Pleistocene Geology of Eastern South Dakota
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 262 Pleistocene Geology of Eastern South Dakota
By RICHARD FOSTER FLINT
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 262
Prepared as part of the program of the Department of the Interior
*Jfor the development-L of*J the Missouri River basin
UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE, WASHINGTON : 1955 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Douglas McKay, Secretary
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY W. E. Wrather, Director
For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U. S. Government Printing Office Washington 25, D. C. - Price $3 (paper cover) CONTENTS
Page Page Abstract______-_-______--_--____---__ 1 Pre- Wisconsin nonglacial deposits, ______41 Scope and purpose of study.______2 Stratigraphic sequence in Nebraska and Iowa_ 42 Field work and acknowledgments.______-_____-_----_ 3 Stream deposits. ______42 Earlier studies______4 Loess sheets ______43 Geography.______5 Weathering profiles. ______44 Topography and drainage______5 Stream deposits in South Dakota ______45 Minnesota River-Red River lowland. ______5 Sand and gravel- ______45 Coteau des Prairies.______6 Distribution and thickness. ______45 Surface expression.______6 Physical character. ______45 General geology.______7 Description by localities ______46 Subdivisions. ______-___--_-_-_-______9 Conditions of deposition ______50 James River lowland.______-__-___-_--__ 9 Age and correlation______51 General features.______-____--_-__-__ 9 Clayey silt. ______52 Lake Dakota plain______10 Loveland loess in South Dakota. ______52 James River highlands...------.-.---.- 11 Weathering profiles and buried soils. ______53 Coteau du Missouri..______--_-_-__-___ 12 Synthesis of pre- Wisconsin stratigraphy. ____ 54 Missouri River trench.______14 Physical geology of the Wisconsin stage ______56 Missouri Plateau west of Missouri River______15 Glacial markings. ______56 Streams ______16 Exposures and preservation of markings. 56 Lakes.______17 Polished surfaces. ______56 Climate.______17 Striations and grooves______-____ 57 Soils. ______18 Crescentic marks ______58 Biogeography______21 Thickness of drift______--_-______-___- 59 Pre-Pleistocene rocks______22 59 Stratigraphic sequence and lithology______22 General character. ______59 Ease of erosion of Pierre shale.______24 Boulders. ______--___-_-___-_-_-_-. 60 Tertiary strata, chiefly Ogallala formation ______24 Contorted structures. ______62 Structure.______26 Stratified drif t_ ____-___--_____--_-_-_-_-_--_-_. 63 Pleistocene geology.______27 Classes ______-_-__-___-__--_-_-_-. 63 Glaciation ______27 Outwash______-______-___-___-_-__-_. 63 Glacial deposits______-______--_-_--__-- 27 Outwash-margin lake deposits. ______65 Effect of glaciers on drainage.._.___------______28 Glacial lake deposits. ______65 Nonglacial deposits_-__--_-_-______----___-_-___ 28 Ice-contact stratified drift______65 Loess. ...______28 Basins in the drift ______-_____--__-___-___-_- 67 Stream deposits.______28 Loess. ______-__--___---______-_-. 68 Position and form of the bedrock surface ______28 Color and alteration.... ______68 Pre-Wisconsin glacial deposits ______30 Stratification ______-__-__--_____--__- 69 Regional stratigraphic sequence______30 Structure. ___-______-__-_--_-_--__-_-__ 72 Uncertainties in correlation ______30 Thickness and topography. ______72 Physical characteristics of pre-Wisconsin tills______- 31 Areal extent______74 Description of exposures-__-_-____-_------_------33 Fossil content- ______74 Tills certainly or probably pre-Wisconsin because Grain size. ______75 of their stratigraphic relations.______33 Summary of loess characteristics. ______76 Tills believed to be pre-Wisconsin on topo Stratigraphy of the Wisconsin deposits. ______76 graphic evidenee____-______-_____ 38 History of stratigraphic subdivision ______76 Tills believed to be pre-Wisconsin 011 internal Differentiation of drift sheets in South Dakota. __. 77 evidence. ______39 Terminology of loess sheets ____.___-___-_-__--_. 80 Distribution of tills.______------___ 40 Wisconsin stratigraphy inferred from well logs____. 81 Other possible pre-Wisconsin deposits______40 lowan substage______81 Tills found in borings ______40 Areal distribution. ______-___-__-_-_--_-__-. 81 Boulders______-____-______-_-_-_----__ 40 Correlation ______83 Outwash______40 Till. ______-.___-_____-_-______. 84 Summary of pre-Wisconsin glacial deposits.______41 Boulders. ______85 in IV CONTENTS
Stratigraphy of the Wisconsin deposits—Continued. Page Stratigraphy of the Wisconsin deposits — Continued. Page lowan substage—Continued. Mankato substage — Continued. Ice-contact stratified deposits ______87 Loess ______-__- _ _.____ 128 Outwash______88 Soil profile ______128 Loess. ______88 Date of Mankato maximum______-_ 129 Stone concentrate__-_--_____--______88 Summary of Wisconsin stratigraphy _ _-__.___- 129 Topographic expression..______89 Recent deposits and related features _____----_____ 129 Break between lowan and Tazewell substages ______89 Alluvium. ___--_--___--_----_----_----__-__ 129 Tazewell substage______90 Frozen-ground phenomena. ______130 Differentiation from the lowan substage ______90 Water-table fluctuations. ______130 Northeastern South Dakota.______90 Eolian features. _ -______---___-__-_-___--- 131 Central South Dakota__----___..______91 Abrasion ______131 Sections exposing two drifts.______92 Deflation ______131 Alluvial fills in the Missouri River 132 trench______94 Physical features of the Illinoian and Wisconsin glaciers. 133 Distribution of end moraines.______94 Areal pattern of the drift sheets- _ __-..______-____ 133 Drift border______--_-_____-_-._____._.___ 94 Differences among the Wisconsin drift sheets... 133 Till and end moraines ______94 Areal pattern of the Illinoian drift. ______133 Stratified drift______95 Altitudes of margins of the Wisconsin drift sheets,..- , 134 Loess ___ ---__-___-_--_-______- 96 Inferred thicknesses of the James glacial lobe _ ___ . 135 Break between Tazewell and Gary substages______96 Physical conditions during lowan and TazeweU Morphologic evidence.______96 substages. ______136 Stratigraphic evidence....______97 Sources of the drift. ______136 Correlation with the region outside the Wiscon Stone counts------136 sin drift___-_------_------_--__--_- 99 Sioux quartzite in the drift ______137 Gary substage._-______-_--______-__-_.______-_ 99 Close relation of till to bedrock.. ______138 Correlation. ______99 Conclusions from lithology of the drift ______139 Drift border______100 Drainage history of central and eastern South Dakota... 139 Till.__-_----____--__-____--_.---______-_ 100 Missouri River. ______-______-_-__-_---- 139 Stratigraphic relation to pre-Cary deposits. _ _ _ _ 100 Existing drainage. ______'______-_-. 139 Topographic expression___-_-__-__-______.__ 104 Rearrangement of drainage by the ice sheet---- 140 Stratified drift__-_-_--.__-____.___._._____ 105 Evidence of former drainage ______140 Loess____--._-___-__--_-______-____._.- 107 Method of diversion ______141 Break between Gary and Mankato substages...... 108 Date of diversion. ______142 Mankato substage______-______109 Possible earlier diversion. ______143 Correlation. ______109 Post-diversion events__---__-_--_---_--_---_- 143 Drift border______. 109 Incised meanders ______143 Position, ______109 Valleys west and south of the Missouri River Relation to Gary moraines_-______110 in the Wisconsin age___-_----__------_ 144 Till.______._.______.___---_---___ 110 Missouri River trench. ____-___-_._-____- 144 Stratigraphic relation to pre-Mankato deposits. 110 East of the Missouri River ______147 Topographic expression__-___-__-______. Ill Prediversion drainage system.. ______--_. 147 Ground moraine.______111 Ancient Cheyenne system. ______-_-___-_ 148 End moraine__-_-_-__---____-______-___ 111 Cheyenne River______148 History of the term..______Ill Moreau and Grand Rivers. ______148 Form____-_--______-_____-_-_-_ 112 Westward-flowing tributaries ______148 Stratigraphic and historical signifi Minor divides__-____-_-_--_------149 cance._-__-______-.______-__ 114 Ancient Redfield divide _ ___--.______-- 149 Mapping of end moraine______116 Ancient White system. ______149 Relation of Mankato end moraines to White River-__-___----_--. ------149 Gary topography___----______117 Bad River___-_-_-__--___-- __ —— 151 Pattern and sequence of Mankato end Relation of divides to stream pattern. _ 151 moraine ____-.--____---..______117 Niobrara River______--_-_-__---_--- 151 Stratified drift______120 Anomalies in the pattern- ______-___-- 152 Lake deposits..------.------122 Big Sioux River system ______-___-____--___ 152 Minor glacial lakes______122 Interlobate origin. ______152 Glacial Lake Dakota______123 Glacier-marginal segment ____---______-- 152 153 Description of lacustrine features. _ _ _ _ 123 Superposition on quartzite-_--_--_------Transection of divide _ ____--_-_-___-_-- 153 Relation to end moraines ______124 Brule Creek____----_____ — — — — — — — 153 Outlet______-____-____- 125 Minnesota River system______— __ 154 Inferred history.______126 James River system... ______154 Possible earlier Lake Dakota.______127 Glacial erosion as a factor in localizing the Glacial Lake Agassiz._____-_--______.___ 127 James River.-...-...------.----- 154 Crustal warping__------__-_--__-__-__-_ 127 Arcuate tributaries------..----.------155 CONTENTS
Page Page Drainage history of central and eastern South Dakota- Synthesis of Pleistocene regional history—Continued. Continued. The glaciated region—Continued. West of the Missouri River.______--______-___- 155 Yarmouth interglacial age ______161 Filling, trenching, and erosion surfaces. ______155 Illinoian glacial age_____-_------_-_------161 Drainage pattern.__-_.___._-_.______156 Sangamon interglacial age ______162 Master streams.______156 Wisconsin glacial age______162 Tributaries. ______-._-_____-_.-__.__-_ 156 lowan subage______162 Description, ______156 Tazewell subage ______163 Origin. -_--______-_-______--___-__ 157 Tazewell-Cary interval____-__--__-__-___ 163 Synthesis of Pleistocene regional history.______160 Gary subage______-__-_-______-_-___- 163 Territory west of the glaciated region______160 The glaciated region.______160 Mankato subage----______164 Nebraskan glacial age______160 Recent time_.__-_____-_--_-_------_---_ 165 Aftonian interglacial age___-__-_____-__-____ 160 Literature cited______--_.-__-_-___-____---__ 165 Kansan glacial age______--_--_-___-_-__ 161 Index.... —- — ------.------169
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