National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Natural Resource Stewardship and Science Coronado National Memorial Geologic Resources Inventory Report Natural Resource Report NPS/NRSS/GRD/NRR—2011/438 ON THE COVER The view from Montezuma Pass road within Coronado National Monument. Rocks and landforms within the park resulted from a variety of geologic processes: ancient seas, cataclysmic volcanic eruptions, tectonic activity and modern erosion and debris flows. Arizona Geological Survey photograph by Ann Youberg (Arizona Geological Survey). THIS PAGE Bob Thompson peak rises above the grasslands of Coronado National Memorial. Morning glories bloom in the foreground. The peak was created as the area was pulled apart during the formation of the Basin and Range Province. National Park Service photograph. Coronado National Memorial Geologic Resources Inventory Report Natural Resource Report NPS/NRSS/GRD/NRR—2011/438 National Park Service Geologic Resources Division PO Box 25287 Denver, CO 80225 August 2011 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 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/). Please cite this publication as: Graham, J. 2011. Coronado National Memorial: geologic resources inventory report. Natural Resource Report NPS/NRSS/GRD/NRR—2011/438. National Park Service, Fort Collins, Colorado. NPS 401/109347, August 2011 ii NPS Geologic Resources Division Contents Lists of Figures and Tables ........................................................................................... iv Executive Summary ....................................................................................................... v Acknowledgements ...................................................................................................... vi Credits ........................................................................................................................................................................ vi Introduction ................................................................................................................... 1 Purpose of the Geologic Resources Inventory ............................................................................................................... 1 Regional Information ................................................................................................................................................... 1 Geologic Setting .......................................................................................................................................................... 2 Cultural History ............................................................................................................................................................ 2 Geologic Issues .............................................................................................................. 9 Coronado Cave ............................................................................................................................................................ 9 Water Quantity and Quality........................................................................................................................................ 10 Mass Wasting ............................................................................................................................................................ 11 Abandoned Mineral Lands ......................................................................................................................................... 12 Preservation of Paleontological Resources (Fossils) ...................................................................................................... 13 Seismic Activity (Earthquakes)..................................................................................................................................... 13 Undocumented Immigrants and Safety Issues ............................................................................................................. 14 Geologic Features and Processes ................................................................................ 17 Coronado Cave .......................................................................................................................................................... 17 Montezuma Caldera .................................................................................................................................................. 17 Volcanic Deposits of the Turkey Canyon Caldera ......................................................................................................... 19 Volcanic Deposits of the Parker Canyon Caldera ......................................................................................................... 19 Huachuca Granite ...................................................................................................................................................... 20 Mineralization ............................................................................................................................................................ 20 Sedimentary Rock Features......................................................................................................................................... 20 Geomorphic Features ................................................................................................................................................. 22 Laramide Orogeny Features ........................................................................................................................................ 22 Basin-and-Range Features .......................................................................................................................................... 23 Geologic History .......................................................................................................... 27 Precambrian (prior to 542 million years ago) ............................................................................................................... 27 Paleozoic Era (542 to 251 million years ago) ............................................................................................................... 27 Mesozoic Era (251 to 65.5 million years ago) .............................................................................................................. 28 Cenozoic Era (65.5 million years ago to present) ......................................................................................................... 30 Geologic Map Data ...................................................................................................... 37 Geologic Maps ........................................................................................................................................................... 37 Source Maps .............................................................................................................................................................. 37 Geologic GIS Data ...................................................................................................................................................... 37 Geologic Map Overview ............................................................................................................................................. 38 Map Unit Properties Table .......................................................................................................................................... 38 Use Constraints .......................................................................................................................................................... 38 Geologic Map Overview Graphic ...............................................................................