Contributions to the Quaternary Geology Of
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MINNESOTA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY D.L. SOUTHWICK, Director CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE QUATERNARY GEOLOGY OF SOUTHWESTERN MINNESOTA Carrie J. Patterson, Editor Report of Investigations 47 UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA Saint Paul - 1997 CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE QUATERNARY GEOLOGY OF SOUTHWESTERN MINNESOTA ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This report summarizes the results of geologic research undertaken during development and compilation of a regional hydrogeologic assessment for southwestern Minnesota. A portion of the funding for the regional hydrogeologic assessment project was approved by the Minnesota Legislature M.L. 91, Ch. 254, Art. 1, Sect. 14, Subd. 4(f), and M.L. 93, Ch. 172, Sect. 14, Subd. 11(g), as recommended by the Legislative Commission on Minnesota Resources from the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund. Additional funding for the assessment, and for this publication, was provided by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Division of Waters. Minnesota Geological Survey 2642 University Avenue West Saint Paul, Minnesota 55114-1057 Telephone: 612-627-4780 Fax: 612-627-4778 E-mail address:[email protected] Web site: http://geolab.geo.umn.edu/mgs © 1997 by the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota. All rights reserved. ISSN 0076-9177 The University of Minnesota is committed to the policy that all persons shall have equal access to its programs, facilities, and employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital status, disability, public assistance status, veteran status, or sexual orientation. ii CONTENTS Page Chapter 1 Surfical geology of southwestern Minnesota by Carrie J. Patterson Introduction ...................................................................................................................................... 1 Regional setting ............................................................................................................................... 1 Topography ............................................................................................................................... 1 Climate and native vegetation ................................................................................................ 2 Surface water ............................................................................................................................ 2 Mapping methods ............................................................................................................................ 3 Geomorphic regions ........................................................................................................................ 9 Bedrock topography and thickness of glacial sediment ............................................................ 11 Early glacial deposits .................................................................................................................... 18 Surficial units ......................................................................................................................... 20 Subsurface units ..................................................................................................................... 25 Correlation of early glacial deposits ................................................................................... 27 Late glacial deposits ..................................................................................................................... 30 Verdi phase of the Des Moines lobe ..................................................................................... 30 Bemis phase of the Des Moines lobe .................................................................................... 31 Younger phases of the Des moines lobe .............................................................................. 33 Interpretation of glacial dynamics ............................................................................................... 38 Glacial surges ......................................................................................................................... 39 Ice streams .............................................................................................................................. 39 Discharge of ice streams on land ......................................................................................... 40 Acknowledgments ......................................................................................................................... 41 References cited ............................................................................................................................ 42 Chapter 2 Revised gravity investigation for potential ground-water resources in northwestern Rock County, Minnesota by Val W. Chander Abstract .......................................................................................................................................... 46 Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 46 Geology of northwestern Rock County ..................................................................................... .46 Description of gravity data .......................................................................................................... 47 Field and compilation procedures ........................................................................................ 48 Bouguer ano/naly data ........................................................................................................... 49 Analysis of the gravity data ......................................................................................................... 51 Limitations of the results ............................................................................................................. 53 Discussion ...................................................................................................................................... 54 Implications for ground-water resources .................................................................................... 56 Conclusions .................................................................................................................................... 56 Acknowledgments ......................................................................................................................... 57 References cited ............................................................................................................................ 57 iii Page Chapter 3 Terrestrial gamma radiation in southwestern Minnesota and an assessment of its utility in surficial geologic mapping by R.S. Lively Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 58 Description of data ........................................................................................................................ 58 Airborne survey ...................................................................................................................... 59 Ground survey ........................................................................................................................ 59 The surficial geologic map .................................................................................................... 59 General findings ............................................................................................................................ 60 Regional distribution of radioactivity ......................................................................................... 60 Correlating activity and surficial units ....................................................................................... 65 A new surface mapping tool? ...................................................................................................... 65 Conclusions .................................................................................................................................... 68 References cited ............................................................................................................................ 69 Appendix Descriptive logs of selected boreholes ............................................................................................ 71 NOTE ON MEASUREMENTS USED IN THIS REPORT Although the metric system is preferred in scientific writing, certain measurements are still routinely made in U.S. customary units; for example, distances on land are measured in miles and depths in drill holes are measured in feet. Preference was given in this report to retaining the units that measurements were made in. To assist readers, conversion factors for some of the common units of measure are provided below. Metric units to U.S. customary units: To convert from To Multiply by millimeter (mm) inch (in) 0.03937 centimeter (cm) inch (in) 0.3937 meter (m) foot (ft) 3.281 kilometer (km) mile (mi) 0.6214 U.S. customary units to metric units: To convert from To Multiply by inch (in) millimeter (mm) 25.4 inch (in) centimeter (cm) 2.540 foot (ft) meter (m) 0.3048 mile (mi) kilometer (km) 1.609 iv SURFICIAL GEOLOGY OF SOUTHWESTERN MINNESOTA By Carrie J. Patterson INTRODUCTION facing slope of the Coteau des Prairies, a flatiron The Quaternary geologic component of the shaped upland that separates lowlands formerly regional hydrogeologic assessment for southwestern occupied by the Des Moines and the James