DepositionalEnvironmentsand

TheirFacies

 EnvironmentsofDeposition
Continental
Fluvial alluvialfan,braidedstream,meanderingstream
Desert dunes,playalakes,salinas
Lacustrine
Glacial
Deltaic deltaplain,deltafront,prodelta
MarginalMarine
Beach/barrierisland
Estuary/lagoon
TidalFlat
Neritic continentalshelf,organicreef
Marine
Pelagic continentalslopeandrise,deepoceanfloor


 Continental(Terrigenous)
Journeyfromsourcetosink
Platetectonicsleadtomountainbuilding
Slope!Exposure!Producesrock
Climatecausesweathering
Surfaceprocessesmovesediments,sculpt
landscape
Weathering,erosion,transport,deposition

 Deposition
Requiresplacetoputsediments
Depression/basin
DeepMarineisbest
Lakesaregoodforshortrecords
Terrestrialisdifficult!
Glacialsedimentsaremisleading
Abundantbecausetheyarerecent

 Deposition
Gravityworkstomovesediments
Water
Wind
Changeinslopeorchangeinclimate
impactssedimenttransportandabundance

 AlluvialFan
Localizedareasofenhancedsedimentation
downstreamofpointswherelaterallyconfined
flowsexpand
Narrowvalleyorgorgeopensup,ontopiedmontor
coastalplain
Atbasinmargin
Oftenstructurallycontrolled(faultormountainfront)
Contributegreatlytotherockrecord!
10sofmeters>100kmcone
Fanglomerate

 AlluvialFanFaciesModels
3types
Debrisflowdominated
Braidedfluvialfans
Lowsinuosity/meanderingfluvialfan

Generally
lackingfossils
Fanshaped
Texturallyimmature

 DeathValley
MartinMiller

http://wrgis.wr.usgs.gov/docs/parks/deva/galfan.html

 AlluvialFanFaciesModels
Morphology
Proximal,midfan,distal
Streamflowprocessesdominate
Streamchannelsediments
Longnarrowbodiesofcoarsestmaterials
Poorlysorted
Sheetflooddeposits
Sedimentssettleoutofsuspension
VERYhighsedimentload
Depositgravelseven!
Sievedeposits
Verycoarsegrainsaredeposited(>sand)
Fines(andwater)settlethrough

 3AlluvialFanFaciesModels
Debrisflowdominated
Poorlysorted
Pebbles,gravels,bouldersdominate
Nosedimentarystructures
Possiblyreversegradedbeddinginbase
Flowisinitiatedwhenstrengthisexceeded
Freezesaftershortdistance
Althoughsometravelupto24km(SharpandNobles,1953)
Mudflowdominated
Similarbutsandandmudsdominate
BraidedFluvialFan
MeanderingFluvialFan

 AssociatedwithFluvialFacies
Braidedstreams
Straightchannelstreams
Meanderingstreams
Sharecharacteristicswithstream
dominatedfan!
Associations!
Largescale(mountains?)
Smallscale(floodplain?)

 AlluvialtoFluvialTransition
Movedownslope,fromcoarsetofine
Lowsedimentsupply:scouredbetweensystems
Highsedimentsupply:continuoustransitiontobraidedstreams,then
meanders
Steeperslopes
coarsersediments,ephemeralflow
Mountainedges,icesheets
Riversareoverloadedwithsediments
TendtowardBRAIDEDstreams
Shallowerslopes
finersedimentss,lowervelocityflow
Vegetationslowsflowonslope;nopreDevonianmeandering
streams

 RiverBasics
Stream
Partofawatershed
Drainagebasin(=catchmentarea);contributivenetwork
Provideswaterandsedimenttostream
Adjacentbasinsseparatedbydivide
Manyscales;continentaldivide
Stages
Young:Mountainregions
Erosionalfeaturesdominate
Mature
Formationoffloodplainsandpointbars
Depositionalfeaturesdominate(old,also)
Old:Coastalregions
Riverscoalesce;Channelsreducedinsizeduetodivision



 ChannelPatterns
Channelsdefinerivers
Functionofadjustmentofchanneltochanges
Gradient,Crosssection
Controlledby
Sedimentload
Rivercharacteristics
Amountandnatureofdischarge
Threebasicchannelpatterns
Straight
Braided
Meandering
TypesChange!Alonglengthoratfloodstage




 FluvialFacies
Meansbywhichsedimentistransferredacrosstheland
surfacetowardsitseventualrestingplace(Collinson,1996)
Characteristicsofstreams
gradientwaterflowsdownhill
increaseslope,increasevelocity
Threestylesofflow
alluvialfandebrisaccumulatesatbaseofslope
braidedstreamhighbedload;multiplechannels
meanderingstream

 FluvialProcesses
Erosion
Provenance
Transportanddeposition
Textural,compositionalmaturity
Widerangeofassociatedsedimentarystructures
Postdepositionalalteration/pedogenesis
Oftenassociatedwithsoils
Alluvium
Paleosols(infloodplains)

 FluvialProcessesErosion
Widerangeofscales!(spatial,temporal)
Incision
Verticalcuttingofsubstratethatdeepensthechannel
Singlefloodevent
Progressivelyincreasingdischarge
Maybeaccompaniedbywidening
Dropinbaselevel
Strandsriverbanksasterraces
Migrationofchannels
Lateralerosionofchannels
Scouringofloosegrains
Massmovementwhenbanksareoversteepened/undercut
Functionofcohesivestrength
Overhang

morecohesivematerialoverlieslesscohesive

FluvialProcessesTransport/Deposition
Debrisflow
Freezewhenappliedshear<strength
Cohesionlessdebrisflow(liquifaction)
Freezesasporewaterescapes
Cohesivedebrisflow(mudflows)
Viscosityincr.byfinegrainmatrix(+bouyancyinhibitssettling)
Bedload
Movementofnoncohesivegrainsbyrollingorbouncing
Mostlysandandgravelsizedgrainsinrockrecord
Suspendedload
Transportduetofluidturbulence(Canincludessands!)
Somedepositedonfloodplain;mostdepositedatendofriver
Wind


 BasicRiverMorphology
Thalweg
Deepestpartofchannel
Pointbars
Builtoninsideofcurve(depositional)
Cutbank
Onoutsideofcurve(erosional)
Pools
Deepareaoppositetopointbar
Riffle
Shallowerarea(crossoverarea)
LeveeandFloodPlain
Bordersriver

 FluvialFacies
Braidedstreams
Straightchannelstreams
Meanderingstreams
Sharecharacteristicswithstream
dominatedfan!
Associations!
Largescale(mountains?)
Smallscale(floodplain?)

 BraidedChannel
Mainchannelconsistsofseveralchannels
Bars
Majordepositionalfeature
Oftensubmergedathighflow
Development
Growdownstreamandonlateralareas
Oftenerodedupstream
Stabilizedbydepositionoffinegrainsontop+vegetation

 BraidedChannel
Successivedivisionandrejoiningofflowaroundislands
Mostcommoninmountainreaches,onalluvialfansand
glacialoutwash
Requires
highbedload
Steepergradient(aidsinhigherbedload)
Relativeeaseofbankerosion
Grainsize
Gravelsmostcommon
Canbraidfinesifdischargeishighandbanksareweak



 Straightchannels
Channelhaslowtonosinuosityoverits
length(relativetoitswidth)
Thalwegissinuous
Rare!
Existonlyovershortdistances
Limitedto10xthechannelwidth
Leopoldetal,1964

 Straightchannels
Channelhaslowtonosinuosityoverits
length(relativetoitswidth)
Thalwegissinuous
Rare!
Existonlyovershortdistances
Limitedto10xthechannelwidth
Leopoldetal,1964

 DistinctiveandCommonSedimentary
FaciesAssociations
Verticalsuccessionsprincipallyidentifiedbylithology,associationsand
verticalarrangementofsedimentarystructures
indicativeofparticularsedimentarydepositionalenvironments

 MeanderingChannel
Pointbarsdominate
Helicalcirculationleadstomeandering
Incurves,twoflowdirections
Strongdownstream
greatestat3,towardsthecutbank
Weakercrossflowatdepth
Towardsthepointbar
Whencutbankslumps,materialiscarried
downstreamtonextpointbar


http://www.unomaha.edu/geomorf/Todd/page3.html,Pidwirny,2000

 Notepointbars
alonginner
bends.The
channelbeltis
definedasthe
regionbetween
theredlines
wihtinwhichthe
activechannel
tendsto
meander.Photo
fromR.H.
Meade,USGS

 FlowRegimeandBedforms
Bedloadandsuspendedload
Suspendedload
Muchmovedinsuspention;Importantinfloodplains
Bedload
Dominantinchannelsandpointbars;coarsestgrainslag
Floodsincreaseit
Noncohesivematerialsonstreambedleadtoeasy
formationofbedforms
Lowerflowregimeiscommon
Ripplesabundant
Upperflowregimeisalsocommon
Highestfloweverrecorded
78m/s(2529km/hrLeopoldetal.,1964

 Deposition
Rates
Mostdepositionoccursduringfloodstage
Coleman,1969
1mthickin24hours
Migratingdunes
56mthickin24hours
Nonfloodperiods
Nondepositional
Oftenerosional

 Deposition
Channeldeposits
Channellag
Channelbar(BraidedRiver)
Pointbar(MeanderingRiver)
Channelfill
Floodplaindeposits
Floodplain
Marsh
Levees
Crevassesplay

 Channeldeposits
Channellag
Coarsestsedimentavailableinstream
Accumulatesinlenses
Generallygravels,pebbles
Mayinclude
Wood
Ripupclasts
Fossils
Blocksofsediment
Oftenpreservedasfinegrainscoverit

 ChannelBars
Mostdepositionoccursduringfloods
Twotypesbasedongrainsize
Braidbars(coarsematerial)
Pebbles,etc
Mountainstreams
Braidbars(finematerial)
Highsedimentload(seasonaldischarge)
Lowerreachesofrivers,neardeltas
BrahmaputraRiver


 Channelbar(=channelislands)
Dominantdepositionalfeatureinbraidedrivers
Controlledby
Lateralandverticaldeposition
Cuttingandabandonment
Upstreamend
Steep
Oftenhaspoolinfrontofit
Downstreamend
Gentlerslope
Migratesdownstream(foresetbedding)
Sides
Steepconcave(foresetbedding/laminae)
Gentleconvex(foresetbedding/laminae)

 GeneralChannelBarFacies
Upper
Finesand,mudinhorizontallayers
Muds
Mudcracks,raindropimprints
Sometimesscouranderosionalmarkings
Convolutebedding
Bioturbation(plantgrowth)
Lower
Largescalecrossbedding
Mediumsands
ripplesanddunes
Coarsestgrainsatbase(pebbles)
Oftenrestsonmuds,siltsofpreviouscycle
scourandfillstructures

 BraidedBartypes
Longitudinal
Midchannel(coarsestsediment)
Depositionoccursasstreamlosesvelocity
Longaxis//toflow
Growdownstreamfillinwithfinersediments
Decreasegrainsizedownstream
Massivebedding;crossbedding
Linguoidandtransverse
Lobateorstraight;atangletoflow
Foundinsandystreams
Steepfacedownstream
Highfloodconditions
Lateral
Alongsidesofchannelattachedtobank

 PointBardeposits
Majorprocessofsedimentationinmeanderingrivers
Usuallythatwhichispreserved
Thicknessmayequaldepthofriver
MississippiRiver=2025m(Fisk,1944,1947)
Lateralmigrationofpointbar(andriver!)duringflooding
Butthechannelwidthismaintained(erosion=deposition)
Generallyfiningupward
Deposition
channellagatbaseandmuddrapeontop
Preservation
Finesattoperoded



 PointBarFacies
Silts,clays
Planarbedding
Maybeupperflow
likelyitissedimentssettlingoutofsuspensionasfloodwanes
Ofteninterbeddedwithripples
Crossbedding
Ripplesandclimbingripples
Dunecommoninlowerpart
Beds~1m
Scour,fillcommon
Channellagatbase

 PointBarFacies
Largerscalepointbarsdevelopscrollbars
andswales
Scrollshapedridgeswithswalesbetween
Eachscroll=migrationduringoneflood
Swalesinfilledwithmuds
Mississippi
Fewhundredmeterswide,45mthick
Baseisconcaveupward

 PointBarLifeHistory
Rapid,periodicdeposition!
ArkansasRiver,Oklahoma(Steinmetz,1967)
May1922,1957toOctober36,1959
459,000m3seddeposited;max=13min156hours
Mostlyitslargescalecrossbedding
overlainbysilts(settling)andsanddunes(1m!)
Sedimentationinasingleflood(p.235,R/S)
KlarlvenRiver,Sweden(Sundborg,1956)
Developalongitudinalbaronthemeander
Slowlymigratesbankward
Accumulatesdrape
Newbarbegins,migrates

 Downtown Yuba City December 1955 (Seepage Related Levee Break in upper center) View Southerly

http://www.escalera.com/safelevee/1955flood.htm

Notethemanyscrollbarsmarkingtheformerpositionsof
channels(pointbars)acrossthefloodplain.



 LeveeDeposits(Natural)
Wedgeshapedridgesofsedimentborderingstream
channels
Formedasfloodwaterstopbanks
Sedimentinsuspensionsettlesoutasvelocitydrops
Highestatstreambanks
Slopesawaytowardsfloodplain
Bestdevelopmentonpointbankside(concave)
Gradesintopointbar
MississippiRiver
Max:1.5kmwide,56mabovefloodbasin

 LeveeDeposit(Natural)
Sedimentsgradelaterally
Decreaseinsizeawayfromchannel
Reflectsrapiddropinvelocity
Coarsestsedimentsnearestlevee
Rateisreducedalso
Maximumheightoflevee
=maximumheightoffloodwaters

 CrevasseSplay
Breachinnaturallevee
Occursinfloods
Createsdrainagenetworkinfloodbasin
Generallysmall
10scmto10smeters
Maybeseveralhundredmetersacross
Tonguesofsediment
Taperindirectionoffloodbasin
Coarsersedimentsthanthatoffloodplain
Smallscalecrossbedding
Scourandfill
Fossils(plantandanimal)



 Channelfill(Oxbows!)
Streamchannelsthathavebeenabandoned
Cutoffabandonment
Avulsions:suddenabandonment
Veryhighrateofsedimentation
Meanderingcancauseif
Chutecutoff:streamshortensitscourse
Neckcutoff:newchannelbutbetween2
meanderloops

 ChannelFilldeposits
Atfirst,
Rapidandfocusedatends
Sandsconcentratedhere
Slowerlateron
Fillissimilartofloodplaindeposits
Clayandsiltdominated
Plantsalsopresent

 FloodBasinDeposits
Poorlydrained,flat,featurelesswithlittleornorelieftadjacentto
activeorabandonedchannels
(RheinholdandSingh,1975)
SLOWaccumulation
12cmperfloodperiod
(compactsovertime!)
Controlledbychannelformandpattern
Stationarystreamsdevelopthickfloodplains
Migratingstreamshavepoorlydevelopedplains
Braidedstreams,activemeanders
Backswamps
mayformiftheregionishumid
Accumulatesmuds,peats
CongareeNationalMonument

http://www.uga.edu/srel/ESSite/congaree_national_monument.htm