Boulder Creek Formation | |
---|---|
Stratigraphic range: Early Cretaceous (Albian) | |
Type | Formation |
Unit of | Fort St. John Group |
Underlies | Hasler Formation |
Overlies | Hulcross Formation |
Thickness | Up to 171 metres (560 ft) [1] |
Lithology | |
Primary | Sandstone, conglomerate |
Other | Carbonaceous shale, siltstone |
Location | |
Region | ![]() |
Country | ![]() |
Type section | |
Named for | A tributary to Commotion Creek |
Named by | E.M.Spieker, 1921. [2] |
The Boulder Creek Formation is a geologic formation in northeastern British Columbia. It was named for a tributary to Commotion Creek in the Pine Pass area by E.M. Spieker in 1921. [2] At one time considered to be a member of the Commotion Formation, it was elevated to formation status by D.F. Stott in 1982. [3]
The formation was deposited in shallow marine to shoreline environments during the Albian stage of the Early Cretaceous period. It preserves ammonites, plant remains, and other fossils. [1] [3]
The Boulder Creek Formation records the transition from marine conditions, represented by the shales of the underlying Hulcross Formation, to continental environments, with a return to marine conditions marked by the shales of the overlying Hasler Formation. Near shore and shoreface deposits consist of massive, fine grained, well sorted sandstones, and massive, silica-cemented conglomerates of quartz and chert pebbles in a matrix of coarse sand. Delta plain and floodplain deposits consist of interbedded argillaceous sandstones, carbonaceous shales and thin coal beds. [3] [4]
Outcrops of the Boulder Creek Formation can be seen along the Peace River eastward from Hudson's Hope, and it is present in the subsurface in the Peace River plains to the east. It is well exposed in the foothills of the Canadian Rockies between the Peace and Wapiti Rivers, where it reaches thicknesses of up to 171 metres (560 ft). It can be traced southward through the foothills almost as far the Kakwa River near the British Columbia-Alberta boundary. [1]
The Boulder Creek Formation is part of the Fort St. John Group. Originally described as a member of the Commotion Formation, the Boulder Creek was elevated to formational status along with the other members of the Commotion by D.F. Stott in 1982, who proposed that the term 'Commotion Formation' be abandoned. [3] [1]
The Boulder Creek Formation conformably overlies the marine shales of the Hulcross Formation, and is conformably overlain by the marine shales of the Hasler Formation. It is equivalent to the Cadotte Member, and possibly the Paddy Member, of the Peace River Formation of the Peace River plains. It correlates with the middle part of the Buckinghorse Formation in the Muskwa River area, and with the Tussock Member of the Scatter Formation in the Liard River area. Equivalent beds may be present above the coal-bearing strata near Grande Cache. [1]
The Cadomin Formation is a stratigraphic unit of Early Cretaceous age in the western part of the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin. It is extends from southeastern British Columbia through western Alberta to northeastern British Columbia, and it contains significant reservoirs of natural gas in some areas. It was named after the mining town of Cadomin, which is an acronym of "Canadian Dominion Mining".
The Bluesky Formation is a stratigraphic unit of Lower Cretaceous age in the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin. It takes the name from the hamlet of Bluesky, and was first described in Shell's Bluesky No. 1 well by Badgley in 1952.
Gething Formation is a stratigraphic unit of Lower Cretaceous (Aptian) age in the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin. It is present in northeastern British Columbia and western Alberta, and includes economically important coal deposits.
Bullhead Group is a stratigraphic unit of Lower Cretaceous age in the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin of northeastern British Columbia and western Alberta. It was first defined by F.H. McLearn in 1918 as the Bullhead Mountain Formation, but later was upgraded to group status. It consists of the Cadomin and Gething Formations, although some early workers included the Bluesky Formation and others in the group.
The Fernie Formation is a stratigraphic unit of Jurassic age. It is present in the western part of the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin in western Alberta and northeastern British Columbia. It takes its name from the town of Fernie, British Columbia, and was first defined by W.W. Leach in 1914.
The Fort St. John Group is a stratigraphic unit of Lower Cretaceous age in the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin. It takes the name from the city of Fort St. John, British Columbia and was first defined by George Mercer Dawson in 1881.
The Peace River Formation is a stratigraphical unit of middle Albian age in the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin.
The Dunvegan Formation is a stratigraphical unit of Cenomanian age in the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin.
The Muskiki Formation is a stratigraphical unit of Late Cretaceous age in the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin.
Within the earth science of geology, the Edmonton Group is a Late Cretaceous to early Paleocene stratigraphic unit of the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin in the central Alberta plains. It was first described as the Edmonton Formation by Joseph Burr Tyrrell in 1887 based on outcrops along the North Saskatchewan River in and near the city of Edmonton. E.J.W. Irish later elevated the formation to group status and it was subdivided into four separate formations. In ascending order, they are the Horseshoe Canyon, Whitemud, Battle and Scollard Formations. The Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary occurs within the Scollard Formation, based on dinosaurian and microfloral evidence, as well as the presence of the terminal Cretaceous iridium anomaly.
The Minnes Group, originally named the Minnes Formation, is a geologic unit of latest Jurassic to earliest Cretaceous age in the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin. It is present in the northern foothills of the Canadian Rockies and the adjacent plains in northeastern British Columbia and west-central Alberta. Its strata include natural gas reservoirs and minor coal deposits. Fossil dinosaur tracks have been described from one of its formations.
The Southesk Formation is a stratigraphic unit of Late Devonian age. It is present on the western edge of the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin in the Rocky Mountains and foothills of Alberta and southeastern British Columbia. It was named for the Southesk River in Jasper National Park by D.J. McLaren in 1955.
The Beattie Peaks Formation is a geologic formation of Early Cretaceous (Valanginian) age in the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin that consists primarily of marine mudstone. It is present in the northern foothills of the Canadian Rockies and the adjacent plains in northeastern British Columbia.
The Monach Formation is a geologic formation of Early Cretaceous (Valanginian) age in the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin that consists primarily of sandstone. It is present in the northern foothills of the Canadian Rockies and the adjacent plains in northeastern British Columbia.
The Hulcross Formation is a geologic formation in the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin in northeastern British Columbia that was deposited in marine environments during the late Albian stage of the Early Cretaceous period. At one time considered to be a member of the Commotion Formation, it was elevated to formation status by D.F. Stott in 1982. It preserves ammonites and other fossils.
The Monteith Formation is a geologic formation of Early Cretaceous (Valanginian) age in the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin that consists primarily of sandstone. It is present in the northern foothills of the Canadian Rockies and the adjacent plains in northeastern British Columbia and west-central Alberta.
The Kootenay Group, originally called the Kootenay Formation, is a geologic unit of latest Jurassic to earliest Cretaceous age in the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin that is present in the southern and central Canadian Rockies and foothills. It includes economically important deposits of high-rank bituminous and semi-anthracite coal, as well as plant fossils and dinosaur trackways.
The Gorman Creek Formation is a geologic formation of Early Cretaceous (Valanginian) age in the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin that consists primarily of nonmarine sediments. It is present in the northern foothills of the Canadian Rockies and the adjacent plains in northeastern British Columbia. Plant fossils and dinosaur tracks have been described from its strata.
The Bickford Formation is a geologic formation of Early Cretaceous (Valanginian) age in the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin that consists primarily of nonmarine sediments. It is present in the northern foothills of the Canadian Rockies in northeastern British Columbia.
Toad Formation, Grayling Formation, and Toad-Grayling Formation are obsolete names for the strata of the Early to Middle Triassic Doig and Montney Formations. They were applied in the foothills and Rocky Mountains of northeastern British Columbia, on the western edge of the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin. Although the names are considered obsolete, their usage persists.