Thomas J. Evans
Assistant Director
Program Leader, Bedrock Geology
Faculty
Department of Environmental Sciences
University of Wisconsin–Extension
Tel 608/263.4125 Fax 608/262.8086
email tevans@wisc.edu

Research interests

In recent years, I have focused more on administrative activity. I have overseen the ongoing collaborative effort to create and manage the Mount Horeb Research Collections and Education Center. Still very much a work in progress, the Mount Horeb facility has the potential for not only housing our extensive collections of physical materials—mineral exploration and engineering drill core, sample sets from public and private water-wells, and hand-size samples of rocks from all across the state—but also including a modern educational facility capable of providing enhanced educational outreach regarding Wisconsin geology to our clients and customers. My most recent efforts in the administration area is to lead the Survey in the development of an archival plan to preserve the many sets of data and information that are a part of the WGNHS legacy and to help ensure the availability of such information for many years.

I also continue to work in geology; I mapped the geology of La Crosse County several years ago and have worked with colleagues in mapping the buried bedrock surface of southeast Wisconsin. Most recently, I was engaged in mapping the bedrock geology of Pierce County and completed a STATEMAP funded mapping project (initiated by a former colleague) on the bedrock geology of Pierce and St. Croix Counties, Wisconsin.

I have always been interested in complex resource policy issues and the way such issues affect the general public. In my time with the Survey, I have worked extensively on metallic mining—its regulation at the state and local levels of government and the impact of metallic mineral exploration and development on Wisconsin citizens—and on the policy aspects of federal and state relationships regarding the management, storage, and disposal of high-level radioactive waste. Such complex resource policy issues invariably are controversial and can be divisive, and I am engaged in Extension’s role as a source of objective information as a means to empower citizens, government groups, and industrial interests in resolving conflicts related to these kind of issues.

Current projects

For the last year or so, I have been working with the Oneida County Board, helping them evaluate the feasibility of leasing the zinc-lead-silver orebody known as the Lynne Deposit.
Geology of the buried bedrock surface of southeastern Wisconsin (I am working on the report).
Mapping the bedrock geology of Pierce and St. Croix Counties (another report I am working on).
I lead the Survey’s data preservation activities and the incorporation of its long-range data preservation plan into the culture of the Survey.
I administer the Survey’s bedrock programs supported through the STATEMAP component of the National Cooperative Geologic Mapping Program.
I provide general administrative support to the Director and State Geologist.

Collaborations

In 2008-2009 I was engaged with several Extension colleagues in re-evaluating a variety of issues related to UW-Extensions tenure and scholarship programs and rules.

As a part of my mapping in Pierce County, in 2006 and 2007 I collaborated with Bill Cordua of UW-River Falls in pulling together geologic, geochemical, and geophysical data related to the Rock Elm complex, a meteorite impact structure in east-central Pierce County. [More on meteorites in Wisconsin]

In 2005 I worked with James Lesser, University of Wisconsin–Extension Distance Education/Digital Media Unit, and James M. Robertson to develop the DVD “It all starts here,” which describes and documents the value and use of the physical materials contained within Survey research collections.

Beginning in 2003, I was one of two leaders in the creation of the Geology and Society Division of the Geological Society of America and have remained active with the division ever since.

Selected publications/presentations

Evans, T.J., 1989–1999, Selected developments in Wisconsin’s mineral industry in 1988–1998: Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey Educational Series 34, 7-10 p. (annual summaries).

Evans, T.J., 1981–1988, Metallic mineral exploration in Wisconsin, Summary of 1980–1987 Activity: Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey Educational Series 18, 4-6 p. (annual summaries).

Evans, T.J., and Halstead, R.J., 1987, How many geologic repositories will be needed?: Proceedings, Waste Management '87, Tucson, Arizona, 8 p.

Evans, T.J., and Cieslik, M.J., 1985, Impact on groundwater from closure of an underground zinc-lead mine in southwest Wisconsin: Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey Miscellaneous Paper 85-1, 16 p.

Geologic mapping
Cordua, W.S., and Evans, T.J., 2007, Geology of the Rock Elm complex, Pierce County, Wisconsin: Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey Open-File Report 2007-02, 1 color plate, scale 1:24,000.

Evans, T.J., Cordua, W.S., LePain, D.L., 2007, Preliminary geology of the buried bedrock surface, Pierce County, Wisconsin: Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey Open-File Report 2007-08, 1 color plate, scale 1:100,000.

Evans, T.J., 2004, Preliminary bedrock geology of Milwaukee County, Wisconsin: Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey Open-File Report 2004-14, 3 color plates, scale 1:100,000.
Bedrock Geology | Bedrock Topography | Depth to Bedrock

Evans, T.J., 2004, Preliminary bedrock geology of Ozaukee County, Wisconsin: Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey Open-File Report 2004-16, 3 color plates, scale 1:100,000.
Bedrock Geology | Bedrock Topography | Depth to Bedrock

Evans, T.J., 2004, Preliminary bedrock geology of Racine County, Wisconsin: Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey Open-File Report 2004-12, 3 color plates, scale 1:100,000.
Bedrock Geology | Bedrock Topography | Depth to Bedrock

Evans, T.J., Massie-Ferch, K.M., and Peters, R.M., 2004, Preliminary bedrock geologic map of Walworth, Racine, Kenosha, Milwaukee, Waukesha, Ozaukee, and Washington Counties, Wisconsin: Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey Open-File Report 2004-18, one color plate, scale 1:100,000.

Evans, T.J., Massie-Ferch, K.M., and Peters, R.M., 2004, Preliminary bedrock topography map of Walworth, Racine, Kenosha, Milwaukee, Waukesha, Ozaukee, and Washington Counties, Wisconsin: Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey Open-File Report 2004-19, one color plate, scale 1:100,000.

Evans, T.J., Massie-Ferch, K.M., and Peters, R.M., 2004, Preliminary depth to bedrock map of Walworth, Racine, Kenosha, Milwaukee, Waukesha, Ozaukee, and Washington Counties, Wisconsin: Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey Open-File Report 2004-20, one color plate, scale 1:100,000.

Evans, T.J., 2003, Geology of La Crosse, County, Wisconsin: Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey Bulletin 101, 31 p.

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