GEOLOGICAL PAPERS. 109 



PHYSIOGRAPHIC DIVISIONS OF KANSAS. 



By George I. Adams, Washington, D. C. 

 Read before the A«aderay, at lola, December 31, 1901. 



THE eastern portion of Kansas has only a moderate elevation 

 above sea-level, the river valleys being about 750 feet above 

 tide where they cross the boundary. The surface rises to a height of 

 about 4000 feet in the northeast corner of the state, but the transition 

 is gradual, and mountainous features nowhere occur Isolated mounds, 

 hills, ridges and escarpments are the boldest forms of relief, and are 

 conspicuous in contrast with the broader stretches of gentle slopes, 

 rolling prairies, terraced uplands, broad plains, and moderate stream 

 valleys. While the topography of Kansas is that of a plains country, 

 it presents an ever-pleasing variation to the traveler, or impresses 

 him anew with its quiet grandeur. The text-book of geology is here 

 so plain that he who runs may read in simple lessons the story of the 

 formation of the earth and the manner in which it has been 

 sculptured into pleasing features. There are no overpowering scenes, 

 and, although there are broad problems, the mind is seldom per- 

 plexed when considering that which lies within the range of vision. 

 It may be that this is the reason that the general features of the 

 state have thus far not been outlined. There are many fine de- 

 scriptions of impressive localities and isolated scenes, but no one has 

 attempted to distinguish the units which constitute the physiographic 

 divisions of the state. Most of them are already well described, but 

 their limits have not been defined or shown on a map. It is the pur- 

 pose of this paper to indicate as clearly as possible their boundaries 

 and salient characteristics, and to supplement brief descriptions by 

 quotations from the already voluminous literature. 



The first general physiographic map of the United States pub- 

 lished was that by J. W. Powell, in the National Geographic Mono- 

 graphs. ' The limits of the regions are there not closely defined, and 

 subsequent study has shown the necessity of modifying them some- 

 what. The map of the physical divisions of the United States con- 

 tained in Davis's Physical Geography differs from that of Powell in 

 certain details, but it likewise is subject to revision. In the accom- 

 panying sketch map the results of a closer study of the regions adja- 

 cent to Kansas are presented. It is incomplete in part, especially in 

 failing to show the limits of the regions in the southern portion of 

 Oklahoma. It, however, presents clearly the physiographic relations 



