31 Geologic Maps, Derivative Maps, and Mapping Workflows in the Intermountain West (Posters)

Tuesday, 20 May 2025
8:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Ballroom A&B

GEOLOGIC MAP OF THE VERNAL NE 7.5' QUADRANGLE, UINTAH COUNTY, UTAH

Paper number: 31-8
Program: Theme Sessions
Time: 8:00 AM – 5:30 PM

Authors

Abstract

Detailed 1:24,000-scale geologic mapping of the Vernal Northeast quadrangle is critical for understanding the complex transition zone between the northern Colorado Plateau, Uinta Basin, and the Laramide-age Uinta Mountains. This map addresses the need for current geological information in a rapidly developing urban and agricultural region by providing detailed stratigraphic and geomorphological characterization. A diverse set of methods were used to make this geologic map, integrating black-and-white stereographic aerial photographs from the mid-1900s with 1-meter light detection and ranging (lidar) data. I also incorporated a novel technique using relative elevation models derived from digital elevation models to more precisely map river terraces, enabling a more nuanced understanding of landscape evolution.

The Vernal NE Quadrangle map includes a stratigraphic sequence spanning from Upper Triassic/Lower Jurassic Nugget Sandstone to Holocene alluvial deposits. The quad contains multiple significant unconformities including the J-1 unconformity spanning approximately 14 million years and the K-0 unconformity spanning about 25 million years. Large-scale structures in the quad include synclinal and anticlinal folds, which are extensions of the Split Mountain anticline to the east in Dinosaur National Park. I examined numerous Quaternary pediment surfaces tied to erosion of the proximal Uinta mountains in addition to more recent strath terrace deposits, and even flood scouring from a June 1965 flood event. Potential geological hazards such as flooding and landslides were also identified. This map provides a comprehensive geological framework that enhances understanding of regional tectonic evolution, depositional environments, and landscape dynamics in this geologically complex transitional zone.

Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Vol. 57, No. 5

doi: 10.1130/abs/2025RM-409731

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