposits. Shil beds. clays and clayey --s underhe the surfcial hands and the
pat, .own on theoss tion
The .hell beds, cays, sands, and hmestones e la-i down by rene
pIoII During the last _0 niion years of Pletstoene time sa level t os1
.mo9 t.an 1.I0 eet1 (30 m) Wabove p91t 9 a lovel and fel- l more than 200 1et
(60 m) below prennt ea level Tee a Icel nuituatons occurred 1 -rat


any given location aoss the relatiely f -t Plateau. The result of these a
level changes s a very -mpW.x bddng and interfmgrm- of heterogeneousI
lithologies the sbsurfac Elat.raphiy The parent coastal beaches, offshore
barrier islands, and back-bay depos have been designated as shell hthology
beau of the1 shell, slt. and day content Quic often the shell beds Ihave
been changed to a quina, which is a limestone mnposd of shells, corals.
orgame debris, id or other mm -als tat have ben cemented together. Fr-
ments of the quina units are .mmonly found in poil pdeal ong he -.any

shel beds orhlly we thke Touh geologic ime however, their al-
eous shells nd debris ha been leached away leaving the iuded quart
Ind and oIter nslubte mieral as residuum. Intf nberedad mtetbedded
Ioor 929 o11 swh1 e 29y1 i d9 T n2d2usts ar. 11bh- d-sontuo t 99 .. .. s2 l











s "rmapge landtrms Penhh sular ]iond ns mte paot of the Ioridan

Plateau wch is prently above level On the eastern side of e

(16 to 32 km) offshore of S. Luct Brevard, Indian River, and Martnl













unoaver ps the [ te a londan Parteau As sf a leave d the a d -e
the p reatsw e Onelns modione the sueIatydde osf mby be 20


























r I .) I -. I t ..3, 1 1- 11 -
.ed -by .I, a- d Vemon (196) Ths map mlhds pt&
foeet( ) higaplc proinhes, from east to we t. A 1i C m
Lowdans (inhudes he Atlantic Coastal Riadgeati and r a












operationsl A larn; Centra s locatd Includ and Idian R iver Sountleh
2th99e At9ohnseVae, R or Lam any) and t posits oSo pPeat T 2e po Ara -oundan2 -
2ae92s wt the9 12h2s0s rh9e9 2r991hane9s, 1 9and1m 9129 992at91 9aed o r t






















prly drained se lowlands (or aTbtdes t as yae sal thmed) repdesent theu
hanlow, lat t oteornsof anae nt ar nthes low flatms
hei geologic o hs as If inaai I i. ord offshore bars On he maphy
19912 21 999191 12 9 9 999912. 2 9 -9 eas9 r 299 1 f th9 9

















and actions dgese th o a evaon (L Pm) Gog from 10 20
(99 to929 km1 ofshoref 1t. Lucre Brevar, inda'n Re,9nd 29t9
21te9 9o 19 the wes9 sid9 9e 01 pn--7, th1 dg1 29 1e 1 9nd9


-Gl abo d 991 o 922 p92 .21 ee, 1-1. e 9 atey --e. 99



























G2 2p.2 1


The Atlanic Coastal Ridge closely parallels the entry celm of gievard.
Ind.n River- St. Lucia ad Mtin counties d is abor m e mo
(1i.6 to 3 2 km) wde. The genera elevations along the Ridge a from 30 to 60


castal sand danes whtch are now relatively stable and spandy vQtean Te-
Mile Ridge and Green Ridge are mIdstnet features that am dffilt o dustngush

then slihtly higher elevations above the Atlantic Coastal L-o2wads Ty r1 anl
in elevation from 25 to 35 feet (76 to 10 5m) They ae ptMbly rdh beach
ridges o1 offshore bas. Lxamples of modern-day Iunte91at9 s of these fe9ar
may be found along the Atlantic Coast m the form of Pr. Hultohin ali
Jupiter Islands, and the offshoc shoals a d bars.

The western edge of the Atantic Coastal Lolamis teminates along a

--ntour ine. This scarp marks the boundary of the ascena Plan On the mhil

third of Polk County, the northern and east of O ot Conty,
ar small parts of western Brevard, Indian River St. Lade amit Mart ats
Lev t ns rangeofronabo. t 80 fet (244 4 ) a. ..A bro, ilthoT e part
and gradually slop-g down to about 50 f-t <15 W aI iii sthen edge Io the
north of Lake Okeechobee. with a narrwere m a that sopesdow to abut
40 feel (12 m) aI Ind.n Town m MartI Coly. Abo- th larlt thH phtu is
essentially flat and, expt for its very grdal dow ard from north to
uth, local rehef eldom exceds 5 iOt (1 m The mi dy of this pham


A fnier-li ke extension of ths plam pis to the h ogh e
Sl Lucic and Mart. unies. and -osely pItalkk t cstcr shor of Lake
Okeeehobee. This may have been a sandlon. o c4mp, whih tem ted the

-Superdmpod on !h O ola P s a vry promiet ine and rdg

lstokpoga (on the map it s situated btw the "Av park A rorce


i1' S. I t.~ .-, r ,... ,.t r b -t ,


and created poreoudy with, the Lake Wales Rge.
The OIeech laom xrne a farele that opes
very gradtay dawwad fm the oth fm ttu e toe of the Otceoa Paint It
is a tringular-haped aea whos apex is at the n ort.weixer diOle of Lake
slokpoga One sd of e angle tns n ht h fro he apex 1h
t rthnm border of ede map ao d o s aiproxnnatd by hec 50fooe t (15 m) conr
tour hna that etads ft Le Itokpga o a u thL a ad W th lo the
pnmt of idae iloBn of the Okepombee County o er c hwth fa ile orelmc of



, pet, rthology is udran by rslat y d depoa$ of peat (ctmmly
caped mck and orgafcnc sndt, 4epcaiding o Rocatin. Ihe peaty dTpo its
may be 20 feet (6 m) k m pdaces, bt a aavng wokld be fom 3-6 fl

(-2 m). They ae wo und eiia by tayey sads and un tods. Fxperu
Sm 5 these tpes of peaty h it VAn ei d haR show tht rapr d


the t weg o A srfa I b ill b. A -a fate an be
fo.scen for [his peal prn f it 11 dcetopoet and ,tld as the lrviades



kat a abru sarp ot f the ter e of te Lake Waler b drge. O s Lke

ofcttaula, both m elevate eand area- extent, it is dostincttve oteah lo be rt-

9appro9 2ra1s 9 axprs of the9 Rd00e The suth2rn t19 19p 1 kmIth bs vy 75-ft
<23 m) otour w tre the Gad hg hlaadt County hd about
3 imeE km) uth of the town of V u Te Rc c of rout tandy
hdlf wsah an large lakes The outras td to cluo e a the e central axs of the
.Wg; ey hae sep edes; ae d they are rhoyhd oa o- -Pmb tai of a

of derfaymp r ntlocs ao d r frbiequep l muc1 of the ovcayiog a tndy idi-
nhill T hipheR eauo o the Ridge n ths aa 293 fet (89 m) O a
- -1] jn eaf of C Lake m T31 S, R 268 i


two arge itre rn a.os. it, the Peae River and I i-tl, Creek, it ts poorly
daame with cutles bo.gy as durng the wet s n. Its etern boundary
Il -west mmar.g of the Lake Wa-s Ridge. It beaIs at the poit where Polk.
.hjde and Highlands ountis' boundaies meet (T 33 S. R 21 r) and trends
99 t99 99the90t I92g th9 100 1 19 1 (30 19 192192r hn9 t 11 Ch-9(;]e Cnu-y

Ime at the .uth-rn tip of the Lake Wales Ridge. Is northern boundary 1s -ppro" -



ts another region of hth, rolling sndy his, the Polk U plan

ot being the largest fresh-watnr body in the 48 contiguous stl-es ot the uS., its
surfacarea ts approximately 700 square ies (1.B13 sq km) It isvery shallow




Water re-us of the region insist of -rfae ad ground water, both of
which cntribute signlfcatly to the e .nhmic and en -onmenta health nf the


Ground water occurs m this region m at9e2an aquifers and nonartes9an
aqifes Water lg unnfincd under -the fa said to under non-


under rt ndts. Water abkl conditions exist th ghut the map
arci Over mnt of ihc flt, ,wl4yi aeas the top of th water tbk v
iasonally from ground surfa t2o about 20 ftt deep. -Eceptions to these con-
dits ar in the aa of high dues of the Aantict Coasal Ridge and along
the Lke Wales Rid and other rg in the a- the top of the water abk
Sdper, g rally, and mo vriabk m nfiguman



-. ,, ,, -.,,

of' the domls f o snal-demand water spplies > obtained from khe water*

mhiy U.2 demand pplie s for m1 icipa, 1 n and atle a obtained
fr the i-iow water bt. sc thc atlsian I IOrfda aquifer water s oo

The artemn I'lordu aquifer underles th entir regon. It is spaated
from h sa watertable aqufen by ( n of eatively imprnea e
the map 2 2 e t 2nd of the top of the T9r9oen aquifer is from a high in the north-
sest cer of the map to the sutheaa. The tend reflects the genera mgnal
attitude of the top of the limsons that cmprs e upper part of the FIor-
dar qunfer. In the nrthws rner of the map I Po& Counw the top of the

N800 feet dep in Mat C-nty. The Lake Wk Rige in Po& County s a

able waters to the 1orida through nnuerble inkholes, permeabls sndey
- .., ,,b- -' -e- '-' i. _"-,a ..'. i'. '




ach ae. be poo~re with depth. Water quaty dete rates along the



ECONOMIC GEOLOGY

Minel odt m th on nt of: clayey sand. mi h
beds), lilltone and phosphte. with the exeptin of phosphate, mItt of the

.-. for rad-bae ad otnctn at SoU i Iimne m.d in the

viinty of the town of Oeehob. which is ued m apl ad -nwte manu-



exoa ctyey Msads ma for m mmal
part of e Centru Flrid pho.ha- dimit that u loted m the
part of pok County l nsthutes a maAor, m ult'illion dola per ye

bc m xtra rium ox. l e as a martb by-p ut of processing ph-
ph~te. TMe predicted rv cap ildilt m iy a t to 15 per -nt of the
U2ted Sta-2s don9199 rquee9ts, 19S92 y and Windb2., 1979)
OUTCROPS OF INTEREST

I. Highland County, T299 ip 33 S, Rate 28I E. Section 4. no th9st qAr-
of clayey sands of the Mi Hawthorn For b.ion-




3 keechobee Conty. To 35 S, Ran 36 E, Section northeast





SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY

Bishop, 1 W. 1956. Geoloy a G Grnd-Wa ter Re ces of Hghds Ct y,
F;-lord Flrida b eolkSgioiSuty Report ofIn pkigatoni NO. 1i.
DausJ.H. 1946. Thf Peal Drpo St of Floida, riomla Geologcal Suey BUSle-
tID No. 30.
Heady, HG. 1974. thlotate Surface od Ar of Atm Flow of the
Floria Aquf,. FkMda BN of- MhSerieiNo. 73.
KIcin, H., ShroederM. and Lhr.W.F. M9. Goy and Grond-Water
source of i-o a Hb- C-.n F Flri Geologal
Suey Report of iwsloa No. 37.

llda ['[orida ( ,ologfcal Su-y Report of 111stgatons No 23.
_laNeI. I S 1950. Ple-she- fhonlii in -onda Ind Geo-gi U.S. Geolog-
ical Su99 ey p92 f9u9 nal p29 ae 2212
Parker, G.G. and Coo2e2 C1 W 1944. late Cenozo9c 9eolt9 9l S1thern 9l9or9al
with A D o"f e Groud Water. I lnda GeoIlogi Survey
Buaethn No. 27.
Puri H.S. ad Vern. R.O 1964. Suminrv of the Geoloy of Ho-a ald A
Guidebok to the Chai Expore I onda Geotogical Surey Spe-a
Pub.iatio No, 5 (Roesed)
Swney, L.W. and Windham. S.R 1979 Florida The New Uranium Producer
FloridaBureaul of Geology Spcmil Pubhcation No. 22.
Veri AR., Jaen9. .WW. and Berpahi, D- 197,5 Enironmental Qualhy
B, Des* n. South I Universitly of Miami Plre s
'.. 9-.. 2 of the Flr.da Pen. .la For2a Bureau


92 99 999 229<92


I I I


-.999'~I92.9222


EXPLANATION


I[ I Med.-Fine Sand and Silt I Shelly Sand and Clay


Clayey Sand I Peat


Sandy Clay Limestone/Dolomite

EJ Limestone


LOCATION of CROSS SECTIONS


II I I t I ~


II


: .: 1 ': :" :