This dissertation has been mlcroillmed exactly as received 6 9 -2 2 ,2 i0 SMITH, Geoffrey Wayne, 1939- SURF1CIAL GEOLOGY OF THE SHUSWAP RIVER DRAINAGE, BRITISH COLUMBIA. The Ohio State University, Ph.D., 1969 Geology University Microfilms, Inc., Ann Arbor, Michigan SURFICIAL GEOLOGY OF THE SHUSWAP RIVER DRAINAGE, BRITISH COLUMBIA DISSERTATION Presented In Partial Fulfillm ent of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate School of the Ohio State University By Geoffrey W. Smith, B.S., M.S. The Ohio State University 1969 Approved by q j j Q cM Jr Adviser Department of Geology ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The present study was undertaken as an outgrowth of the region al mapping program of the G eological Survey of Canada for 1966 and 1967. The author i s most g ra tefu l to the G eological Survey for financial and logistical support during the field season and for permission to use the results of the study for this disser­ tation. Special thanks are due Dr. Robert J. Fulton of the Geological Survey who suggested the problem, introduced this investigator to the area, and gave generously of his time and counsel in the planning and execution of the project. It is a pleasure to acknowledge the advice and guidance of Dr. Richard P. Goldthwait of the Department of Geology at the Ohio State University. Hia help in the several problems encountered during the field work and preparation of the manuscript is most appreciated. Able assistance in the field was provided by Messrs. Greg Smith, Andr£ Lemay, and P eter Jensens in 1966, and by Messrs. Ronald Nielsen and Roland Proctor in 1967. Finally, grateful appreciation is expressed to Drs. R. P. Goldthwait, A. LaRocque, G. E. Moore, and S. E. White for c r it ic a l reading of the manuscript and for the constructive suggestions which served to improve its effectiveness. i i VITA September 29, 1939 Born - Boston, Massachusetts 1961 ............................ B .S., Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 1961-1964 .... Teaching a ssista n t, Department of Geology, University of Maine, Orono, Maine 1964 ............................ M.S., University of Maine, Orono, Maine 1964-1968 .... Teaching a ssista n t, Department of Geology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 1965-1967 .... Technical officer, Geological Survey of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario 1968-1969 .... Instructor, Colby College, Waterville, Maine PUBLICATIONS With R. P. Goldthwait (1969); Glacial Geology; in Encyclopedia of Geomorphology (R. W. Fairbridge, editor): Reinhold Publishing Co., New York, pp. 431-439. With R. P. Goldthwait and T, Lewis (In press); Recent radiocarbon dates from Lake W hittlesey and Lake Warren beaches in northern Ohio. FIELDS OF STUDY Major Field: Geology StudleB in Glacial Geology. Professor Richard P. Goldthwait Studies in Quaternary Stratigraphy. Professor Richard P. Goldthwait Studies in Geomorphology. Professor Sidney E. White Studies in Paleontology. Professor Aurele LaRocque Studies in Petrography. Professor George E. Moore, Jr. i i i TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION ..... I Location and Extent of Area ............................................................. I Nature of Investigation . 3 Previous Investigations ........ ............................. , . 5 Bedrock Geology ..................... .... 6 PHYSIOGRAPHY............................ ... 12 Monashee Mountains ....... „ ... ................................... , 12 Shuswap and Okanagan Highlands . ............................................... 15 Drainage . , , . 18 Shuswap River . 19 Eagle River . ... 23 Preglacial Physiography . , 26 Effects of Glacial Erosion 32 Glacial Movement Associated with the Last Glaciation .....................................................36 GLACIAL STRATIGRAPHY - TERMINOLOGY .... 42 GLACIAL STRATIGRAPHY - OLYMPIA INTERGLACIAL DEPOSITS . - . 45 Bessette Sediments . ...... 45 Definition . 45 Nature of Deposits ... , 49 Latewlios Creek . , 49 Bessette Creek ................................................... 51 Cherryville . , ........................................................56 Origin of Bessette Sediments ................... 56 Probable Correlative Deposits . .59 Age and Significance of Deposits ............. 61 GLACIAL STRATIGRAPHY - FRASER GLACIAL DEPOSITS ................................. 66 Lumby T ill ...... .... ...... 66 Definition . ............. .... 66 Nature of Deposits . ........ ........................66 Valley Tills . ....... .................................. 68 Upland T ills . , ........................................................ 76 IV TABLE OF CONTENTS (continued) Monashee S edim ents ......................... , . 78 Definition 78 Nature and Distribution of Deposits ......................................... 80 Monashee-Pass Cherryville Area ......................................... 80 Sugar Lake V a lle y ................... 87 Creighton Valley ............................................................94 Lumby-Bessette Creek Lowland . .................................. 97 Mabel Lake V a lle y ............................ 98 Trinity Creek Valley . 104 Eagle River Valley , . „ ................... 106 Age of Monashee S edim ents .................................................................112 GLACIAL STRATIGRAPHY - POSTGLACIAL DEPOSITS ...................................... 114 Eagle Valley Sediments 114 Nature of Deposits , . „ ..................................................114 Historical Significance of Eagle Valley Sediments .. ......................................................................124 OUTLINE OF DEGLACIATION AND DRAINAGE CHANGES ................................. 126 Introduction . .. , ...................................... 126 Ice Regimen . „ . 127 Deglaciation and Drainage Development ...................................... 129 Map-Are a 1 . 129 Map-Area 2 ..... 135 Lumby-Bessette Creek Lowland ............................ 135 Mabel Lake Valley ........ 140 Map-Area 3 . 146 HISTORICAL SUMMARY ....... ......................................................... 152 REFERENCES . ................................................... 155 v TABLES Table Page 1. Petrographlc Properties of Olympia Interglacial Volcanic Ash ................................................................ 55 2. Radiocarbon Dates from Bessette Sediments and Correlative D eposits ...................................................... , 62 3. Pebble Counts of Lumby T ills within the Shuswap River Drainage .................................................................... 73 4. Pebble Counts of Monashee and Eagle Valley Sediments within the Shuswap River Drainage .... 89 5. Outline of Major Late-Glacial Events in the Shuswap River Drainage and Adjacent Areas ............................ 121 v i ILLUSTRATIONS Index map showing location and extent of study area . 1 Generalized geologic map of the Shuswap River drainage and adjacent areas (after Jones, 1.959 ) . 7 Physiographic subdivisions of southern British Columbia ,, ........ ........................................... 13 Monashee Mountains. View west from Revelstoke to Mount Begbie . .. ., ...................................... 14 Monashee Mountains View east from summit; of (jueest Mountain to Gold Range ......................................................... 16 Okanagan Highland, View south from Lumby to upland surface of; Okanagan Highland ............................. 17 Shuswap River View east along Shuswap River Valley between Cherryville and Shuswap Falls . 20 Shuswap River. View west across Mabel Lake to Dolly Varden Beach . ...... 22 Kngle River.. Fast end of Lagle River Valley looking southeast to valley of Wap Creek ................... 24 Lagle River. WesL end of Fagle River Valley looking norLheasL iram Yard Creek to Malakwa . , 25 Inferred pattern of preglacial drainage ............................ 28 Orientation of cn.jues in Monashee Mountains .... 35 Stratigraphic and environmental chart ................................. 43 Bessette Sediments exposed at the mouth of Latewhos Creek ............ 46 Distribution of surface exposures of Bessette Sediments . ... ................................................ 48 Bessette Sediments exposed at Bessette Creek two miles west of Shuswap Falls ................... 52 Location of exposed sections of Bessette Sediments and probable equivalent deposits outside of the study area that have provided radiocarbon dates . 60 vii ILLUSTRATIONS (continued) Figure 18. Mechanical analyses of the <2 mm. size fraction of Lumby t i l l s ..... 69 19. Gravelly till exposed at Shuswap Falls ......................... 71 20. liouldery till exposed in the valley of Tsuius Creek . 74 21„ Beach and delta terraces in Cherry Creek Valley . 82 22. Internal structure of delta terrace ................................... 83 23. Top of succession of varved lacustrine s i l t s in valley of Cherry C reek ..................................................... 85 24. Slumped lacustrine s i l t s at the west end of Creighton V alley ....................... 96 25. D istribution of raised d eltaic and flu v ial features in Mabel Lake V a l l e y .................................................100 26. Exposure of Monashee Sediments on Kingfisher Creek four miles north of H u p ei ............................................102 27 Prominent delta terrace at southern end of Wap Creek V alley .................. 105 28. Kame terrace at Three Valley .......................................................108 29. Exposure in kame terrace on Highway 1 approximately three miles east of Three V alley