The purpose of this study is to determine the adequacy of the library service rendered to the people of Burnet County, Texas.

Seven maps depicting general geology, physical properties, environmental geology, soils, soil thickness, slope, and fracture intensity describe the land in the Lake Travis vicinity. The maps, descriptive text, and interpretive tables provide the basis for evaluations of land-use capability. The general geologic map shows variations in bedrock, in surface deposits, and in the structural-geometrical relations of the units. It is a basic data source for constructing and interpreting the other maps. The physical properties map presents qualitative engineering characteristics of substrate and surface materials. Most of the Lake Travis vicinity is underlain by carbonate rocks that are generally stable foundations for construction. The environmental geologic map is based on variations in processes, landforms, and surface and bedrock materials. Process units represent areas subject to flooding and mass wasting as well as loci of aquifer recharge. These areas will sustain only limited use without detrimental environmental effects. Material-landform units represent areas that have constraints to land use; however, with preventive or corrective engineering the land could probably sustain a variety of uses. Soils, soil thickness, slope, and fracture intensity maps present data at a smaller scale than that of the general geologic, physical properties, and environmental geologic maps. Soil cover is generally thin or absent. Most of the land is moderately steeply to very steeply sloping. High-density fracture zones that allow rapid water infiltration occur in some of the area. The land-use capability map constructed to depict suitability for septic tank operation shows that most of the Lake Travis vicinity is generally unsuited for this use. The current land use map delimits areas of population pressure and attendant competitive uses of the land. These pressures intensify the need for enlightened planning so that land use will be compatible with limitations shown or implied on the basic maps. / text

The purpose of the author is to present a geological survey of the Backbone Ridge area in Burnet and Llano counties, Texas. During the summer of 1947 while enrolled in a geologic field course in McCullough County, it was noted that a new classification of the Cambrian and Ordovician formations In central Texas had been presented In the literature. It was noted at the same time that the Paleozoic rocks of the Llano uplift are more highly faulted than had been shown on previous geologic maps of the region. The writer concluded from field observations that the Backbone Ridge area was more complexly faulted then had been previously shown, and it was decided to test this conclusion by making a detailed geologic map of the area using the stratigraphic subdivisions recently established by Bridge, Barnes, and Cloud. A detailed study was made of these subdivisions and a large number of the type sections were visited. It was necessary to study the complete geologic history of the region in order that the events which involved the complex structural pattern and the present physiographic forms might be properly understood. The material contained in this report consists of data obtained from the literature and from field observations which were made in the area during the months of June and July of 1948. / text