The site selected for the Superconducting Super Collider (SSC) is located in Ellis County in North-Central Texas. The area is situated on the rolling prairies near the margin of the West Gulf Coastal Plain. The White Rock Escarpment (west of the site) marks the western limit of the east-dipping Austin Chalk. The Eagle Ford Prairie extends westward from the White Rock Escarpment. The Blackland Prairie is developed on the Taylor Marl, which overlies the Austin Chalk.
The project area lies within the Trinity River drainage basin and is characterized by a flat to gently rolling topography dissected locally by streams. Relief in the region is approximately 350 feet (107 meters). Surface elevations along the line of the SSC tunnel range from about 460 feet to 740 feet (140 to 225 meters).Bureau of Economic Geolog