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Depositional facies of the Miocene-Pliocene Ogallala Formation, northwestern Texas and eastern New Mexico

Journal Article · · Geology; (United States)
;
Deposition of the basal fluvial sediments of the Miocene-Pliocene Ogallala Formation in western Texas and eastern New Mexico was controlled by topography on the underlying erosional surface. Paleovalley-fill facies consist of gravelly and sandy braided-stream deposits interbedded with and overlain by eolian sediments deposited as sand sheets and loess. Uplands on the pre-Ogallala erosional surface are overlain primarily by similar eolian sediments. Calcic paleosols, consisting mostly of glaebules and rhizoconcretions of CaCO/sub 3/, occur throughout the eolian facies. Massive to laminated and locally pisolitic, brecciated, and recemented pedogenic calcretes occur primarily near or at the top of the Ogallala Formation. Eolian facies preserve numerous superposed calcretes and calcic paleosols, reflecting slow episodic aggradation on a savannah or grassland under arid to subhumid climatic conditions. The change from fluvial to mostly eolian sedimentation probably resulted from diversion of streams that deposited fluvial sediments of the Ogallala Formation to form the Pecos and Canadian rivers. Source areas for eolian sediments may initially have been flood plains of Ogallala braided streams and later the flood plains of the newly formed Pecos and Canadian rivers. 38 references.
Research Organization:
Univ. of Texas, Austin (USA)
DOE Contract Number:
AC97-83WM46651
OSTI ID:
6895016
Journal Information:
Geology; (United States), Journal Name: Geology; (United States) Vol. 16:3; ISSN GLGYB
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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Related Subjects

58 GEOSCIENCES
580100* -- Geology & Hydrology-- (-1989)
AQUIFERS
CENOZOIC ERA
DEPOSITION
EROSION
FEDERAL REGION VI
GEOLOGIC AGES
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GEOLOGIC HISTORY
GROUND WATER
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
MIOCENE EPOCH
NEW MEXICO
NORTH AMERICA
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PLIOCENE EPOCH
SEDIMENTATION
SEDIMENTS
STREAMS
SURFACE WATERS
TERTIARY PERIOD
TEXAS
USA
WATER