Colorado River Basin Stratigraphy

Wasatch Group

Usage of Geologic Unit Name:
Wasatch Formation (CO*,ID*,NM,MT*,UT*,WY*)

Age:
Tertiary*
Paleocene* (local)
Eocene*

Geologic Province:
Wasatch uplift*
Uinta uplift*
Green River basin*
Piceance basin*
Powder River basin*
Uinta basin*
Paradox basin*
Plateau sedimentary province*
Yellowstone province

Areal Extent:
CO*
ID*
NM
UT*
WY*

Type Locality:
Not designated (Hayden, 1869).

Subunits:
(alphabetical): Alkali Creek Tongue (WY*), Atwell Gulch Member (CO*), Bullpen Member (WY*), Cathedral Bluffs Tongue (CO*,WY*), Chappo Member (WY*), Cowley Canyon Member (UT), Desertion Point Tongue (WY), Hiawatha Member (CO,UT,WY), Kingsbury Conglomerate Member (WY*), Knight Member (UT,WY), La Barge Member (WY*), Lookout Mountain Conglomerate Member (WY), Molina Member (CO*), Moncrief Member (WY*), New Fork Tongue (WY*), Nightingale Member (WY), Niland Tongue (CO*,WY*), Ramsey Ranch Member (WY*), Red Desert Tongue (WY*), Renegade Tongue (CO*,UT*), Shire Member (CO*), Tunp Member (WY*).

Unit Name History:
First used (Hayden, 1869). Revised (Veatch, 1907; Sears and Bradley, 1924). Flagstaff Limestone Member named (Spieker and Reeside, Jr., 1925). Areal limits (Gregory and Moore, 1931). Revised (Eardley, 1944). Not used in central UT (Spieker, 1946). Revised (Williams, 1948; Donavan, 1950; Love and Weitz, 1951; Pipiringos, 1955). Overview (Hose, 1955). Revised (Oriel, 1961). Revised; Overview (Donnell, 1961). Revised; Age modified (Oriel, 1962). Nightingale Member named (Roehler, 1965). Revised (Ritzma, 1965). Not used in south-central UT (Schneider, 1967). Revised (Donnell, 1969). Revised; Overview (Oriel and Tracey, Jr., 1970). Areal limits; Overview (Mullens, 1971). Revised (Bowers, 1972). Age modified locally (Tschudy, 1976). Areal limits (Fouch, 1976). Revised, divided into Chappo and Lookout Mountain members (Dorr and others, 1977). Age modified (Law, 1978). Overview (Denson and others, 1980). Revised; Overview (Sullivan, 1980). Revised (Johnson, 1984). Revised (Franczyk and Pitman, 1987). Overview (Kirschaum and Nelson, 1988). Revised (Honey and Hettinger, 1989). Revised (Denson and others, 1990). Biostratigraphic dating (Franczyk and others, 1990; Bryant, 1990; Hail, Jr., 1990; Scott and Pantea, 1990). Revised, Ramsey Ranch Member assigned (Roehler, 1991). Areal limits; Overview (Roehler, 1992). Overview (Roehler, 1993). Biostratigraphic dating; Overview (Hail, Jr., and Barnum, 1993).

References

Hayden, F.V., 1869, Preliminary field report [third annual] of Colorado and New Mexico: U.S. Geological Survey, 155 p.

Veatch, A.C., 1907, Geography and geology of a part of southwestern Wyoming: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper, 56, 178 p.

Sears, J.D. and Bradley, W.H., 1924, Relations of the Wasatch and Green River formations in northwestern Colorado and southern Wyoming; with notes on oil shales in the Green River formation, IN Shorter contributions to general geology, 1923-24: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper, 132-F, p. F93-F107.

Spieker, E.M. and Reeside, J.B., Jr., 1925, Cretaceous and Tertiary formations of the Wasatch Plateau, Utah: Geological Society of America Bulletin, v. 36, no. 3, p. 435-454.

Gregory, H.E. and Moore, R.C., 1931, The Kaiparowits region, a geographic and geologic reconnaissance of parts of Utah and Arizona: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper, 164, 161 p.

Eardley, A.J., 1944, Geology of the north-central Wasatch Mountains, Utah: Geological Society of America Bulletin, v. 55, no. 7, p. 819-894.

Spieker, E.M., 1946, Late Mesozoic and early Cenozoic history of central Utah, IN Shorter contributions to general geology, 1943-45: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper, 205-D, p. D117-D161.

Williams, J.S., 1948, Geology of the Paleozoic rocks, Logan quadrangle, Utah: Geological Society of America Bulletin, v. 59, no. 11, p. 1121-1164.

Donavan, J.H., 1950, Intertonguing of Green River and Wasatch formations in part of Sublette and Lincoln Counties, Wyoming: Wyoming Geological Association Field Conference Guidebook, no. 5, p. 59-67.

Love, J.D. and Weitz, J.L., 1951, Geologic map of the Powder River basin and adjacent areas, Wyoming: U.S. Geological Survey Oil and Gas Investigations Map, OM-122, 1 sheet, scale 1:316,800.

Pipiringos, G.N., 1955, Tertiary rocks in the central part of the Great Divide basin, Sweetwater County, Wyoming, IN Camp, R.J., chairman, Green River basin: Wyoming Geological Association Field Conference Guidebook, no. 10, p. 100-104.

Hose, R.K., 1955, Geology of the Crazy Woman Creek area, Johnson County, Wyoming, IN Contributions to economic geology, 1955: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin, 1027-B, p. B33-B118.

Oriel, S.S., 1961, Tongues of the Wasatch and Green River formations, Fort Hill area, Wyoming, IN Geological Survey research 1961; short papers in the geologic and hydrologic sciences; Articles 1-146: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper, 424-B, p. B151-B152.

Donnell, J.R., 1961, Tertiary geology and oil-shale resources of the Piceance Creek basin between the Colorado and White Rivers, IN Contributions to economic geology, 1958: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin, 1082-L, p. L835-L891, Also, U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 1042-H, p. H255-H271, and U.S. Geological Survey Oil and Gas Investigations Map OM-134, scale 1:62,500.

Oriel, S.S., 1962, Main body of the Wasatch Formation near La Barge, Wyoming: American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin, v. 46, no. 12, p. 2161-2173.

Ritzma, H.R., 1965, Piceance Creek Sandstone, basal Green River sandstone tongue, northeast Piceance Creek basin, Colorado: The Mountain Geologist, v. 2, no. 3, p. 103-107.

Roehler, H.W., 1965, Early Tertiary depositional environments in the Rock Springs uplift area, IN De Voto, R.H., and Bitter, R.K., editors, Sedimentation of Late Cretaceous and Tertiary outcrops, Rock Springs uplift: Wyoming Geological Association Field Conference Guidebook, no. 19, p. 140-150.

Schneider, M.C., 1967, Early Tertiary continental sediments of central and south-central Utah: Brigham Young University Geology Studies, v. 14, p. 143-194.

Donnell, J.R., 1969, Paleocene and lower Eocene units in the southern part of the Piceance Creek basin Colorado, IN Contributions to stratigraphy, 1968: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin, 1274-M, p. M1-M18.

Oriel, S.S. and Tracey, J.I., Jr., 1970, Uppermost Cretaceous and Tertiary stratigraphy of Fossil basin, southwestern Wyoming: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper, 635, 53 p.

Mullens, T.E., 1971, Reconnaissance study of the Wasatch, Evanston, and Echo Canyon Formations in part of northern Utah, IN Contributions to general geology, 1969: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin, 1311-D, p. D1-D31.

Bowers, W.E., 1972, The Canaan Peak, Pine Hollow, and Wasatch Formations in the Table Cliff region, Garfield County, Utah, IN Contributions to general geology: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin, 1331-B, p. B1-B39.

Tschudy, R.H., 1976, Pollen changes near the Fort Union-Wasatch boundary, Powder River basin, IN Geology and energy resources of the Powder River [basin]: Wyoming Geological Association Field Conference Guidebook, no. 28, p. 73-81.

Fouch, T.D., 1976, Revision of the lower part of the Tertiary system in the central and western Uinta basin, Utah, IN Contributions to stratigraphy: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin, 1405-C, p. C1-C7.

Dorr, J.A., Spearing, D.R. and Steidtmann, J.R., 1977, Deformation and deposition between a foreland uplift and an impinging thrust belt; Hoback basin, Wyoming: Geological Society of America Special Paper, 177, 82 p., (incl. geologic map, scale 1:90,000).

Law, B.E., 1978, Geologic map and coal deposits of the Gillette West quadrangle, Campbell County, Wyoming: U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Field Studies Map, MF-974, 2 sheets, scale 1:24,000.

Sullivan, Raymond, 1980, A stratigraphic evaluation of the Eocene rocks of southwestern Wyoming: Wyoming Geological Survey Report of Investigations, no. 20, 50 p.

Denson, N.M., Dover, J.H. and Osmonson, L.M., 1980, Lower Tertiary coal bed distribution and coal resources of the Reno Junction-Antelope Creek area, Campbell, Converse, Niobrara, and Weston Counties, Wyoming: U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Investigations Series Map, I-1201, 1 sheet, scale 1:125,000, Supersedes U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Investigations Series Map MF-960.

Johnson, R.B., 1984, New names for units in the lower part of the Green River Formation, Piceance Creek basin, Colorado, IN Contributions to stratigraphy: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin, 1529-I, p. I1-I20, (incl. geologic map, scale 1:600,000).

Franczyk, K.J. and Pitman, J.K., 1987, Basal Tertiary conglomerate sequence, southeastern Uinta basin, Utah; a preliminary report, IN Campbell, J.A., ed., Geology of Cataract Canyon and vicinity 1987; field symposium: Four Corners Geological Society Field Conference Guidebook, 10th Field Conference, Durango, CO, May 14-17, 1987, p. 119-125.

Kirschbaum, M.A. and Nelson, S.N., 1988, Geologic history and palynological dating of Paleocene deposits, western Rock Springs uplift, Sweetwater County, Wyoming: University of Wyoming Contributions to Geology, v. 26, no. 1, p. 21-28.

Honey, J.G. and Hettinger, R.D., 1989, Cross section showing correlations of Upper Cretaceous Fox Hills Sandstone and Lance Formation, and lower Tertiary Fort Union and Wasatch formations, southeastern Washakie basin, Wyoming, and eastern Sand Wash basin, Colorado: U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Investigations Series Map, I-1964, 1 sheet.

Bryant, B.H., 1990, Geologic map of the Salt Lake City 30' x 60' quadrangle, north-central Utah, and Uinta County, Wyoming, with a section on palynologic data from Cretaceous and lower Tertiary rocks in the Salt Lake City 30' x 60' quadrangle by D.J. Nichols and B.H. Bryant: U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Investigations Series Map, I-1944, 1 sheet, scale 1:100,000.

Scott, R.W., Jr. and Pantea, M.P., 1990, Geologic map of the Texas Creek quadrangle, Rio Blanco County, Colorado: U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Field Studies Map, MF-2134, 1 sheet.

Franczyk, K.J., Pitman, J.K. and Nichols, D.J., 1990, Sedimentology, mineralogy, palynology, and depositional history of some uppermost Cretaceous and lowermost Tertiary rocks along the Utah Book and Roan cliffs east of the Green River, IN Evolution of sedimentary basins; Uinta and Piceance basins: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin, 1787-N, p. N1-N27.

Denson, N.M., Macke, D.L. and Schumann, R.R., 1990, Geologic map and distribution of heavy minerals in Tertiary rocks of the Sheridan 30' x 60' quadrangle, Wyoming and Montana: U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Investigations Series Map, I-2020, 1 sheet, scale 1:100,000.

Hail, W.J., Jr., 1990, Geology of the lower Yellow Creek area, northwestern Colorado, IN Evolution of sedimentary basins; Uinta and Piceance basins: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin, 1787-O, p. O1-O45.

Roehler, H.W., 1991, Revised stratigraphic nomenclature for the Wasatch and Green River Formations, IN Geology of the Eocene Wasatch, Green River, and Bridger (Washakie) formations, greater Green River basin, Wyoming, Utah, and Colorado: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper, 1506-B, p. B1-B38.

Roehler, H.W., 1992, Correlation, composition, areal distribution, and thickness of Eocene stratigraphic units, greater Green River basin, Wyoming, Utah, and Colorado, IN Geology of the Eocene Wasatch, Green River, and Bridger (Washakie) formations, greater Green River basin, Wyoming, Utah, and Colorado: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper, 1506-E, p. E1-E49, (incl. geologic map, scale 1:500,000).

Hail, W.J., Jr. and Barnum, B.E., 1993, Geologic map of the Divide Creek quadrangle, Rio Blanco and Moffat Counties, Colorado: U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Field Studies Map, MF-2232, 1 sheet.

Roehler, H.W., 1993, Eocene climates, depositional environments, and geography, greater Green River basin, Wyoming, Utah, and Colorado, IN Geology of the Eocene Wasatch, Green River, and Bridger (Washakie) formations, greater Green River basin, Wyoming, Utah, and Colorado: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper, 1506-F, p. F1-F74.

Wood, H.E., II, Chaney, R.W. and and others, 1941, Nomenclature and correlation of the North American continental Tertiary: Geological Society of America Bulletin, v. 52, no. 1, p. 1-18.

Wing, S.L., 1984, A new basis for recognizing the Paleocene/Eocene boundary in western North America: Science, v. 226, no. 4673, p. 439-441.

Lorenz, John C., Nadon, Gregory C., 2002, Braided-river deposits in a muddy depositional setting., the Molina Member of the Wasatch Formation (Paleogene), west-central Colorado, U.S.A.: Journal of Sedimentary Research, v. 72, no. 3, pp.376-385.

Ambrose, Peter, Bartels, William S., Gunnell, Gregg F., and Williams, Ellen M., 1997, Stratigraphy and vertebrate paleontology of the Wasatch Formation, Fossil Butte National Monument, Wyoming: Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, v. 17, no. 3, Supplement, p. 29.

Gunnell, Gregg F., and Bartels, William S., 1997, Basin-margin mammalian assemblages from the Wasatch Formation (Bridgerian) of the northeastern Green River Basin, Wyoming., anachronistic taxa and the origin of new genera: Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, v. 17, no. 3, Supplement, p.51.

* show accepted USGS usage.
Note that data on this page contains information that has been partly revised from bibliographic resources available via the National Geologic Map Database GEOLEX:
http://ngmdb.usgs.gov/Geolex/geolex_qs.html.

The URL is: https://gotbooks.miracosta.edu/gonp/coloradoplateau/lexicon/wasatch.htm
Last modified: 1/7/2011