Origin and Configuration of the Present-Day Land Surface, Goodhue County, Minnesota

AN ABSTRACT OF THE THESIS OF Constance Jefferson Sansome for the degree of D0c_t.0r_0f__Phii0s.22hy. in Ge.ol.o___ presented on April 2 5, 19 86. Title: Origin and Configuration of the Present-Day Land _u r__ac e___G ood hu e_C oun_____M inn es o__a,,.,- " Abstract approved: Redacted for Privacy J . G. \J ojti n s o n This study describes the surface configuration of Goodhue County and attempts to determine the origin of that configuration. The research has a descriptive portion—an objective examination of land surface configuration and the composition and distribution of rock material underlying that surface, and a theoretical portion—a speculative examination of the factors controlling the land surface configuration and discussion of the probable origin of that c onf igurat ion. I found that the configuration of any land surface is described in terms of drainage and topography and that the origin and age of any land surface is determined by an examination of the materials making up that surface, the present and past processes acting on that surface, and the amount of time available for the processes to act. I also found that the age of land surface configuration is distinct from the age of the underlying materials and that the degree to which configuration of any land surface is dependent on structure, process, and time is dependent on the scale of the investigation and the surface itself. The surface of Goodhue County ranges in elevation from approximately 670 feet to 1275 feet. The southern two- thirds of the county is a broad upland; the northern third of the county is slightly lower and more dissected. The county has a dendritic and well-integrated drainage system and is underlain by virtually flat-lying sedimentary rocks and thick deposits of glacial drift. The surface configuration of Goodhue County is the result of: (1) geographic location near the center of North America and alongside its major river; (2) marine deposition during the early Paleozoic; (3) minor folding and faulting during the later Paleozoic; (4) extensive solution and erosion during the late Paleozoic and/or parts of the Mesozoic; (5) fluvial deposition during the Cretaceous; (6) glacial and glaciofluvial deposition during the early and middle Pleistocene; (7) aeolian deposition and mass movement late in the Pleistocene; and (8) fluvial erosion and deposition during the late Pleistocene and Recent. Copyright by Constance Jefferson Sansome April 20, 1986 All Rights Reserved Origin and Configuration of the Present-Day Land Surface, Goodhue County, Minnesota by Constance Jefferson Sansome A THESIS submit t ed to Oregon State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the d eg ree of Doctor of Philosophy completed April 25, 1986 commencement June 8, 1986 APPROVED: Redacted for Privacy rafessor ofj Gebiogy JLn charge of major Redacted for Privacy ftead\ of Deparpnen t of Geology Redacted for Privacy Date dissertation is presented A__ril_2 5____9 8_ Typed by Constance Jefferson Sansome FRONTISPIECE View of the Land Surface Near the Town of Hay Creek, Goodhue County, Minnesota TABLE OF CONTENTS I. INTRODUCTION page 1 Definition and Rationale... ............1 Background 6 Methodology 8 Acknowledgements and Related Research ....10 Goodhue County 13 II. CONFIGURATION OF THE LAND SURFACE page 18 Description of Land Surface 18 Drainage of Goodhue County 21 Topography of Goodhue County.. 27 Interrelationship of Drainage and Topography...... 32 III. MATERIALS OF THE SURFACE AND SUBSURFACE page 34 Introduction 34 Bedrock Topography and Overburden Thickness ....36 Consolidated Materials 38 Unconsolidated Materials 43 Miscellaneous Remarks... 49 IV. PROCESS AND TIME page 51 Introduction...... 51 Process in Goodhue County ......52 Time in Goodhue County ..............54 Geologic History of Goodhue County 55 V. ORIGIN OF THE LAND SURFACE page 63 Discussion .63 General Speculation Concerning Land Surface Origin .69 Detailed Examination of Land Surface Origin. .....73 In Review 90 VI. SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS, AND SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER RESEARCH page 91 Summary and Conclusions.. 91 Suggestions for Further Research. 99 REFERENCES CITED page 106 APPENDICES page 110 Appendix A--Maps and Diagrams by Others ................ 110 Appendix B--Samples of Field and Well Data ........120 Appendix C--Photographs 123 Appendix D--Comments on Map Construction 137 Appendix E—Comments on Scale of Study, Educational Background of Investigator, Available Technology 143 LIST OF PLATES (IN MAP POCKET) Plate I--Base Map Plate II--Planimetric Map Plate III--Data Base Map Plate IV--Drainage Map Plate V—Topographic Map Plate VI--Map of Bedrock Geology Plate VII--Map of Bedrock Topography Plate VIII--Map of Overburden Thickness Plate IX--Map of Surficial Geology Plate X--Map of Geomorphic Regions Plate XI—Cross-Sections A-A' and B-B' Plate XII--Reference Map Plate XIII--Slope (Texture) Map LIST OF FIGURES View of Land Surface Near the Town of Hay Creek, Goodhue County,Minnesota (photograph) frontispiece Figure #1, Aspects of Land Surface Configuration (diagram) page 20 Figure #2, St ratigraphic Column and Order of Geologic Events for Goodhue County (table) 62 Figure Illustration #3, Factors Controlling Land Surface Configuration (diagram).......... ..63 Appendix A, Figure #1—Austin's Diagram of the Major Structural Features in Southeastern Minnesota, 1972....Ill Appendix A, Figure #2--Sloan and Austin's Geologic Map of Minnesota: S_______ au __________, Goodhue County segment, 196 6 112 Appendix A, Figure #3—Schwartz', 1956, and Austin's, 1969, Stratigraphic Columns and Classifications of Paleozoic Rocks in Southeastern Minnesota 114 Appendix A, Figure #4--Levere tt e and Sardeson's ____________ the Surface Formations of Minnesota, Goodhue County segment, 1916 115 Appendix A, Figure #5—Goebel and Walton's Geologic Map of Minnesota: __u________na__Y_G_o_og,_, 1979 116 Appendix A, Figure #6—Hobbs and Goebel's Geo__o____c_Ma_ of Minnesota: Qua ________________ eo ________, Goodhue County segment, 1982 117 Appendix A, Figure #7—Poch's General Soil Map: Goodhue County, Minnesota , 1974... 118 Appendix A, Figure #8—Marshner's Map The__0rj._i.__l. Vegetation of Minnesota, Goodhue County segment, 1974..119 Appendix B, Figure #1--Sample Field Data Card 121 Appendix B, Figure #2--Sample Well Log 122 Appendix C, Figure #1 (photograph)—General Upland Surface near Kenyon... ....124 Appendix C, Figure #2 (photograph)--Little Cannon Valley, South of Sogn 125 Appendix C, Figure #3 (photograph)--General Upland Surface near Goodhue.. ..126 Appendix C, Figure #4 (photograph)--Land Surface near Stanton 127 Appendix C, Figure #5 (photograph)—Mississippi River, Natural Levees, Bluff, and Lake Pepin .128 Appendix C, Figure #6 (photograph)--Distributaries at Mouth of Cannon River 129 Appendix C, Figure #7 (photograph)--Barn Bluff from Downt own Red Wing.... ...........130 Appendix C, Figure #8 (photograph)--Ordovician Rocks in Road Cut, Southeast of Cannon Falls 131 Appendix C, Figure #9 (photograph)--Rocks of the Galena Formation, in a Quarry Near Roscoe. 132 Appendix C, Figure #10 (photograph)--Sediments of the Windrow Formation, Near Goodhue... 133 Appendix C, Figure #11 (photograph)--Sink in the Prairie du Chien Dolomite, Filled with Windrow Clay 134 Appendix C, Figure #12a and #12b (photograph)-- Unconsolidated Glacial, Glaciofluvial, and Aeolian Materials Overlying Platteville Limestone, Northwest of White Rock 135 Appendix C, Figure #13 (photograph)--Terrace Sands and Gravels, Near Lake City.... 136 ORIGIN AND CONFIGURATION OF THE PRESENT-DAY LAND SURFACE, GOODHUE COUNTY, MINNESOTA I. INTRODUCTION Definition and Rationale The intent of this study is to describe the surface configuration of Goodhue County and to determine the origin of that surface. The research is in two major parts: (1) a descriptive portion, and (2) a theoretical portion. The descriptive portion is an objective examination of the land surface configuration (Section II) and the composition and distribution of rock materials underlying that surface (Section III). The theoretical portion is a speculative examination of the factors controlling the land surface configuration and a discussion of the probable origin of that surface (Sections IV and V). Both parts of the research are of equal importance, although the first part of the research can stand alone and the second cannot. The descriptive portion of this research is a problem of geometry, physical geography, and stratigraphy. The theoretical portion is a problem of physical geology, historical geology, and geomorphology. I chose this study for several reasons. (1) I desired a problem of regional scale involving consideration of a long span of geologic time and demanding integration of knowledge from several fields of scientific inquiry. (2) I wanted a problem the solution of which would give me a fund of knowledge, both factual and methodological, which I could easily communicate to other people and readily transfer to other regions. (3) I wished to learn more about the geology and geomorphology of Goodhue County. (4) I wished to "sharpen my vision" on the whole field of geomorphology—to learn to see land surfaces more analytically, to ask and attempt to answer, for a particular region, some of the major questions of that field and to read more intelligently in that field. (5) I chose this study because it touches on an integral part of human experience—the sense of place, a feeling which I wished to strengthen in myself and foster in others. I chose a landscape problem regional

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