Notes from the Field: Japton and Witter Quadrangles

 

Geologic mapping of the Japton and Witter 7.5-minute quadrangles was recently completed by the Arkansas Geological Survey’s STATEMAP field team. In Arkansas, the STATEMAP Program is currently focused on detailed 1:24,000-scale mapping in the Ozark Plateaus Region, located in the northern part of the state.

Figure 1. Japton and Witter Quadrangles on the 1:500,000-scale Geologic Map of Arkansas (Haley et al., 1993)

Geologic Map of the Japton Quadrangle, Madison County, Arkansas. Download a digital copy at:

http://www.geology.ar.gov/maps_pdf/geologic/24k_maps/Japton_24k_geologic.pdf

Geologic Map of the Witter Quadrangle, Madison County, Arkansas.  Download a digital copy at:

http://www.geology.ar.gov/maps_pdf/geologic/24k_maps/Witter_24k_geologic.pdf

STATEMAP is a cooperative, matching-funds grant program administered by the U. S. Geological Survey. The goal of the program is to classify surface rocks into recognizable units based on a common lithology–basically, an inventory of surface materials. Also, we strive to locate and depict any structural elements that may have deformed the rocks. The rock units are classified into formations and members, and structures are described as synclines, anticlines, monoclines, and faults. During the project, a rich dataset was recorded in the field using a portable data collector/global positioning satellite receiver as well as by traditional methods. This made possible a more detailed depiction of geological and structural features and a more comprehensive description of lithology than previous studies had done. Data collection included:

• 629 field locations recorded and described in detail
• 3,385 photographs taken at recorded field locations
• 72 strike and dip measurements, most depicted on the maps
• 950 joint orientations, depicted in a rose diagram of strike frequency
• 1 shale pit
• 8 springs, previously undocumented
• 108 rock samples collected and described

The new map is useful to landowners interested in developing their land for personal or commercial purposes, to scientists seeking a better understanding of landscape evolution and geologic history, and to planners responsible for resource development and mitigating environmental impacts.

Angela Chandler, Principal Investigator for the project, wrote the grant for fiscal year 2018 and we received funding adequate to produce two maps.  Two geologists, Richard Hutto and Garrett Hatzell, began their field season last July and after putting in 76 days in the field, concluded that portion of their work in February of this year. The area of investigation lies within the Interior Highlands Physiographic Region in north Arkansas, specifically the Boston Mountains Plateau portion of the Ozark Plateaus Province. Previous work by the AGS in this area had been done in preparation for the 1:500,000-scale Geologic Map of Arkansas by Haley et al. circa 1976 (see Fig. 1). That mapping project delineated five stratigraphic units in this area, but through extensive field reconnaissance, we were able to define ten units on these maps at the 1:24,000 scale. Further division is possible, but several units were considered too thin to depict on the 40-foot contours of the topographic map currently available, or too difficult to delineate by lithology alone.

Several tributaries of the White River are located on these quadrangles including Lollars Creek, Drakes Creek, and War Eagle Creek. The White River is a major water resource in Arkansas and southern Missouri, and as such we need to learn as much as we can about this important watershed. Included in the field work was hiking, wading, or swimming the entire 13-mile stretch of War Eagle Creek located within the Witter quadrangle, the 10 miles of Lollars Creek within the Japton, and many smaller drainages. The reason we concentrate our efforts on stream beds is that there, erosion has typically removed soil and loose rock leaving well-exposed outcrops of bedrock for us to study. Also, being able to see the entire stack of the rock sequence as we move up or downstream helps put each formation in context with the others. Discovering where one formation contacts another is one of the most important things we do while mapping. Because formations are laterally extensive, similar contacts can be connected into a contact line separating one formation from another. Figuring out where to draw these lines on the map is a major goal of the project.

From mid-February through the end of June, we analyzed field data, classified rock specimens, drew formation contacts and structures on the map, then handed it off to our cartography staff to digitize. Final layout and production of the maps was accomplished by the geologists, after which they were subjected to an extensive review and editing process by fellow staff.

The following images were taken during this year’s field season. Hopefully, they will provide a small glimpse into some of what we were privileged to experience in the field this year.  They are arranged in stratigraphic order from youngest to oldest:

Alluvium in War Eagle Creek (left). Landslide on Highway 23 above Dry Fork (right).

Ball and pillow structures in the Atoka Formation in Drakes Creek.

Sequence of photos zooming into herringbone cross-beds in the Greenland Member of the Atoka Formation.

Large blocks of Kessler Limestone sliding into Lollar’s Creek.

Sequence of photos zooming into oncolitic limestone of the Kessler Member of the Bloyd Formation. The oncolite pictured far right is nucleated on a tabulate coral.

Lycopod (tree-like plant) fossil weathering out of the Dye Shale.

Top of the Parthenon sandstone (Bloyd Formation) in Lollar’s Creek (left). Parthenon resting on the Brentwood Limestone (Bloyd Formation) with travertine precipitating at the drip line (right).

Siltstone unit in the upper Brentwood Limestone. Cross-bedded (left) and bioturbated (right). 

Biohermal mounds in the Brentwood Limestone in Jackson Creek.

Massive bluff of limey sandstone in the Prairie Grove Member of the Hale Formation.

Sandy limestone in the Prairie Grove. Stream abrasion has revealed cross-bedding (left) and an ammonoid (right).

Typical thin-, ripple-bedded sandstone of the Cane Hill Member of the Hale Formation (left). A basal conglomerate in the Cane Hill contains fossiliferous and oolitic limestone pebbles and fossil fragments (right).  This unit probably rests on the Mississippian-Pennsylvanian unconformity.

The Pitkin Limestone in War Eagle Creek.

This year we will be mapping the Weathers quadrangle which is just east of the Witter, and the Delaney quadrangle which is just south of the Durham (which we mapped two years ago). The Kings River flows through Weathers, so this should be a good place to start while river levels are low (and it’s so hot!). I will update you as I can, but until then, I’ll see you in the field!

Richard Hutto

Notes from the Field-Durham Quadrangle

 

Geologic Map of the Durham Quadrangle, Madison and Washington Counties, Arkansas

Geologic mapping of the Durham 7.5-minute quadrangle in northwest Arkansas was recently completed by the STATEMAP field team.  STATEMAP in Arkansas is currently focused on detailed 1:24,000-scale mapping in the Ozark Plateaus Region in north Arkansas.  It is accomplished through a cooperative matching-funds grant program administered by the US Geological Survey.   Field work was performed between July and February, and included hiking/wading/swimming the entire 12-mile stretch of the upper White River located on the quad.  Previous mapping delineated five stratigraphic units for the 1:500,000-scale Geologic Map of Arkansas, but at the 1:24,000 scale, we were able to draw ten. Further division is possible, but several units were considered too thin to map on the available 40-foot contour interval.

You can download your own copy of the map at this link:

Click to access Durham.pdf

 

Generalized Stratigraphic Column of Durham Quadrangle

The Drakes Creek Fault, which runs diagonally from the southwest corner to the northeast corner, is the most striking feature on the map.  It is part of a major structural feature in northwest Arkansas, forming a lineament that can be traced at the surface for over 45 miles.  The Drakes Creek displays normal movement, is downthrown to the southeast, and offsets strata an average of 230 feet.  Associated with the fault on the northwest side is a large drag fold. There, rocks parallel to the fault are deformed such that units typically present at higher elevations away from the fault bend down to a much lower elevation next to the fault.  Erosion along this side of the fault has exposed the core of the fold along Fritts Creek, Cannon Creek, and other places.

Detail of Cross-section of Durham Quadrangle

The Durham quad is far-removed from areas of previous STATEMAP projects in north Arkansas.  We completed work on the Mountain View 1:100,000-scale quad last year, ending on the Brownsville quad near Heber Springs.  Focus has now turned to the Fly Gap Mountain 1:100K quad as the next high-priority area.  When completed, we will have continuous 1:24K coverage for a large portion of the central Ozark Plateaus Region.  The Durham quad was an appropriate choice to begin mapping in this area due to its proximity to designated type sections for many of the formations in north Arkansas.  This facilitated easy comparisons between our field observations on Durham with the classic outcrops where these formations were first described.  Initial field investigations included locating, describing, and sampling these historic outcrops near Fayetteville. We visited many places the names from which the stratigraphic nomenclature we still employ was derived.  These places have such names as: Bloyd Mountain, Kessler Mountain, Lake Wedington, Cane Hill, Prairie Grove, Brentwood, Winslow, and Woolsey.  Having seen the stratigraphy in these areas firsthand better prepares us to track changes in lithology and sedimentation as we continue to map to the east and south of Durham in the coming years.

The following images were taken during this year’s field season and are arranged in stratigraphic order from youngest to oldest:

Liesegang boxworks–Greenland Sandstone.  Mapped into the Atoka Formation

Asterosoma trace fossils–Trace Creek Shale of the Atoka Formation

Kessler Limestone just below the Morrowan/Atokan Boundary–mapped into the Dye Shale of the Bloyd Formation

Parthenon sandstone resting on the Brentwood Limestone, both of the Bloyd Formation.  The Parthenon was also mapped into the Dye

Mounded bioherms in the Brentwood Limestone

Tabulate coral colony in the Brentwood Limestone

Herringbone cross-bedding in calcareous sandstone–Prairie Grove Member of the Hale Formation

Goniatitic Ammonoids in calcareous sandstone–Prairie Grove

South-dipping sandstone in the White River south of the Drakes Creek Fault–Cane Hill Member of the Hale Formation

Soft-sediment deformation–Cane Hill

Pitkin Limestone, below the Cane Hill near West Fork—Mississippian/Pennsylvanian Boundary

A cluster of solitary Rugose corals–Pitkin Limestone

Wedington Sandstone of the Fayetteville Shale at West Fork

Base of the Wedington–mapped into the upper Fayetteville Shale

Large septarian concretion–lower Fayetteville Shale

Pyritized Holcospermum (seed fern seed-left) and goniatitic ammonoid (right)–lower Fayetteville Shale

Boone Formation, along the White River in the northwest corner of the Durham quadrangle

This year, we’re moving east to map the Japton and Witter quads. Wish us luck as we begin a new field season.  We’ll try to keep you apprised, so until next time, we’ll see you in the field!

Richard Hutto and Garry Hatzell