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Surficial Geologic Map of the Loop and Druid Arch Quadrangles

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Surficial Geologic Map of the Loop and Druid Arch Quadrangles U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Prepared in cooperation with the U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY NATIONAL PARK SERVICE MISCELLANEOUS FIELD STUDIES MAP MF–2411 109 52 30 109 50 00 109 47 30 109 45 00 38 15 00 38 15 00 Po Pc *e CORRELATION OF MAP UNITS Qae Pc Pcu Qed Qs Qr Qae SURFICIAL DEPOSITS *e Pcu Qae *e Qf1/Qr *e Qaf Qs Qfp Qr Qp Qed Qes Qrf Qt1 Qf1 Qf2 Qae Qal Qt2 Holocene QUATERNARY Qfp *h Qt3 Pleistocene Qr Qr Pc *e Qes SEDIMENTARY ROCKS 10 Qae Qed Unconformity *e 50 Qr Po Po Pc PERMIAN Pc Pcu Pc Qr Qs Qed *e Upper Qae Pennsylvanian *e Unconformity *h Qae Pcu PENNSYLVANIAN Qr Qae *h Middle and Upper Qae Pennsylvanian Qf1/Qr *e Qae Pc Qr *e Qes Qae DESCRIPTION OF MAP UNITS Qal Alluvial deposits (Holocene and Pleistocene?)—Gray, light-red, and Qae 45 *h [Units shown with slashes indicate thin deposits of the first unit over the second and sometimes light-brown clay, silt, sand, and interbedded lenses of pebble-size third unit. Not all composite units are shown. Some unit exposures on the plotted map are too gravel; partly consolidated. Unit intertongues with or is *h small to distinguish the color for unit identification. These units are labeled where possible, Qae Qr Qae and unlabled units are attributed in the database] overlapped by intermediate (Qt2) or old alluvial terrace (Qt3) Qed deposits. Common in low-gradient valleys in The Grabens area *e *h Qes SURFICIAL DEPOSITS and within narrow tributary drainages of Salt Creek and other Qed/Qae Surficial deposits are differentiated from one another chiefly on the basis of unnamed canyon drainages. Deposit is commonly subject to Pc Qes/Qae Qr difference in morphologic character and physiographic position illustrated on aerial arroyo erosion as much as 10 ft in depth in narrow tributary Qed photographs and field observations. Older alluvial and aeolian deposits generally canyons caused by headward erosion from larger mainstream exhibit extensive erosion, whereas younger deposits are actively accumulating drainages such as Salt Creek. Unit is subject to sheet-wash Qs *e material or are lightly eroded as observed on 1995 color aerial photographs. Salt is a flooding and ponding of silt and mud due to either thickness of Qae Qed Qae Qae common constituent in all alluvial deposits and, to a lesser degree, in aeolian vegetation cover or fresh sand accumulations that allow temporary Qae Qae deposits ponding of a few months to a few years. Support moderate to Qed/Qae thick growth of sagebrush, grass, cactus, and tall shrubs. Qes/Qae Qae Qaf Artificial fill and quarries (Holocene)—Alluvium and (or) bedrock Qae material removed from barrow-pits and trenches to build stock Thickness, 10 to 40 ft or more Qae Pc tanks, drainage diversion dams, roads, and other construction Qt2 Intermediate alluvial terrace deposits (Holocene and Qed Pc projects other than modern highways. No distinction on map Pleistocene?)—Gray, light-red, and brown clay, silt, and fine- to Pc Qed/Qae Pc Qr Qae between cut or fill excavations. Areas generally disturbed by coarse-grained sand similar to young (Qt1) deposits; partly Qae Qes consolidated. Deposits form terraces generally 8 to 12 ft above Qes Qr *h construction projects or quarrying Pcu local streambeds and often inset against old alluvial terrace (Qt3) Qes/Qae Qs Stream-channel alluvium (Holocene)—Interlensing silt, sand, gravel, Qes deposits, but equivalent to tributary alluvium (Qal) in upper valley Qae Qae Qes and pebbles; unconsolidated and poorly sorted. Locally overlaps Qr Qf1/Qr *e Pc or erodes into young and intermediate alluvial terrace deposits reaches of Salt Creek. Gradational and arbitrary contact between Qes Qr Qes Qes (Qt1, Qt2) and floodplain (Qfp) deposits. Generally inset against alluvial (Qal) deposits where tributary drainages intersect Salt Qae young, intermediate, and old alluvial terrace (Qt1, Qt2, and Qt3) Creek. Support moderate growth of cottonwood trees, rabbit Qs Qes Qal Qes brush, and sagebrush. Thickness, 8 to 14 ft *h Qes Qed/Qae deposits. Gradational contact with floodplain (Qfp) deposits. Stream channels subject to intermittent high-energy flows and Qt3 Old alluvial terrace deposits (Pleistocene)—Gray and light-brown Po Qt1 flash floods producing sediment accumulation on floodplains or clay, silt, and sand similar to young (Qt1) and intermediate (Qt2) Qes Qed Qed lateral erosion into young, intermediate, and old terrace deposits. alluvial terrace deposits. Locally, include lenses of small pebble Qed Qrf Qes Little or no vegetation growing in stream channels except for local gravel and conglomerate composed of white and red, rounded 38 12 30 Qed Qt2 Qae 38 12 30 Qed tamarisk, willow, juniper, or oak trees due to close proximity to sandstone, blue-gray rounded limestone, and subrounded red chert Qed Qed bedrock where ground water is shallow. Thickness, 3 to 6 ft in coarse-grained gravel matrix. Unit grades or intertongues into Qt2 Qes Qf1 local tributary alluvium (Qal) or alluvium and sand-sheet (Qae) Qae Qed Qfp Floodplain deposits (Holocene)—Light-gray or tan silt, fine- to Pc Qt1 Qes Qae deposits along lower reaches of Salt Creek. Form terraces about Qed/Qf1/Qt1 coarse-grained sand, and interbedded pebble gravel lenses; Qt1 unconsolidated. Gravel locally contains red, subrounded to 15 to 24 feet above stream (Qs) deposits. Scattered and isolated *h Qrf Qrf Qed/Qf1/Qt1 Qed Qed/Qes/Qae Qes subangular chert fragments and gray-blue, rounded limestone old terrace deposits in upper reaches of Salt Creek and in cutoff Qae *e Qf1 meander loops often covered by sand dune (Qed) deposits. Qrf pebbles 0.25 to 0.75 in. in diameter. Seasonal floods may produce Qrf Qrf fresh deposits that generally accumulate on the inside bends (point Support thick to moderate growths of sagebrush, rabbit brush, Pc Qae Qes Pc *e Pc cactus, and minor grasses; cactus is most common along Salt *h bars) of drainages and locally erode into or overlie young alluvial Qae Creek. Commonly interbedded with or overlapped by ponded *h terrace (Qt1) deposits. Subject to stream-channel erosion or Qt1 Qt1 Qs Qes/Qae (Qp), alluvium (Qal), and alluvium and sand-sheet (Qae) deposits Qs Qes Qed overbank flooding. Gradational and arbitrary contacts between Qrf Qed/Qae along lower reaches of Salt Creek. Thickness, 14 to 25 ft Qrf stream-channel (Qs) and floodplain (Qfp) deposits both laterally Qr Qrf *e Qed/Qae and vertically. Support thick growths of tamarisk trees and other *h Qae Qae Qed/Qes/Qae SEDIMENTARY ROCKS Qt1 water-dependent plants where stream bedrock is very shallow, *e Pc Qae Po Organ Rock Member of the Cutler Formation (Permian)—Dark- Qrf Qae usually less than 10 ft in depth. Dense growths of tamarisk often Pc Qs Qae red, fine- to coarse-grained, thin-bedded, slope-forming, arkosic Qrf Qae Qae help to trap and accumulate sediment to form floodplain deposits. sandstone and siltstone. Includes dark-red conglomeratic Qed Deposits are generally 3 to 6 ft above stream-channel deposits and Qae Qae sandstone lenses that form ledges in upper part. Gradational Qae *h Pc Qt3 often grade laterally into stream-channel (Qs) deposits where Qae Pc southwest facies change from coarse-grained, ledge- and slope- *e Qs Pc Qae Pc stream is not eroding. Thickness, 3 to 10 ft Qal Qes Qfp Qes forming arkosic sequence to alternating fine-grained, slope- Qae Qr Colorado River terrace deposits (Holocene)—Gray and brown clay, Qed/Qae forming sandstone, siltstone, and mudstone sequence. Unit Qt2 silt, and sand; unconsolidated. Form terrace deposits along banks Qal Qae Qes intertongues with underlying Cedar Mesa Sandstone forming a of the Colorado River consisting of thin-bedded to laminated beds Qae Qal gradational and arbitrary vertical and lateral contact with Qes *e Qes/Qt1 Qt3 of silt and fine-grained sand and interbedded coarse-grained lenses underlying Cedar Mesa Sandstone marked by a color contrast Qs Qal Qt3 Qae Qae Qrf Qae Qs Qes of small pebble gravel. Include interbedded thin beds of gray and from dark red Organ Rock Member of the Cutler Formation to *e red mud and clay. Support heavy vegetation cover of tamarisk Pc Qed/Qae white Cedar Mesa Sandstone in southern part of map area, and trees and sagebrush. Thickness, 15 to 40 ft dark red Organ Rock Member over light red Cedar Mesa Qae *e Qes 0 1 Qes Qes Qrf Qal Qt2 Qp Ponded deposits (Holocene)—Light-gray to white clay, silt, and fine- Sandstone in northeast part of map area. Contact with overlying Qed/Qae/Qf1 Qs gained sand. Locally include angular red chert fragments and Qed/Qf1 Pc Qal Qt3 Triassic Moenkopi Formation is unconformable just east of the Qae small, gray-blue, rounded limestone pebbles. Sediments Qf1 Qes Qrf Qfp map area, but not present within the map area due to modern Qae accumulate in temporary ponded areas on intermediate and old Qt1 Qae Qae erosion. Thickest incomplete section, about 60 ft thick, caps the Qed Qp/Qt3 alluvial terrace (Qt2 and Qt3) deposits along Salt Creek due to Qp/Qal top of highest unnamed ridge in northeast quarter of map area and Qal Qae Qt2 Qp/Qae Qal temporary natural sand dune accumulations or flood overbank forms red caprock, less than 30 ft thick, on small, unnamed mesas Qs Qae Qae Qes Qal sand levee deposits that prevent sediments from reaching Salt Qrf Qp/Qal Qt1 Qae Qt3 in south part of map area Qs Qae Qed Qed Creek for an extended, unknown amount of time. Some deposit Qal Qt1 Pc Qt2 Pcu Cutler Formation and Cedar Mesa Sandstone, undifferentiated Qae Qes Qes/Qae areas have been breached by low-gradient outflow drainage due to Pc *e Qt2 Qs (Permian)—Light-red, fine- to coarse-grained, well-sorted, cliff- 30 gradual headward erosion from Salt Creek.
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