Integrated Geological Survey in North Rhine-Westphalia — Explanatory Notes to the Ruhr Region Kartier Project

A summary description of the mapped geological units as well as an overview of the representation levels of the project area Ruhrgebiet as part of the integrated geological survey of the Geological Service NRW. With regard to future issues, DG NRW, as the competent regional authority, continued the exploration and documentation of the near-surface and deeper underground in the Ruhr area, which began more than 150 years ago. In addition to the data collected over many decades from mining activity, many digest and drilling information, numerous archival data, e.g. from geoscientific advice, and other sources of information, new findings were also collected. These were primarily used to verify previous data in order to be able to methodically reassess them according to uniform and up-to-date criteria. In addition to the exploration of the terrain surface by mapping and drilling, geophysical borehole measurements, sampling of the occurring rocks and the exploration of structures of the coal deposit, hydrogeological, geotechnical, geothermal and soil-related aspects were investigated. The geoscientific findings document the expertise on the rocks of the different Earth Ages, their spatial location and their importance relevant to planning. From the very beginning, the DG NRW supports the structural change in the Ruhr area almost in technical terms. Geoscientific questions within the framework of planning, e.g. for land use for settlements, industry or infrastructure measures, but also for the extraction of raw materials, groundwater, building ground, the use of regenerative geothermal heat and valuable soils, have been and will be evaluated competently in the Ruhr metropolitan region and are answered in good cooperation with other specialised authorities and municipalities. With the final closure of the coal industry at the end of 2018, new questions and requirements on the subsoil were put into focus, for which forward-looking data are necessary. As an example, only the responsible prognostic handling of groundwater resurgence after the closure of mine water management is mentioned here. Geoscientific facts are important mosaic stones in order to realise plans for the future, to optimise the long-started structural change and to accompany them in a future-oriented manner.