Elevation rasters (surfaces) were constructed for the base contacts of seven Paleozoic sedimentary lithostratigraphic groups in southwest Wisconsin. Meant to be used at a regional scale of 1:250,000, these surfaces were constructed to provide baseline geologic information for various applied and fundamental uses. For example, elevation estimates for geologic formation or group contacts can be used in contaminant susceptibility mapping and to predict the depth of aquifer and aquitard intervals during water well drilling. They can also help inform and justify future field mapping efforts by providing regional interpretations of the presence, thickness, and distribution of geologic formations.
Rasters for the base of the Maquoketa Group and undivided Silurian section were completed for Grant and Iowa counties, while rasters for the base Sinnipee, Ancell, Prairie du Chien, Trempealeau, and Tunnel City groups cover a larger area across seven counties (Grant, Iowa, Richland, Crawford, Vernon, Monroe, and La Crosse counties).