The Yampa Bed—A Regionally Extensive Tonstein in the Williams
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The Yampa Bed—A Regionally Extensive Tonstein in the Williams Fork Formation, Northwestern Piceance Creek and Southern Sand Wash Basins, Colorado Contributions to Stratigraphy Scientific Investigations Report 2008–5033 U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey Cover. Excavated exposure of the Yampa Bed at the type locality, south of Craig, Colo. Yampa Bed is about 38 in. thick. Note 24-in. shovel for scale. The Yampa Bed—A Regionally Extensive Tonstein in the Williams Fork Formation, Northwestern Piceance Creek and Southern Sand Wash Basins, Colorado By Michael E. Brownfield and Edward A. Johnson Contributions to Stratigraphy Scientific Investigations Report 2008–5033 U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey U.S. Department of the Interior DIRK KEMPTHORNE, Secretary U.S. Geological Survey Mark D. Myers, Director U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia: 2008 For product and ordering information: World Wide Web: http://www.usgs.gov/pubprod Telephone: 1–888–ASK–USGS For more information on the USGS—the Federal source for science about the Earth, its natural and living resources, natural hazards, and the environment: World Wide Web: http://www.usgs.gov Telephone: 1–888–ASK–USGS Any use of trade, product, or firm names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. Although this report is in the public domain, permission must be secured from the individual copyright owners to reproduce any copyrighted material contained within this report. Suggested citation: Brownfield, M.E., and Johnson, E.A., 2008, The Yampa Bed—A regionally extensive tonstein in the Williams Fork Formation, northwestern Piceance Creek and southern Sand Wash Basins: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2008–5033, 32 p. iii Contents Abstract ...........................................................................................................................................................1 Introduction.....................................................................................................................................................1 Geologic Setting .............................................................................................................................................4 Cretaceous Paleogeography ..............................................................................................................4 Stratigraphy of Upper Cretaceous Rocks in Northwestern Colorado .........................................7 Mesaverde Group in the Yampa Coal Field ......................................................................................7 Detailed Stratigraphy of Coal-Bearing Upper Cretaceous Rocks .........................................................7 Iles Formation ........................................................................................................................................7 Tow Creek Sandstone Member ...............................................................................................12 Double-Ledge Sandstone .........................................................................................................12 Trout Creek Sandstone Member .............................................................................................12 Williams Fork Formation ....................................................................................................................12 Sub-Twentymile Sandstone ............................................................................................12 Twentymile Sandstone Member .....................................................................................13 Big White Sandstone .......................................................................................................13 Three White Sandstones .................................................................................................13 Depositional Setting of the Mesaverde Group .......................................................................................13 Origin, Description, and Distribution of the Yampa Bed ........................................................................14 Yampa Coal Field .................................................................................................................................17 Eckman Park Measured Section .............................................................................................17 Fish Creek Canyon Measured Section ...................................................................................18 Ute Gulch Measured Section ..................................................................................................19 Eagle Mine Measured Section ................................................................................................19 Lay, Colo., Measured Section ..................................................................................................19 Danforth Hills Coal Field.....................................................................................................................19 Piceance and Sand Wash Basins ........................................................................................................... 19 Geophysical Log Response ........................................................................................................................23 Yampa Bed as a Correlation Tool ..............................................................................................................26 Summary........................................................................................................................................................30 Acknowledgments .......................................................................................................................................30 References Cited..........................................................................................................................................30 Plates 1. Subsurface Correlations of Coal and Related Rocks of the Upper Cretaceous Iles and Williams Fork Formations in the Yampa Coal Field, Northeastern Colorado A. Coal correlations of the middle coal group along cross section A-A’ B. Coal correlations of the middle coal group along cross section B-B’ C. Lithologic interpretation of drill hole H–36–H iv 2. Subsurface Correlations of Coal and Related Rocks of the Iles and Williams Fork Formations in the Danforth Hills Coal Field, Northwestern Colorado A. Location map showing public drill holes and line of section A-A’ in the Danforth Hills coal field B. Subsurface correlations of coal and related rocks in the Iles and Williams ForkFormations in the Danforth Hills coal field Figures 1. Geologic map and major Upper Cretaceous coal fields of northwestern Colorado .........2 2. Index map of Yampa coal field....................................................................................................3 3. Photograph of baked strata (clinker) above Trout Creek Sandstone Member of the Iles Formation ................................................................................................................................4 4. Stratigraphic column of Upper Cretaceous and Tertiary rocks, Yampa coal field ............5 5. Paleogeographic map of central part of North America during the late Campanian .......6 6. Geologic map of Yampa coal field..............................................................................................8 7. Cross section of Mesaverde Group in the Yampa coal field .................................................9 8. Cross section of Upper Cretaceous and Tertiary rocks in the Lower White River, Danforth Hills, and Yampa coal fields ......................................................................................10 9. Stratigraphic section of Eckman Park area ...........................................................................11 10–15. Photographs showing Yampa Bed 10. Excavated outcrop at type location .........................................................................................15 11. Drill core from Eagle Mine ........................................................................................................15 12. Closeup of excavated outcrop at type location .....................................................................16 13. Upper contact at type location .................................................................................................17 14. Lower contact at type location.................................................................................................17 15. Outcrop northeast of Eckman Park..........................................................................................18 16. Stratigraphic section in Fish Creek Canyon ...........................................................................20 17–20. Photographs showing Yampa Bed 17. Outcrop in Fish Creek Canyon ..................................................................................................21 18. Outcrop in Ute Gulch ..................................................................................................................21 19. Closeup in Ute Gulch ..................................................................................................................22 20. Outcrop south of Eagle Mine ....................................................................................................22 21. Outcrop of Yampa Bed and Peacock coal bed south