Lacustrine sedimentation during the culminating phase of Eocene Lake Gosiute, Wyoming (Green River Formation)

Research Article| January 01, 1979 Lacustrine sedimentation during the culminating phase of Eocene Lake Gosiute, Wyoming (Green River Formation) RONALD C. SURDAM; RONALD C. SURDAM 1Department of Geology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming 82071 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar K. O. STANLEY K. O. STANLEY 2Department of Geology and Mineralogy, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information RONALD C. SURDAM 1Department of Geology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming 82071 K. O. STANLEY 2Department of Geology and Mineralogy, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210 Publisher: Geological Society of America First Online: 01 Jun 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2674 Print ISSN: 0016-7606 Geological Society of America GSA Bulletin (1979) 90 (1): 93–110. https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(1979)90<93:LSDTCP>2.0.CO;2 Article history First Online: 01 Jun 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Permissions Search Site Citation RONALD C. SURDAM, K. O. STANLEY; Lacustrine sedimentation during the culminating phase of Eocene Lake Gosiute, Wyoming (Green River Formation). GSA Bulletin 1979;; 90 (1): 93–110. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(1979)90<93:LSDTCP>2.0.CO;2 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGSA Bulletin Search Advanced Search Abstract During deposition of the Laney Member of the Green River Formation, Eocene Lake Gosiute evolved from a saline, alkaline lake to a freshwater lake. This evolution reflects the change from a closed-basin hydrologic regime to an open-basin hydrologic regime; sedimentation in the Lake Gosiute system was strongly influenced by the relationship between evaporation and inflow of waters into the basin and, during deposition of the upper Laney lacustrine beds, to the outflow of lake water into the Piceance Creek basin. Stratification sequences, sedimentary structures, and mineralogy of lithofacies in the Laney Member provide insights into the evolution of the lake and into the competing factors that determined the type of sediment accumulated in the lake and fringing environments. Carbonate sedimentation was strongly influenced by lacustrine transgressions and regressions across a very low topographic gradient. Terrigenous rocks mark progradation of beach and deltaic shorelines during times of greater precipitation when more terrigenous detritus was transported to the lake.Hydrochemistry of Lake Gosiute during the deposition of the Laney Member was controlled largely by surface and spring water. Calcite was precipitated in the lake as a result of mixing of calcium-rich inflow and saline-alkaline lake waters. Dolomite formed as a result of periodic flooding and drying of the fringing carbonate mud flat, where carbonate muds were saturated with saline-alkaline lake waters and underwent evaporative pumping. Some surface waters reaching the lake contained high concentrations of salts dissolved from efflorescent crusts generated by capillary draw of connate waters in alluvial and mud-flat sediments. This content is PDF only. Please click on the PDF icon to access. First Page Preview Close Modal You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.