City of Rocks National Reserve Geologic Resources Inventory Report
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National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Natural Resource Program Center City of Rocks National Reserve Geologic Resources Inventory Report Natural Resource Report NPS/NRPC/GRD/NRR—2010/191 THIS PAGE: View from East Ridge to the east overlooking City of Rocks National Reserve. Features called “panholes” result from weathering processes and are found atop some of the granite exposures within the reserve. Panholes, such as this one, can fill with water following rains. ON THE COVER: Stripe Rock is one of numerous granite exposures in City of Rocks National Reserve. The large number and distribution of these features led emigrants to christen the area a “City of Rocks.” National Park Service photographs by Wallace Keck. City of Rocks National Reserve Geologic Resources Inventory Report Natural Resource Report NPS/NRPC/GRD/NRR—2010/191 Geologic Resources Division Natural Resource Program Center P.O. Box 25287 Denver, Colorado 80225 April 2010 U.S. Department of the Interior National Park Service Natural Resource Program Center Ft. Collins, Colorado The National Park Service, Natural Resource Program Center publishes a range of reports that address natural resource topics 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 are those of the author(s) and 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 National Park Service. 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). Please cite this publication as: Thornberry-Ehrlich, T. 2010. City of Rocks National Reserve: geologic resources inventory report. Natural Resource Report NPS/NRPC/GRD/NRR—2010/191. National Park Service, Ft. Collins, Colorado. NPS 003/102081, April 2010 ii NPS Geologic Resources Division Contents List of Figures ................................................................................................................ iv Executive Summary ....................................................................................................... v Acknowledgements ...................................................................................................... vi Credits ........................................................................................................................................................................ vi Introduction ................................................................................................................... 1 Purpose of the Geologic Resources Inventory ............................................................................................................... 1 Park Setting ................................................................................................................................................................. 1 Geologic Setting .......................................................................................................................................................... 1 Geologic Issues .............................................................................................................. 5 Erosion and Slope Processes ......................................................................................................................................... 5 Joints and Fragile Features ........................................................................................................................................... 6 Recreational Demands ................................................................................................................................................. 6 Mine-Related Issues and Disturbed Lands ..................................................................................................................... 7 Water Issues ................................................................................................................................................................ 7 Wind Erosion ............................................................................................................................................................... 7 Seismicity ..................................................................................................................................................................... 8 Volcanism .................................................................................................................................................................... 8 General Geology and Research..................................................................................................................................... 8 Geologic Features and Processes ................................................................................ 11 Introduction ............................................................................................................................................................... 11 Joint Sets ................................................................................................................................................................... 11 Landform Types and Geomorphological Evolution ...................................................................................................... 11 Weathering Processes ................................................................................................................................................ 13 Historical Connections with Geology .......................................................................................................................... 14 Albion Mountains Metamorphic Core Complex .......................................................................................................... 14 Basin-and-Range Features and Almo Fault .................................................................................................................. 15 Map Unit Properties .................................................................................................... 25 Map Units within City of Rocks National Reserve ........................................................................................................ 25 Geologic History .......................................................................................................... 29 Precambrian (prior to 542 million years ago) ............................................................................................................... 29 Paleozoic Era (542 to 251 million years ago) ............................................................................................................... 29 Mesozoic Era (251 to 65.5 million years ago) .............................................................................................................. 29 Cenozoic Era (65.5 million years ago until today) ........................................................................................................ 30 Glossary ........................................................................................................................ 35 Literature Cited ............................................................................................................ 39 Appendix A: Overview of Digital Geologic Data ....................................................... 43 Appendix B: Scoping Meeting Participants ................................................................ 45 Attachment 1: Geologic Resources Inventory Products CD CIRO Geologic Resources Inventory Report iii List of Figures Figure 1. Maps of City of Rocks National Reserve and the surrounding area .....................................................................3 Figure 2. Rockfalls are a potential geologic hazard throughout City of Rocks National Reserve ........................................ 10 Figure 3. These photos illustrate the use of restoration projects to restore disturbed areas .............................................. 10 Figure 4. Three mechanisms by which joints form in granitic rocks ................................................................................. 16 Figure 5. Aerial image of the central area of City of Rocks National Reserve ...................................................................