A Sequence-Stratigraphic Interpretation of the Upper Bioclastic Unit Capping the Bouse Formation in the Cibola Area, Arizona and California

Gootee, Brian F.; Pearthree, P.A.; House, P. Kyle; O’Connell, Brennan; Bright, Jordon

doi:10.1130/abs/2016am-285308

Cited by 8 publications

(15 citation statements)

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“…This conclusion is similar to that of previous workers (Buising, 1988(Buising, , 1990Pearthree and House, 2014), though the paleoenvironment of the receiving body of water (lake vs. marine) is debated (e.g. Bright et al, 2016;O'Connell et al, 2017). Broadly channelized cross-bedded sandstone bodies represent terminal distributary channels, and tabular-bedded silt and fine sand accumulated in channel-mouth bars of a low-gradient delta front system (e.g., Olariu and Bhattacharya, 2006;Ahmed et al, 2014).…”

Section: Red Mudstone and Siltstonesupporting

confidence: 78%

“…Similar mixing of faunas occurred at the end of Younger Dryas period, when catastrophic floods drained glacial Lake Agassiz into the St. Lawrence Estuary (Cronin et al, 2012). This change in the southern Bouse Formation was previously interpreted as a record of catastrophic flooding in a saline lake that was isolated from the ocean (Bright et al, 2016). Based on data presented above, we conclude that green claystone instead records suspension settling in a subtidal marine embayment or saline lake that had a connection to the sea during the earliest arrival of Colorado River water and sediment.…”

Section: Synthesis and Interpretation Southern Bouse Formationmentioning

confidence: 80%

“…20B; e.g., Spencer and Patchett, 1997). The inland-lake hypothesis has gained support fromstudies of carbonate geochemistry, Sr isotopes, C and O isotopes, stratigraphy, and hydrologicmodels (e.g., Poulson and John, 2003;House et al, 2008;Roskowski et al, 2010;Spencer et al, 2008Spencer et al, , 2013Pearthree and House, 2014;Bright et al, 2016).We suggest that some of these datasets should be reevaluated in light of new constraints presented in this paper. The marine-embayment hypothesis (this study) is supported by multiple lines of evidence including micro-and macro-paleontology, Sr, O, and C isotopes, chemical mixing models, process sedimentology, and Fourier transform analysis of tidal rhythmites (Table 3).…”

Section: Depositional Paleoenvironments Of the Southern Bouse Formationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The stratigraphic transition from fine-grained marl to the overlying green claystone starts with a 3-5 cm thick sharp-based green clay bed recognized as a "distinctive clay layer" (DCL) (Bright et al, 2016) seen in exposures on both sides of the Colorado River in the study area (Fig. 3B).…”

Section: Green Claystonementioning

confidence: 99%

“…3B). The DCL clay layer is overlain by a ~ 0.5-1.0 m thick interval of interbedded thin lime mudstone and green claystone beds (Bright et al, 2016) or a more uniform interval of weakly laminated pale green calcareous claystone (Fig. 5A).…”

Section: Green Claystonementioning

confidence: 99%

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Punctuated Sediment Discharge During Early Pliocene Birth of the Colorado River: Evidence from Regional Stratigraphy, Sedimentology, and Paleontology

Dorsey¹,

O’Connell²,

McDougall-Reid³

et al. 2017

Preprint

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The Colorado River in the southwestern U.S. provides an excellent natural laboratory for studying the origins of a continent-scale river system, because deposits that formed prior to and during river initiation are well exposed in the lower river valley and nearby basinal sink. This paper presents a synthesis of regional stratigraphy, sedimentology, and micropaleontology from the southern Bouse Formation and similar-age deposits in the western Salton Trough, which we use to interpret processes that controlled the birth and early evolution of the Colorado River. The southern Bouse Formation is divided into three laterally persistent members: basal carbonate, siliciclastic, and upper bioclastic members. Basal carbonate accumulated in a tidedominated marine embayment during a rise of relative sea level between ~6.3 and 5.4 Ma, prior to arrival of the Colorado River. The transition to green claystone records initial rapid influx of river water and its distal clay wash load into the subtidal marine embayment at ~5.4-5.3 Ma. This was followed by rapid southward progradation of the Colorado River delta, establishment of the earliest through-flowing river, and deposition of river-derived turbidites in the western Salton Trough (Wind Caves paleocanyon) between ~5.3 and 5.1 Ma. Early delta progradation was followed by regional shut-down of river sand output between ~5.1 and 4.8 Ma that resulted in deposition of marine clay in the Salton Trough, retreat of the delta, and re-flooding of the lower river valley by shallow marine water that deposited the Bouse upper bioclastic member. Resumption of sediment discharge at ~4.8 Ma drove massive progradation of fluvial-deltaic deposits back down the river valley into the northern Gulf and Salton Trough.These results provide evidence for a discontinuous, start-stop-start history of sand output during initiation of the Colorado River that is not predicted by existing models for this system. The underlying controls on punctuated sediment discharge are assessed by comparing the depositional chronology to the record of global sea-level change. The lower Colorado River Valley and Salton Trough experienced marine transgression during a gradual fall in global sea level between ~6.3 and 5.5 Ma, implicating tectonic subsidence as the main driver of latest Miocene relative sea-level rise. A major fall of global sea level at 5.3Ma outpaced subsidence and drove regional delta progradation, earliest flushing of Colorado River sand into the northern Gulf of California, and erosion of Bouse basal carbonate and siliciclastic members. The lower Colorado River valley was re-flooded by shallow marine waters during smaller changes in global sea level ~ 5.1-4.8 Ma, after the river first ran through it, which requires a mechanism to stop delivery of sand to the lower river valley. We propose that tectonically controlled subsidence along the lower Colorado River, upstream of the southern Bouse study area, temporarily trapped sediment and stopped delivery of sand to the lower river valley and nort...

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Section: Red Mudstone and Siltstonesupporting

confidence: 78%

Section: Synthesis and Interpretation Southern Bouse Formationmentioning

confidence: 80%

Section: Depositional Paleoenvironments Of the Southern Bouse Formationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Green Claystonementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Green Claystonementioning

confidence: 99%

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Punctuated Sediment Discharge During Early Pliocene Birth of the Colorado River: Evidence from Regional Stratigraphy, Sedimentology, and Paleontology

Dorsey¹,

O’Connell²,

McDougall-Reid³

et al. 2017

Preprint

Self Cite

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A legacy of geo‐climatic complexity and genetic divergence along the lower Colorado River: Insights from the geological record and 33 desert‐adapted animals

Dolby

Dorsey

Graham

2019

Journal of Biogeography

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Aim To review the histories of the Colorado River and North American monsoon system to ascertain their effects on the genetic divergence of desert‐adapted animals. Location Lower Colorado River region, including Mojave and Sonoran deserts, United States. Methods We synthesized recent geological literature to summarize initiation phases of lower Colorado River evolution, their discrepancies, and potential for post‐vicariance dispersal of animals across the river. We simulated data under geological models and performed a meta‐analysis of published and unpublished genetic data including population diversity metrics, relatedness and historical migration rates to assess alternative divergence hypotheses. Results The two models for arrival of the Colorado River into the Gulf of California impose east‐west divergence ages of 5.3 and 4.8 Ma, respectively. We found quantifiable river‐associated differentiation in the lower Colorado River region in reptiles, arachnids and mammals relative to flying insects. However, topological statistics, historical migration rates and cross‐river extralimital populations suggest that the river should be considered a leaky barrier that filters, rather than prevents, gene flow. Most markers violated neutrality tests. Differential adaptation to monsoon‐based precipitation differences may contribute to divergence between Mojave and Sonoran populations and should be tested. Main Conclusions Rivers are dynamic features that can both limit and facilitate gene flow through time, the impacts of which are mitigated by species‐specific life history and dispersal traits. The Southwest is a geo‐climatically complex region with the potential to produce pseudocongruent patterns of genetic divergence, offering a good setting to evaluate intermediate levels of geological‐biological (geobiological) complexity.

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Redefining the age of the lower Colorado River, southwestern United States

Crow

Schwing

Karlstrom

et al. 2021

Geology

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Sanidine dating and magnetostratigraphy constrain the timing of integration of the lower Colorado River (southwestern United States and northern Mexico) with the evolving Gulf of California. The Colorado River arrived at Cottonwood Valley (Nevada and Arizona) after 5.24 Ma (during or after the Thvera subchron). The river reached the proto–Gulf of California once between 4.80 and 4.63 Ma (during the C3n.2r subchron), not at 5.3 Ma and 5.0 Ma as previously proposed. Duplication of section across newly identified strands of the Earthquake Valley fault zone (California) probably explains the discrepancy. The data also imply the start of focused plate motion and basin development in the Salton Trough (California) at 6–6.5 Ma and relative tectonic stability of the southernmost part of the lower Colorado River corridor after its integration. After integration, the Colorado River quickly incised through sediment-filled basins and divides between them as it also likely excavated Grand Canyon (Arizona). The liberated sediment from throughout the system led to deposition of hundreds of meters of Bullhead Alluvium downstream of Grand Canyon after 4.6 Ma as the river adjusted to its lower base level.

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A Sequence-Stratigraphic Interpretation of the Upper Bioclastic Unit Capping the Bouse Formation in the Cibola Area, Arizona and California

Cited by 8 publications

References 0 publications

Punctuated Sediment Discharge During Early Pliocene Birth of the Colorado River: Evidence from Regional Stratigraphy, Sedimentology, and Paleontology

Punctuated Sediment Discharge During Early Pliocene Birth of the Colorado River: Evidence from Regional Stratigraphy, Sedimentology, and Paleontology

A legacy of geo‐climatic complexity and genetic divergence along the lower Colorado River: Insights from the geological record and 33 desert‐adapted animals

Redefining the age of the lower Colorado River, southwestern United States

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