The Late Tertiary History of the Upper Little Missouri River, North Dakota

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Theses and Dissertations Theses, Dissertations, and Senior Projects

1956 The al te tertiary history of the upper Little iM ssouri River, North Dakota Charles K. Petter Jr. University of North Dakota

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Recommended Citation Petter, Charles K. Jr., "The al te tertiary history of the upper Little iM ssouri River, North Dakota" (1956). Theses and Dissertations. 231. https://commons.und.edu/theses/231

This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Theses, Dissertations, and Senior Projects at UND Scholarly Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of UND Scholarly Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. THE LATE TERTIARY H!~TORY OF 'l'HE. UPP.7:B LITTLE MISSOURI RIVER, NORTH DAKOTA

A Thesis Submitted to tba Faculty

of' the G?"adue.te School of the University ot 1'1ortri Dakota

by Charles K. Petter, Jr. II

In Partial Fulf'1llment or the Requirements tor the Degree ot Master of Science

.rune 1956 "l' I l i

This t.:iesis sured. tted by Charles re. Petter, J.r-. 1.n partial lftllment of tb.e requirements '.for the Degree of .Master of

gcJenee in tr:i.e ·;rnivarsity of llorth Dakot;a. is .hereby approved

by the Committee under. whom l~he work h.a.s 1)EH!Hl done.

-- i"", " *'\ ~1" Wf 303937 Illustrations ...... ,...... iv Oeneral Statement...... l Ar..:l:nowlodgments ...... • ".... 3 Previous ·work...... 3 tfet::ods or T<"inld 1,\l'ork...... 4 1ccessihility~···•••••••••••••••••••••••• 5 '1:;:;1•.race Levels...... 5 ;:, tr1Jc tu·re-. • • • • .. • • • • • • .. • .. • • •. • • • • .. • • • • .. • • • • • • • • 7 Cretaceous S trati,:rapt.ry...... 8 'I'ort1a1"y tra :,1:fraphy...... 9 ?hysiogra.ph.y and Topo:;ra1>hy ...... ,...... n ttes . ._ ...... ,,...... ,,...... l '-

'Peneplain •. •.•••••••• ~ •••••..••••• ., • ., •••.•.• 19

T'erracea. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 20 Low-lands • • • • • • • • • • • • • • .. • • • • .. • • • • • • • • • • • • 2.5 'Jnctlands and Slopes ...... 26 Drs.inar;e. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • .. • • .. • • • • .. • • • • • • • • 29

'.?equence o.f .I~vents. • • • • • e • • • • 4t .- • • 1· .. • • • • * o • • ·• • 31

Stage 1. . . . ~ . ~ . . . .. ~ ...... 31 ,., Stage Iio. C,. • ...... •· ••••• •· ...... 32 Stage .3...... •· .. ., ...... 3} ~tage No. ········"··~·················· J6 '3:, tS..f~e 170 • 5 • • 11 • • • • i, • • • .. i" e • • • -. .. • • 9' • ·• • .._ • • .. • 38 ,. Ste.go Uo. o •••••••••• a.011••••••~···•0•••• 40 Stage uo. s Wruuary ...... " • • • • • G .- O" °' .. • • • q • • • • • • • • .. • • • • • " • .. -• •· 45 Bi::>liography •• - • .. • • • • • .. .. • • • .. • • .. .. • • • • • • • • • • • .. • L~'"l iv

!ndo,i: rr.ap of Uortb. Dakota ...... 2 2. !'.?ypics.l landscape along Lil;;tla 1:issouri Rl·.rer 1J'alley ...... 1 Composite sketc,n of erosion surfaces• 6 Outcrop of Rell Creek formation •••••• 9 5. 6. Miocene-Pliocene peneplnin., Le-val S •• 19 Broad expanse of '.rerra.oe JJo. 4•·*•• ••• 21 8. Terracos alone; Oannonball Creek ...... 22 9. f.'t;ago 1:ro. 3 Early to middle Oligocene t:t:me ...... •.. 35 10. · /?.tage ?c!o. 4 Late Oligocene to early Miocene time ...... 37 11. Stage No • .5 Late Mioce11e-early . Pl:tacene time•••••••••••••••••••••••• 39 12. Stage No. 6 Late Pliocene-early ?leistooane time •.•••••••••••••••••••• lJ. \!'1aw alone Paddock Creek...... 44

Table l. Terrace elassl.f!eation...... 7 2. Cretaceous and Tertiary s tra. t igraphy •• , • • .. • • • • • • .. • • • • • • .. • • • • • 10 J. Heavy minera.l analysis ...... 14 Plate l. Geologic map of Little Missouri Hiver Valley, north Dakota ...... Cover 2. Projected profilo of Little l'Yissouri River and Tarra.ea Mo. 4... Cover f TL:: Il1.TC T.I:.'Rl'I ·\RY .~IS 0. ' on

T:Ih UPPE. LI LE Udf JUR I RI V..,;, , JJO 1.. .. D,.K ...'

~en rnl Statomunt

The upper Little ?Ussouri River valley, southwost rn North Do.kota , dose ioed within t his report, conto.ino approxi mately 1800 squo.ro niles (oce Fi ,uro 1 ) . Erosional re!'ln3.nts situated on the pnrtinlly dis~octed .fioceno- Pliocene pcne

plain, border t .no Little ·1ssouri River va.11 y . ,L .1e [;ravel deposits wnich veneer this uplan · ourf co nro horo·n de~ig

nated as Flaxvillo o.nd are correl.ntod .dtn tho ..• laxville

ro.vel of northeast rn ftonta.na . : i t nln t ho vo.lley , t i...o pictur sque ~dlo.nds of No t h Da '.~otn are subdued by vo tice.n of a former r l ootl plain of t he Little !Iis sou i River , desig nated o.s I ittl e I.iosouri Terrace ro . t . B low this h i ,:h terrace level, terraces of Ploiatocone aa a are fell devel op d an i ndicate nultipl a cycles of eronion.

Fi 0 uro 2 . Typic 11 ndsc po a l ong Little Jf1s ouri n ivor V lloy ,I•.;,.,\,.·~

Williston 0 Grand forks

M~ Kenzie Co.

-~-] I/ Forgo CX)

Slope Co.

Bowman Co.

INDEX MAP OF NORTH DAKOTA »Area Mopped 0 SCALE 40miles l Fig I 3

forms of southwestern Nort.:i:1 Dakota were initiated and in• fluenced. by numerous factors and agents, such tis broad uplifts., stream cap-tures, climate, lithologie variations and simi larities, and isostatic adjustment. Figure 2 shows a typical view of the landscape along tne !.>ittle Missouri Hiver valley.

Acknowledgments

I wish to express 'tfr;; appr0cia.tion tc the Hort:h Geological Survey, use equipment t,;hieh made ponsiblo study of' this area.

,'t . ~ • \A'• .J.J• Holl,

::1e t:2e Critellell Parsons Graduate fi'ellowship in GcoloG:r, wt.2ich enabled me to operate in tne field. I n.::n deeply :Lnde'btetl to Dr,, (}ordon Bell for suggestlng the p:1:•oblem, his :i.nve.luable

1:1me;csstions, ass:1.::itanoe, criticisms, and continu interest in the field in

Hr. r::mmett R. Sc}:i..m.itz, Skelly Oil Co•, Caspei" t Wyoming, I express deep a:pp:reeiation f'or his helpful stF:f;ec~tions

Previo~s Work

In ti1e ea.rly 1900 1 2, Dr. A. G. Leonard, forraer State

Geo1o;;1st, did extensi·ve work describing much of tJ.1c geology of southwestern No1... th Dalrnta • Hare3 (1928), did extensive ing south of Billings County, to the ;1outh sta I 4

I line along: the Little raesouri :aver and its tribr.:rto.r:I.es. Alden (1932), outlined the p~iysiography and glacial ;;:;eolog,7 of northeastern Montana and the adjacent areas. r..aird {1950),· Eenso; (1952}, Fisher (195.3}, Hanson (19.55), Melda21l {1956), have mapped in some detail eith.or the geomorpnology, stratigra

";.?b:y, or strueture of portions o:r western North Dakota. The most recent ex.tensi~:e seomoeyh1c work in the immediate area was done by Sohm1 tz ( 1955}; in ~,.fhic~1. he deserioas the geo:::norphic history or tile lower Little :Mlssi:>ttri R1ver.

Hatb.ods of -:;;,ield Work

May and Jtine 1955. F1old wor1r was bec;un dur:i.ng the latte1"' par·t or July 1955, and was completed by :mid.-Septamber of tkle same year.

Areal index photoc;raphs to t?1e ste9.le of ap::n."'01dma tely

one inch to the mile were used n.s base maps and for control

in mapping. 1:iorth Dakota Sta.ta High.way rri.aps of !·i"CTtenzie,

Billings, Golden Valley, Slope II and BOW??..an counties were of g:t'eat assistance in locating possible routes of travel and for

identifying local landmarks. Bive:.r• Survey .maps, J;:mblished by the United States Geolozical Survey, 19!.~9, for tl1e area south of Hedcra to tc.a state line were of great holp in locating oene.11. marks and for topographic control along the Little Missou.r:1 .River. However, a Paulin altimeter was used to obtain the altitlldea of terraces and hlgher surfaces a.long the river valle·y. ~ccessibility -- aroa. can 'Je roaci1.ed fron1 ·tho south or .. . ·~- 65 on the oast s of the area or North Dakota St~te 16 on the west side of tb.e area. Access to the Little ouri valley from east or west can sta tss Highway 10., pa.ssinr.:. th.rough Medora, Cf!" United S tes u:tghuay 12., t,hrough r,i.a:rmarth {Plate l). Han~... sec0nclar:r roads and seismic survey trails provide amp1e routes through ·the area, altl:u::>ugh a.t places these roads become i:mpa.ssable as the I"esult of rainfall. lilords £or river crossing are desi.E;nated on county road maps., but it is ndviat:1.ble to consult; ·with local rar1ch.ers before attor,pt:tne a cross:i'.ng.

The upland or peneplain i1P.. :trface is designated as Level 5.

prominent levels will be defined below. All t01.. ra;::,es and levels a~o i1ldicated on Pi:::;ure 3. t,evol 5 was ma;rped far enougb bac~:.:: on both sidos of the river to include all younger terraces and their graded conditions along more extensive tributaries of the

Bioeegal Creeks are exceptions a.nd no attempt wa.s 1:1ade to includ0 these tributaries (see Plate l}. ?lle terrace clasoi.ficatlon used in this re;1ort oo:nf'orms wi that of Laird (l9S:O), and Schmitz (1955). -?--~~"" - ··.-·~· ¥"'""~"-,-

Composite Sketch of Erosion Surfaces

L6 L7

// LB LS ...... __ / L5 ------~------Teg ~..&..la..llt:;----~~;,Tl.... b--... ~ . / T4 T3 Tl ~ EXPLANATION

L = Level T = Terrace

L8 Post Paleocene erosion surface L 7 Late Eocene - early Oligocene surface

L6 Late Oligocene - early Miocent= surface

LS Miocene - Pliocene peneplain ( Flaxvi I le surface} T4 Pliocene - Pleistocene terrace

T3 Pleistocene terrace

T2 Pie isfocene terrace

Tl Present Little Missouri River channel

fig.a I 7

I£ 'f; ]!able 1

Terrace Classification

tittle r"ttssour:1 'rerrace iro. l ·- present stream level .. Little !c!J:is$ouri Terrace 110. 2 ...... lowlands and f'ltits along tho present stream. ·r,ittle :Missouri Terorace Uo • .) .... away f:ror1 the main stream, developed as a combination cut terrace and eut and !"ill terrace. I:1atchod portions at a. niinilnum. Little His.sour! Torrace ~o. 4 -- the Pllocone-}?leistocsne strath of the stream.

Structure

The structural setting; of southwestern Worth DaJt:ota. may

be described tu1 two rna. Jor structures with s1.rperpoaac s·t:!."nctt1rea

developed within th.eir limits. Tl-10 major structure of western Horth Da1:ota is a large basin called t;1e illir-:!ton Basin. 'r:i:).is almost e111:ptlcal baa in appears to be an ea.st,::;rn

extension of' toe Big Snowy Basin which was extensl;.re llu:i:•ins mid-Pal.eozoic time. During most of geolosic tirt1e {bec;inning with the leozoic Era) this area was ma.int~ined as an 1.rnstaJ;;le shelf which in association with basin contl:ttions accumulated tliousantls of feet of s~diments. Superposed on the western edge of the Williston Basin 1ies ti.i.e noes of: the Cedar Creek antieline ,.,.1:i.th an axial. trend ot north 30° west. Thia str:1.ature in tl1e T:.fill:ts-ton :2.asin !s considered .Sardley (1951, :P• 346) to he results of the La.ra!;i:1de orogeny and is 8

represented at ti'~e surf'aee by f'o lded Cretaceous formations. sur.race str·:1.cturo in the 'l•ertiary roc1cs bas is cor:1p2ratively s.imple, and consists of' nearly flat-lying formations. As a result or post-Oligocene ( 1952, p. 217), minor synclines and anticlines were on :veg:tonal striJcture. Accordinz; to 3enson ( p. 2.36) tb.e Little Badlands in Stark County and Clla1k-J ·ttes a~ea. or Slo·pe County de"1eloped in synclines., which res"Jlted

Miocene warpin[;;. Bullion Butte rnay a.lsc be situated near the center of a minor downfold, but according to Powers (1946, p. 58) this butte has only a slope to ·the east a:-1 do the buttes in soutl:1weste1~n North Daicota.. nany minor folds the Paleocene rocks ha;1e been out11:ned by Fisllar (1953), Ca 11 ( 19.54}, Hanson (1955}, and He1da.hl ( 19:~6).

Cretaceou~ Stratigraphy

oldest roeks exposed in south':iost";rn Worth Dakot~, are of Cratar:eous age, and tb.ey crop out Little souri 31.ver and its trihutal"ies cross the Creek a.rri;i ... cline. '.rhe 0-ldest formation exposed is the l'ierre • w:i.lci:'1. :ts gray to blaolr. marina sh.ale com;.3osed of montmorillonite clay Hi:!:ih thin lenses of' berlton1te. On exposur·e becomes deeply weat~r:u:n•ed and produces rounded mud slopes.

Over lying t.ne P 1erre sho. le ·with a t rana :t t iona l con tac ·t, 11.s so.i.,dstone, a m.a1"'in0 --Corrootion consistd. of gray and. green allaly sandstone and sandy sh!i!le. T!:any beds are glauc.onitio t1nd i.zeur:;Ler to rust bt>own on the 9

The Col ,a t;o sanastone mo, ber at t ..o top ,)f t_1e .,.,,ox Hills is a r li"'ht gray s n · stono which contains some ·thin liGn i te l onsos nnd y_elds a fluto~ surface upon wontl or inc .

Disconfor. ably overlying t ne Fox 1· i lls sanus ·ono is t 1e oll Cr ell: formation, t . o upper,.ost Crot ccous forni~ tion in r or th Do.1~ o • This for tion is cor1p o..., od of n n- arine ca lcareous c;ray sand:1tono and brown to laclc c rb nuceous and benton tic c l ay • . 0 1.e • ersistent l i -.:, nito beds ·are present in t ho lo rnr one-t:1i r d of the formation . "'i guro 4 sh ous a typical outcrop of t he Hell Creek for~ation and also in 'icatos tho result of difforontial erosion .

· i gure 4. Outcrop of :·011 Creek formation , show inc; di fercnt · .1 erosion o.lon[; liiQ1 .. way 16, north of r arm~rt,1 , n or th Dakota

'l'or tiary Stratie r phy

I Tho lo re t unit of t_ e Pnlcoceno series s tao Ludlow fornation of t he Fort Un ion group . The yello - ...,r y s ndstone, lit ·:1t to da.r gro. · s:1al a nd clay , n t h in beds of lit,nitc of 10

Table 2

Cretaceous and Tertiary Strat.Lgrnphy of Southt-:estern }for·ti:1 Daltoto.

Pliocene-Pleistocene series - gra""..tel

_____.::Jnoo:1.f.'ormi ty:-----

:.)ligocene series

":Jl1i te Tii11er for;_:1~SL tio;:1

-----:rnc c:n1i'ormi t;y..... ---- l~ocene series Golden Valley .eor:ia.tion

----"""Unc onf orm:i ty----- Paleocene series Port Union group

the Sentinel Butte 1m~mber. Ludlow formation.

Cretaceous s~'l'$tem Jell Creek formation. Fox Hills sandstone including Colgate .sand.atone ~ember.

Pierro si1t1.le. • r.: {,,:) (,) Q} f') • © C t?,1 ~ 4.:i- r.:: C'l ,.,. 't ,d . .,..0.. "'t''"! t'.') ~ 0 ~j .J'., C, (JJ C 0 ti {Ii .p 0 C'S ,,.j ~$ '.:1 0 0 .... f;': '."'1. ~ t) ') JR {'J tD 0 C\~ f', ~. ·! t~ !:1 © " !'""! 'J.) .-1 ,rJ ,...,._,. .. r. ~:._j ,i;.,.. i!i':. '* t",., () r-·~ .-:-: (: • f-/) c.t f-i r:4 f. ~'·"' b "·' ,~ ... .p .. , ·t-1 "' ' . {I; ,· r.··, ,\"-,·l r,.,,.i .p G::\ r:;, ti) 0 ,.,!,) (' ID l;'.':!, ,,. n e ~,..; ,. ,p t:: ...,,, . , t,~ 1 .1.:·, i") f'<) ,.. , -~:-~ j~ or t,·) •t:!· l,f'·'·~• ('' .p ~ ... ,J 'J'} _j £1 ~ +·, ~,sf () ('', ~ ~r·: C (J tr,) ~) • {) t) •1 ·~ r! r,, ~~-".i • J!i rt C' ••••,J ,j, .. j 0 C /'''.' t:) ..~.') "•···r1'"1 ,j?, .\ t~ (~ •rl .J,,.-J .. ~t ~n L~ t) •r I t,) ,..,, .. ~ t'U c.:·i (lJ ~j ..;..:t 4., ~.J, ''.J {a"\ (i'j Q ,¥'/>,. t':r 0 ··:,! • "r~ (r'J .p .. e, .p ·""') C (:) f.; .. , :;I.\ C•l f.1 .. . ~ r: ,~., t,)) () Q (!J .. p () r·,,,..,l S; .:·t r~ ~-; ... (;l .~:-:, er., (] -•"" ,., f-'· i or! .1., !iJ ~1; "' ..... i .: .. ; ITT C' 4-' ¥!-) •r·! '4.'.'i -~ r )·J ,< cj 1';-·-1 f.~ .. ~_"'I -"'r .. : f; (}) 1,,:: ,.,• ·c.i :·:~J t;-;,.! ;~ ~· r; .,, ,., () f" ! Vl fl'~ fi {) ~f.;\ "'r·, t\i, c··i.(J Q "Y'1 12; ~} C) ·~ ,,,t C ··d'"' ,_C 0 ~ ~i--: " 0 \'"" r·! 0 f.; • ~ -'1: ~ ·\ (, .) ~(:i ~.-f (!) ~;J t,, t"''.~• .p r: 0 !':J ~,..l' rJ ...,::'> .,.,, ¢) 15, .. j....( f.; l{ l',~ d f. ll) 4.:, :r~ ~'."1.1 ~J f.~ r.~ J..,.. ,(J "H c:J t·f 1~-t" f+ .. ! ....~·I Fl • B © 0$ f:·":!< .. ,.-....,{''I, ,·•1,.. 6 t.,i' .p ~("1 11 ~,'~ oz .~, (}, C1 .. ~) 4' I· ,~ -~:--:'I f:~ r"''l ~ r ..,;,, {i) ~ ,:1 rf) (1) ('.~·,.\ \""; i··l r·l r··i 0 r; (~ \:;; - 0 •r I

j L. it mt ci/iWtJi!<..... ~~~·--c~, ..,.;..< ...... ;. ,;'.,1;.;..~--'-"'-,-•'.<;,~·~~~ • .,-;_·c...'C\<, i 1.2

to yellow«bro'.vn :nicaceous silt a:nd sand

':!:he ooarse sand of' tl':e upper unit is i'orset beds tlJ.,e east.

t·l~he White River fo1"'!:1S.tion of Oligocene ag0 disc.r.:.nt.,:)rtlS.bly I t I overlies t:t,;e :SoiJt:)ne sediments wb.ero prosont !mt in 1'i'Yl.ny buttes rests on th~ i:>aleoco:ne rocks.I This forr,12.t bl.s been divided ·J. tl~ee µnits (Benson, 1952, p. 94), lotrer unit hoing } . composed o~ li;rht gray to tib.ite, 1"ine to coarse grained so.nd- 1 stone with lenses of !>O\mded co;ible ... s:tze gravel, interbedded

de:1:>ivad from t::.e mount;::.:lns to tJ.2.e west {3ensan 11 19 , p. 96}. 'l'h.e middle unit cons is ta predomi,.1antly of hir;hl'y cale~reous clay or r,arl, but it also conta.L·1s highly s :llicemis beds,. l 1i-1c upper unit cor.rnl!'.';t::'l of c.:reen c~~y shale and c1ay inta~- from. the middle unit. situated on t11e upland bo:rderini.~ the I,ittle ·Missouri valley (?owers., 191+5, P• 60). These buttes ari; Sentino1 :t~tte, Flattop Butte, Bullion Butte., and :1. T. or Black Butte.

A great a.:mo1..1nt of the :,Jhite Rive:i:- deposits was removed from southwestern North Da}:ota hy the sroslve action of' the streams wh:i.ch ult:tmo:tely planated ·the ma.jor portion of western

d<:r;osited in the channels of t;iie planat streams. These gra.vol deposits consist of' cobbles and pobbles, clay, and some silt. The cobblos a.11d pc ::,bles are rmmded to ;,Jell rotn1.dcd

(various colors),. dacH;e, trachyte, ehert, flint, li1nestone, sandstone, quartzos.e conglomerate, silicif'ied ·wood, ves:lcular basalt, seor:tu and f'ras.,T'!ents of cemented sand grains tfr'l.ich at one tilne were cer.1enting material for somi') of th.ese cobbles. S:he quartzite cobbles h.ave ~ome distinctive percussion mark1.ngs. Th.e lithologic eoriposition of those Level 5 gravel deposits ra~,101... ably cor1~esponds with the descripti,)n of the Flaxv:!.lle eravel, given by Collier and Thom {1916, n. 181) and Alden (1932, p. 20). Much of the material was deri1:1ed .'f'rorn the basal conGlomer- ate of the White Ri"'1er formation, otlwr portions of t.b.e gra~..rel wor-e derived from the volcanic and 1,~naouo 'te1"re.nos of' the Elac!:: Eills and Dev:tls Toi.,1er areas. The forruginous sandstone and qtu:1.:;:>tzose conglomel"at<) pebbles !'rJa:y have been derived .from the outcrops of the Deadwood format:to1:1 {Ca::nbrlan) in Uyoznlng and South Dakota. area Flaxville, :Mont;ana, was comparad with a random sample taken from a gravel p1t on Level 5t SWf sec. 31, T. 141 N•• R. 101 W." four miles north or Medora, North Drik ota. I-Iisto.. grams of' the seived portion below 16 mu1 shows a bimodal curye for each sarnple ( see Figu.re .5). 7Ieavy mineral analysis o:r seived fraction between ! and :;- mm f':l'.'om both of the above mentioned samples was :r•t:m and t11e heavy mineral suites of the respective sam;?les are shown in rabls 3.

'.Pable .3

.Heavy Mh1eral Analysis of Flaxville Gravel

deavy i:111nara ls .. Sample ,., I.1. II':_ Aetinolite p Epidote A Garnet R Hornblende Iron oxide (een1ent and stained 4 1 1 ...!.. t· .~;"-.._--~'.,,.. .J...... i. ~e:£-;i~·:'w ""'_,,,, ,,._1t"' .,,::, J\ .:\ Iron stained quartz C Mica R Pyroxene T Tintile C Zircon p

Amount of each specific mineral indicated by tl1e following letters ;.,1th oorrespondlng pex•eent: ~lood F, 75 to 100;~; ,Dominant - D, SO to 7$;~; r!o·:.· • . '1,~b"'"'"~"'""'.;.. "'1,'-"',..,u u .a,,~. 2r.:';;, ,..ov ;:> l"; 1 Co··_.,.,o""· ,,..,,. .... v"' , 10 .to· 2r:;··,.,, 1 ,,. ..., Presen_t P, ~ to 101,,; Rare R, l to 59~; Trace rr, less ttian l;h

I'he heavy mineral suites indicate a dif.f'e1~ant source area fol' the deposits but tbe large anount of iron oxltlo present as stain, portions of cement and lithic fragments indicates a s-t-rnilar deJlositional e.tTtrironment and cl!:'.'!18.te for the two deposits. On the basis of lithological similarities, heavy mi.ner•al analysis., stratigraphic and topographic position, thes~

~ravel deposits are i'1e:::•oin desienated as Flaxville in age 25

.r::.- 2'10 (I) 3:

Diameter in Histogram of Flaxville grovel Fl ax ville , Montano

(I) O'I 0 c 2

-s:. .~ 10 (I) 3:

o..._...,.,...--11.--....,_--:l~-'---'-+---'-~__...,.._. v2 V4 Ya Yi6 <\116 Diameter in MM. Histogram of gravel from Level 5 Tl41N ,RIOIW, Sec31, North Dakota F,g. S 16 a11d correlated with the r1r1ocane-?liocen0 deposits on th.e Plaxvllle ?lain in northeastern Montana..

Pleistocene st?*a.th of the Little I~issoui-i River, is found a great quan'titry of gravel and sand. This :material has ap9roxi ma.t0ly the same composition a.s the fl'la:rcville gravel. Howaver. with additions of: local -Material, such as an added a.mount of acorta and ironsi.;one concretions .fr:otn the local fo!"ma:tions.

Physiogra:phy and :ropog;rapl:y

"'\s a result of zlaciation, isostatic reb01.md s.nd str11cturi1.l. control, fiYe escarp1,1ents div-ide s·tate into six major pb.ysiograpt.ic divisions, which lie w:'Lthin the Central Lo·wla.nds Prov inco and the Jreat ?la ins 'Province, 'l'hese are Nountains, Souris and :nev:lls Lake Plain, Coteau du souri and I!issour1 Plateau,. {Roth and ZiEm10!"":J1an, 195.5, p. Cid Only ·the Ni~souri Plat:elt:.1 db1ision lies cm-:1pletely withtn the Groat Plains Province, as the Cote.a;_z du M'issouri is the boundary or tl"l.e Cent!'a1 Lowlands Province. I G1ac ia.l drift which eover::; the aasteFn two-th:lrds of Horth Dakota, was deposited b:7 the Kansan-Illino!cJ.n and Wisconsin ice sheet. The boundary of' :r:,ax.i:rm.un glacial advance rna:y be traced from T. 120 i

South Da!;:ote. border, north to iiobron, west to Glai.istor1t:1, r 17 f nort:1 to ICillo.eer ~fountains and tl:.ence alont; nortl.:. side of t.ce Little sso11ri River Vall.;y curving soi..ith as it leaves P• 14} Th.e area m1der discussion lies ontirel::7 with.in the unglaeiated portion of the Missouri Plat;ea.1..1, extends

South , Montana and Wyo:mi1:1g. 1rr-,e s 2-!issouri a t!ently rvllin:::; upland ranging in altituc:le from 2,700 to .3,000 feet above sea level and is designated as Level 5, the 1~aooen.a ... Pliocene penepla.in (see Figur~ 3). Wuneroua, aona:picuous buttes rise above the gener/11 level of is

point in state, wtth an altitude of J,46['1 i'eGt. These

Oligocene-early M.ioeene pl<1.in which ha,,e been sculptured by the 3arly and pros.ant Little Hissourl drainage.

:.{pairogenic uplifts and ensuing planations of' tr1e Cretaceous

of. the F'laxv! lle Plain o·r. nortb.ori:1 tern r~ontam" ri vera

an area of badlands 1.i'tich add a picturesque form

to soutbwesterr.i !{orth Da1i:ota. 'lr:1e20 badlands on both 18

sides of river in a 1:iclt 2 to 1S miles i1 and i1.ave

charactari~ed so forms ti.ill discussed in t;he following order!

badlands and slopes.

Buttes

rvrany buttes, rem..'lants of tho late Oligocene-early Nioeene

surface Leval 6 (see Figure 3) ,- are situated on th.e ·p1axv:llle

tributaries of' these higher buttes are capped w:t a resistant samist:)ne o.f the ,}ligocene

Wh.J. te River f'ort1a tion, as ara f~ent:tnel Butte, fl'l.a ttop "3ut te, on 3utto ant whose and should not be confus.3d 1.-rlth the p,rorninent lev;:1ls dc~cribed

concave

reduced to tt.0 peneplain stage the flttvial geo:r:1)r-f>.G.ic cycle.

The gradlng surface of no::rt lower e:ro:.don su1·f:s1.ce can be outtes. buttes are covered by a thin veneer of flint chert frag::uents and a n-tlnor a.mount of 19

Peneplain

/\. s t he result of 1 te Oli occne-oo.rly Hioceno stream dissection initiatod by uplift, these buttes bo3an to tako form. Soon t he tlrai ne. · c fabric of t he Little i issouri ·v1ns establisr1od and t he north flowing , early Litt le i'iissourl and its tributaries continued to shape t hese monadnocks . In consequence of t he iocono-Pliocene erosion of t he exist ing interstream divldo!l numerous s t ructural benches 1ere pre ervod because of t he reoistant nature of t he bskod clay and fused sandstone. Broad meanderin_ streams flowed slugcishly north

-rard often bocominc dammed b y t hoir own sediments and sh iftod t t1e i r courses baclc and forth as they pl nated tho Flaxville surface. The cravcl deposits present today which intlicato these old channels hnve been desienated as t he Flax ,illc eravel (Collier and Thorn, 1918 , p . 182) . Byerly Pliocone time

Fi gure 6. Li oc e ne-Pl i ocene pcne p l a in, J,ovol 5 sec . 31, T . 141 . , n. 101 w., illings ~ount y , ! orth D~:ot a 20

southwestern !ic:n"th Dakota had the aspect of a penepla.1.n with numerous monadno-oks spotting the horizon. Tb.is surf'aoe :ls

the surface is directly undePlain by scoria the surface becomes a. combination stripped plain and a peneglain. From Bullion croak north, scoraceous knobs give :t.evel 5 a grotesque

appearance. 1I'he scoraceou:1 surface actually appears as

karst-like topography with a ink holes, but north of :01e

Level 5 takes on the aspect of a grassy. rolLtnr& s:.1:i?face (see Figure 6).

Vestiges of a :form.er flood plain of the Little ~ou1.. i Hiver a.re the hi.ghost set of te.rraces within var valley

and are developed b0low tl1e main valley shoulder. (see ~'l;;d,.s 1) Th.a cessation ot' downeutting and forrr.at:lon of this strat1:1., dasie:nate:d as 'i.'errace no .. t~ by Laird (19.50, P• 11), and as

Little Hissouri Terrace ?-Jo. 4 by Scfr1r,1itz (19.S:5, p. 3)., w11s

and that of the Jelle Fourche River (sea sequence of' events, p. 40}. ·Terrace Mo. 4 is a cut terrace, originally cut in bed rock, and in places it is covered in part by alluvial gravel 21

and colluvium ( the resul t of sheet -1 sh) . hi~ terrace r ng s r in l titude fro~ 2,950 feot above oea lovel at the South

Da .ot state line to 2,330 f;.;et o.bovo ooa l e vel at tllo mouth

of Ho.y Draw Crock, wnore tno river turns oast . ':'his terrace is a disliinctiv<3 feature throuchout t ne upper portion of the Little . issouri Rivor valley in orth Dakota o.nd can be t1•aced to t ho el bow of c pturo southe st of Alzada, Mont na , just be low the i~onta.na- · omine sto. te line, where t he terro.ce has a very l b'lite oxtont . From 1 rm rth, orth D kot , north,

this former stro.th has n real extent of ,o.ny square milos and 1s used by local ranchers as n oource area for eat und .1e.y (ooe F gure 7) . Ii thin tho main river valley, 'er race

~iguru 7. Brod expanse of Terruce No . 4 north of 1~edora, n orth Dakota

Jo . 1~ is vory dl-tinct, ·1herea ... a.lone t he heads of .,mny trib utaries it 1 difficult to determino the exact cont ct in slope differ nee as Torr ce No . 4 Grades Level Sat m~.y pl cos . However, 'rerra.co no . 4 is devoloi:>od extro ely well long 22 nr.iny of t :1.0 lar£er tribu tarios to the Li ttlc L souri ru er, suc:1 as oavor, Little :::eave1~, Deep, Sane, G rner, 1 illia;t1 s , ullion, w:Lit0tail, anni.:;an, Bioce.,el, - n

Ficure 8. Torraco3 alonG Cannonball Creek

ProM. tho .. ou t h Do.lota-North Dakota stat lino downstr eam, the terrs.cos reflect the differ nt types of t~1e underl ying bedrock. ·here t n.e Pierre shale is expoaod in t ho Ced r Creek ant1cl1no , Terrace 1 o . l~ exhibits a rounded, shale slope appeo.ro.nco . In the outh Un:t t of Hoosovolt rational

'1:0"1oris.l Park, few scor1 cappe

Cl.1aracte1" is t le s of' 111 old flood plain are sv i(le ::1t in only

a .raw places, one bolne; a.i1 ol.d rieunder scar on a por!;;ion

/ side of.' the rivev in 1~. lltO n. 102 w. Other featta•es s~eh as strea171 bars,

modified by erosion to such an extent t£1at the·s· tll"';:3 not clearly distingulahabla.

:na:r lessen ti1e down-valley slope a part ic~1 lar terrs.co o.s

is indicat;ed 1:ry 'l~errace No. l~ along t1:1e Littlo :Jrlssouri valley. 3-y plotti the altitude of. Terrace Ho. l~ grapr1ic:111:;, it can be seer1 that the portion of this terrace below Bullion to

of the ablation of glacial ice lobes the depressed u1•cu to

the Nortr.. of :3Ullion Butte rose. 1\fter a study of' ayail:1ble

li-1:;erature on isostatic rehound, Seh:mltz and :?:.rosl (1955' 1

P• 93), placed a hineo line or boundary of 1;9q1.:dlibriut1 just north ot Bullion Bu-;.; te. ,-:irom measnre:ne11ta obt~i in the

.field, the limits of the zone of: zero adJ,..1strnont is calculated to be from th.e mouth of T:.1ird c1,aek t;o five miles sou·c~1 of

;•Iedora. As indicated on Plate 2, the amount of rebound at the itr,endn (Ray Draw Creek area) :ts about 120 feet. fReglon:al uplift caused ·:;he Little Missouri Hi·(ler to renow a cycle of downcutting. The gradient of the river w::1s in creased by strsa.m piracy and inversion o:e drainage in the Jl

''l~ \ ~-·, ,(."l, .).J. ,I • V.f..

,\s a result, rapid. incision cf 'I'errace ch.annel

nle

tl:e badlands along ;re1,.. was :lni t ia t ed •

Th.is

e • i~'

i11 the 'Sou C·l1&1

?ark. ":.sconsin

Stage of glaciation. !! deep trench was e:roava ted wh:i.ch was

along valley walls .. f),rer-steepening of tbs valley walJ.s, local pom.i:lng and all:nriation aggraded tha r:L ver valley in river to that

this sluggish stream mea.nderad ovei"' its f'l:ood pla.

alluvial colluv:Lal ·f\1U :;erial., r..ow .... lands

t t the base of the badland slopes in the "ll~ :i.n valley and below Terrace :No .. 3 is 1:n sxtensivs low-1and area. ( or broad

fla-t~·)...... •1ll'iq.,; ' ... ~ 10 to 15 .. 1, the prest1nt l'ho for·na tlon of 'ferraoe tfo. 2 has resulted from tllt responso to 1sosta.t5.c re1:mund followln:;~ the retreat or the

• 2 along

Terrace !lo. l o:c> cha.rn.cteri.zed by channel bars, mcandet" loops, point bars and

n a 21~-iwur period depending on t~~e precipitatio~ within Little Missouri tlrainage

present .flood plain is also active ;;1g th.es& pariods of r f !'' ! is

l:i.i

t;ilting

?he valley of' t

s of

l)t1lcot;a south ) .

I i. sou'::;h..rest of Car1.p Croo1d, and 'l'errace n.oovo, is reduced 'to a 100 foot w:tdth nea.::> Alzada, I,;ontana.

,,. sou t;hea.s t; L0 ,f,

}tontana.

Badlands and Slopes lnl ttentl(,11 as do

or ·,nost of

th.ci land auri's..ee, includi

1"'eg1.1lated not only by th.e rate of

woa·bhor:lng but also by

retardation

slopes o.f this 1/cind waeh-slo!)es ) " product

of lons.1 cesses. The ;;lopes will be torn down bys • I r- f ' va.ri effeets gravity,

·the slopes claveloped de?enc.s on

at and tho local processes

floors .. J sre le:ft

•

in conca11e pro:e:tlo a t opoc;rar,h.ic

'J:~rracc ac

, weakly rosista~t rock, and

and rills ;::inor

deep eros " _-slcrpe ,.mtil 29

are carved vallc:;r walls.

poz-ti ons of isolated salionts

' :i.nc

eart:::. pillars outcropr:'..

strata.

~rainage

of en the sa~t west. to ·the 0ast. Little T::'.i.sscuri River

3eave1:> Creek ir1 Golden Val le,y county, hut in the Draw ~ride is approxi ....

it flowed -throu·:;h this channel (r.eonn.rd., l916c1 p. 300) •

and side of

et'ia 3.1,

.,., ece 0 .,. to 1.

I?rom the river 31

loop. ·C(1ns1)icuoua , so chn.rac.ter:tstic of. Little

' +,,

' t

tion

~-f :, \;

1--"·' -"·"' 'i"V' 1,.,;.,

!? ~"\ 0 ~·- ,.L..:. .. west

it;ed

I \

is ~les ufl- .Ln"

much

-'1 -'k~_•\n +-....,J\,.,~ /"~ -,i.. V.;.. :.,:,-:':"'

o:t' ' p. 53 ,~ to eros:!.on.

lver

--~-- .___ ...... ~ ~. :.r,;;

,,..1"""' ... :;;u:.!) 1,-.:\ basal cc:-~1~3lor1cra tc :tr1s oeo:.~ia

\.. :.:..0

1.ocal

1>'3. you in • basal sou rec s.::'oas •

lop- ( 1932, p .. 7 ) ,

pp. j. ' planed s1.u:faco of McKenzie Co. ( I ·,.? '--- . ~ . °l r·r· ~ I ~ "· \ ' . I ~ iip, ' '7 ~' ;, -· ·1 - ;)I ~; .. ~ j~~lli~gs B ~o~"Sr--·-· I ·-·-·-L,> ~ "· ) ~\ ' ...J "''. ~~" 1 .J j..-,... 2 '"'" "'""~~L...: -~ -v-· )

Figure 9. Stage No. 3 Early to middle Oligocene time. This figure indicates the direction of flow of the major streams and position of shore lines of lake system (ruled area) at one stage of development. Shore lines at this stage indicated by facies change from shore type environment to deep water environment. ··------. ___ .... -·------.-· -.. _:.·

p. ) i11d:~~cativa

." a. 2,000 to 3, in

oast; lL10.

Gtl •

ac •

01· 1:n.rttes to soa raat above McKenzie Co. c ·~ .;? ''--. ~ 1\J \ \ (.r IJj l .,, "'J ~ its I )~ a ..0 ?j __r---·-·1 ~ ? . ~ ·-·-·_J I . ' ) ! .-i ~z L.-.·-·-·,. . )J ..._,.

Figure 10. Stage No. 4 Late Oligocene-early Miocene time. Lakes had receded to the East and in response to the uplift streams migrated to the North and were superposed on Level 6. Erosion began to form monadnocks such as Sentinel Butte, Flattop Butte, and Bullion Butte, during the incipient stage of the Flaxville surface.

,....______.•. --·------38

Sta5e No. 2 }By late Miocene time much of the al'ea had been dissected. In respoDse to regional uplift the northeast f'lowing streams began to migrate north and with the aid of tributary captul"es formed north flowing streams f'rom which the Missouri, Yellow stone and the . Little M1ssouzti Rivers developed. { Figure ll indicates t...111s pattel'n with respect to the Little Missouri River. As the .newly formed strea.."'18 began downeutting of the partially eroded Oligocene surface, Level 6, they wors aided in degradation by aeolian and landslide action. These eti-eama fl.Ad broad floodplains and laid down thick beds or coarse gravel; sand• and clay. The heavily loaded strea1ns frequently filled their shallow valleys with coarse debris ani shifted their courses as the process of peneplanation continued into Pliocene time. This surface wh1eh developed is the correlative of the " Flaxville Plain of northeastern Montana. Deposition or the Flaxvi1le gravel was being accompl1sbed by the early Yellow• stone, Missouri, and Little Missouri Rivers wl:lch were :meander ing over floodpla1,ns 20 to JO miles 11') width. This surface is 1nd1cated by teve1 5 in Figure J. (Gravel deposits on th.is surface indicate old channels or theee }1iooene•Pl1ocene rivers, while the 1nterstream divides are covered by only a very thin veneer or gravel or may r...ave no gravel cover. / lRussell (1950~ P• 58) cites evidence Which he believes ind!- Golde·n Valley Co. McKenzie Co. < Ll c.7 I '"""-1 ? r-· r· . s J ' II i(]),--- --· ti ' .~1 . ~. ~~llin_gs c~s- -·-·-i • ·-·-·-L_ _J ~ ·-·-· >. .r-' ' ~ ~z L._. -·'-·..r·

Figure 11. Stage No.$ Late Miocene and early Pliocene time. In sjDlpathy with broad uplift, northeast flowing streams migrated north and with the aid of tributary capture formed a broad meandering stream flowing north. 40

eatea at 1east two periods of Flaxville deposition. He reels tliat the buried soil .zone present in the type area of the Plaxville sravel aeoounts for a late Miocene deposition and a.lso an early Pliocene deposition. By m1d•Pl1ocene time the 'F'la.xville sul'.t"ace. had the aspect o.f a tl"'Ue peneplain and may be contiguous with both the Rocky Mountain. perJeplAi.n. (cona:tdel'ed by Mackin, 1948, to be a real pediment sm:tf'ace} a.nd the Mo-untain Meadow imr:fs.ee of 'the Bl.a.ck Hilla• Stas• "FfO• 6 JReg1onal uplift at the close of' Pliocene or early Pleistocene tirrte caused the north and northeastward-flowing strea.111$ to begin their dissection o~ the Fla.A-ville Plaln / (T>-evel 5).. the downcutt!ng to the present Little Missouri Tel"l'.'ace No• 4 wtts aided by this Pegione.l uplift. This uplift probably initiated and accelerated tho heo.dwaitd erosion or the Bella Pourche River. This encroaoh.ment by the Belle T<'ourche toward the main tributary of i:;he tittle Missouri River resulted in.the breaching of the law interstream divide and term.1nated in the capture or a portion of the head waters or the Little Missouri River. The actual ca.ptu~e took place ' . on Level 5 as the headward encroa.chmel'lt or- the Belle Fourche River breached th& divide between the tributaries of the two rivers. The elbow of capture is represented by 1lhe area designated as Stonewall Flats, NW,t sac. 11, T. $8 N., R. 86 w., on the Aladdin Q,uadrangle, \ll'yoming. South Dakota. and Montana, United States Ge~log1ce.1 Survey Topogra.pb.1e Sheet, 1903,. ) Golden ·valley Co. I ~ . ( . I ·c..? ~ I \ '-- ' r-·-·-· \ I , ·-·---· ...... J r·.r ; .. -.,- ... ------... s I ,_r . 1 ~ ' . . . Clll ·.. I" I / ~ '? ~ t;·. L ."-", ~Ip,, ior.(I) ·-·--,I ? ?j j B1~1ing_s Co'._t-·-· -·!. --·-· ---tL______J. r1A . ."" . >. I ,.J .J ~z L ___ ~-"-"".J

Figure 12~ Stage No. 6. Late Pliocene-early Pleistocene time. The pattern of the Little Missouri River as it developed the strath which is designated as Little Missouri Terrace No. 4. Pi:racy ot the Little Missouri Rivar•s main tributar, l"esulted in. a loss of the Little Missouri River' a main source of' water and a consequent decrease in its eroding a.nd trans• porting power, As a resl.tlt the Little Missouri River ,vas soon ehan;;ed trom an activel.Y incising stream to a stream of latel'"al pl.a.nation. Tb.is lateral cutti11g developed the strath lcnovn a.a Little Missouri Terrace No. 4. Another resuJ.t of' this capture vas the decrease o-r tram;pwted materialJ so eonse• quently, the gravel covering Terrace No. 4 is mostly reworked Flaxville gravel. The Little Missouri River throug.,"lout its genera.t:ton bas been a superposed s·tre-am and may be considered as a supe:rposed•consequent stream. ae it cuts through prErvious forn'led structures an::1. tends to follow the slope that resulted f'rom e. series o:t upl1f ts. The drainage pattern or the late Pliocene-early Pleistocene Little Missouri Ri,rer 1s shown in Figure 12. Sta.r3e No. 7 As the Little Miss,ouri Rive~ .flowed north, renewed upl1t1J and peripheral precipitation !n advance of the Kan:10.n-Illinotu ice sheet soon altered the 10".,er oourse of the L:lttle !1issour1 River (Schmitz, 1955, P• 31). As a result Qf broad arching and :Iacroaaad strewn gx-ad1• ants t:b..e Little Missouri River began rapid downcutting.. It 1nciaed lts torme:i:~ stt"ath ('i.'arrac.e No •. 4) and produced a topographic unconformity or a valley-in... valley type ~ ,160·• morphic form (Thornbury, 1954, P• 144). A tempo?'ary or local , base level was reached and the ~ormation of another cut

terrace followed, This cut terrace is designated as Te?"l"ae& No. 3 in Figur.e 3. With !ncl1'eased pree1p1tation, large scale mass was.ting was in1t1ate,d as the result or sheet wash, gul• lying and landslides. The Little Misaou.?"1 River

unmatched t-erraces in the alluvium. Th.is tn,e of te::i:"'race ie designated as a ctrt-and... fill terrace by Smith (1949, p. 1507}. This group of terraces is indi.cated in F1lSUre 3 as Little Missouri TeJ.'*I"See No• ). The laminations in alluvial materi~l along the Little rUssrn.1:ri River, which often have bean interpreted as se-asona.1 vanes, as a :result of major ponding in the valley, may be tho itesult o.f cyclic 1nterr"Jpt1ons of th0 delicate sedimen• tation processes., such as she&t wash. at that time. It is possible that particles of" sediment w1'1ieh reached the h<1avil7 overloaded atrea...".11 throueh the medium of mass wast:1.ng, settled out and were plll.ned to form this cut am:t till terrace. ?al!*1od1e ~, er . 1 : · , o-:!::. ty

· :Ill doposit~ . nth ll·1vi'J. • ~hose

·r .. o.)on of ::err c .... "') • 2 ·-nc 11 ) , 3

. ·.., . ·.n 9 ·,_ C . , r ..,

.. l . D ~ lL~ T • J it in

"'"T' ·1• .,..,,o · t l':.l ju ~n -~ n o ., 10 3 - .. ' c· . '

- ,5S, 4 • 1 ) • n' -3 ~ r' ~ l ,C"GOC! L1 t. "' ..,HO

• s ; l.nct o. _ __;-'i.ns ) "' por · :nn .... o.:: ,..,errace ;Tr; . 3.

Figure 13. View a.long Paddock Creek sno-1ing 1 1 1L1'J.t.,

Jal, C '.:t!'.:!Cd

by i o~t~~·c dj~JtJ.nt of~· e ~~q n rccJ so tot:

_on :l1ci:il ice, a .... ; s n n . 1'1 C) develoJ .o:-it () ·.._e_r co

·r ·J~ ::ll.-L . .ts .... d 0 .v~:..~ "i; 3. V.' 'TD C,l..; a:icl 10 2 " r ._) .:.n t

_... lo ; ~- _.... :t C""' r.,h o in,_ Ov

t- .... I ) 1 :;:'lv u u. ., r 1n~ o: t_1in a.re .:'ol • r i 1 ) rotr• "' ... o:: - L, inrerred by comparing the early Pleistocene profile of Terra.ea !fo. 4 and the presen'i:; profile Terl'&ce No. 4 as dep1cted on Plate 2. It ean be seen that the zero region of rebound coincides within re&sone.ble limits to the hinge line inferred. by th.a work of: Sch...'Uitz and 7,.resl., (1955, P• 93).

~e upper :portion of the Little ::!issoul!l"i River and tho adjacent physiogr,aphic features or its valley and borde~ing uplands has a. history cb..a.raet:.erized by several cycle~ ot

erosion. Tl:te late 'Tertiary history or this ar"'a m.'l.y l?e out

lined in seven Jl'laill stngl'i:ls. Sta:c;e Mo. !• Deposition of the Pa.L,ocene Po1.. t ~Jnion group and the Eocene Golden Valley formation. Stat5e Np. 2,.. Uplift and extens:tve t.lrosion. Init;ial i"ormr:d.;ion of aeoria !"rom b12rning lignite$ during Eocene timt:h qtage

Stage Nt>. !!- Stl"ea.m migration and tributary stream · capture that aided development of the broad meandering stl"6-. which deposited the P.la::cville gravel, stage No., 6. Dissection o:f the Flaxville Plain. Losa or the main tributary or the Little Missouri R1v•r as the l"'&sult of st'.r'eam capture and the formation of' Little Missouri 'l'enaee No. 4.. Incipient badla.m devel&pment. Stase No. 7. "I11C:Mu1sa in pree1pitat1on, broad &Pehing, stream capture; and 1ttoatatie ?lebound all ln:flueneed the to?tmat:ton of lower ternoes along the I,ittle Miasouri and aided the development of the piteaent top,og:re.phy of the tittle Missouri drainage basin. 1

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Ald~rn, W• C. (1924) Physiographic dev•lopmenla ot the nOl'tbern Great Plains, Geol. Soe. Am. Bull., vol.- 3S. P• 385.,,.42.3. Alden, w,,. c. (19.32) Physiography and glachtl geology of eaatern Montana and adjacent areas. u. s. O.ol. Surrray Prof. Paper 174. Atwocd, w. w. and Atwood, w. w., Jr. (1938) Working hypothesia tor the ph:yaiographie history of the Rocky Mountain region~ Geol. Soc. Am. Bull., vol. 49, pt. l, P• 957 .. ao. Benson, w. c. (1952) Geology of the Knife River area• U~ S. Geel. Survey Ope,n file preliminary re9ort. Bryan. Kirk (1940) "P.he ret:-eat or slopes, Annals Assoc. of Am. Geographers, -vol. JO. no. 4, p. 2.54... 68. , Caldwell, J,. w. (1954) Surface structure of west.ern Stark county and adjacent areas or North Dakota, Nor-th Dakota Geol. Survey Rept • of Inv. 14. Colliar, A. J. and Thom, w. T.,. (1918) The Flaxville gravel and its relation to other terrace gravels or the northezwn Gr-eat Plains, u. s. Geo!. Surv$y Prof. Paper 106-J. Eardl$y, A. J. (1951) Stru4tu~al Geology or North Amerioa, Ha.rper and Bros., New York. l"iaher, s. P. (1953) The geology of vest central McKenzie County, lforth Dakota; North. Dae ota. Geol. Survey Hept. or Inv. 11.

F1sher1 a. P. (1954) St:ruetui-al geology ot the Skaar Trotters area McKenzie and Golden Valley Counties, North Dakota, North DaJrota Gaol. Survey Rept. ot Inv. 15• Hanson. B~ M. (1955} '!'he geology of the Elkharn Ranch area,, Billings and Golden Valley Counties, lior>th D3kota, NOl'tb. Dakota Geol• Survey Rept• ot Inv, lts.

------!------48

Rares, c. J. (1928) Geology and lignite resources of the Marmarth field., southwestern North Dakota. u. s. Geol. Surve7 Bu11. 77S• Laird; w. M. (19$0) The geology ot the south un1b Theodoi-e 'Roosevelt Nation~! Memorial P~rk., Korth Dakota Geol. Survey .Bull. 2$. Leonard, A• G. (1940) !'opographic features a::.d geo• logi.eal t'outidations or. Horth Dakota, North Dakota Geel. Survey Third Bienn. Rept. Leonard, A. G. (1908) Lignite of the Sentinel Butte &l'"eB.,·B'orth Dali:ota, u. S, Geol. Survey BulJ., 341. L$0Mrd" A.G .. (1916) Drainage eh.angen 1n western lio~ Dakota, Gaol. Soc. Am. Bu1l., Vol .. 27, P• 29$-304« MacJd.13., J. H. (191.i..8} Concept of the graded river, · Geol. soo. Am. Bull., vol. 59, pt. 1. P• 46;-509. May, R. P. (19.54) nclinker", North,Dakota Geol, Soc. Guidebook southwes. tern Nol'th De. k.ota field conference, P• 18•19. I Malott. c. A. (1920} Static rejuvina.tion, Science., 52,, P• 1a2 ... a,;. Meldahl, E., o. (19$6) Geology of. tha Grassy Butte area, P10Kenaie County, North Dakota, Unpublished mast&I''s thesis. Meytn•hof't., H. A,. (19tt.O) Mig?'ation ot erosional suri'aces,,Annals Aasoe. Am. Geographers, vol. 30, no. 4, P• 247-5b.• Plumley, w. J, (1948) Dlaek Hills terrace gravels: A study in sed'.L~ent tPanspoPt, Jour. Geol,, vol. 56, P• ~26-77 • · · Powel*s., w. :E .. (19!i5) White River formation of' North Dakota,

Roth, i<"'. J'. and Ziitimerman, J it T. ( 195!;) Phyaiograph:y of" ·North Dakota, The Compass of Si,gma 0.al'l'lml!l Epsilon, vol. 32, P• 8J-85. I ! Russ.ell, L •. s. (1950) 'i'&rtiary gravels of Saskat;cl'l$wa.n, Trane, Roja.l Soe. Canad..a 7 vol. XLIV, seI'. 3~ lh 58. .. " . Sel'.ind.tz, E. R, (1955) StNa.m ptrae7 and glae!a1 dive~sion or Little Misao~ri River, North Dakota Unpubli,shed ma.ster•s thesis. Seh.~.1tlt_. E. rt. and Kresl, Rt J.,, (1955) ·Postglacial wal"J)ing io North Dakota, Th• O.ompas-s of S ie-;mA Gamma Epsilon, "ltOl. 32, P• 92~97. Smith, H, 1'• U'. (19h.9) :Physical et'tects of' Pleistocene .ollmatie changes 1n non-glaciated areas. eolian -phenomena, .f"rlostt action and .streLit tert"A.cing., . Geol. Soc. Am. Bull., vol. 60• pt. 2, p.,. 1.506--08, Thornbury, w. D. (1954} Principles ot Geomorphology, John Wiley and Sons; Inc., Mew York., Von Engeln, o .. D., (191+2)

PROJECTED PROFILES OF LITTLE MISSOURI RIVER AND TERRACE NUMBER 4

~-- -- I -i-- - --t

I ---- 2800------t_

. --- I ------~t~. 2600- " .. . . ~~~·-:.:t. I ~ "---; :-- 't' Terrace . .. :--- No.4 . . -.. ------I ' 2400- ...- -- ' ------i I "' r------...... -}-----+_j -t------r--- u ,, ... . . --...... le M· .. 'Ssou . .. I --t:------r, 2200------I 200 0- .

I I I I I I I I I I I I I I

z ~ . 0 L ..: ..: ..; 0 ..: (.) (.) f() 0 u ..: (..) (.) (1) ..: .c 0 3 C 1- 0 ...... '- .Q Cf) G) C, - C: ... 0 0 '- ... 0 z 0 E z Q) ... Q) 0 Q) O") 0 -0 0 cu +- E C CX) C Q) "' .... .,, +-- > u 0 ... C: f() ... C, C\J 0 Cl> > +- 0 .c 0 Cl> .s=. Cl> 0 Cl) I- ~ 0 ~ I- I- (!) ~ 3 m ID :i:

SCALE ---- Profile of Little Missouri Terrace No. 4 1 200 ------Profile of . Little Missouri River Verti e a I ...... Inferred pre-glacial Terrace No. 4 10 miles 0 I Point of altitude Hori zontol Dat um sea leve l PLATE 2