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Geology of Northern California Geology Ofnorthern Provides Anoverviewofthephysiographic Egional Geology/ Merous Rese Will Erica

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Geology of Northern California Geology Ofnorthern Provides Anoverviewofthephysiographic Egional Geology/ Merous Rese Will Erica Northern California Standing more than 10,000 feet (3,000 m) above the surrounding terrain, Mt. Shasta is the largest volcano in GeologyGeolo of Northern northern California and symbolizes the dynamic geologic processes that have shaped a spectacular California landscape. Frank DeCourten Department of Earth Science Sierra College 63829_02_insidecover.qxd 11/25/08 12:53 AM Page ii ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS TO ASK Northern California.1 Introduction Ⅲ What are northern California’s physiographic provinces? Ⅲ What is the Farallon subduction zone? Ⅲ What two types of plate boundaries exist in northern Californiaal today? Ⅲ What are terranes, how do they originate, and why are theyth important in northern California? Northern California.2 The Sierra Nevada: California’salifornia’s GeologicGe Backbone Ⅲ What is the Sierra Nevada batholith? Ⅲ What kinds of rocks surround the Sierrarra Nevada batholith?batholi Ⅲ When and how was the modern Sierrara Nevada uplifted? Ⅲ What types of gold deposits occur in thee Sierra Nevada? Ⅲ What is the Mother Lode?e? Northern California.3 The Klamath MountainsM Ⅲ In what ways are thet Klamathath Mountains andan the Sierra NevadaNeevada similar? Ⅲ What kindsds of rocksro comprise the ophioliteso in the Klamathath MountainsM and what tectonic events do they signify? Ⅲ What mineralineral resources occuroccu in theth Klamath Mountains?ntai Northern California.4Ca rnia Thee GreatGr Valley Ⅲ What factorsfa s have led to theth formation of fertile soils ini thehe Great Valley?Valle Ⅲ Whatat was thet origin of the sedimentaryime y rocks in the GreatGrea Valley Sequence?Seq Ⅲ What is the originori of the naturall gas producedp duced in the GreatGr Valley? Ⅲ Whyy is the Great Gre Valley so prone to chronicchron flooding?ooding Northernrn California.5Ca The NorthernNorthe CoastCoa Ranges Ⅲ What is the Franciscan complex and how did it form? Ⅲ How did the San AndreasAndr s fault system originate?or Ⅲ What is the Salinianinian block? Ⅲ How old are the northernnorther Coast RangesRa and what tectonic forces elevated them? Northern California.6ornia.6 Volcanoesolcan of the Cascade Range and Modoc PlateauPl Ⅲ What Californiafornia volcanoesvolca are part of the Cascade Range? Ⅲ What is the CascadiaCascad subduction zone? Ⅲ What kind ofo volcanic activity typifies the Cascade Range? Ⅲ Why is MountMou Lassen an especially interesting volcano in the Cascade Range? Northern California.7Ca The Basin and Range of Northeast California Ⅲ WhatWh tectonic forces are responsible for the pattern of alternating mountains and valleys in the Basin and Range province? Ⅲ What mountains and basins in northern California belong to the Basin and Range province? Northern California.8 The Northern California Ice Ages Ⅲ During what time periods did northern California experience Ice Age conditions? Ⅲ What landscape features resulted from the Pleistocene Epoch glaciations in northern California? Ⅲ How did the Pleistocene landscape of northern California differ from the modern setting? Northern California.9 Northern California Earthquakes Ⅲ What plate tectonic settings are associated with northern California earthquakes? Ⅲ What is the likelihood of another major earthquake in northern California? Ⅲ What might be the effects of a large northern California earthquake? Ⅲ Given the severity of the potential hazards, how can the effects of earthquakes be mini- mized in northern California? Northern California.10 Living on the Edge: Coastal Hazards in Northern California Ⅲ In comparison to the coast of southern California, why is the northern California shoreline so rugged and scenic? Ⅲ What coastal hazards exist in northern California? Ⅲ How do human activities affect coastal hazards? 2 Geology of Northern California Northern California.1 none can be regarded as simple or monotonous. Each of the physiographic provinces in northern California is a varied Introduction and fascinating geological realm with endless opportunities for applying the knowledge you have gaineddin in your physical California’s Varied Landscape: California is arguably the best geology course. Collectively, they representsent a region of such place in the world to study geology. Few areas of comparable complex origin that scientists have yet too develop cocompletely size are as geologically varied, physiographically diverse, or so satisfactory explanations of all of the geologicogic featufeatures in this spectacularly scenic as the Golden State. California’s abun- varied terrain. The common attributeribute of all thehe physiograpphysiographic dant natural resources reflect in large measure its rich geolog- provinces of northern Californiania is that, oneon wayay or another,an ical history, and earthquakes, floods, and mass wasting events each reflects the consequenceses of plate tectontectonic interactionsnt underscore the importance of ongoing geologic processes for along the western margin off North America over the past residents and visitors. With the boundary between two of the 500 million years. largest lithospheric plates on the planet running for more Geologic Map off California:Calif Geologic mapsm are indispen- than 1,300 kilometers along the western side of the state, sable assets in exploringoring the natunatural history and geologic set- California is an outstanding natural laboratory for studying ting of any region. Suchuch maps show the distributiontion of rock Earth processes and plate interactions. types andd ageages on the surfacsurface, along with informationmatima about During the 1960s and 1970s, our understanding of earth the orientationentation of tthe variousario rock bodies, thee naturena of their dynamics shifted dramatically as the modern theory of plate contactct with adjacent rockck mmasses, and thee trends and extent tectonics was developed and refined. Many of the new con- of geologicologic structures susuch as faults and folds.olds. This informa- cepts of that era either were developed in California or were tiotion is essential in unraunraveling the geologiceolog history of a regiregion specifically formulated to explain and/or reinterpret its becaubecause it reveals spspatial patterns in the disdistributionbution of rocksro incredibly varied geological features. Today, with a new the- of variouvarious types, ages, andnd degreeee of deformatdeformationn that rereflect oretical framework and vastly improved tools for explorationration the tectonitectonic and geologic eventsven of the past. In addition,ii geo- and analysis, scientists continue to consider Californiania a logicogic maps are of critical importancemporta e in llocating surface and geologic paradise. subsurface deposits of earth resourcessourc and in identifying the The rocks in California tell an amazing storyry of the evolu- areareas most susceptibleible to variouvarious geolgeologic hazards. tion of land and life at the edge of North America.merica. AlthoAlthough it would require many years to exploreall thegeologic won- ders in California, a first course inphysi physical geologylogy is an excellent start to a lifetime of fascinatinginat adventureeinthe in the ᮣ Figure NC.11 The Physiographic Provinces of California Golden State. The purpose of thischa chapter is threefold: (1)1 to introduce the broader aspects of California’slifornia’s geologic setting, (2) to outline the major tectonic eventsnts that have sshaped its landscape over geologic time, and (3) toexamine the impacts on humans of the state’s ongoing geologic evolution. I also hope youwill considconsider thischap chapter an invitationnto to begin your ownlifelong exploexplorationnofon of one of the mostt magnmagnifi- cent landscapespes in the woworld. California’sPhysio Physiographichic ProProvinces: The Californiarnia landscapecan be divided intoo a dozdozen regions of distinctive and characteristicaracterist geology, landforms, climate,cl geomorphic trends,soils anand vegetation, andd drainadrainage. These natural areas are known as physiographicphic provincprovinces. After the geo- logic alignmentent oof the state’s majorajor moumountain systems, most of the geomorphicorphi provincesince are oriented in a northwest-to- southeast trendend (F(Figuree NC.1). HHence some of the provinces, such as theSierra Nevadaada and the Coast Ranges, extend from the northern part of the statete to the southern portion. For the purposes of the present discussion, we will arbitrarily define northern California as the region between Monterey Bay (latitude approximately 36.5° N) and the California–Oregon border. In this portion of California, seven natural physio- graphic provinces comprise the landscape: the northern Sierra Nevada, the northern Coast Ranges, the northern Central Valley, the Klamath Mountains, the Cascade Range, the Modoc Plateau, and portions of the Basin and Range. Though there are consistent geologic patterns within each of these regions that make them distinctive and identifiable, Map courtesy of the U.S. Geological Survey Northern California.1 Introduction 3 ᮣ Figure NC.2 Geological Map of California eologica Conservatio Californ Reproduced with permission, California Department of Conservation, Geological Survey The geologic map of California (Figure NC.2) has been Nonetheless, you will notice at a glance the strong similarity compiled by the California Geological Survey over many between the physiographic provinces in California and the decades of geologic mapping. This map is scaled to show distribution of various rock types. For example, notice the the entire state and, as such, it portrays only the broader similarity
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