Kentucky's Lowest Geological Point
The Low Point is the left side of the state line above
The New Madrid Earthquake, the largest earthquake ever recorded in the contiguous United States, centered near here on February 7, 1812. It got its name from its primary location in the New Madrid Seismic Zone, near New Madrid (MAD'-rid), Missouri.
Some sections of the Mississippi River appeared to run backwards for a short time and result of the quakes, large areas sank into the earth and new lakes were formed, notably Reelfoot Lake in Tennessee.
The Mississippi River changed its course, creating numerous geographic exclaves, including Madrid Bend, where Kentucky's lowest point occurs at 247 feet msl.
The Kentucky Bend is comprised of unconsolidated sediments which are a major part of the underlying geology of Kentucky's westernmost physiographic region, the Mississippi Embayment, as well as river sediments from the Mississippi and Ohio River.
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The coordinate will bring you to a location on Toney's Toehead Road (turnaround ahead) at the KY/TN state line. Just west of here, where the state line meets the Mississippi River is Kentucky's Low Point of 247 feet msl (depending on river pool level).
NOTE! DO NOT enter water to complete this cache! Here, the LOW POINT is WHEREVER the Mississippi River water meets Kentucky soil on the day you visit! The LOW POINT is never 'UNDER WATER'. You may also log this EC at the nearby turnaround w/photo and the answers to the questions below.
To log this Earthcache as a find, please upload a photo of yourself or your GPSr (see mine below) showing the exclave and your position. There is no requirement to bushwack to the river (but feel free).
Navigation stuff, and...............Arf! in the mirror image
Additionally, to demonstrate the educational value of this earthcache, please email the answers to the following questions to ARF!.
1. What created the exclave where the low point occurs?
2. What is the name of the physiographic region where the low point is located?
3. What manmade object is visible as the highest point (810ft) for miles on a bearing of 296-degrees, just 2.7 miles away?
4. Based on your GPSr reading, how close were you able to get to the actual coordinates before you met the swollen Mississippi River (don't go any farther)?
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Please email your answers first, then LOG THE FIND. Do not wait on a reply from me. FINDs which do not meet logging requirements will be deleted.
This Earthcache is hosted by a Platinum Earthcache Master!
See you out there!