The correlation of coal beds in Squaw Basin and part of Eden Ridge, T. 33 S., R. 11 W., W. M., southwestern Oregon

Abstract

A conflict in correlation of coal beds dating from 1914 is reexamined with-die aid of new core hole data, photogeologic interpretation, a broader understanding of the stratigraphy, and brief field studies. It is concluded that die known coal beds in Squaw Basin are of limited lateral extent and are older than those exposed at Eden Ridge. Similar coal beds may be found in other rocks of the Tyee Formation in this area. More core drilling could be justified. in Squaw Basin for coal. It necessarily places considerable emphasis on observations made in 1914 and on details of correlations of beds. T. 33 S., R. 11 W. overlaps the Agness and Marial 15-minute quadrangles and the Coos Bay and Medford 1:250,000 scale quadrangles. Sees. 1-6 are missing from the township, but sees. 7, 18, 19. 30. and 31 are about 13/4 miles wide. The area of the township is about 32 square miles. Most of the township is in the Siskiyou National Forest. The South Fork of the Coquille River and its tributaries, including Squaw Creek, drain much of the township. This river drops from 2,100 feet to 800 feet altitude within the township as it loops around the south end of Eden Ridge. The Rogue River is present in the township in sees. 25, 35, and 36, at an altitude of about 240 feet. It drains, most of the southeast corner and south border areas of the township. The divide between the Coquille and Rogue Rivers is Panther Ridge, which includes Bald Knob and Coal Butte. The boundary between Coos and Curry Counties follows this ridge (pi. 1).-The high point on this ridge within the township is about 3,700 feet altitude. Access to the township is through the Coquille River valley by an unpaved two-lane road south 11 miles from Powers. This road continues south to Agness on the Rogue River. A new highway up the Rogue River to Agness from the coast is under construction. A single-lane road leads eastward to Grants Pass, following the Coquille River within the township. Logging and forest lookout roads give limited, temporary access to much of the township. Heavy timber or dense brush and soil conceal most rock

Potential hydrologic effects of developing coal and other geo-energy resources of Oregon; a review

“…Coal occurs in the Tyee Formation of Eocene age and was described by Lesher (1914), Williams (1914), Campbell and Clark (1916), Daniels (1920), and Wayland (1965). The structure is a shallow elliptical basin, with the longer axis trending northerly.…”

“…The thickness of the 10°-20°-dipping Carter and Anderson coal beds averages 6.5 and 5.8 ft, respectively (Garth Duell, Northern Energy Resources Co., Inc., oral conmun., 1980). In the Squaw Basin coal field, two coal beds (Donnell and Seven Foot) of undetermined thickness are believed to be stratigraphically lower than the Eden Ridge coal field (Wayland, 1965).…”

Preliminary GIS representation of deep coal areas for carbon dioxide storage in the contiguous United States and Alaska

“…It is unlikely that coal deeper than 3,000 ft exists in either, as neither was suggested by Brownfield (USGS, written commun., 2012). The base of the Tyee Formation is about 1,500 ft deep (Wayland, 1965). The Umpqua Formation, however, is the deepest coal-bearing formation in western Oregon and should be investigated further.…”

Potential hydrologic effects of developing coal and other geoenergy resources in Oregon: a review

“…dipping Carter and Anderson coal beds averages 6.5 and 5.8 ft, respectively (Garth Duell, Northern Energy Resources Co., Inc., oral commun., 1980). In the Squaw Basin coal field, two coal beds (Donne11 and Seven Foot) of undetermined thickness are believed to be stratigraphically lower than the Eden Ridge coal field (Wayland, 1965).…”