Chickasaw National Recreation Area Geologic Resources Inventory Report
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National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Natural Resource Stewardship and Science Chickasaw National Recreation Area Geologic Resources Inventory Report Natural Resource Report NPS/NRSS/GRD/NRR—2015/1008 ON THIS PAGE Sunset over Lake of the Arbuckles in Chickasaw National Recreation Area. National Park Service photograph. ON THE COVER A collage of features at Chickasaw National Recreation Area. Clockwise from upper left: waterfall on Travertine Creek; Lincoln Bridge (built in 1909 to connect the town of Sulphur to mineral springs south of Travertine Creek); Vendome Well (the largest artesian well in Oklahoma when drilled in 1922); Buffalo Spring (freshwater from the spring fows into Travertine Creek). National Park Service photographs. Chickasaw National Recreation Area Geologic Resources Inventory Report Natural Resource Report NPS/NRSS/GRD/NRR—2015/1008 John P. Graham Colorado State University Research Associate National Park Service Geologic Resources Division Geologic Resources Inventory PO Box 25287 Denver, CO 80225 August 2015 U.S. Department of the Interior National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science Fort Collins, Colorado The National Park Service, Natural Resource Stewardship and Science ofce in Fort Collins, Colorado, publishes a range of reports that address natural resource topics. These reports are of interest and applicability to a broad audience in the National Park Service and others in natural resource management, including scientists, conservation and environmental constituencies, and the public. The Natural Resource Report Series is used to disseminate comprehensive information and analysis about natural resources and related topics concerning lands managed by the National Park Service. The series supports the advancement of science, informed decision-making, and the achievement of the National Park Service mission. The series also provides a forum for presenting more lengthy results that may not be accepted by publications with page limitations. All manuscripts in the series receive the appropriate level of peer review to ensure that the information is scientifcally credible, technically accurate, appropriately written for the intended audience, and designed and published in a professional manner. This report received informal peer review by subject-matter experts who were not directly involved in the collection, analysis, or reporting of the data. Views, statements, fndings, conclusions, recommendations, and data in this report do not necessarily refect views and policies of the National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior. Mention of trade names or commercial products does not constitute endorsement or recommendation for use by the U.S. Government. This report is available from the Geologic Resources Inventory website (http://go.nps.gov/gripubs), and the Natural Resource Publications Management website (http://www.nature.nps.gov/publications/nrpm/). To receive this report in a format optimized for screen readers, please email [email protected]. Please cite this publication as: Graham, J. P. 2015. Chickasaw National Recreation Area: Geologic resources inventory report. Natural Resource Report NPS/NRSS/GRD/NRR—2015/1008. National Park Service, Fort Collins, Colorado. NPS 107/129559, August 2015 ii Contents Page Figures . v Tables . v Executive Summary . vii Products and Acknowledgments . .. xi GRI Products . xi Acknowledgments . xi Geologic Setting and Signifcance . 1 Park Setting . 1 Geologic Signifcance and Connections . 3 Establishment of Chickasaw National Recreation Area . 7 Geologic Features and Processes . .. 9 Freshwater and Mineral Springs . 9 Vendome Artesian Well . 13 Travertine Creek and Travertine Island . 14 Paleontological Resources . 15 Sedimentary Features in the Vanoss Formation . 17 Folds and Faults . 19 Cave and Karst Features . 23 Rock Creek Drainage Basin . 25 Bromide Hill . 25 Geologic Resource Management Issues . 27 Groundwater Use and Spring Discharge Monitoring . 27 Water Quality . 29 Flooding and Debris Flows . 31 Rockfall . 33 Lakeshore Erosion . 33 Paleontological Resource Inventory, Monitoring, and Protection . 34 External Mineral Exploration and Development . 35 Abandoned Mineral Lands . 37 Geologic History . 39 Phase 1. Rifting of the Craton: Early through Middle Cambrian Period, 541 Million to 500 Million Years Ago . 39 Phase 2. Shallow Seas Flood the Craton: Late Cambrian through Middle Mississippian Periods, 500 Million to 330 Million Years Ago . 39 Phase 3. Uplift and Deformation: Late Mississippian through Pennsylvanian Periods, 331 Million to 299 Million Years Ago . 42 Phase 4. Erosion Shapes the Modern Landscape: Permian through Quaternary Periods, the Past 299 Million Years. 42 Geologic Maps . 45 Source Maps . 45 GRI GIS Data . 45 Geologic Map Data . 45 GRI Map Poster . 46 Map Unit Properties Table . 46 Use Constraints . 46 Glossary . 47 Literature Cited . 53 Additional References . 59 Geology of National Park Service Areas . 59 NPS Resource Management Guidance and Documents . 59 Climate Change Resources . 59 iii Contents (continued) Page Geological Surveys and Societies . 59 US Geological Survey Reference Tools . 59 Appendix A: Scoping Participants . 61 2007 Scoping Meeting Participants . 61 2014 Conference Call Participants . 61 Appendix B: Geologic Resource Laws, Regulations, and Policies . 63 Geologic Map Poster . .in pocket Map Unit Properties Table . ..