Presidio Bolson, Trans-Pecos Texas, and Adjacent Mexico: Geology of a Desert Basin Aquifer System

Groat, Charles G.

doi:10.23867/ri0076d

Cited by 10 publications

(24 citation statements)

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“…Piedmont facies derived from flanking ranges grade laterally to sandy fluvial or lacustrine facies beneath valley centers (Bryan, 1926). This overall facies assemblage is characteristic for Neogene basin fill throughout the Basin and Range province (Groat, 1972;Golia and Stewart, 1984). In typical transects across the San Pedro trough, progradation of piedmont facies over finer-grained basin- al facies gave rise to a single clearcut megacycle (Gloppen and Steel, 1981) on the order of 100 to 250 m thick.…”

Section: Capping Basin-fill Successionsmentioning

confidence: 84%

Tectonic setting of faulted Tertiary strata associated with the Catalina core complex in southern Arizona

Dickinson¹

1991

Geological Society of America Special Papers

221

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Stratigraphic and structural relations of syntectonic sedimentary sequences associated with Cordilleran metamorphic core complexes provide valuable information about the style and timing of extensional deformation related to tectonic denudation. Adjacent to the Catalina core complex, the San Pedro trough and other nearby depocenters contain multiple tilted half-grabens of conglomeratic mid-Tertiary strata partly buried beneath Neogene basin fill. Major episodes of local geologic history included mid-Proterozoic construction of continental crust, subsequent but intermittent platform sedimentation extending through Paleozoic time, mid-Mesozoic initiation of arc magmatism that persisted at intervals through mid-Tertiary time, complex Laramide orogenic deformation of latest Cretaceous to early Tertiary age, and Cenozoic extensional deformation involving both mid-Tertiary and basin-range phases of development.Precambrian basement includes lower Proterozoic Pinal Schist intruded by voluminous lower to middle Proterozoic granitic plutons. Pre-Laramide stratigraphic cover includes middle Proterozoic sedimentary strata and intercalated diabase sills, Paleozoic carbonate and clastic units, and Mesozoic volcaniclastic and clastic successions. Laramide assemblages include metaluminous plutons and andesitic to rhyolitic volcanic fields, synorogenic nonmarine sedimentary sequences, and large bodies of peraluminous two-mica granite. Laramide structural features include both premetamorphic and ductile synmetamorphic thrusts within the Catalina core complex, brittle thrusts of uncertain vergence and overall configuration outside the Catalina core complex, and folds of varied geometry related in part to local thrusts exposed nearby. Paleogene erosion had stripped Laramide volcanic cover from wide areas by mid-Tertiary time.Migratory Tertiary arc magmatism within the intermountain region gave rise to diachronous polymodal igneous suites, represented within and near the Catalina core complex by extensive volcanic fields and local granitic plutons of late Oligocene age. Across the whole Southwest Border region, analogous mid-Tertiary igneous activity was succeeded, following an intra-Miocene tectonomagmatic transition, by basaltic to bimodal suites erupted during subsequent block faulting.Tertiary intermountain taphrogeny included a mid-Tertiary phase marked by listric or rotational normal faulting associated with tectonic denudation of core complexes along detachment systems, and a later basin-range phase of widespread block faulting. Mid-Tertiary extension was apparently promoted by reduction of interplate shear, kinematic rollback of a subducted slab, lateral spreading of overthickened crust, advective softening of arc lithosphere, and possibly by counterflow of asthenosphere. Basinrange extension was evidently initiated by shear coupling of Pacific and American lithosphere.The Catalina core complex displays characteristic geologic features: mylonitic fabric overprinted near a detachment fault by brecciation and chloritic alterati...

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Section: Capping Basin-fill Successionsmentioning

confidence: 84%

Tectonic setting of faulted Tertiary strata associated with the Catalina core complex in southern Arizona

Dickinson¹

1991

Geological Society of America Special Papers

221

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“…For example, nearly 60% to 90% of the sand and silt grains in the basin‐margin conglomerate and sands are composed of quartz and orthoclase feldspars with little evidence of alteration (Groat 1972). Down flowpaths near the basin center, ground water becomes dominated by Na‐SO 4 ‐Cl type water (Figure 2) where the aquifer is interbedded with sandstone and mudstone and invariably contains gypsum (Groat 1972). Therefore, the higher sodium, chloride, and sulfate concentrations in this water are due to dissolution of the evaporite contained in the aquifer materials.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Differences in chemical and isotopic composition of the ground water in the basin centers and basin margins, and perhaps even locally, are consistent with the evolution of the Presidio‐Redford Bolson sediments. For example, adjustment of the base level of the bolson by repeated movements of the basin‐bounding faults probably caused shifting of the positions of the playa lakes in the basin centers (Groat 1972). This continuous shifting of the locus of deposition generated discontinuous and interfingering assemblages of sandstone‐mudstone sequences (Groat 1972).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Direct infiltration of any significant volumes of rainfall through the soils in the basin center is probably negligible because most of the rainfall occurs in a few storms that quickly run off into ephemeral streams that eventually discharge into the Rio Grande. Extensive caliche widely occurs in the bolson and contains pebble‐thick varnished armor underlain by 1 to 3 inches of honeycombed indurated silt or mud (Groat 1972). This honeycombed structure of the caliche could provide conduits for the collection of the rain water and their subsequent runoff to the streams (Hibbs and Darling 2005).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The conglomerates and sandstones of the basin margins laterally grade into basin‐center facies along the valley floors that are mostly composed of interbedded sandstone‐mudstone, with only mudstone or massive mudstone in some areas. The zone of lateral gradation between the basin‐margin and the basin‐center facies is a few hundred yards to nearly a mile wide (Groat 1972). The fine‐grained sediments can be as much as 1600 feet thick near the basin margins along the Chinati Mountains and progressively thicken up to 5000 feet near the basin centers (Gates et al 1980).…”

Section: Hydrogeologic Settingmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Ground Water Recharge and Flow Characterization Using Multiple Isotopes

Chowdhury¹,

Uliana

Wade

2008

Groundwater

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Stable isotopes of delta(18)O, delta(2)H, and (13)C, radiogenic isotopes of (14)C and (3)H, and ground water chemical compositions were used to distinguish ground water, recharge areas, and possible recharge processes in an arid zone, fault-bounded alluvial aquifer. Recharge mainly occurs through exposed stream channel beds as opposed to subsurface inflow along mountain fronts. This recharge distribution pattern may also occur in other fault-bounded aquifers, with important implications for conceptualization of ground water flow systems, development of ground water models, and ground water resource management. Ground water along the mountain front near the basin margins contains low delta(18)O, (14)C (percent modern carbon [pmC]), and (3)H (tritium units [TU]), suggesting older recharge. In addition, water levels lie at greater depths, and basin-bounding faults that locally act as a flow barrier may further reduce subsurface inflow into the aquifer along the mountain front. Chemical differences in ground water composition, attributed to varying aquifer mineralogy and recharge processes, further discriminate the basin-margin and the basin-center water. Direct recharge through the indurated sandstones and mudstones in the basin center is minimal. Modern recharge in the aquifer is mainly through the broad, exposed stream channel beds containing coarse sand and gravel where ground water contains higher delta(18)O, (14)C (pmC), and (3)H (TU). Spatial differences in delta(18)O, (14)C (pmC), and (3)H (TU) and occurrences of extensive mudstones in the basin center suggest sluggish ground water movement, including local compartmentalization of the flow system.

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Muddy Depositional Systems

2005

Mud and Mudstones

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Presidio Bolson, Trans-Pecos Texas, and Adjacent Mexico: Geology of a Desert Basin Aquifer System

Cited by 10 publications

References 0 publications

Tectonic setting of faulted Tertiary strata associated with the Catalina core complex in southern Arizona

Tectonic setting of faulted Tertiary strata associated with the Catalina core complex in southern Arizona

Ground Water Recharge and Flow Characterization Using Multiple Isotopes

Muddy Depositional Systems

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