Lithostratigraphy and geochronology of fills in small playa basins on the Southern High Plains, United States
- Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, WI (United States)
- Univ. of Texas, Austin, TX (United States)
Playa basins are small depressions (typically <=1.5 km{sup 2}) on the Southern High Plains of northwestern Texas and eastern New Mexico. There are about 25000 playas in the region; they lie on the Blackwater Draw Formation (Pleistocene), a widespread eolin deposit, and locally on the Ogallala Formation (Miocene-Pliocene). Understanding the lithostratigraphy and chronostratigraphy of the fill in the basins is important because it should (1) provide clues to the origin and evolution of playas, which have been long debated; (2) yield a paleoenvironmental record for the region; and (3) aid in understanding the history and future of the regional aquifer because playas are the principal source of recharge. Data from 19 playa basins, combined with published data from 4 other basins, show that the basin fill is composed of six distinctive facies: (1) lacustrine mud; (2) lacustrine carbonate; (3) lacustrine delta deposits; (4) eolian sand and silt; (5) eolian loam; and (6) accretionary eolian deposits (Blackwater Draw Formation). Dating is based on radiocarbon ages from the fill in 12 basins and from lunettes adjacent to 5 basins. All dated basins were present at the end of the Pleistocene and some were present in some form throughout the Pleistocene. These lithostratigraphic and chronostratigraphic relationships show that some basins have a prolonged history as depressions. 96 refs., 7 figs., 3 tabs.
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- OSTI ID:
- 420904
- Journal Information:
- Geological Society of America, Bulletin, Journal Name: Geological Society of America, Bulletin Journal Issue: 8 Vol. 108; ISSN BUGMAF; ISSN 0016-7606
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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