UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR GEOLOGICAL SURVEY CRETACEOUS SEDIMENTATION AND TSCTONISM IN THE SOUTHEASTERN KAIPAROWI1S REGION, UTAH By Fred Peterson Open-file Report _ y 1969 This report is preliraiuary a-..-.u has not been edited or re­ viewed for conformity with U.S. Geological Survey standards and nomenclature. CONTENTS Page Abstract Introduction ------- ------------------ -- --------__-----_---_-. 3 Geography-- --- - --- ------ ----- ------- ---------- 3 Previous work --- ----------- - ----- -_-_ - -- ----- 5 Present investigations --- -- ------- ------- -- 5 Acknowledgments-------------------- ---------------- --------- 6 Methods of study- ------------- --- ------ -_------_--_-_--_-_- 7 Organization------ - ----------- -- --- ------- ------- __--- H Upper Cretaceous formations ---------------------------------------- 12 Dakota Formation------------------------------------------------ 14 Lower member-------------- - ------- ------------------- 15 Middle member---------------------------------------------- 22 Upper member ---------------- -_-____- __-___-_______--.. ?8 Tropic Shale---------------------------------------------------- 34 Straight Cliffs Formation------------------ ------------------- 49 Tibfaet Canyon Member-------------------- ------------------- 49 Smoky Ho 1 lev Member - --------------------------------------- 56 Unconformity---------------- ------------------------------- 60 John Henry Member- ----------------------------------------- 61 Barren zones---------------------------- -------------- 62 Coal zones---- -------------------------------------- 66 Key sandstone beds------------ ------------------------ 71 Marine mudstone tongues------------------------------- 77 General------------------------------------------------ 81 Drip Tank Member ----------------------------------------- 84 Wahweap Formation----------------------------------------------- 88 Formations in northwestern Kaiparowits region------------------- 95 Sedimentary facies ------------------------------------------- ------ 96 Piedmont facies---- ------------ - -----_--_--_----____ ._-» 97 Alluvial plain facies - - -- ---------- ---- ._._ 99. Subdivision A------ --- ------- -----_--_--_---.. 99 Subdivision B--------- -- -------------- _----_-_---___- 103 Subdivision C---------------- ------ __-----__-----_.-« Deltaic plain facies---- ---- - ._._-_ .-_ _-_ Lagoonal-paludal facies-- --------- ------- -_-_ - -_ 125 Barrier sandstone facies ----- --- -- - -- ----- * ----- 132 Offshore marine facies--- - ----- ---- ------- - ------ 141 Distant marine facies------- -- ----------- ---_----_-----_-. 144 CONTENTS Sedimentary facies continued Distribution of facies---- --------------- --- -_-_ ____ Dakota Formation------- - -- ----- - -_ Tropic Shale - --- ----- ------ ---_ -_-__--« ^47 Straight Cliffs Formation -- - ----------- -.--__ ^47 Wahweap Formation ----------------------------------- --- 151 Formations in northwestern Kaiparowits region ------------ 153 Sedimentation and tectonism ---------- ---_-___-.--- -____--__-__ General setting --------- -.....--. ----- -.._-------_-_--- Late Jurassic time---------------------------------------------- 155 Early Cretaceous time---- ------- ------------- ---___-_-_-._ 155 Cenoman ian t irne ------------------ ----------------------------- ^57 Early and middle Turonian time------------------------- --------- 170 Late Turonian to middle Coniacian tine-- --- ----------------- 182 Late Coniacian to earliest Campanian time----------------------- 183 C amp an i an t ime -------------------------------------------------- 198 Maestrichtian and Paleocene time-------------------------------- 206 .Middle and late Cenozoic time---- ---- -- ___---__---__---_-_ 208 General-- ----------------------------------------------------- 210 Economic resources-- ----------------------------------------------- 214 Coal-- .--------.- .--_._-._ __--..---------.__-_ . 214 Dakota Formation--------------------------------- -------- 214 Smoky Hollow Member of Straight Cliffs Formation-------- - 214 John Henry Member of Straight Cliffs Formation------------- 215 Lower coal zone--------------------------------------- 215 Christensen coal zone---- --------------------------- 216 Rees coal zone-------------- ----- --_-__--_- 216 Alvey coal zone -------------------- -_-_---_-__---. 216 Analyses and quality--------------------------------------- 216 Cleats--- ---------------- -- ----.-----_-_----__ 219 Potential resources and production------------------------- 219 Oil and gas exploration--------- -------- --- -_---------_-__ 222 Ground water- --------------------------------- __------_---. 223 Black sandstone deposits---- ---- -- ---- --------- - 223 References cited--------------------------------------------------- 224 Appendix--------- -- ------------- ------- _-_-__-----_ __-_-. 235 Fossil localities -- -- --- ---- ------ -_-__-_-_-__.-_ 235 ILLUSTRATIONS Page Plate 1. Geologic map of southeastern Kaiparowits region ------ in pocket 2. Diagram showing mineralogy of sandstones in Dakota Formation--- - - - -- -- - - " 3. Isopach map of lower and middle members of Dakota Formation- " 4. Fence diagram of Dakota Formation in southeastern Kaiparowits region -- ------------------------------- tf 5. Map shox/ing cross-stratification azimuths for fluvial sandstones in Dakota Formation-- --------_--_-_---.--_ * 6-11. Measured sections of: 6. Dakota Formation in southwestern part of southeastern Kaiparowits region--------------- ------------------ " 7. Dakota Formation in central part of southeastern Kaiparowits region-- ------ ----------------------- " 8. Dakota Formation in northeastern part of southeastern Kaiparowits region----------------------------------- " 9. Straight Cliffs Formation in southwestern part of southeastern Kaiparowits region---------------------- " 10. Straight Cliffs Formation in northeastern part of southeastern Kaiparowits region--- ----------------- " .-.- 11. Straight Cliffs Formation in northwestern and eastern parts of southeastern Kaiparowits region------------- " 12. Diagram showing mineralogy of sandstones in Straight Cliffs Formation, southwestern and central parts of southeastern Kaiparowits region- ----------------------- " 13. Diagram showing mineralogy of sandstones in Straight Cliffs Formation, eastern part of southeastern Kaiparo­ wits region-------------- ------------------ ----- . ' 14. Map showing distribution of coal and muds tone in middle member of Dakota Formation below bentonite marker bed---- " 15. Map showing distribution of coal and mudstone in middle member of Dakota Formation between bentonite marker bed and coal bed No. 4----- ----------- ---- --- ------ » 16. Map showing distribution of coal and partings in coal bed No. 4, middle member of Dakota Formation---- --------- " 17. Diagram of distribution of coal in Smoky Hollow Member of Straight Cliffs Formation- -- - -- ----- ----- « iii ILLUSTRATIONS Plates 18-21. Isopach maps of: 18. Total coal in lower coal zone of John Henry Member----------------------------------- ---- In pocket 19. Total coal in Christensen coal zone of John Henry Member----------------------- ------- -- " 20. Total coal in Rees coal zone of John Henry Member------------------ --------------- 21. John Henry Member of Straight Cliffs Formation--- " Figure 1. Index map--------------------------------------------- -- 4 2. Diagram showing classification of sandstones-------------- 9 3. Photograph showing Dakota Formation in southwestern part of region---- --------- _---_--__-_ --.__---___-____. 15 4. Photograph showing Dakota Formation in central part of region----------- ------ ----- __---------_---------_ ]_y 5. Photograph showing Dakota Formation in northeastern pare of region----------------------------------------------- 18 6. Stratigraphic section showing southwestward regional beveling of Jurassic formations and upiifu of ancestral Cedar Mountain anticline prior to deposition of Dakota Formation--------- ------------------------------------ 21 7. Measured sections showing relations of members and units in Dakota Formation------------------------------------- 26 8. Correlation of Cretaceous formations in Kaiparowits region, Utah, and Black Mesa region, Arizona------------ 35 9. Correlation of Cretaceous formations in Kaiparowits region, Utah, and San Juan Basin, N. Mex---------------- 36 10. Photograph showing Tropic Shale about 1 mile west of Warm Creek--------- --- ------------------------- 37 11. Photograph showing texture on weathered surface of Tropic Shale 38 12. Diagram showing mineralogy of Tropic Shale at measured section Tl------ --- --- ---------------------- 40 13. Selected measured sections of Tropic Shale and parts of Dakota and Straight Cliffs Formations showing thickness changes over ancestral folds--- ----------------------- 43 14. Photograph showing Straight Cliffs Formation in south­ western part of region in Warm Creek canyon----------- 50 15. Photograph showing Straight Cliffs Formation at east end of Kaiparowits Plateau above Fiftymile Point - - -- 51 ILLUSTRATIONS Page Figure 16. Diagram showing relations of members and units in Straight Cliffs Formation------------- --- -- - 54 17. Photograph showing black sandstone bed at top of B sand­ stone bed in John Henry Member of Straight Cliffs Formation --------------- --------- -- _--__--_--_- 74 18. Photograph showing basal conglomerate of John Henry Member--- -------- -------- ..-_-_-.--_-_- -- -- 79 19. Photograph showing Wahweap Formation on northeast side of Drip Tank Canyon-----------------