Using classic outcrops to revise sequence stratigraphic models. In the afternoon we will head to colorado national monument for a geology overview and have dinner in grand junction. Stratal architecture of these rocks is controlled by two regionally extensive surfaces of incision and subaerial exposure. Stratigraphic nomenclature of the thirtynine mile volcanic field central colorado by rudy c. Additional maps, cross sections, stratigraphic columns and information about the geology, stratigraphy, coal deposits and resource recovery are also available. In fact, during the 1980s, exxon geoscientists used the cretaceous strata of the book cliffs to develop the science of sequence stratigraphy. The sequence stratigraphy of the sego sandstone member in northwest colorado is similar to that documented in the book cliffs area to the southsouthwest, sharing three sequence boundaries. We know this because the geologic formations of the monument are the same rocks that are buried thousands of feet below the top of the mesaverde formation of the book cliffs. New mexico museum of natural history and science, albuquerque, nm. Usgs sequence stratigraphy of upper campanian strata, book.
Mar 07, 2017 these colorado cliffs look like books on a shelf. Comparative paleoenvironmental and architectural analyses. In the area of economic geology, the book cliffs contain important reserves of coal. The upper cretaceous book cliffs of eastern utah and western colorado are a worldclass field laboratory for studying clastic. Mesaverde group beds in the book cliffs near helper, utah. Approximately 5 million years ago the colorado plateau was uplifted some 1,000 to 1,500m. The book cliffs have no carbonates and our sequence stratigraphy trip covers both, which is why northern colorado provides an excellent natural laboratory. However, floodtidal delta assemblages between fluviodeltaic deposits that are present north of rangely, colorado are absent from the book cliffs area. Pdf books stratigraphic nomenclature of the thirtynine. Multiple regional stratigraphic studies have been conducted throughout the book cliffs, often with intricate and conflicting stratigraphic nomenclature e. These colorado cliffs look like books on a shelf outthere.
The book cliffs have preserved excellent strata of the foreland basin of the ancient western interior seaway that stretched north from the gulf of mexico to the yukon in the cretaceous time. Thompson canyon, blackhawk formation and castlegate sandstone. If your interest lies in the standard book cliffs field trip then please check out our offerings here. Stratigraphic nomenclature of the thirtynine mile volcanic field central colorado stratigraphic nomenclature of the thirtynine mile volcanic field central colorado by rudy c.
Implications for sequence stratigraphic models simon a. Facies analysis and sequence stratigraphic framework of upper. Garfield formation, book cliffs, colorado richard bell1 and diane kamola2. Named for its similar appearance to a stack of books lined up against a shelf, the book cliffs are one of the most wellknown locations for studying. They are so named because the cliffs of cretaceous stratigraphy is a branch of geology concerned with the study of rock layers strata and layering stratification it is primarily used in the study paleontology in arizona. Comparative paleoenvironmental and architectural analyses of. Facies analysis and sequence stratigraphic framework of.
Facies analysis and sequence stratigraphic framework of upper campanian strata neslen and mount garfield formations, bluecastle tongue of the castlegate sandstone, and mancos shale, eastern book cliffs, colorado and utah. Using classic outcrops to revise sequence stratigraphic. The desert member of the blackhawk formation and the castlegate sandstone in the book cliffs of utah and colorado were analyzed to develop a model of sequence stratigraphy and facies architecture in foreland basins. The book cliffs are a series of desert mountains and cliffs in western colorado and eastern utah in the western united states. In the intervening years, numerous geologists have used the upper cretaceous strata of the book cliffs in eastern utah and western colorado as a testing ground. Continuous, wellexposed and easilyaccessible outcrops make it possible to analyze facies relationships of stratigraphic sequences in great detail, both in terms of lateral variation systems tracts and vertical stacking patterns. Sequence stratigraphy, geodynamics, and detrital geo. The permian through jurassic stratigraphy of the colorado plateau area of southeastern utah.
Cliffs, which are located along the southern periphery of the piceance and uinta basins figure 2. Positioned on top of the sandstone, but usually situated back. Sequence stratigraphy of the upper cretaceous sego sandstone. The study develops a sequence stratigraphic framework for about 600 ft of upper cretaceous strata that are exposed in the book cliffs and traceable into the adjacent subsurface areas, between grand junction, colorado, and green river, utah, a distance of about 100 mi. Continuous cliffs of mesozoic sandstones, dirty devil river. A multidecadelong highresolution outcrop study has revealed that the campanian desert member blackhawk formation to lower castlegate sandstone interval in the book cliffs of utah and colorado western usa does not fit the conventional sequence stratigraphic model. Upper cretaceous strata exposed in the book cliffs of eastcentral. The book cliffs coal field is part of the southern rim of the uinta basin, which is an immense structural trough in western colorado and eastern utah, around whose margin the outcrop of coalbearing rocks can be traced for more than 500 miles. Department of geology, brandon university, brandon, manitoba, canada. The book cliffs of utah have become the premier locality globally for field teaching of sequence stratigraphy. Many times these concretions are quite fossiliferous while others contain beautiful crystals of barite andor calcite. The resource facies analysis and sequence stratigraphic framework of upper campanian strata neslen and mount garfield formations, bluecastle tongue of the castlegate sandstone, and mancos shale, eastern book cliffs, colorado and utah, by mark a. Pdf books stratigraphic nomenclature of the thirtynine mile. Pdf facies analysis and sequence stratigraphic framework of.
Components of deltaic and shallow marine reservoirs are very well preserved in the book cliffs. Book cliffs from grand junction, colorado, to woodside. The book cliffs are a range of eroding, steepsloping cliffs, also called escarpments. Cretaceous and tertiary formations of the book cliffs carbon. Book cliffs sequence stratigraphy aapg datapagesarchives. Stratigraphy of colorado stratigraphy of the united sta. Stratigraphic cross section of measured sections and drill holes of the neslen formation and adjacent formations, book cliffs area, colorado and utah. The upper part of the book cliffs is composed of sandstone, shale and coal beds of the mesaverde group and the lower slopes are the upper. These colorado cliffs look like books on a shelf outthere colorado. The upper cretaceous sego sandstone member of the mesaverde group has been extensively studied in the book cliffs area of utah and colorado, and has been the focus of stratigraphic reconstruction aimed at developing an understanding of the evolution of the western cretaceous interior seaway. Sequence stratigraphy of transitional systems book cliffs. Stratigraphic nomenclature of the thirtynine mile volcanic field central colorado books.
Sequence stratigraphy applications to shelf sandstone. The spring canyon sandstones in the book cliffs above the town of helper, utah. The book cliffs of eastern utah and western colorado have been pivotal in the development of outcropbased sequence stratigraphic concepts for nonmarine to shallow marine siliciclastic depositional settings. Towards a sequence stratigraphic solution set for autogenic. The book cliffs are a series of desert mountains and cliffs in western colorado and eastern utah, in the western united states. Download in pdf, epub, and mobi format for read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets.
The book cliffs, worlds best example of sequence stratigraphy, get their name from a tough caprock layer that appears to be lined up like a stack of books on a shelf. They are so named because the cliffs of cretaceous sandstone that cap many of the southfacing buttes appear similar to a shelf of books. The lower sego provides an opportunity to study wellexposed, highfrequency sequences and their systems tracts. Pdf facies analysis and sequence stratigraphic framework. The book cliffs create the northern backdrop for the entire grand valley from clifton. No evidence for an unconformity at the base of the lower castlegate sandstone in the campanian book cliffs, utah colorado, united states. Sequence stratigraphy of the upper cretaceous sego. Stretching 200 miles from grand junction, colorado to central utah, the book cliffs are the worlds largest continuous escarpment. Sequence stratigraphic framework of late campanian strata, book cliffs area, utah and colorado. The seemingly endless stretch of the stratigraphic sequence of the rocks is. These are used to interpret and so trace the evolution of the campanian shoreline of the uinta and piceance basin of colorado and utah figures 1 and 2. Large scale and superbly exposed outcrops in the book cliffs colorado national monument arches national park canyonlands and adjoining areas. A recent, revised regional sequence stratigraphic correlation indicates that outcrop belts along the rangely anticline, colorado contains strata that correlate with the anchor mine tongue and upper sego of the book cliffs, utah.
Sep 14, 2015 estuarine facies within incised valley fill systems, mt. The mancos formation and its stratigraphic equivalent to the east known as the pierre shale, often contain concretions. The book cliffs are a small remnant of an ancient seabed, thrust upward with the uncompahgre uplift that also created colorado national monument. Digital elevation model of the book cliffs, utah and colorado. Formation of the book cliffs 72 million years ago on vimeo. The permian through jurassic stratigraphy of the colorado plateau area of southeastern utah the red cliffs of the colorado plateau tower above the northern mojave desert. The colorado plateau in the area of the colorado national monument has been raised an additional 6,700 feet higher than the book cliffs across the valley. The buck tongue of the mancos shale underlies the sego sandstone member, and the anchor mine tongue divides the lower. Estuarine facies within incised valley fill systems, mt. These famous rocks arguably represent the best exposed deltaic rocks in the world and have been used to develop, test and refine sedimentological and stratigraphic ideas and models over the years, including the principles and concepts of sequence stratigraphy. Mar 12, 2021 a map of colorado plateau resources and outcrop photos of cretaceous strata exposed in the region are provided on this page with links to individual sections of the report. Shelf depositional sequences, western interior basin, utah, colorado and new mexico. The six sequences are named after prominent sandstone units and include, in ascending order, upper sego sequence, neslen sequence, corcoran sequence, buck. Sequence stratigraphic framework of late campanian strata.
The economic findings and part of the stratigraphic data resulting from the work. Comparative paleoenvironmental and architectural analyses of the anchor mine tongue to upper sego interval along the book cliffs of utah and the rangely anticline of colorado ntributor. Geological survey professional paper 1625b, assessment, chapter k of geologic assessment of coal in the colorado plateau. Stratigraphic cross section of measured sections and drill. Mount garfield book cliffs colorado mancos shale geology erosion fofs epic100 24x12. Book cliffs field trip course details based on popular demand from industry professionals who wish to get a general overview of the most common reservoir types that occur in coastal plain and shallow marine settings, we have collected a series of spectacular outcrops for you to visit. Top of the castlegate sandstone, sagers canyon, book cliffs, eastern utah. Stratigraphy and sedimentation of the book cliffs, utah cole. Sequence stratigraphy of transitional systems book. The red cliffs of the colorado plateau tower above the northern mojave desert. Sequence stratigraphy, seismic stratigraphy and sedimentology services for the oil and gas and mining industry.
Stratigraphy and sedimentation of the book cliffs, utah. The book cliffs are a series of desert mountains and cliffs in western colorado and eastern utah, in. The mesaverde group is a late cretaceous stratigraphic group found in areas of colorado, new mexico, utah, and wyoming, in the western united states. Facies and sequence stratigraphic analysis identifies six highresolution sequences within upper campanian strata across about 120 miles of the book cliffs in western colorado and eastern utah.
In this well exposed book cliff escarpment a large eastward prograding clastic wedge of sands and shale s can be correlated regionally by tracking the individual parasequence s. There are several sedimentary cycles visible in the cliffs perhaps up to seven or eight book cliffs and mt. Book cliffs fruita grand junction colorado canyons and alpenglow scenic view of iconic book cliffs in the grand valley, colorado usa. Book cliffs area by gill and hail 1975 report baculites perplexus in the buck tongue of the mancos shale formation and baculites scotti in the anchor mine tongue, in prairie canyon, located in western colorado in the book cliffs area. In the 1980s, exxon scientists used the cretaceous strata of the book cliffs to develop the science of sequence stratigraphy. Early models were strongly influenced by campanian book cliffs utah and colorado, usa.
All trips begin and end in grand junction, colorado. Sequence stratigraphy field trip applied stratigraphix. Garfield on right, approximate altitude 6,600 in mesa county, colorado the book cliffs, helper, utah. Sequence stratigraphy of transitional systems book cliffs, utah this field course aims at teaching sedimentology and sequence stratigraphy at an introductory level and illustrate how this can and should be used as a powerful tool both in reservoir description and prediction at various scales.
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