Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-dlnhk Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-27T21:01:54.242Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Late Quaternary Spring-Fed Deposits of the Grand Canyon and Their Implication for Deep Lava-Dammed Lakes

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

Darrell S. Kaufman ,
Gary O'Brien ,
Jim I. Mead ,
Jordon Bright  and
Paul Umhoefer
Darrell S. Kaufman*
Affiliation:
Department of Geology and Quaternary Sciences Program, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, 86011-4099
Gary O'Brien
Affiliation:
Department of Geology and Quaternary Sciences Program, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, 86011-4099
Jim I. Mead
Affiliation:
Department of Geology and Quaternary Sciences Program, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, 86011-4099
Jordon Bright
Affiliation:
Department of Geology and Quaternary Sciences Program, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, 86011-4099
Paul Umhoefer
Affiliation:
Department of Geology and Quaternary Sciences Program, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, 86011-4099
*
1To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: [email protected].
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

One of the most intriguing episodes in the Quaternary evolution of the Grand Canyon of the Colorado River, Arizona, was the development of vast lakes that are thought to have backed up behind lava erupted into the gorge. Stratigraphic evidence for these deep lava-dammed lakes is expectedly sparse. Possible lacustrine deposits at six areas in the eastern canyon yielded no compelling evidence for sediment deposited in a deep lake. At two of the sites the sediment was associated with late Quaternary spring-fed pools and marshes. Water-lain silt and sand at lower Havasu Creek was deposited ∼3000 cal yr ago. The deposit contains an ostracode assemblage similar to that living in the modern travertine-dammed pools adjacent to the outcrop. The second deposit, at Lees Ferry, formed in a spring-fed marsh ∼43,000 cal yr ago, as determined by 14C and amino acid geochronology. It contains abundant ostracode and mollusk fossils, the richest assemblages reported from the Grand Canyon to date. Our interpretation of these sediments as spring-fed deposits, and their relative youth, provides an alternative to the conventional view that deposits like these were formed in deep lava-dammed lakes that filled the Grand Canyon.

Keywords

Grand CanyonArizonamollusksostracodesamino acid geochronologylava dammed lake
Type
Research Article
Information
Quaternary Research , Volume 58 , Issue 3 , November 2002 , pp. 329 - 340
Copyright
University of Washington

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Anders, M.D., and Pederson, J.L. Implications of new Quaternary stratigraphic research and age control in eastern Grand Canyon for landscape evolution and lava-dam lakes. Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs 33, (2002). Google Scholar
Anderson, R.S., Betancourt, J.L., Mead, J.I., Hevly, R.H., and Adam, D.P. Middle- and late-Wisconsin paleobotanic and paleoclimatic records from the southern Colorado Plateau, USA. Paleaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoeclogy 155, (2000). 31 57.Google Scholar
Bequaert, J.C., and Miller, W.B. Mollusks of the Arid Southwest, with an Arizona Checklist. (1973). Univ. of Arizona Press, Tucson.Google Scholar
Billingsley, G. H, and seven others, 1986, Geologic Map of the Eastern Part of the Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona, Grand Canyon Natural History Association, Grand Canyon, Arizona, Scale 1:62,500.Google Scholar
Burch, J.B. Freshwater Sphaeriacean Clams (Mollusca: Pelecypoda) of North America. (1972). United States Environmental Protection Agency, Google Scholar
Burch, J.B. North American Freshwater Snails. (1989). Malacological Publications, Hamburgh.Google Scholar
Caffee, M.W., Lucchitta, I., Finkel, R.C., Southard, J.R., Davis, S.W., and Davis, M.E. Pediment Formation Intervals in the Grand Canyon: A Test Case for the Use of Cosmogenic Nuclides. (1994). p. 45 Google Scholar
Coats, L. Middle to Late Wisconsinan Vegetation Change at Little Nankoweap, Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona. (1997). Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff.Google Scholar
Cole, K. L. (1990). Reconstruction of past desert vegetation along the Colorado River using packrat middens.. In Paleoenvironments of Arid Lands; A Selection of Papers Presented at the Twelfth Congress of the International Quaternary AssociationO. K. Davis, Ed., pp. 349–366. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology76.Google Scholar
Curry, B.B. An environmental tolerance index for ostracodes as indicators of physical and chemical factors in aquatic habitats. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 148, (1999). 51 63.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dalrymple, G.B., and Hamblin, W.K. K-Ar of Pleistocene lava dams in the Grand Canyon in Arizona. Proceedings of the National Academy of Science USA 95, (1998). 9744 9749.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Elias, S.A., Mead, J.I., and Agenbroad, L.D. Late Quaternary arthropods from the Colorado Plateau, Arizona and Utah. Great Basin Naturalist 52, (1992). 59 67.Google Scholar
Elston, D.P. Pre-Pleistocene(?) deposits of aggradation, Lees Ferry to western Grand Canyon, Arizona. Geology of Grand Canyon, Northern Arizona. (1989). p. 174–185.Google Scholar
Emslie, S.D. Vertebrae paleontology and taphonomy of caves in Grand Canyon, Arizona. National Geographic Research 4, (1988). 128 142.Google Scholar
Euler, R.C. The archaeology and geology of Stanton's Cave. Euler, R.C. The Archaeology, Geology, and Paleobiology of Stanton's Cave, Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona. (1984). 7 32.Google Scholar
Evanoff, E. Pleistocene Nonmarine Mollusks and Sediment Facies of the Meeker Area, Rio Blanco County, Colorado. (1983). University of Colorado, Boulder.Google Scholar
Fenton, C.R., Webb, R.H., Cerling, T.E., Poreda, R.J., and Nash, B.P. Cosmogenic 3He ages and geochemical discrimination of lava-dam outburst-flood deposits in western Grand Canyon, Arizona. House, P.K. Ancient Floods and Modern Hazards, Principles and Applications of Paleoflood Hydrology. (2001). 191 215.Google Scholar
Fenton, C.R., Webb, R.H., Pearthree, P.A., Cerling, T.E., and Poreda, R.J. Displacement rates on the Toroweap and Hurricane faults: Implications for Quaternary downcutting in Grand Canyon. Geology 29, (2001). 1035 1038.Google Scholar
Fenton, C.R., Webb, R.H., Pearthree, P.A., Cerling, T.E., Poreda, R.J., and Nash, B.P. Cosmogenic 3He dating of western Grand Canyon basalts: Implications for Quaternary incision of the Colorado River. Young, R.A., and Spamer, E.E. The Colorado River: Origin and Evolution, Grand Canyon, Arizona. (2001). Google Scholar
Ferguson, C.W. Dendrochonology of driftwood from Stanton's Cave. Euler, R.C. The Archaeology, Geology, and Paleobiology of Stanton's Cave, Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona. (1984). 93 98.Google Scholar
Forester, R.M. Ostracode assemblages from springs in the western United States: Implications for paleohydrology. Memoirs of the Entomological Society of Canada 155, (1991). 181 201.Google Scholar
Forester, R.M., Delorme, L.D., and Bradbury, J.P. Mid-Holocene climate in northern Minnesota. Quaternary Research 28, (1987). 263 273.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Frazen, D.S., and Leonard, A.B. Fossil and living Pupillidae (Gastropoda: Pulmonata) in Kansas. The University of Kansas Science Bulletin 31, (1947). 311 409.Google Scholar
Giegengak, R., Ralph, E.K., and Gaines, A.M. Havasu Canyon—A natural geochemical laboratory. Linn, R.M. Proceedings of the First Conference on Scientific Research in the National Parks. (1979). 719 726.Google Scholar
Hallman, P. Paleobiological Assessment of Late Pleistocene Mollusks from Desert Dry Lake, Lincoln County, Nevada. (2002). Northern Arizona University, Google Scholar
Hamblin, W.K. Late Cenozoic lava dams in the western Grand Canyon. Geological Society of America Memoir 183, (1994). Google Scholar
Hereford, R. Driftwood in Stanton's Cave: The case for temporary damming of the Colorado River at Nankoweap Creek in Marble Canyon, Grand Canyon National park, Arizona. Euler, R.C. The Archaeology, Geology, and Paleobiology of Stanton's Cave, Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona. (1984). 99 106.Google Scholar
Hereford, R., Burke, K.J., and Thompson, K.S. Quaternary geology and geomorphology of the Nankoweap rapids area, Marble Canyon Arizona. U.S. Geological Survey Map I-2608, (1998). Google Scholar
Hereford, R., Burke, K.J., and Thompson, K.S. Quaternary geology and geomorphology of the Lees Ferry area, Marble Canyon Arizona. U.S. Geological Survey Map I-2663, (2000). Google Scholar
Herrington, H.B. A revision of the Sphaeriidae of North America (Mollusca: Pelecypoda). Miscellaneous Publications 118, (1962). Google Scholar
Kaufman, D.S., and Manley, W.F. A new procedure for determining enantiomeric (D/L) amino acid ratios in fossils using reverse phase liquid chromatography. Quaternary Science Reviews (Quaternary Geochronology) 17, (1998). 987 1000.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kitagawa, H., and van der Plicht, J. Atmospheric radiocarbon calibration to 45,000 yr B.P.: Late glacial fluctuations and cosmogenic isotope production. Science 279, (1998). 1187 1190.Google Scholar
Laabs, B. J. C, and Kaufman, D. S. (in press), Quaternary highstands in the Bear Lake valley, Utah and Idaho, Geological Society of America Bulletin.Google Scholar
Lucchitta, I., Curtis, G.H., Davis, M.E., Davis, S.W., and Turrin, B. Cyclic aggradation and downcutting, fluvial response to volcanic activity, and calibration of soil-carbonate stages in the western Grand Canyon, Arizona. Quaternary Research 53, (2000). 23 33.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Machette, M.N., and Rosholt, J.N. Quaternary terraces in Marble Canyon and eastern Grand Canyon, Arizona. Elston, G.H., Billingsley, G.H., and Young, R.A. Geology of Grand Canyon, Northern Arizona. (1989). Am. Geophy. Union, Washington. 205 211.Google Scholar
Mead, J.I. The last 30,000 years of faunal history within the Grand Canyon, Arizona. Quaternary Research 15, (1981). 311 326.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mead, J.I., and Carpenter, M.C. Late Pleistocene mollusks from the American Falls area, southeastern Idaho. Akersten, W.A., McDonald, H.G., Meldrum, D.J., and Flint, M.E.T. And Whereas … Papers on the Vertebrate Paleontology of Idaho Honoring John A. White, Volume 1. (1998). 146 155.Google Scholar
Mead, J.I., Phillips, A.M. III The late Pleistocene and Holocene fauna and flora of Vulture Cave, Grand Canyon, Arizona. The Southwest Naturalist 26, (1981). 257 288.Google Scholar
Melis, T, Phillips, W, Webb, R, and Bills, D. 1996, When the blue-green waters turn red: Historical flooding in Havasu Creek, Arizona. U.S. Geological Survey Water Resources Investigations Report 96-4059.Google Scholar
Metcalf, A.L., and Smartt, R.A. Land snails of New Mexico: A systematic review. Metcalf, A.L., and Smartt, R.A. Land Snails of New Mexico. (1997). 1 69.Google Scholar
Mezquita, F., Tapia, G., and Roca, J.R. Ostracoda from springs on the eastern Iberian Peninsula: Ecology, biogeography and palaeolimnological implications. Palaoegeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 148, (1999). 65 85.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mitterer, R.M., and Kriausakul, N. Calculation of amino acid racemization ages based on apparent parabolic kinetics. Quaternary Science Reviews 8, (1989). 353 358.Google Scholar
O'Conner, J., Ely, L., Wohl, E., Stevens, L., Melis, T., Vishwas, S., and Baker, V. A 4500-year record of large floods on the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon, Arizona. Journal of Geology 102, (1994). 1 9.Google Scholar
O'Rourke, M.K., and Mead, J.I. Late Pleistocene and Holocene pollen records from two caves in the Grand Canyon of Arizona, USA. Jacobs, B.F. Late Quaternary Vegetation and Climates of the American Southwest. (1985). 169 185.Google Scholar
Patton, P.C., Biggar, N., Condit, C.D., Gillam, M.L., Love, D.W., Machette, M.N., Mayer, L., Morrison, R.B., and Roshold, J.N. Quaternary geology of the Colorado Plateau. Morrison, R.B. Quaternary Nonglacial Geology, Conterminous U.S. (1991). Geology of North AmericaGeol. Soc. Am, 373 406.Google Scholar
Pederson, J.L. Differential Quaternary incision of eastern and western Grand Canyon related to slip along the Hurricane/Toroweap fault system—a hypothesis. Young, R.A., and Spamer, E.E. The Colorado River: Origin and Evolution, Grand Canyon, Arizona. (2002). Google Scholar
Pilsbry, H.A. Land Mollusca of North America (North of Mexico). (1948). Academy of National Science, Philadelphia. p. 521–1113.Google Scholar
Powell, J. W. (1873). Exploration of the Colorado River of the West and Its Tributaries Explored in 1869–1872. Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC., pp. 94–196.Google Scholar
Quade, J., Forester, R.M., Pratt, W.L., and Carter, C. Black Mats, spring-fed streams, and late-glacial-age recharge in the southern Great Basin. Quaternary Research 49, (1998). 129 148.Google Scholar
Rea, A., and Hargrave, L.L. The bird bones from Stanton's Cave. Euler, R.C. The Archaeology, Geology, and Paleobiology of Stanton's Cave, Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona. (1984). 77 91.Google Scholar
Reger, R.D., and Batchelder, G.L. Late Pleistocene molluscs and a minimum age of Meteor Crater, Arizona. Journal of the Arizona Academy of Science 6, (1971). 190 195.Google Scholar
Robbins, E.I., Martin, P.S., and Long, A. Paleoecology of Stanton's Cave, Grand Canyon, Arizona. Euler, R.C. The Archaeology, Geology, and Paleobiology of Stanton's Cave, Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona. (1984). 115 130.Google Scholar
Spamer, E.E. Late Pleistocene (?) land snails (Mollusca: Gastropoda) in “Red Earth” deposits of the Grand Canyon, Arizona. The Mosasaur 5, (1993). 47 58.Google Scholar
Spamer, E.E., and Bogan, A.E. Mollusca of the Grand Canyon and vicinity, Arizona; New and revised data on diversity and distributions, with notes on Pleistocene-Holocene mollusks of the Grand Canyon. Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia 144, (1993). 21 68.Google Scholar
Stuiver, M., and Reimer, P.J. Extended 14C data base and revised CALIB 3.0 14C age calibration program. Radiocarbon 35, (1993). 215 230.Google Scholar
Szabo, B.J. Ages of travertine deposits in eastern Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona. Quaternary Research 34, (1990). 24 32.Google Scholar
Turgeon, D.D., Quinn, J.F., Bogan, A.E., Coan, E.V., Hochberg, F.G., and Lyons, W.G. Common and scientific names of aquatic invertebrates from the United States and Canada: Mollusks. (1998). p. 1–526.Google Scholar
Wehmiller, J.F. Interlaboratory comparison of amino acid enantiomeric ratios in fossil Pleistocene mollusks. Quaternary Research 22, (1984). 109 120.CrossRefGoogle Scholar