Variable-discharge-river macroforms in the Sunnyside Delta Interval of the Eocene Green River Formation,Uinta Basin,USA |
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| Authors: | Jianqiao Wang Piret Plink-Björklund |
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| Institution: | Department of Geology and Geological Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, 1516 Illinois St, Golden, CO, 80401 USA |
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| Abstract: | An outcrop dataset from the early Eocene Sunnyside Delta Interval of the Green River Formation in the Uinta Basin, Utah, USA, documents alluvial channel lithosomes. The abundance of Froude supercritical-flow sedimentary structures, together with an abundance of high-deposition-rate sedimentary structures, in-channel bioturbation and pedogenic modification, in-channel muds and thick soft-clast conglomerates, identify these lithosomes as deposits of variable-discharge rivers. These recognition criteria are part of an emerging facies model for variable-discharge rivers. This facies model, however, yet lacks robust recognition criteria for macro-scale or bar-scale stratal patterns of variable-discharge rivers. This study presents a dataset that corroborates some known stratal patterns and provides examples of hitherto unknown bar-scale stratal patterns of variable-discharge rivers, including: (i) low-angle downstream-accretion sets that may form as washed-out sheets in high sediment supply conditions or downstream of hydraulic jumps; (ii) high-angle upstream-accretion sets that imply deposition from systematically upstream-migrating channel-scale hydraulic jumps (cyclic steps); (iii) concave-up, upward-flattening high-angle downstream-accretion sets that are consistent with aggradation in channel-scale hydraulic-jump scours; (iv) upstream-accretion and lateral-accretion sets that may be linked to high-magnitude flood reworking of point bars; and (v) aggradation or vertical-accretion sets of ambiguous origin. These unconventional stratal patterns are compared to the established bar strata, such as those formed by point bars and braid bars and a discussion is provided on formative conditions for the here documented unconventional strata. This work highlights a need for further studies on the effect of discharge variability on bar formation and on the link between river morphology and bar types. |
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| Keywords: | Green River Formation macroform Sunnyside Delta Interval Uinta Basin variable-discharge river |
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