Document generated on 09/27/2021 2:12 a.m. Géographie physique et Quaternaire Topographically-controlled Deglacial History of the Humber River Basin, Western Newfoundland L’importance de la topographie dans la déglaciation du bassin du Humber, à Terre-Neuve Historia del deshielo de la cuenca del río Humber al oeste de Terranova, basado en evidencias topográficas Martin J. Batterson and Norm R. Catto Volume 55, Number 3, 2001 Article abstract The Humber River in western Newfoundland flows through a large interior URI: https://id.erudit.org/iderudit/006851ar basin, that influenced Late Wisconsinan ice flow from major dispersal centres DOI: https://doi.org/10.7202/006851ar to the north, in the Long Range Mountains, and to the east in The Topsails. An early southward ice flow from a source to the north covered coastal areas in See table of contents the western part of the basin. Subsequent regional ice flow was southwestward to northwestward from The Topsails, while south to southwestward flowing ice from the Long Range Mountains occupied the upper Humber River valley. This Publisher(s) flow was confluent with ice from The Topsails and moved northwestward toward Bonne Bay. Regional deglaciation began about 13 ka from the inner Les Presses de l'Université de Montréal coast. Ice occupying the Deer Lake valley dammed glacial Lake Howley in the adjacent Grand Lake and Sandy Lake basins to an elevation up to 85 m above ISSN present lake levels, which were controlled by drainage through a western outlet feeding into St. George’s Bay. The lake was lowered by exposure of the 0705-7199 (print) South Brook valley outlet, and finally drained catastrophically through a 1492-143X (digital) spillway at Junction Brook. Marine limit at the coast was 60 m asl. Inland deltas at the head of Deer Lake and fine-grained sediment exposed in the Deer Lake Explore this journal valley show inundation below 45 m present elevation. This produced a narrow embayment extending at least 50 km inland from the modern coast and is named here as ‘Jukes Arm’. Dated marine macrofossils in the Humber Arm and Cite this article lower Humber River valley, indicate the deltas at the head of Deer Lake formed about 12.5 ka. Batterson, M. J. & Catto, N. R. (2001). Topographically-controlled Deglacial History of the Humber River Basin, Western Newfoundland. Géographie physique et Quaternaire, 55(3), 213–228. https://doi.org/10.7202/006851ar Tous droits réservés © Les Presses de l'Université de Montréal, 2001 This document is protected by copyright law. Use of the services of Érudit (including reproduction) is subject to its terms and conditions, which can be viewed online. https://apropos.erudit.org/en/users/policy-on-use/ This article is disseminated and preserved by Érudit. Érudit is a non-profit inter-university consortium of the Université de Montréal, Université Laval, and the Université du Québec à Montréal. Its mission is to promote and disseminate research. https://www.erudit.org/en/ GPQ_55-3.qxd 21/05/03 15:59 Page 213 Géographie physique et Quaternaire, 2001, vol. 55, no 3, p. 213-228, 9 fig., 1 tabl. TOPOGRAPHICALLY-CONTROLLED DEGLACIAL HISTORY OF THE HUMBER RIVER BASIN, WESTERN NEWFOUNDLAND Martin J. BATTERSON* and Norm R. CATTO, respectively, Geological Survey of Newfoundland and Labrador, Department of Mines and Energy, P.O. Box 8700, St. John’s, Newfoundland A1B 4J6, and Department of Geography, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s, Newfoundland A1X 3X9. ABSTRACT The Humber River in western RÉSUMÉ L’importance de la topographie RESUMEN Historia del deshielo de la cuen- Newfoundland flows through a large interior dans la déglaciation du bassin du Humber, à ca del río Humber al oeste de Terranova, basin, that influenced Late Wisconsinan ice Terre-Neuve. Dans l’ouest de Terre-Neuve, le basado en evidencias topográficas. El río flow from major dispersal centres to the north, fleuve Humber draine un vaste bassin qui a Humber situado al oeste de Terranova irriga in the Long Range Mountains, and to the east influencé la direction des flux glaciaires, au una gran cuenca interior de gran afluencia in The Topsails. An early southward ice flow Wisconsinien supérieur, à partir des princi- durante el Winconsiniano tardío. En esta área from a source to the north covered coastal paux centres de dispersion situés au nord et convergieron el flujo glacial proveniente de las areas in the western part of the basin. à l’est. Dans l’ouest du bassin, les régions montañas Longe Range al norte y de Topsails Subsequent regional ice flow was south- côtières ont d’abord été occupées par des al este. Al oeste de la cuenca, la región cos- westward to northwestward from The glaces en provenance des monts Long tera fue inicialmente recubierta por el flujo de Topsails, while south to southwestward flow- Range, au nord. Par la suite, le flux glaciaire hielos provenientes del norte luego por el flujo ing ice from the Long Range Mountains régional en provenance des Topsails, à l’est, glacial regional proveniente de Topsails. El occupied the upper Humber River valley.This s’est dirigé du sud-ouest vers le nord-ouest, flujo de Topsails se dirigió del sudoeste al flow was confluent with ice from The Topsails tandis que la glace provenant des monts noroeste, mientras que los hielos prove- and moved northwestward toward Bonne Long Range s’est écoulée vers le sud et le nientes de Long Range se dirigieron hacia el Bay. Regional deglaciation began about 13 ka sud-ouest, occupant le secteur amont de la sur y sudoeste ocupando así la parte super- from the inner coast. Ice occupying the Deer vallée du Humber. Les flux alors raccordés ior del valle del río Humber. Posteriormente, Lake valley dammed glacial Lake Howley in se sont par la suite orientés vers le nord-est, su confluencia se orientó en dirección nores- the adjacent Grand Lake and Sandy Lake vers Bonne Bay. La déglaciation régionale a te hacia Bonne Bay. El deshielo regional se basins to an elevation up to 85 m above pres- commencé il y a 13 000 ans environ, sur la inicio hace aproximadamente 13 000 años en ent lake levels, which were controlled by côte. La glace, qui bloquait la vallée du Deer la región costera. Los hielos que ocupaban el drainage through a western outlet feeding into Lake, a créé le Lac glaciaire Howley, dans les valle del lago Deer formaron el lago glacial de St. George’s Bay. The lake was lowered by bassins actuels des lacs Grand et Sandy, qui Howley en la cuenca adyacente de los lagos exposure of the South Brook valley outlet, a atteint l’altitude de 85 m. À l’ouest, un exu- Grand y Sandy a una altitud de 85 m sobre and finally drained catastrophically through a toire assurait le drainage du lac vers el nivel actual, siendo controlado por un spillway at Junction Brook. Marine limit at the St. George’s Bay. Dans la vallée du South afluente secundario que lo drenaba hacia la coast was 60 m asl. Inland deltas at the head Brook, le dégagement d’un exutoire a entraî- bahía St. Georges. El nivel del lago disminuyó of Deer Lake and fine-grained sediment né l’abaissement du niveau lacustre ; le drai- al ser drenado hacia el valle South Brook y exposed in the Deer Lake valley show inun- nage catastrophique du lac a été provoqué finalmente por un evento catastrófico que pro- dation below 45 m present elevation. This pro- par la rupture d’un seuil au droit de Junction vocó la ruptura de un vertedero en Junction duced a narrow embayment extending at Brook. La limite marine a atteint 60 m sur la Brook. El limite marino en la costa fue de 60 m least 50 km inland from the modern coast côte. Des deltas à la tête du Deer Lake et des nmm. Los deltas situados a la cabeza del lago and is named here as ‘Jukes Arm’. Dated sédiments fins dans la vallée témoignent Deer y los sedimentos finos expuestos en el marine macrofossils in the Humber Arm and d’une submersion ayant atteint 45 m, ce qui a valle dan testimonio de la sumersión de hasta lower Humber River valley, indicate the deltas engendré un bras de mer, appelé Jukes Arm, 45 m con respecto a la elevación actual. Ello at the head of Deer Lake formed about s’étendant sur plus de 50 km à l’intérieur des provocó la formacion de un brazo de mar lla- 12.5 ka. terres. Ces deltas se sont formés il y a mado Jukes Arm que se extendió 50 km. al 12 500 ans, d’après la datation d’organismes interior de la costa. La datación de macro marins. fósiles marinos provenientes del la rama del río Hamber y del valle sitúan la formación de dichos deltas hace aproximadamente 12 500 años. Manuscrit reçu le 7 janvier 2002 ; manuscrit révisé accepté le 25 novembre 2002 *E-mail: [email protected] GPQ_55-3.qxd 21/05/03 15:59 Page 214 214 M. J. BATTERSON and N. R. CATTO INTRODUCTION Lake (5 m asl), below which the Lower Humber River flows 15 km before reaching the ocean at Corner Brook. The basin Investigation and assessment of ice-flow directions in contains large valleys and sub-basins containing Birchy Lake, regions affected by several distinct centres of glaciation can be Deer Lake, Grand Lake, Hinds Lake, Sandy Lake, and a complex problem in Quaternary studies. Throughout Sheffield Lake. Newfoundland, the hypothesis of multiple glacial ice caps was established through numerous investigations (e.g., Grant, The basin is flanked on all sides by highlands that form The 1974, 1977, 1989a; Brookes, 1982; Catto, 1998a).