Geologic and Geographic Setting

The University of Alabama is located in Tuscaloosa, along the "fall line" where the Paleozoic Appalachian Orogenic Belt plunges beneath Mesozoic-Tertiary shelf sediments of the Gulf Coastal Plain. Thus, the University is within a few hours drive of a wide range of geological environments, including: undeformed terrigenous and carbonate sedimentary rocks of the Black Warrior foreland basin; folded and thrusted sedimentary rocks of the Valley and Ridge Province; low to medium-grade meta-sedimentary, meta-volcanic, and meta-plutonic rocks of the Piedmont Province; high grade Precambrian Grenville lithologies in the Pine Mountain Window; and sediments of the Coastal Plain. Alabama is presently a major coal and gas producer; and has produced iron ore, gold, copper, and tin-tantalum in the past.

West-central Alabama is heavily forested, mainly with oak, hickory, and southern pine. There are numerous man-made and natural lakes within a few miles of Tuscaloosa, including 5,885 acre Lake Tuscaloosa, which are used for swimming, fishing, sailing, water skiing, and canoeing. The Locust Fork of the Black Warrior River north of Birmingham contains Class 3 whitewater, and there are numerous backpacking and hiking trails in the state's parks and national forests. Tuscaloosa is only a five-hour drive from some of the finest beaches on the Gulf of Mexico.

The climate in west-central Alabama is mild with a mean summer temperature of 82° F (28° C) and a mean winter temperature of 47° F (8° C); suitable for year-round jogging and cycling. Rainfall averages 54 inches (137 cm) annually, with the heaviest rainfall between December and March. Winters are short and mild; and may include one snowfall a year which lasts longer than a few hours. Spring normally begins in early March, and is marked by flowering dogwoods and azaleas. In the summer, rainfall generally occurs in a tropical thunderstorm pattern,with short periods of very hard rain separated by long periods of clear skies. Autumn begins in October, and is marked by brilliant yellow, gold, and orange foliage.

Tuscaloosa

Tuscaloosa is located along the Black Warrior River about 60 miles southwest of metropolitan Birmingham. Interstate highway I-59/I-20 provides direct access to Atlanta (4 hours) and New Orleans (5 hours). Tuscaloosa is serviced by a modern airport for private planes; the Birmingham regional airport is 60 minutes away via I-59/I-20. One of the few remaining Amtrak lines, the "Southern Crescent," connects Tuscaloosa with New Orleans and Atlanta.

Tuscaloosa and Northport, across the Black Warrior River, have a combined population of 120,000, large enough to support a wide range of shopping malls, restaurants, and recreational facilities. Apartments and rental houses are plentiful and relatively inexpensive.

A new amusement and water park called VisionLand has recently opened in Bessemer about 30 minutes north on I-59/I-20. It boasts the largest wooden roller coaster in the world.

Nicknamed the "Druid City" after the numerous oak trees lining the city streets, Tuscaloosa was Alabama's state capitol between 1826 and 1846, leaving a legacy of stately mansions and public buildings. More than 100 pre-Civil War structures stand in Tuscaloosa and the surrounding area, including the University Club in downtown Tuscaloosa and the President's Mansion and Gorgas House on the University campus.

The International Headquarters of Gulf States Paper Corporation features an extensive and spectacular art collection, parts of which are also on display at the Mildred-Warner House and the North River Yacht Club.

There are excellent medical facilities in the area; the DCH Regional Medical Center is the third largest hospital in the state and includes the state's most modern emergency and trauma center.

Tuscaloosa is the locus of many geologically-related federal, state, and private organizations. The Geological Survey of Alabama is located on the University campus, and a United States Geological Survey Water Resources Division Office is located in downtown Tuscaloosa.