State Geological Surveys and the USGS are the primary entities involved in producing geologic maps for the nation. Geologic maps provide myriad benefits to public and private sector interests in the state, offering essential information for water resource management, building and construction planning, and natural resource management. The cumulative return on investment to society from geologic maps is at minimum 7-10 times the cost of production, and likely much higher (see Berg and Faulds, 2025). Perhaps equally important, but difficult to account for, is the value of the sense of wonder that we collectively receive by better understanding the forces and events that created the world beneath our feet.
Access all MGS geologic mapping products through our resource library. Many older geologic maps are available through the National Geologic Map Database.
Read about some ongoing and recent geologic mapping projects undertaken by the Massachusetts Geological Survey below: