Geologic Resources Inventory Report, Shenandoah National Park
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National Park Service US Department of the Interior Natural Resource Stewardship and Science Shenandoah National Park Geologic Resources Inventory Report Natural Resource Report NPS/NRSS/GRD/NRR—2014/767 ON THE COVER The sun rises over the Blue Ridge Mountains in Shenandoah National Park. National Park Service photograph. THIS PAGE Cliffs of Catoctin Formation greenstone at Little Stony Man, Shenandoah National Park. Photograph by Trista L. Thornberry-Ehrlich (Colorado State University). Shenandoah National Park Geologic Resources Inventory Report Natural Resource Report NPS/NRSS/GRD/NRR—2014/767 Trista L. Thornberry-Ehrlich Colorado State University Research Associate National Park Service Geologic Resources Division Geologic Resources Inventory PO Box 25287 Denver, CO 80225 February 2014 U.S. Department of the Interior National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science Fort Collins, Colorado The National Park Service, Natural Resource Stewardship and Science office in Fort Collins, Colorado, publishes a range of reports that address natural resource topics. These reports are of interest and applicability to a broad audience in the National Park Service and others in natural resource management, including scientists, conservation and environmental constituencies, and the public. The Natural Resource Report Series is used to disseminate high-priority, current natural resource management information with managerial application. The series targets a general, diverse audience, and may contain NPS policy considerations or address sensitive issues of management applicability. All manuscripts in the series receive the appropriate level of peer review to ensure that the information is scientifically credible, technically accurate, appropriately written for the intended audience, and designed and published in a professional manner. This report received informal peer review by subject-matter experts who were not directly involved in the collection, analysis, or reporting of the data. Views, statements, findings, conclusions, recommendations, and data in this report do not necessarily reflect views and policies of the National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior. Mention of trade names or commercial products does not constitute endorsement or recommendation for use by the U.S. Government. Printed copies of this report are produced in a limited quantity and they are only available as long as the supply lasts. This report is available from the Geologic Resources Inventory website (http://www.nature.nps.gov/geology/inventory/ gre_publications.cfm) and the Natural Resource Publications Management website (http://www.nature.nps.gov/publications/nrpm/). To receive this report in a format optimized for screen readers, please email [email protected]. Thornberry-Ehrlich, T. L. 2014. Shenandoah National Park: geologic resources inventory report. Natural Resource Report NPS/NRSS/GRD/NRR—2014/767. National Park Service, Fort Collins, Colorado. NPS 134/123841, February 2014 ii NPS Geologic Resources Division Contents Page Lists of Figures and Tables ........................................................................................... iv Executive Summary ....................................................................................................... v Acknowledgements ..................................................................................................... vii Credits ........................................................................................................................................................................ vii Introduction ................................................................................................................... 1 Geologic Resources Inventory Program ......................................................................................................................... 1 Park Setting ................................................................................................................................................................. 1 Geologic Setting .......................................................................................................................................................... 2 Geologic Features and Processes .................................................................................. 7 Ancient Bedrock .......................................................................................................................................................... 7 Type Sections, Reference Locations, and Radiometric Ages ......................................................................................... 11 Blue Ridge-South Mountain Anticlinorium and Regional Structures ............................................................................. 11 Bedrock Outcrop Habitats .......................................................................................................................................... 12 Surficial Deposits ....................................................................................................................................................... 15 Periglacial Features .................................................................................................................................................... 15 Paleontological Resources .......................................................................................................................................... 17 Cave and Karst Features ............................................................................................................................................. 17 Connections with Park Stories .................................................................................................................................... 17 Geologic Issues ............................................................................................................ 23 Slope Movements ...................................................................................................................................................... 23 Bedrock Outcrop Management .................................................................................................................................. 27 Surface Water and Sediment Loading ........................................................................................................................ 31 Groundwater Quantity and Quality ............................................................................................................................ 32 Disturbed Lands ......................................................................................................................................................... 33 Earthquakes ............................................................................................................................................................... 36 Caves and Karst Hazards ............................................................................................................................................ 36 Geologic History .......................................................................................................... 37 Mesoproterozoic Era (1.3 Billion to 1.0 Billion Years Ago) ........................................................................................... 37 Neoproterozoic Era (1.0 Billion to 541Million Years Ago) ............................................................................................ 37 Paleozoic Era (541 Million–252 Million Years Ago) ..................................................................................................... 39 Mesozoic Era (252 Million–66 Million Years Ago) ....................................................................................................... 42 Cenozoic Era (The Past 66 Million Years) .................................................................................................................... 42 Geologic Map Data ...................................................................................................... 45 Geologic Maps .......................................................................................................................................................... 45 Source Maps .............................................................................................................................................................. 45 GRI GIS Data .............................................................................................................................................................. 45 Geologic Map Graphics.............................................................................................................................................. 46 Map Unit Properties Table .......................................................................................................................................... 46 Use Constraints .......................................................................................................................................................... 46 Glossary ........................................................................................................................ 47 Literature Cited ............................................................................................................ 55 Additional References ................................................................................................