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KGS shallow‑geophysics program draws Department of Defense funds; drone work finds orphaned wells
Summary
KGS described its shallow‑geophysics work, which has been used for sinkhole and tunnel detection and has attracted federal Defense Department funding. The survey also described an airborne drone magnetometer technique that identified orphaned wells for the Kansas Corporation Commission.
The Kansas Geological Survey told the House Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources that its shallow‑geophysics capabilities — developed originally for hazard and mine‑collapse detection — have been adapted for homeland security and have attracted Defense Department support.
KGS Director Jay Kalbus described equipment and methods used to detect shallow voids and tunnels. He showed images from a project at the U.S.–Mexico border where KGS‑developed systems identified smuggling tunnels; a Department of Defense agent appeared in the slide deck in a photo standing inside a tunnel the survey located.
Representative Carlin asked how the “tens of millions of dollars” came into Kansas. Kalbus answered: “The…
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