The Geology of Virginia

A Resource for Information on the Commonwealth's Geology

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Geologic time scale

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SewellsMeanMonthlySeaLevel

Sea Level Change at Sewells Point

The level of the sea has been measured at Sewells Point, Virginia continuously since 1928.  In 1928 the mean level of the sea was ~45 cm ( ~18″) lower than it is in 2016.  Sea level rise and regional land subsidence is creating an ever-growing problem in Hampton Roads and most of coastal Virginia.

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What’s New in Virginia Geology

pluton contact

At the Pluton’s Edge

When large quantities of magma intrude and solidify in the Earth’s crust they form bodies of intrusive igneous rock known as plutons. The featured image nicely illustrates the edge (geologic contact) of a granitic pluton in the Blue Ridge Mountains of central Virginia. The granite is part of the 706 ± 4 million year old […]

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