Pliocene Uplift of the Grand Canyon Region—Time of Drainage Adjustment

Research Article| July 01, 1972 Pliocene Uplift of the Grand Canyon Region—Time of Drainage Adjustment EDWIN D MCKEE; EDWIN D MCKEE U.S. Geological Survey, Denver, Colorado 80225 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar EDWIN H MCKEE EDWIN H MCKEE U.S. Geological Survey, Menlo Park, California 94025 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar GSA Bulletin (1972) 83 (7): 1923–1932. https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(1972)83[1923:PUOTGC]2.0.CO;2 Article history received: 29 Nov 1971 rev-recd: 31 Jan 1972 first online: 02 Mar 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation EDWIN D MCKEE, EDWIN H MCKEE; Pliocene Uplift of the Grand Canyon Region—Time of Drainage Adjustment. GSA Bulletin 1972;; 83 (7): 1923–1932. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(1972)83[1923:PUOTGC]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 Tertiary gravel deposits in ancient stream channels along the southern margin of the Colorado Plateaus of northern Arizona show by composition and structure that these deposits came from sources to the south and southwest at a time when central Arizona stood higher than the present Grand Canyon region. Three cobbles of basalt included in the gravel deposits have K-Ar ages of about 10.0 m.y., 12.2, and 12.4 m.y. showing that the major uplift of the plateau in northern Arizona had not taken place at that time. The present south-flowing drainage of the Verde River and neighboring streams resulted from final elevation of the northern Arizona region relative to central Arizona, and must have developed well before about 5 m.y.—the age of some basalts that flowed into the Verde Valley. Thus, the major relative uplift of the southern part of the Colorado Plateaus must have occurred within the 5 to 10 m.y. interval, or in early to middle Pliocene time. This time of uplift also was the time of major canyon erosion, including the cutting of Grand Canyon, within the Plateaus province. 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.