NEVADA BUREAU OF MINES AND GEOLOGY Prepared as part of the STATEMAP component of the National Cooperative Geologic Mapping

Prepared as part of the STATEMAP component of the National Cooperative Geologic Mapping Program in cooperation with the U.S. Geological Survey OPEN-FILE REPORT 03-8MPRELIMINARY QUATERNARY GEOLOGIC MAP OF THE YERINGTON QUADRANGLE, LYON COUNTY, NEVADA

39°00'00" R24E R25E 39°00'00"

119°07'30"
119°15'00"

Piedmont Alluvium
Qai Qay1 Qay2 br Alluvium of the Walker River and its Main Branches
Qai Qay1 Qfm Qf2
Qai br Undifferentiated piedmont surficial deposits
Qa
Qai (Holocene and Pleistocene)MAlluvium, colluvium, Undifferentiated floodplain and meander belt
Qay3 Qay1 Qm1 Qfm
Qm2 and eolian deposits variously composed of silt, sand, and gravel. deposits of the Walker River (modern and
Qm2
Holocene)MFine-grained alluvium ranging from vertical
br Qay1
Qay3 br Undifferentiated young piedmont alluvium accretion deposits of mud and sand to lateral accretion deposits
Qai
Qay3 Qay
(Holocene and late Pleistocene(?))MIncludes broad of sand and gravel. Organic-rich muds are common at the
Qay Qay
Qfm areas containing various-age deposits of sand, gravel, and surface. Surface topography is generally planar. Portions are
Qay1 Qay Qf2
3 boulders. Extent of individual deposits of distinct age and surface covered by thin (up to 10 cm) veneer of eolian silt.
Qai properties are too small or irregular to map meaningfully.
Qay3 Qx Qf1
Qay3 Qay Most frequently active floodplain of the Walker
Qf1
Alluvium of active channels and alluvial fans
Qf1 River (modern and late Holocene)MFine-grained
Qay1 Qay1
Qfm (modern and late Holocene)MDeposits ranging in alluvial deposits. Composition ranges from vertically accreted
Qao composition from fine sand to medium boulders associated with organic-rich mud to sand. Largely obscured by extensive
ephemeral stream flow and debris flows. Surface morphology agricultural development. Surface topography is planar.
br
characterized by pristine channels, gravel bars, and bouldery
Qay1 Qm2
br Qay debris flow lobes in confined channels and on broad alluvial fan Infrequently active and abandoned floodplain of
Qay1 Qf2
surfaces. This unit is predominantly associated with historical the Walker River (late and middle Holocene)MFine-
Qao
Qai debris flows on the Singatse piedmont below McConnell grained alluvial deposits similar to Qf1, but typically overlain by
Canyon, Western Nevada Canyon, and Sand Canyon. This unit eolian silt. Composition ranges from organic-rich mud to sand
Qay3 has no significant soil development. and gravel. Often overlain by a veneer of eolian silt. Only
Qe
Qay1 exposed in isolated areas not subject to agricultural develop-
Alluvium of intermittently active and recently ment. Surface topography is planar.
Qe Qm1 Qay2
Qai Qay abandoned channels and alluvial fans (late and
Qao
middle Holocene)MComposition ranges from fine sand to Active meander belts of the Walker River (modern
Qe Qm1
br
Qay2 medium boulders. Surface morphology characterized by and late Holocene)MComposition ranges from lateral
Qe
Qay1 subdued bar-and-channel to bar-and-swale texture. Minor accretion deposits of sand and gravel to vertical accretion
Qao br
Qay br varnish present on susceptible clasts, but minor to no significant deposits of mud and sand. Surface topography is irregular and
br
Qao soil development. includes abandoned, overprinted sinuous channel courses and
Qao Qf1 Qf2
Qay1
br relict planar floodplain surface remnants.
Qe
Qe br Alluvium of younger abandoned alluvial fan
Qai Qai Qm2 Qf2 Qay3 surfaces (middle Holocene to late Pleistocene(?)) Abandoned, young meander belts of the Walker
Qay2 Qx
Qai Qfm br Composition ranges from fine sand to small boulders. Surface
Qm2 River (historical and late Holocene) Compositionally
Qay1 Qay1
br morphology varies from extremely subdued bar-and-swale to and morphologically similar to Qm1. Distribution of unit defined
Qai Qay2 Qai
Qe planar form. Soil profiles characterized by well developed Av by cross-cutting relation with Qm1 and disconnection from active
Qay2 Qai
Qai horizons (5-10 cm), distinct reddened Bw horizons, and thin Bk meander belt. Unit is likely to include abandoned meander belts
br Qe horizons with Stage 1-2 carbonate morphology. of various ages. Typically obscured by agricultural development.
Qa Qay1 Meander scars and point bar scrolls discernible in aerial
br Qai Qay1
Qai Alluvial deposits of intermediate-age, abandoned photographs, but many portions of the deposit surface are planar
Qay2
Qf1
br Qai alluvial fans (late(?) Pleistocene)MComposition due to anthropogenic modification and slight burial by overbank
Qay Qay
Qai br Qay
Qe ranges from sand to boulders. Surface morphology ranges from sedimentation. Portions of this unit may be related to channel
Qai Qay2
Qay1 moderately to deeply incised. Ridge-and-ravine topography is realignment efforts in the historical period.
Qai br
br common. On relict surfaces, soils have moderate to strong Bt
Qay1
Qay1
horizon and well-developed Bk horizons with Stage 3 carbonate Eolian Deposits
Qai Qao Qm2 morphology.
Qay2 Qao Qae
Qe Qf1 Eolian deposits (Holocene and late Pleistocene(?))
br br Qe
Bouldery alluvial deposits of intermediate-age, Eolian deposits of fine to medium sand. Extensive
br Qaib abandoned alluvial fans (late(?) Pleistocene) planar sand sheets and local, irregular dunes on middle and
br br Distinctly boulder-rich alluvial fan deposits found only in the upper piedmont slopes and thick, irregular hanging dunes in
Qao Qe
Qao Qao southwest portion of the quadrangle. Surface characterized by interior niches of the Singatse range. Thickness ranges from 1 m
Qay1 Qao distinct, low ridges composed of imbricated cobbles and up to 10 m locally.
Qe
Qe boulders. Often present as a thin veneer (1-2 m) overlying
Qay1 Qao Qay
Qe Qf1 Qm1 Qa bedrock in upper fan areas. Undifferentiated (mixed) alluvial and eolian
br Qae
Qf1 deposits (Holocene and late Pleistocene)MThis unit
Qe Qx
Qay Older, abandoned alluvial fans (middle(?) indicates areas in the quadrangle where discerning distinct
Qay1 Qao
Pleistocene)MAlluvial deposits of older, abandoned eolian and alluvial deposits is difficult and the eolian mantle
Qay3 alluvial fans. Often overlain by thick eolian deposits in fanhead predominates. This unit is characteristic of piedmont slopes on
br Qm2 and upper fan areas. Medial and distal portions of fan surfaces the eastern edge of the Walker River floodplain.
Qay2 Qf1 br characterized by ridge-and-ravine topography and deeply incised
Qe channels locally. Soil development on most well-preserved Miscellaneous
Qe surfaces is characterized by strong Stage 3 to Stage 4 carbonate
Qay2 morphology. These deposits form a variably thick (1-10 m) Disturbed areas (modern to historical)MAreas of
mantle of alluvium and eolian sediments over an irregular
Qx significant disturbance or burial of surficial deposits by
Qay1
bedrock surface in mountain front embayments along the east mineral-resource extraction and related activities.
br Qay2
Qe Qae side of the Singatse Range. However, they are less extensively
and conspicuously associated with pediment surfaces than Bedrock
similar deposits in the southwest corner of the quadrangle (unit
Qaop). Undifferentiated bedrock (Cenozoic to
br br
Paleozoic)MMultiple bedrock units juxtaposed in
Qfm
Older alluvial deposits overlying pediment structural arrangements of varying complexity. See Proffett and
Qay2 Qaop
surfaces (middle(?) Pleistocene)MThin veneers of Dilles (1985) for a detailed map of bedrock units in most of this
Qay2
Qe Qx older alluvium on irregular bedrock pediments. Thickness ranges quadrangle.
from 1 to as much as 10 m. Irregular bedrock outcrops are
Qe
br Qf1 common at surface and widespread in slopes along incised
Qf1 Qfm channels. The bedrock-alluvium contact is difficult to define and
Qay2 References
is an approximation as mapped. This deposit and landform
Qay1 association is most common in the southwest part of the
Qm1 Proffett, J.M., and Dilles, J.H., 1984 Geologic map of the
quadrangle. On the east side of the range, it is associated with
T13N

Yerington district, Nevada: Nevada Bureau of Mines and

thin patches of alluvium on the footwall of the range front fault.

T13N
Qay1 Geology Map 77, 1:24,000.
Soils are poorly exposed and presumably degraded. Locally,
Qe Stewart, J.H., and Dohrenwend, J.C., 1984, Geologic map of the
Qay2 chips of laminar, Stage 4 soil carbonate are on the surface. This
Yerington Quadrangle, Nevada: U.S. Geological Survey Open-
Qay2 unit is presumably correlative to Qao, but may include older
File Report 84-212, 1:62,500.
deposits and landforms. A similar unit was mapped and
Qay2 Qm2 Qa
Qx Qay2 subdivided further by Stewart and Dohrenwend (1984).
Qf2
T12N

br
Intermediate-age landslide deposit (late(?)

T12N
Qay2 Qls Pleistocene)MChaotic mass of angular basalt
Qaop
Qay2 boulders and gravel below southern edge of Black Mountain in
southwest part of quadrangle (see also Stewart and
Lithologic contactMDashed where inferred or
Dohrenwend, 1984). Forms irregular, hummocky topography in
Qf2 approximately located.
Qay2 Qay1 steep terrain. Mixed with and overlapped by deposits of angular,
Qay2 basaltic colluvium. Position in landscape and degree of
Qe
Qai erosion/incision suggests Pleistocene age.
Qay2 Qf2 Normal faultMBall on downthrown side; dashed where
Qay2 Qf2
Qae inferred or approximately located; dotted where
Qm2 Qm2 concealed.
Qay1 Qf1
Qay2 Qay
Qe Qae
br Meander traceMDiscernible through floodplain cover.
Qay1
Qm1
Qfm Qf1
Qfm
Qay1 Qm2
br Qay2 Qe
Qe Stipple pattern indicates areas of significant
Qay2
Qe Qe disturbance due to agricultural, residential,
Qf2
Qf1 Qf2 commercial, or industrial development.
Qe Qay2
Qai
Qae
Qai
Qf2
Qay1 Qf2
Qe Piedmont River Eolian Disturbed
Qe Qay1

Qe
Qe Qay1 Qf1 Qm1 Qx
Qay2
Qf1

Holocene
Qay1 Qay2 Qm2 Qf2 Qay2
Qe
Qe Qfm
Qai Qfm
Qf2 Qm2
Qay1 Qay1
Qay2 Qf2 Qay Qe
Qe Qe Qay2 Qm2
br
Qay1 Qf2
Qai Qa Qay3 Qae
Qai Qm2 Qf2
Qa
Qay1 Qf2
Qay2

QUATERNARY
Qe
Qai

Qaop Qay1 Qf2

Qe Qe Qay2
Qay br Qf2
Qm1 Qf1 Qfm Qae Qai Qaib
Qfm
Qai
Qao Qay1 Qay2 Qls
Qay1 Qf1
Qe

Pleistocene
Qao Qao
p
Qf2
Qe
Qaop Qm2 ?
? ?
Qaop Qe
Field work done in 2001. Field assistance and preliminary map
compilation by James Sutherland.
Qe Qm2 br
Qay2 DRAFT
Qae
Qay Qf1 Qf1 Preliminary geologic map.
Qaop Qay Qe Scale 1:24,000 Has not undergone office or field review.
May be revised before publication.
0 0.5 1 kilometer
Qe Qay1 First Edition, first printing 2001
Qe Printed by Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology(1254yerington11-13-01.ai)
0 0.5 1 mile Edited by
Cartography by Robert Chaney
Qf1
Qay The geologic mapping was supported by the U.S. Geological Survey
0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 feet STATEMAP Program (Agreement No. 00-HQ-AG-0048).
br
Qaop CONTOUR INTERVAL 40 FEET Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology
University of Nevada, Mail Stop 178
Qm1 Qm2 Qf1 Supplemental contour interval 20 feet Reno, Nevada 89557-0088
Base map: U.S. Geological Survey Yerington 7.5' (775) 784-6691, ext. 2
www.nbmg.unr.edu; nbmgsales@unr.edu
Qaop br Quadrangle, 1986 Digital Raster Graphic (DRG)
Qf2
Qm1
Qfm

PRELIMINARY QUATERNARY
Qay
Qf2
Qay Qae

Qaib
Qf1
Qm2 GEOLOGIC MAP OF
Qaib
Qai
Qe
Qm2
Qfm
Qf2 Qm2
THE YERINGTON QUADRANGLE,
Qaop
Qaib
Qe
Qls
Qf1
Qm1 Qm2 Qf1
br
LYON COUNTY,
NEVADA
Qfm
Qaib
119°07'30"

Qai Qaib
119°15'00"

Qfm
Qm2

P. Kyle House
Qay Qm1
Qai Qm1
Qf1

38°52'30" R24E R25E 38°52'30" 2001