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Home , Cedar Mountain Formation, Fulgurite, Temple of the Sun (Utah), Tenontosaurus, Utah Geological Survey

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Utah’s Newly Recognized Record ...... 1 The Inventory and Management of ’s Resources ...... 5 Director’s Survey News ...... 6 Robert W. Gloyn ...... 7 Perspective Pilot Project Shows Promise for Aquifer Storage and Recovery ...... 8 by Richard G. Allis Deep Utah coal deposits - repositories for greenhouse gas emissions? ...... 10 he Utah Geological Survey (UGS) has just completed a five- planning GeoSights ...... 12 document to coincide with the transition to a new governor and executive Lehi Hintze Award ...... 13 administration. The document points out that the need for geological “Glad You Asked” ...... 14 information and advice is becoming increasingly important due to Utah’s ongo- Teacher’s Corner ...... 15 Ting economic and population growth, which are stressing its geologic resources Design by Vicky Clarke (, energy, ground water), increasing vulnerability to natural hazards, and Cover: A new UGS dinosaur quarry at base of increasing conflict over wise use of land. Examples of issues confronting Utahns (see page 1). Other over the next decade for which geological information from the UGS will be criti- captions, p. 5. cal include the following: • Utah has considerable energy and wealth (annual production value of State of Utah Jon Huntsman, Jr., Governor $3 billion) but there are increasing challenges to extracting that wealth in an Department of Natural Resources acceptable and environmentally sustainable way. Michael Styler, Executive Director • Utah’s demand for electricity continues to grow, and will likely require new UGS Board coal-fired power plant capacity. Charles Semborski, Chair Geoff Bedell Craig Nelson • Natural gas has become Utah’s most important energy commodity in recent Kathleen Ochsenbein Robert Robison , replacing (1960s) and oil (1980s), but normal production decline Steve Church Ron Bruhn rates in existing wells will require new exploration to sustain this trend Kevin Carter (Trust Lands Administration-ex officio) through the 2000s. UGS Staff Administration • The continued growth in urban areas is filling available land on the valley Richard G. Allis, Director floors and causing development in more hazardous areas along the mountain- Kimm Harty, Deputy Director John Kingsley, Assoc. Director front regions. Daniel Kelly, Acct. Officer • Utah has been lucky that a very damaging earthquake has not yet occurred Rebecca Medina, Secretary/Receptionist along the Wasatch Front in historical times; old, unreinforced masonry build- Jo Lynn Campbell, Admin. Secretary Linda Bennett, Accounting Tech. ings vulnerable to collapse that were built until the 1970s are abundant in Michael Hylland, Tech. Reviewer most downtown city areas. Editorial Staff Jim Stringfellow • Utah is the second-driest state, and this is compounded by the ongoing Vicky Clarke, Sharon Hamre, James Parker, Lori Douglas drought; ground-water resources are finite, and in some areas of the state they Geologic Hazards Gary Christenson may have been over-appropriated William Lund, Barry Solomon, Francis Ashland, Richard Giraud, Greg McDonald, Lucas Shaw, Clearly the UGS has an important role to play in state government in the coming Chris DuRoss, Mike Kirschbaum, Garrett Vice years. Energy and Mineral Resources David Tabet Utah’s use of its natural Robert Blackett, Roger Bon, Thomas Chidsey, resources such as oil, gas, Bryce Tripp, Craig Morgan, J. Wallace Gwynn, Jeff Quick, Kevin McClure, Sharon Wakefield, minerals, and ground water Cheryl Gustin, Mike Laine, Tom Dempster, has grown as the popula- Brigitte Hucka, Dallas Rippy, Taylor Boden tion has grown. These Geologic Mapping Grant Willis trends are expected to con- Jon King, Douglas Sprinkel, Janice Hayden, tinue, requiring additional Kent Brown, Bob Biek, Basia Matyjasik, geologic advice and infor- Lisa Brown, Don Clark, Darryl Greer mation to help with chal- Geologic Information and Outreach Sandra Eldredge, William Case lenging land-use decisions Christine Wilkerson, Mage Yonetani, that balance development Patricia Stokes, Mark Milligan, Carl Ege, versus preservation needs. Rob Nielson, Jeff Campbell, Nancy Carruthers Mineral production value Environmental Sciences Michael Lowe has been adjusted to year- James Kirkland, Charles Bishop, Janae Wallace, 2000 dollars. Martha Hayden, Hugh Hurlow, Juliette Lucy, Don DeBlieux, Neil Burk, Kim Nay, Stefan Kirby, Survey Notes is published three times yearly by Utah Geological Survey, 1594 W. North Temple, Suite 3110, , Utah Justin Johnson, Jake Umbriaco 84116; (801) 537-3300. The UGS is an applied scientific agency that creates, evaluates, and distributes information about Utah’s geologic environment, resources, and hazards to promote safe, beneficial, and wise use of land. The UGS is a division of the Department of Natural Resources. Single copies of Survey Notes are distributed free of charge within the United States and Cana- ISSN 1061-7930 da and reproduction is encouraged with recognition of source. Copies are available at http://geology.utah.gov/surveynotes S URVEY N OTES 1

Utah’s Newly Recognized Dinosaur Record from the Early Cedar Mountain Formation by James I. Kirkland

Introduction Many of Utah’s sedimentary rock layers contain abundant and other features that have given us a wealth of information about and the environmental con- ditions under which they lived. With sites such as the Carnegie Quarry at Dinosaur National Monument in northeastern Utah, and the Cleveland-Lloyd Quarry southwest of Price, Utah is justifiably famous for its dinosaurs from the Late . Likewise, Utah’s dinosaur record is well known as the most complete in the world, owing to the extraordinary fossil record preserved in southern Utah. However, rocks from the period had until recently yielded little information about the dinosaurs that lived here during that time. Only over the past decade have new discoveries revealed the importance of dinosaurs preserved in Utah’s Early Cretaceous Cedar Mountain Formation. This recently recognized dinosaur Outcrop of Cedar Mountain Formation in east-central Utah. record permits for the first time a detailed reconstruction of Utah’s Early Cretaceous geology, biology, geography, The reported absence of dinosaur bones in the Cedar and climate. Mountain Formation limited the number of paleontolo- In 1944 the ’s William Lee Stokes gists investigating these rocks for many years. Because applied the name Cedar Mountain Shale to drab, slope- geologists lacked any accepted means of subdividing these forming rocks lying between the Buckhorn Conglomerate rocks, they were long considered to be a rather monoto- and Formation, based on a type-section defined on nous sequence of Early Cretaceous strata that generally the southwest flank of Cedar Mountain at the north end of thicken to the west. Then, new dinosaur reported the San Rafael Swell in Emery Co., Utah. In 1952, he in the mid-1990s led to a rush of institutions searching for renamed it the Cedar Mountain Formation and included the dinosaurs in the Cedar Mountain Formation. Brigham the Buckhorn Conglomerate as its basal member. Back Young University, College of Eastern Utah Prehistoric then, where the cliff-forming Buckhorn is not present, the Museum, Denver Museum of Nature and Science, rule of thumb for distinguishing the Cedar Mountain from Dinosaur National Monument, Museum of the underlying Morrison Formation included (1) its more Natural History, and the Utah Geological Survey are just drably variegated color, (2) its more abundant carbonate some of the many research groups presently looking for nodules often with a thick carbonate paleosol (ancient ) fossils. A wealth of new fossil sites, and some radiometric at the base, (3) the presence of common polished dates, have established that the relatively thin layer (nor- pebbles identified as (dinosaur stomach mally less than 100 meters) of Early Cretaceous Cedar stones), and (4) the absence of dinosaur bones. Mountain Formation, which separates thousands of 2 S URVEY N OTES

Ankylosaur preserved lying on its back in Buckhorn Conglomerate near Buckhorn Wash, near Cedar Mountain type section southwest of Cedar Mountain.

meters of Jurassic rocks and thou- sy has arisen over the age of the Dinosaurs identified in these rocks of meters of Late Cretaceous Buckhorn Conglomerate, as a thick include the polacanthine ankylosaur, rocks, is more complex than previous- carbonate paleosol locally overlies the burgei; advanced iguan- ly thought. Additionally, it preserves Buckhorn and a similar paleosol has odonts (bipedal plant eaters with nearly 30 million years of what may been used to define the base of the thumb spikes), “” ottingeri, be the most interesting episode of Cretaceous elsewhere. However, and perhaps other species; and sever- dinosaur history apart from their ori- well-developed paleosols may occur al sauropod (long-necked dinosaurs) gin and . at a number of stratigraphic positions families, represented by the bra- within the Cedar Mountain Forma- chiosaurid weiskopfae, a In 1997, using the distribution of spe- tion. Additionally, the recent discov- new titanosaurid, and a possible cific dinosaur faunas (groups of ery of a possible ankylosaur (armored camarasaurid. Meat-eating or thero- dinosaurs living together) and their dinosaur) skeleton suggests a Creta- pod dinosaurs are represented by the relationship to distinct rock types, I ceous age as these dinosaurs are rare small coelurosaur, justin- defined four additional members of in the Jurassic and are abundant in hoffmani, the giant “raptor” the Cedar Mountain Formation. In the Early Cretaceous. ostrommaysorum, and a large ascending order, these are the Yellow carnosaurid perhaps related to Utah’s Cat Member, Poison Strip Sandstone, Yellow Cat Member state fossil, the Late Jurassic Ruby Ranch Member, and Mussentu- . The dinosaurs, together chit Member. Together with the Buck- The Yellow Cat Member consists of with pollen and charophytes (green horn Conglomerate, these rock units drab variegated mudstone, limestone, algae), indicate that these rocks are and the fossils they contain are shed- and paleosols, with some sandstone approximately 125-120 million years ding light on the previously obscure lenses. It is recognized in the area old. Similar types of dinosaurs are Early Cretaceous history of Utah. between the Green and Colorado also known from rocks of this age in Rivers, where it is thought to reflect Europe when the northernmost the last effects of salt diapirism Stratigraphy and Dinosaurs of the Atlantic Ocean had not yet opened (upward flow of buried salt) in the Cedar Mountain Formation up. region around . Buckhorn Conglomerate This member is typically underlain by Poison Strip Sandstone The basal Buckhorn Conglomerate a massive carbonate paleosol, reflect- consists largely of a chert-pebble to ing an approximately 25-million-year The Poison Strip Sandstone is actually cobble conglomerate up to 25 meters gap in sediment accumulation a complex of well-cemented - thick that defines a northeast-flowing between the Late Jurassic and middle stones that indicate a complex of river system extending along the west Early Cretaceous. It is overlain con- beaches and low-sinuosity and mean- flank of the San Rafael Swell. The formably by the Poison Strip Sand- dering river systems. These hard chert pebbles preserve Late Paleozoic stone and pinches out under it to the sandstones form the most continuous marine fossils reworked from ancient east and west. These rocks reflect a marker bed in the Cedar Mountain mountains in northwest Arizona and complex of floodplain and lake envi- Formation and hold up an extensive Nevada. In recent years, a controver- ronments in a semiarid setting. cliff of lower Cedar Mountain and S URVEY N OTES 3 c i h p a r g o e g o e l a p

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a s r e n r n e e t g t a A p 4 S URVEY N OTES upper Morrison Formation extending the world as the result of rising sea new small species, , and across much of east-central Utah. Pet- levels flooding Europe and western ), tiny slender brachiosaurid rified logs and are common in Canada prior to the development of sauropod teeth (the last known in these beds. Dinosaurs are less com- Alaska. The rather low diversity of until the titanosaurid monly preserved and include dinosaurs across all of North America Alamosaurus appears more than 30 Gastonia, the iguanodont Planicoxa for this interval lends further support million years later in the North Horn venenica, and the titanosaurimorph to the concept of North America as an Formation), dome-headed pachy- sauropod dicrocei. Over- island continent during this time. cephalosaurs, and primitive horned all the fossils suggest persistence of dinosaurs. Meat-eating dinosaur the Yellow Cat fauna. Mussentuchit Member teeth are diverse and abundant, including primitive coelurosaurs, The uppermost Mussentuchit Member Ruby Ranch Member troodontids, dromaeosaurine and is well developed only along the west velociraptorine dromaeosaurids, and The Ruby Ranch Member is present side of the San Rafael Swell. It is sep- North America’s earliest known everywhere the Cedar Mountain For- arated from the underlying Ruby tyrannosaurids. A partial skeleton of Ranch Member by a black chert-peb- mation is recognized and thickens to what may be a toothless ble lag except in the thick outcrops of the northwest, perhaps indicating the ornithomimid (ostrich-mimic) has also Cedar Mountain Formation on the earliest development of a foreland been recovered. basin caused by initial Cretaceous north end of the San Rafael Swell, thrust faulting in central Utah. Its where the contact appears gradation- So far only two dinosaur species, now appearance is much like the Yellow al. The top of the Mussentuchit, and housed in the collections of the Col- Cat Member, except that carbonate laterally the Ruby Ranch, is overlain lege of Eastern Utah Prehistoric Muse- nodules are much more common and by the and, where um in Price, Utah, have been cover the ground. These represent removed by Late Cretaceous erosion, described from relatively complete paleosols and ephemeral ponds the Tununk Member of the Mancos skeletal remains from these rocks. formed under semiarid conditions. Shale. The Mussentuchit is most They are named for a husband/wife Ribbon sandstones representing low- readily distinguished by the abun- team of amateur paleontologists liv- sinuosity rivers are common in this dance of smectite (altered volcanic ing in Castle Dale, Utah. The member. Dinosaurs from these rocks ash) mixed into its mudstones, a near advanced ornithopod Eolambia car- are completely distinct from those absence of carbonate nodules, and the oljonesa was named for Carol Jones, identified in the underlying rocks. local presence of lignite (low-grade who discovered the site. Retired Uni- The armored ankylosaurs are particu- coal) beds. Locally, the smectite is so versity of Utah radiological technician larly diverse and include a pure that the swelling clays are mined Ramal Jones discovered the skeleton nodosaurid similar to , as for this industrial material. A radio- of the primitive nodosaurid anky- well as a giant nodosaurid and the metric age of 98.37 ± 0.07 million losaur, Animantarx ramaljonesi, as part huge ankylosaurid, Cedarpelta bilbyhal- years, obtained by the Oklahoma of a highly refined radiological survey lorum, in the uppermost part of the Museum of Natural History from vol- of the Carol site. This is the only member. Other plant-eaters include canic ash within the Mussentuchit dinosaur ever discovered thus far by the primitive, large ornithopod Tenon- Member, coincides with the Early Cre- technology alone. taceous/Late Cretaceous boundary. tosaurus, with sauropods represented The Mussentuchit fauna is particular- by slender-toothed brachiosaurs that The Oklahoma Museum of Natural ly interesting in that it is the first time may represent several species and are History has been using wet screen- we find dinosaurs representing all the often referred to as or Pleuro- washing techniques to recover tiny families that are so characteristic of coelus. Meat-eating theropods are rep- fossil remains from the remainder of the Late Cretaceous resented by small raptors similar to microvertebrate sites in the Mussentu- in North America, in addition to pre- , a large undescribed chit Member. By sorting the bone serving a few last examples of Early carnosaurid, and the huge, high- residues generated in this way, they Cretaceous dinosaurs. As the direct spined . Similar have recognized about 80 species ancestors of the tyrannosaurids, the dinosaur faunas are known across including a diversity of fish, frogs, derived iguanodont Eolambia, and the much of North America and suggest salamanders, , lizards, the old- marsupial Kokopelia are Asian ; that these rocks were formed 115-105 est North American snake, crocodil- this suggests that these rocks docu- million years ago when flowering ians, , and (including ment the first immigration event of plants first radiated and came to dom- the oldest North American marsupial, animals across the “Alaska Land inate the world’s floras. However, Kokopelia). A wealth of dinosaur teeth Bridge.” This event is reported to this particular dinosaur assemblage is have also been recovered representing have led to the extinction of many of known only from North America, ankylosaurid and nodosaurid anky- North America’s “homegrown” suggesting isolation from the rest of losaurs, several ornithopod taxa (a (endemic) dinosaur groups. The S URVEY N OTES 5

Alaskan Land Bridge has remained an an important period of time in the his- integrate new data from the Cedar important migration corridor for life tory of terrestrial life in the northern Mountain Formation into an increas- on land in the northern hemisphere to hemisphere. Globally, this was a ingly robust history of Utah during the present day. As the Mussentuchit time of changing climatic conditions the Early Cretaceous and its relation- Member appears to preserve a mix- during a period of exceptionally high ship with the rest of the world. Con- ture of Early and Late Cretaceous carbon dioxide causing “super-green- tinued new dinosaur discoveries only dinosaurs, it can be said that Utah’s housing” (a world with no polar ice- serve to show that Utah has the most dinosaurs are dating the origin of caps and a sluggish, poorly oxygenat- complete dinosaur record in all of Alaska, having caught the immigra- ed ocean), major restructuring of bio- North America, and that there is still a tion-induced extinction in the act. geographic migration corridors, and a great deal to learn from it. complete restructuring of plant com- Cover: Skull is holotype for armored Conclusions munities with the origin and rapid dinosaur Gastonia burgei, as is tooth; Utah’s Cedar Mountain dinosaurs are rise to dominance of flowering plants. claws are from hind foot of Utahrap- contributing critical information about The UGS continues to discover and tor ostrommaysorum. Inventory and Management of Utah’s Fossil Resources

by Martha Hayden

Paleontological resources are man- aged mainly for their scientific value, but also for their educational and recreational values. In this context, Utah’s fossils are among the state’s unique and valuable natural resources. Different types of fossils require different resource-manage- ment strategies. So how are these resources managed, and who is responsible for their management? Cooperation among various types of property owners and land-manage- ment agencies is one key to effective paleontological resource manage- ment. Fossils are found on private, state, and federal lands. Laws pro- tecting fossils on private land do not Elaine and Earl Gowin look on while UGS paleontologist Don DeBlieux and his wife Jane jacket exist, so we must rely on education as a mammoth tusk discovered in a gravel pit on the Gowin's farm near Fillmore, Utah. Fossils a resource-management strategy. like this tusk are common in the shoreline gravels of Lake Bonneville, an Ice Age lake that cov- Government land-management agen- ered much of western Utah. The addition of significant new localities like this to our paleonto- cies each have their own rules and logical locality database adds to our understanding of prehistoric life in Utah. responsibilities for managing fossils and other resources on lands under ognized by most, if not all, land-man- of eight federal agencies: Bureau of their jurisdiction. At times, manage- agement agencies. A report released Indian Affairs, Bureau of Land Man- ment of other types of resources takes by the Department of the Interior in agement, Bureau of Reclamation, U.S. precedence over management of pale- 2000, "Assessment of Fossil Manage- Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Forest ontological resources. However, the ment on Federal and Indian Lands," Service, National Park Service, Smith- value of fossils on public lands is rec- was developed with the cooperation sonian Institution, and U.S. Geologi- 6 S URVEY N OTES cal Survey. That report lists seven … mark, protect, and preserve critical any single land-management agency "basic principles" for development of paleontological sites;” and “collect, in the state. Under our agreement future legislation governing the treat- maintain, and preserve data and with the BLM, the main focus of work ment of fossils on public lands. The information in order to accomplish has been to convert existing paleonto- basic principles are: the purposes of this section and act as logical locality data into a format that a repository of information concern- can be used in a Geographic Informa- • Fossils on federal land are a part ing the geology of this state.” The tion System (GIS). of America's heritage. UGS is also charged with the authori- To protect critical fossil resources from • Most vertebrate fossils are rare. ty to issue permits for qualified pale- ontologists to excavate critical paleon- vandalism and unauthorized collect- • Some invertebrate and plant fos- tological resources from state lands. ing, information in the locality data- sils are rare. In other words, the UGS is charged base is released only to land managers and qualified paleontologists engaged • Penalties for fossil theft should be with the responsibility for the preser- in paleontological mitigation and strengthened. vation and protection of Utah’s pale- ontological resources from state lands, research. The only specific locality • Effective stewardship requires and has a mandate to collect informa- data released to the general public are accurate information. tion about fossils. for those sites that are open to public visitation. For example, information • Federal fossil collections should Effective data management is another about the St. George Dinosaur Track- be preserved and available for key to successful management of site can be found on our website at research and public education. paleontological resources; to this end http://geology.utah.gov/online/pdf/ • Federal fossil management should the UGS Paleontology Section main- pi-78.pdf, including a locality map for emphasize opportunities for pub- tains a paleontological locality data- visitors as well as a summary of the lic involvement. base for the state of Utah. This data- ongoing paleontological research. base includes 9,699 localities from all The UGS is not a land-management lands in Utah. Our authority to com- We also have, or have had, various agency. However, Utah State Code, pile and maintain locality data is cooperative agreements for specific which provides legal authority to the derived from partnerships and coop- paleontological resource-management UGS, establishes the state's "interest in erative agreements with state and fed- projects with many agencies, includ- the preservation and protection of the eral land-management agencies. In ing Zion National Park, the Bureau of state's paleontological resources and a particular, the UGS has had a cooper- Reclamation, and the U.S. Forest Ser- right to the knowledge derived and ative agreement since 2002 with the vice at Flaming Gorge National Mon- gained from the scientific study of Utah State Office of the Bureau of ument, and Grand Staircase-Escalante these resources." Utah State Code Land Management (BLM) for the National Monument. These projects also assigns authority to the UGS to management of paleontological involve using our locality database “collect and distribute information resource data for BLM lands within and GIS analysis to produce paleonto- regarding the …paleontology… of the the state. The BLM manages 23 mil- logical sensitivity maps and address state; … stimulate research, study and lion acres of land in Utah (42% of the specific research and management activities in the field of paleontology; state’s land area), the largest area of issues.

Survey News Welcome aboard to lots of new faces: with the Ground-water Section, and years with UGS, the last 17 as Curator Our temporary geophysicist is Jake Carole McCalla will be helping out in of the Core Research Center. The new Umbriaco, a recent graduate of the GIO, in particular, increasing the manager is Mike Laine, who man- University of Utah, working with the number of school kits that we have aged the predecessor of the Center in Ground-water Section. Mike available. Justin Johnson replaces 1986-88, then spent four years with Kirschbaum comes back as a tempo- Matt Butler as GIS person for the Oil Gas, & Mining. He has since been rary geologist with the Hazards Pro- Environmental Sciences. Matt is leav- a consulting geologist and petroleum gram, Garrett Vice has been hired as ing for the private sector, and Justin geologist working in the Uinta Basin worked with us previously. a temporary geologist with our Cedar with Questar, and as a subcontractor City office, Stefan Kirby is working Carolyn Olsen leaves us after 25 with the UGS on the Ferron project. S URVEY N OTES 7

Robert W. (Bob) Gloyn November 19, 1942 – September 6, 2004

Bob Gloyn, long-time metallic miner- for the following eight years explored als geologist at the Utah Geological the western U.S. gaining an in-depth Survey, passed away recently follow- knowledge of mineral deposits and ing surgery. For those who knew prospects. It was during this time him, he was affectionately known as that Bob became familiar with the involving state-owned lands and Gloynnie. mining districts in Utah and eastern compiling geological and mineral Nevada. During one of his excur- production summaries on Utah’s Bob was born in Portland, Oregon sions in eastern Nevada in 1974, Bob mining districts. During his 16 years and raised in South Pasadena, Cali- fell down a blind winze while investi- at the Utah Geological Survey, Bob fornia. Bob’s sister Eleanor still gating an abandoned mine and was was senior contributor to the U.S. resides in the Pasadena area. Bob trapped for several days before being Geological Survey’s annual mineral met his life-long sweetheart and com- rescued. As a result, Bob suffered an summary for Utah. His interest and panion Ellen while attending high injury to his left arm that plagued knowledge about mineral emplace- school. Bob and Ellen were married him for several years. Years later, he ment and mineralogy of Utah’s min- in Eagle Rock, California in 1966. would muse that the accident may ing districts was unsurpassed. Bob’s Bob graduated from Occidental Col- have shortened his arm, but it cer- attention to detail was officially rec- lege in 1964, and from Princeton Uni- tainly didn’t dampen his curiosity. ognized in June 2004 when he and his versity with an M.A. in geology in co-authors received the UGS’ Arthur 1967. Bob’s career in mining and Bob was selected to go to Australia in L. Crawford Award in recognition of exploration took him all over the September 1979, and worked in their outstanding geologic publica- western U.S., northern Mexico, and Getty’s Australian office in Sydney tion on the energy and mineral much of Australia. where he spent two and a half years resources of Carbon and Emery as senior geologic advisor conducting Bob joined Getty Oil Company’s min- Counties. base- and precious-metals exploration eral group in 1967 and worked for a in Queensland and eastern Australia, Bob was a long-time member of the short time on an exploration project and in the Perth office as senior Society of Economic Geologists; Soci- in Sonora, Mexico before transferring exploration geologist managing pre- ety of Mining, Metallurgy and Explo- to Getty’s Petrotomics uranium mine cious-metals exploration programs in ration; Northwest Mining Associa- in the Shirley Basin, . Bob Western Australia. tion; and the Utah Geological Associ- worked in ore control for most of his ation. Bob was a caring person and two and a half years at the mine and Bob and his family returned to generous in his professional and was responsible for mapping the Getty’s Salt Lake office in late 1983 charitable contributions. He was mine’s roll-front geology and compil- and once again Bob returned to his always recognized as a “top giver” in ing a complex stratigraphic cross sec- roots in western metals exploration. the State’s Employees’ Charitable tion of the minable ore body. Bob’s Following Getty’s takeover by Texaco Fund. Bob was well known and research and mapping gave him a in 1985 and the disbanding of the highly regarded in Utah’s mining unique understanding of uranium minerals program, Bob consulted for community and he leaves a legacy of deposition and roll-front geology in several companies before joining the unbridled inquiry and a penchant for the Shirley Basin. Bob’s work was Utah Geological Survey in June 1988. detail for all of those he worked with applauded by Getty personnel at the In his early years at the Survey, Bob and those who are to follow. Bob’s mine and at the corporate office in managed the Energy and Minerals quick wit and affable demeanor will Los Angeles, and his work led to a Program as it is now called. He relin- be sorely missed by all who knew much more efficient mining tech- quished his managerial duties in 1997 him. Bob leaves behind his wife nique. to become senior geologist so he Ellen and children Sarah Miralles, Bob transferred to Getty’s exploration could concentrate his efforts on Jason Gloyn, Elizabeth (Lizzie) office in Salt Lake City in 1971, and numerous mineral investigations Gloyn, and Meredith (Merry) Ashton. 8 S URVEY N OTES

by Mike Lowe and Hugh Hurlow

he pilot project for the Ogden- area aquifer storage and recovery Tproject described in the August 2003 issue of Survey Notes is well underway. Aquifer storage and recovery projects involve the storage of water in an aquifer via artificial ground-water recharge when water is available, and recovery of the stored water from the aquifer when water is needed. Pre-experiment work includ- ed establishing a monitoring well at the site, measuring water levels in the monitoring well and other nearby wells, analyzing water quality from nearby wells and the Weber River, and performing microgravity surveys. In March 2004, water from the Weber Two of the four shallow infiltration ponds at Ogden-area aquifer storage and recovery project site. River was diverted into four shallow infiltration ponds on coarse-grained layers) about 120 feet below the land at least 4 feet. river deposits at the pilot-project site. surface at the project site caused the Microgravity surveys conducted The 1- to 2-foot-deep ponds have a infiltrating ground water to spread total area of about 3.7 acres. before, during, and after the time of laterally, resulting in lower water- infiltration clearly show the building, When the diversion of water from the level increases at the monitoring well migration, and dispersal of the newly Weber River was completed in July than were anticipated prior to the created ground-water mound below 2004, the aquifer beneath the project experiment. During the same time and adjacent to the recharge ponds. site had received about 800 acre-feet period, water levels in other nearby Microgravity has proven to be an of ground-water recharge, resulting in wells declined 4 to 10 feet; this indi- invaluable tool to monitor the subsur- a water-level rise of about one foot in cates water levels at the monitoring face movement of ground water infil- the monitoring well at the site. A well would have actually declined at trated from the recharge ponds, given low-permeability layer (a sediment least a few feet in the absence of the the insufficient number of suitable layer that allows water to move recharge experiment, so the net water- monitoring wells adjacent to the through it less readily than adjacent level rise at the monitoring well was recharge site. S URVEY N OTES 9

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Schematic diagram showing low-permeability layer and water levels at Ogden-area aquifer storage and recovery project site. Arrows indicate ground-water movement.

Marek Matyjasek (Weber State University), Mike Lowe (Utah Geologi- cal Survey), and Ben Everitt (Utah Division of Water Resources) meas- ure ground-water levels in monitoring well at Ogden-area aquifer stor- age and recovery project site.

A digital ground-water flow model is success of similar aquifer storage and currently being constructed to recovery projects in the greater east improve our understanding of the shore area of , where aquifer system and the effects of the ground-water levels have declined up ground-water recharge experiment. to 50 feet since the late 1930s. Active Post-experiment water-level, water- gravel pits in the area may be poten- quality, and microgravity data will tial sites for future infiltration ponds continue to be collected until May when the gravel resources become 2005. depleted. Although the recharge rate at the This project highlights the ability of pilot-project site is lower than antici- many entities to successfully work pated, the project has been enough of toward a common goal. Project par- a success that the Weber Basin Water ticipants include the Weber Basin Conservancy District has purchased Water Conservancy District, U.S. the site property, and plans are being Bureau of Reclamation, Weber State considered for implementing aquifer University Department of Geo- storage and recovery at the site on a sciences, University of Utah Depart- permanent basis beginning next ment of Geology and Geophysics, spring. The preliminary results of this Utah Division of Water Resources, Schematic map showing area of ground-water pilot project, combined with recharge and Utah Geological Survey. Addi- mound associated with infiltration ponds at experiments conducted near the tional information regarding the Ogden-area aquifer storage and recovery proj- mouth of Weber Canyon in the 1950s, Ogden-area pilot project is at ect site. indicate a strong likelihood for the http://weberbasin.com/aquifer. 10 S URVEY N OTES

Energy News

by David E. Tabet

Concern about potential global emitted annually by Utah’s coal- a network of pipelines and wells is warming caused by greenhouse gas fired electric power plants and currently in place that could also be emissions from the burning of fossil found that the amount varies up to used for carbon dioxide sequestra- fuels has prompted the Utah Geolog- 12.5 million tons depending on the tion efforts. As methane reserves in ical Survey to join a consortium of size of the plant. Although no deep that area decline, pumping green- researchers from several western coal deposits occur within 20 miles house gases into the coal reservoirs states (Arizona, Colorado, New of the Intermountain Power Plant in might have the added benefit of Mexico, and Oklahoma) to investi- western Utah, several power plants enhancing methane production by gate geologic reservoirs that could near the Book Cliffs and Wasatch flushing out additional recoverable possibly be used to permanently Plateau coalfields are well situated coalbed methane. store such emissions. Coal is known to take advantage of deep coal beds Based on this quick inventory, it for its ability to hold significant for sequestering greenhouse gas appears that deep coal resources amounts of carbon dioxide, a green- emissions. Comparison of the annu- near existing coal-fired power plants house gas, within its molecular al carbon dioxide emission rates for in central Utah could theoretically structure. Coal beds at depths these power plants with the coal provide adequate reservoirs to store greater than 2000 feet are logistically reservoir storage capacities, shows carbon dioxide emissions for at least and economically difficult to mine that most of the central Utah coal- 35 years, or the expected life of at because of the high pressures and fired power plants could have their least several of the power plants. stresses that occur at these depths. carbon dioxide emissions stored in Whether it is technically and eco- Such less-likely-to-be-mined coal deep coal reservoirs for a good por- nomically feasible to sequester deposits are present in east-central tion of their expected useful life- greenhouse gas emissions of coal- Utah, in the Book Cliffs, Emery, times. The deep coal deposits in the fired power plants in deep coal beds Sego, and Wasatch Plateau coalfields Emery coalfield near Price are cur- remains the subject of future (see figure). Any of those coal rently being tapped for their stored research. deposits located within about 20 economic methane gas reserves, and miles of the various Utah coal-fired power plants are logical targets to Power Plant Annual Coal Usage Annual Carbon Dioxide Retirement store greenhouse gas emissions Name (millions tons) Emissions (million tons) Schedule because they are close enough to the Bonanza 2.0 4.0 2025? source to make an emission-storage project potentially economic. Target Carbon 0.6 1.5 2010 coal deposits at depths ranging from Hunter 4.3 9.8 2025 2000 to 6000 feet are present in Utah Huntington 3.0 6.6 2019 in the Blackhawk and Neslen Forma- Intermountain 5.3 12.5 2035? tions of the Mesaverde Group, and the underlying Ferron and Emery Sunnyside Cogen 0.5* 0.3 2033? Sandstone Members of the Mancos *burns waste coal, not run-of-mine coal Shale. Utah’s coal-fired electric generating plants, their average annual coal consumption, and car- The Utah Energy Office has invento- bon dioxide emissions. Retirement schedule is based on assumed 40-year power plant design ried the amount of carbon dioxide life (source: Utah Energy Office). S URVEY N OTES 11

Coalfield Geologic Acres within Average coal Coal reservoir CO2 storage name unit name 20 miles thickness (ft) size (tons) capacity(tons) Book Cliffs Blackhawk 70,000 35 4,410 44.1 Wasatch Plat. Blackhawk 40,000 20 1,440 14.4 Wasatch Plat. Emery 150,000 40 10,800 108.0 Emery Ferron 96,000 24 4,147 41.5 Sego Neslen 45,000 14 1,134 11.3 TOTAL 401,000 31 21,931 219.3

Estimates for Utah coalfields of the area, average thickness, reservoir size, and carbon dioxide storage capacity of deep coal deposits that lie within 20 miles of coal-fired power plants (tonnages are millions of short tons). 12 S URVEY N OTES

GeoSightsGeoSights The amazing monoliths and “mountain” of gypsum at Lower Cathedral Valley, Capitol Reef National Park, Wayne County, Utah by Carl Ege

Lower Cathedral Valley, located in the northeast corner of Capitol Reef National Park, is one of the park’s most photogenic areas and is a popu- lar destination for photographers and sightseers. A gravel road just west of Caineville takes you to the base of the cathedrals (high clearance and/or four-wheel-drive vehicle is recom- mended). Geologic Information: Lower Cathedral Valley contains numerous, large stands of massive rock called monoliths or cathedrals. Two of the largest cathedrals are Tem- ple of the Sun and Temple of the Moon. The cathedrals consist of fine- grained sandstone and siltstone in shades of red to reddish-orange. The Temple of the Sun, seen from the base of Temple of the Moon. Each of the temples is composed of color is the result of tiny amounts of the Jurassic . hematite (an iron oxide) and other iron-bearing minerals. The sandstone The fractured, jointed, rock is partly tion has been removed, resulting in and siltstone belong to the Jurassic- responsible for monolith development the steeple-shaped appearance of the age (approximately 160 million years by creating zones of weakness where monoliths. old) formation called the Entrada surface water penetrates the sand- Northeast of Temple of the Sun is Sandstone, the same rock formation stone, which slowly weathers and Mountain, a geological curiosity that makes up the hoodoos or goblins erodes the rock. Over time, continued composed of large gypsum (selenite) of Goblin Valley State Park and the erosion leaves areas of unfractured, crystals. The gypsum was deposited arches, fins, and spires of Arches free-standing masses of rock called from evaporating seawater approxi- National Park. During the Middle monoliths or cathedrals. In other mately 165 million years ago (upper Jurassic, extensive tidal flats covered areas of Capitol Reef National Park, part of the Middle Jurassic Carmel the present area of Capitol Reef many cathedrals are still protected Formation). After deposition and National Park, where a large amount from large-scale erosion by overlying, burial under subsequent layers of of sandy mud was deposited. weather-resistant cap rock of the Cur- sediment, the low-density gypsum The Entrada Sandstone contains areas tis Formation. However, in Lower moved slowly upward along faults or of fractured and unfractured rock. Cathedral Valley, the Curtis Forma- fractures, and in some cases formed S URVEY N OTES 13

Glass Mountain, located northeast of Temple of the Sun. Hat for scale. Close-up view of a selenite crystal at Glass Mountain. small domes. Glass Mountain is one of these gypsum domes, rising 15 feet above the floor of Lower Cathedral Valley. Gypsum is a slightly soluble mineral; precipitation over an extended period of time will most likely dissolve Glass Mountain and create a sinkhole.

How to get there: From the town of Torrey in Wayne County, travel east on Utah Highway 24 approximately 25 miles to the turnoff for Lower Cathedral Valley, located just west of Caineville. If your approach is from the east from Hanksville, travel west on Utah Highway 24 for about 18 miles to the ceed about 0.5 miles until the road splits in two directions. turnoff. The turnoff is not well marked, so proceed with If you turn right (northeast), your destination is Glass caution. Travel north approximately 18 miles to Lower Mountain. If you turn left (west), Temple of the Sun is less Cathedral Valley (road junction). Turn left (west) and pro- than 0.5 miles away.

Doelling receives Lehi Hintze Award – 2004 Special congratulations go to Hellmut Doelling for being great source of geo- selected as the second recipient of the Lehi Hintze Award logic information for for outstanding contributions to Utah geology. Hellmut students and has had a long, varied, and productive career with the researchers of Utah UGS, and is still active today mapping in the Salina-Loa geology. area. The award is most deserved. The Lehi Hintze The Utah Geological Association (UGA) and Utah Geolog- Award was estab- ical Survey (UGS) presented Dr. Doelling the 2004 Lehi lished in 2003; the Hintze Award for outstanding contributions to the geolo- first recipient was Dr. gy of Utah on November 15, 2004. Dr. Doelling’s many Lehi F. Hintze. Lehi Dr. Lehi Hintze and Dr. Hellmut Doelling contributions come from a career of over 40 years study- Hintze has spent a ing the . His work includes exploring and lifetime dedicated to studying, mapping, writing, and describing most of the uranium mines in Utah, co-author- teaching about the geology of Utah. Dr. Hintze is profes- ing the Utah Coal Monograph Series, and authoring a sor emeritus at Brigham Young University, and also spent number of county geology bulletins. He was instrumental almost 10 years mapping for the Utah Geological Survey. in establishing the Geologic Mapping Program in Utah, The Lehi Hintze Award was established through efforts of and produced geologic maps covering over one-quarter of the Utah Geological Survey and Utah Geological Associa- the State. Dr. Doelling’s numerous geologic maps include tion to recognize outstanding contributions to the under- Arches National Park and Grand Staircase-Escalante standing of Utah geology. Recipients can be from acade- National Monument. Dr. Doelling’s publications are a mia, government, the private sector, or the general public. 14 S URVEY N OTES ““GGllaadd YYoouu AAsskkeedd”” ? ? by Carl Ege ? ? ?? ? ???? ?? ? ? ? ?What are fulgurites?? and where?? can? they? be found?? Most people have? never ?seen a fulgu- called rock fulgurites. These fulgu- exploring be on the lookout for fulgu- rite, and many that have probably did rites are found ?as veins or branching?rites! It is very possible new fulgurite? not realize? what it was at the time. channels on a rock surface or lining discoveries await the adventurer on Fulgurites are natural tubes or crusts preexisting fractures within the host many of the higher summits and of glass formed by the fusion of silica rock. Rock fulgurites are primarily desert areas of Utah. () sand or rock from a found on the top or within several strike. Their shape mimics the path feet of mountain summits. Mountain of the lightning bolt as it disperses peaks are natural lightning rods that into the ground. All lightning strikes are repeatedly blasted by lightning that hit the ground are capable of strikes during severe weather. Rock forming fulgurites. A temperature of fulgurites can be found throughout 1800 degrees Celsius is required to many of the mountain ranges of the instantaneously melt sand and form a world, including the French Alps fulgurite (most lightning strikes have (Mont Blanc), Pyrenees Range, and a temperature of 2500 degrees Cel- western U.S. mountains such as the sius). Fulgurites have been found Sierra Nevada, volcanic peaks of the worldwide, but are relatively rare. Cascade Range, Rocky Mountains, and Utah’s Wasatch Range. Two types of fulgurites have been rec- ognized: sand and rock fulgurites. While hiking in the summer of 2003, I Sand fulgurites are the most common discovered both sand and rock fulgu- and are generally found in beach or rites on some of the higher summits desert regions containing clean (free of the Wasatch Range. I observed of fine-grained silt or ), dry sand. very small sand fulgurites (an inch or They resemble roots or branching less) in some of the surface float on tube-like structures that have a rough top of Mount Raymond (10,241 feet) Rock fulgurite (circled in white) found on surface, covered with partially melted and Broads Fork West Twin (11,328 at the summit of Mount Raymond sand grains. Sand fulgurite tubes feet). I also found rock fulgurites on in the Wasatch Range, Salt Lake County, have a glassy interior, due to rapid top of Mount Raymond, Broads Fork Utah. Hammer for scale. cooling and solidification of the sand West Twin, Mount Baldy (11,068 feet), after the lightning strike. The size and Mount Timpanogos (11,749 feet). and length of a fulgurite depends on Some of the rock fulgurites, such as the strength of the lightning strike those found on Mount Timpanogos, and the thickness of the sand bed. are the result of human activity (a Many sand fulgurites average 1 or 2 steel shelter placed on top of the peak inches in diameter and can be up to attracts lightning). In the Wasatch 30 inches long. Sand fulgurites have Range, rock fulgurites appear to be been found in Utah’s deserts and on confined to mountaintops composed top of some of the higher summits of chiefly of quartzite, but summits con- the Wasatch Range. sisting of other rock types could have them as well. Coatings or crusts of glass formed on Sand fulgurites found on the top of Mount rocks from a lightning strike are So, the next time you go hiking or Raymond. U.S. quarter for scale. S URVEY N OTES 15

Y OG OL GE

Teacher’sby Mark Milligan Corner

EarthEarth ScienceScience WeekWeek 20042004 -- AA RockingRocking SuccessSuccess

What happens when you put a humble geologist face-to-face with 10, 20, or even 90 grade-school students? Mayhem, chaos, and panic akin to a ‘70s disaster movie? For- tunately not, based on comments we received from teachers and students who partici- ? pated in this year’s Earth Science Week activities: “We LOVE coming here! We will offer bribes to keep coming back!” (Granite Ele- mentary teacher)

“Outstanding! Best field trip I’ve been on. The presenters did an excellent job.” (Carl Sandburg Elementary teacher)

“Excellent hands-on exhibits and activities.” (Timpanogos Elementary teacher)

“My favorite rock was all of them.” (Sara, Columbia Elementary 4th grader)

“I’m so happy you let us come it was wonderful. I’ve been very interested in rocks. When I grow up I want to be a geologist… You really inspired me.” (Chloe, Columbia Elementary 4th grader) The week of October 18th to the 22nd, the UGS and 51 volunteers hosted 950 stu- 1 dents and 117 teachers and parents. During 1 ⁄2-hour sessions participants panned for “gold,” observed erosion and deposition on a stream table, identified rocks and min- erals, and toured the paleontology lab. In 1998 the American Geological Institute launched Earth Science Week with the goal of increasing public understanding and appreciation of Earth sciences. What better way to fulfill this goal than reaching out to the next generation of citizens? Earth Science Week has become such a success that we had to turn schools away this year. Next year we hope to award Earth Science Week reservations to entrants of a poster contest. Lucky schools may also win bus fare. Watch for more details in this summer’s issue of Survey Notes. New Publications Earthquake fault map of a portion of Cache County, Utah, 2 p., Geothermal resources of Utah - 2004: A digital atlas of Utah’s PI-83 ...... FREE geothermal resources, compiled by Robert E. Blackett and Earthquake fault map of a portion of Tooele County, Utah, 2 p., Sharon Wakefield, CD [contains GIS data], OFR-431 . . $14.95 PI-84 ...... FREE Progress report: Geologic map of the Vernal 30' x 60' quadrangle, Earthquake fault map of a portion of Washington County, Utah, 2 Utah and Colorado, Year 2 of 3, compiled by Douglas A. p., PI-85 ...... FREE Sprinkel, 2 pl., 1:100,000, OFR-432 ...... $9.95 Geologic map of the Ogden 7.5-minute quadrangle, Weber and Liquefaction potential maps for Utah, CD (463 p., 81 plates) Davis Counties, Utah, by Adolph Yonkee and Mike Lowe, 42 (reprints of Liquefaction potential maps for: northern Wasatch p., 2 pl. 1:24,000, M-200 ...... $12.00 Front, central Utah, and for Davis, Salt Lake, and Utah Coun- Geologic map of the Little Creek Mountain quadrangle, Wash- ties), OFR-433 ...... $14.95 ington County, Utah, by Janice M. Hayden, 2 pl., 1:24,000, Interim geologic maps of the Copperton, Magna, and Tickville M-204 ...... $9.95 Spring quadrangles, Salt Lake and Utah Counties, Utah, by Geologic map of the La Sal 30' x 60' quadrangle, San Juan, Robert F. Biek, Barry J. Solomon, Jeffrey D. Keith, and Tracy W. Wayne, and Garfield Counties, Utah, and Montrose and San Smith, 4 pl., 1:24,000, OFR-434 ...... $24.95 Miguel Counties, Colorado, by Hellmut H. Doelling, 2 pl. Progress report: geologic map of the south half of the Beaver 30' scale 1:100,000, M-205 ...... $10.50 x 60' quadrangle, Beaver, Piute, Iron, and Garfield Counties, Geologic map of the Wah Wah Mountains North 30' x 60' quad- Utah, by P. D. Rowley, G. S. Vice, J. J. Anderson, R. E. McDon- rangle and part of the Garrison 30' x 60' quadrangle, south- ald, D. J. Maxwell, B. R. Wardlaw, C. G. Cunningham, T. A. west Millard County and part of Beaver County, Utah, by Lehi Steven, and M. N. Machette, 19 p., 1 pl., 1:100,000, F. Hintze and Fitzhugh D. Davis, CD (2 pl., scale 1:100,000)[ OFR-435 ...... $9.95 contains GIS data], M-207DM ...... $19.95 Interim geologic map of the Curlew Valley drainage basin, Box Ground-water sensitivity and vulnerability to pesticides, Tooele Elder County, Utah, and Cassia and Oneida Counties, , Valley, Tooele County, Utah, by Mike Lowe, Janae Wallace, by Hugh A. Hurlow, 34 p., 1 pl. 1:100,000, OFR-436 . . . . $9.95 Matt Butler, Rich Riding, and Anne Johnson, CD (23 p., 2 pl., Field guides to southwest Utah, 2004, CD (742 p., 12 pl.), 10/04, 1: 65,000), MP-04-3 ...... $19.95 OFR-437 ...... $14.95 Ground-water sensitivity and vulnerability to pesticides, Morgan Interim geologic map of the east half of the Salina 30' x 60' quad- Valley, Morgan County, Utah, by Mike Lowe, Janae Wallace, rangle, Emery, Sevier, and Wayne Counties, Utah, by Hellmut Neil Burk, Matt Butler, Anne Johnson, Rich Riding, CD (23 p., H. Doelling, 12 p., 1 pl. 1:62,500, OFR-438 ...... $7.95 2 pl. 1:87,000), MP-04-4 ...... $19.95 Interim geologic map of the lower San Juan River area, eastern Reconnaissance investigation of ground cracks along the western Glen Canyon National Recreation Area and vicinity, San Juan margin of Parowan Valley, Iron County, Utah, by Christopher County, Utah, by Grant C. Willis, scale 1:50,000, OFR-443DM, B. DuRoss and Stefan M. Kirby, CD (17 p.), RI-253 . . . . $14.95 [contains GIS data] ...... $14.95 Utah Geology, CD (reprint of 4 years of the journal, 1170 p., 14 Geologic map of the Huntington 30' x 60' quadrangle, Carbon, pl.) ...... $14.95 Emery, Grand and Uintah Counties, Utah, by Irving J. Oil and gas field studies, compiled by Craig D. Morgan, CD (80 Witkind, (digitized from U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous p., 29 plates) (reprints of 11 oil and gas reports), Investigations Series Map I-1764 [1988]), scale 1:100,000, OFR- OFR-430 ...... $14.95 440DM, [contains GIS data] ...... $14.95

Utah Geological Survey PRSRT STD 1594 W. North Temple, Suite 3110 Box 146100 U.S. Postage Salt Lake City, UT 84114-6100 PAID Address service requested Salt Lake City, UT Survey Notes Permit No. 4728