Donald R. Currey

Chronology of expansion and contraction of four Great Basin lake systems during the past 35,000 years

Abstract During the past 35,000 years, Lake Bonneville, Lake Russell, and Lake Searles underwent a major period of lake-level change. The lakes were at moderate levels or dry at the beginning of the period and seem to have achieved highstands between about 15,000 and 13,500 yr B.P. The rise of Lake Lahontan was gradual but not continuous, in part because of topographic constraints (intrabasin spill). Lake Lahontan also had an oscillation in lake level at 15,500 yr B.P. Radiocarbon-age estimations for materials that were deposited in the lake basins indicate that Lake Bonneville rose more or less gradually from 32,000 yr B.P., and had major oscillations in level between 23,000 and 21,000 yr B.P. and between 15,250 and 14,500 yr B.P. Lake Russell and Lake Searles had several major oscillations in lake level between 35,000 and 14,000 yr B.P. The timing and exact magnitude of the oscillations are difficult to decipher but both lakes may have achieved multiple highstand states. All four lakes may have had nearly synchronous recessions between about 14,000 and 13,500 yr B.P. After the recessions, the lakes seem to have temporarily stabilized or experienced a minor increase in size between about 11,500 and 10,000 yr B.P. These data provide circumstantial evidence that the Younger Dryas Event affected climate on at least a hemispheric scale. During the Holocene, the four lakes remained at low levels, and small oscillations in lake level occurred. An important aspect of the lake-level data is the accompanying expansion of lake-surface area at the time of the last highstand. Lake Bonneville and Lake Lahontan had surface areas about 10 times larger than their mean-historical reconstructed areas whereas Lake Russell and Lake Searles had surface areas about 5 times larger than their mean-historical reconstructed areas. Differences in the records of effective wetness may have been due to the locations of the basins relative to the position of the jetstream, or they may have resulted from lake/atmosphere feedback processes.

Radiocarbon chronology of Lake Bonneville, Eastern Great Basin, USA

Abstract Lake Bonneville occupied a series of connected topographically-closed structural basins in the eastern Great Basin from about 30 ka to 12 ka. The following synthesis of Lake Bonneville history is based on a critical evaluation of the stratigraphic and geomorphic contexts of 83 radiocarbon ages of a variety of samples, including wood, charcoal, dispersed organic matter, mollusk shells, and tufa. The lake began to rise from levels close to average Holocene levels after about 28 ka. By 22 ka it had transgressed approximately 100 m; between 22 and 20 ka it regressed about 45 m in the Stansbury oscillation and the Stansbury shoreline was formed. Transgression after 20 ka proceeded in two phases—a rapid phase from 20 to 18 ka, and a slower phase from 18 to 15 ka. The lake overflowed intermittently at its highest level (the Bonneville shoreline) from about 15 to 14.5 ka, then catastrophically dropped 100 m during the Bonneville Flood to the level of the Provo shoreline, which it occupied until about 14 ka. Subsequent closed-basin regression was rapid and complete by 12 ka, and was followed by a modest transgression to form the Gilbert shoreline between 10.9 and 10.3 ka. The Lake Bonneville record is an accurate proxy of the changing water balance in the Bonneville basin during the late Pleistocene, although the nature of the climatic changes during this period are still uncertain.

Quaternary palaeolakes in the evolution of semidesert basins, with special emphasis on Lake Bonneville and the Great Basin, U.S.A.

Abstract This paper reviews attributes of Quaternary lakes and lake basins which are often important in the environmental prehistory of semideserts. Basin-floor and basin-closure morphometry have set limits on palaeolake sizes; lake morphometry and basin drainage patterns have influenced lacustrine processes; and water and sediment loads have influenced basin neotectonics. Information regarding inundated, runoff-producing, and extra-basin spatial domains is acquired directly from the palaeolake record, including the littoral morphostratigraphic record, and indirectly by reconstruction. Increasingly detailed hypotheses regarding Lake Bonneville, the largest late Pleistocene palaeolake in the Great Basin, are subjects for further testing and refinement. Oscillating transgression of Lake Bonneville began about 28 ka, the highest stage occurred about 15 ka, and termination occurred abruptly about 13 ka. A final resurgence of perennial lakes probably occurred in many subbasins of the Great Basin between 11 and 10 ka, when the highest stage of Great Salt Lake (successor to Lake Bonneville) developed the Gilbert shoreline — and when the Russell shoreline formed 500–600 km away, in the Carson Desert of the Lake Lahontan basin. The highest post-Gilbert stage of Great Salt Lake, which has been one of the few permanent lakes in the Great Basin during Holocene time, probably occurred between 3 and 2 ka. A set of eighteen general observations regarding geologic aspects of the palaeolake record in semidesert basins is helping to guide Quaternary studies in the Great Basin.

Late quaternary glacial and vegetation changes, Little Cottonwood Canyon area, Wasatch mountains, Utah

Abstract Glacial geology and 14 C dating in the central Wasatch Mountains indicate: an early canyon-mouth glaciation (Dry Creek till), probably during isotope stage 6; on that till, a paleosol (Majestic Canyon soil) dated at about 26,000 yr B.P.; overriding that soil, a later canyon-mouth glaciation (Bells Canyon till) probably beginning prior to about 19,000 yr B.P.; a midcanyon deglacial pause (Hogum Fork till) prior to 12,300 yr B.P.; an upper-canyon deglacial pause (Devils Castle till) prior to 7500 yr B.P.; and late Holocene periglaciation. Pollen ratios from bog profiles in the mid to upper reaches of the canyon suggest that temperatures cooler than the Holocene average occurred until after about 8000 yr B.P. Warmer and dryer than average conditions were initiated about 8000 to 7500 yr B.P. During the later portion of this Altithermal period conditions became relatively warm and wet. Two subsequent episodes of cooler than average temperatures correspond chronologically to the initial stades of Neoglaciation elsewhere in the Rocky Mountains. However, there is no geomorphic evidence of corresponding glacial activity in the canyon area. Relative moisture during these two periods differs significantly, suggesting that Neoglacial conditions were controlled primarily by changes in summer temperature.

Hydro‐isostatic deflection and tectonic tilting in the central Andes: Initial results of a GPS survey of Lake Minchin shorelines

Sufficiently large lake loads provide a means of probing rheological stratification of the crust and upper mantle. Lake Minchin was the largest of the late Pleistocene pluvial lakes in the central Andes. Prominent shorelines, which formed during temporary still-stands in the climatically driven lake level history, preserve records of lateral variations in subsequent net vertical motions. At its maximum extent the lake was 140 m deep and spanned 400 km N-S and 200 km E-W. The load of surficial water contained in Lake Minchin was sufficient to depress the crust and underlying mantle by 20–40 m, depending on the subjacent rheology. Any other differential vertical motions will also be recorded as departures from horizontality of the shorelines. We recently conducted a survey of shoreline elevations of Lake Minchin with the express intent of monitoring the hydro-isostatic deflection and tectonic tilting. Using real-time differential GPS, we measured topographic profiles across suites of shorelines at 15 widely separated locations throughout the basin. Horizontal and vertical accuracies attained are roughly 30 and 70 cm, respectively. Geomorphic evidence suggests that the highest shoreline was occupied only briefly (probably less than 200 years) and radiocarbon dates on gastropod shells found in association with the shore deposits constrain the age to roughly 17 kyr. The basin-wide pattern of elevations of the highest shoreline is composed of two distinct signals: (27±1) m of hydro-isostatic deflection due to the lake load, and a planar tilt with east and north components of (6.8±0.4) 10−5 and (−5.3±0.3) 10−5. This rate of tilting is too high to be plausibly attributed to steady tectonism, and presumably reflects some unresolved combination of tectonism plus the effects of oceanic and lacustrine loads on a laterally heterogeneous substrate. The history of lake level fluctuations is still inadequately known to allow detailed inferences of crust and mantle rheology. However, it is already clear that the effective elastic plate thickness is closer to 40 km than the 60–70 km crustal thickness in the central Andes and the effective viscosity is less than 5 1020 Pa s.

Lake-size variations in the Lahontan and Bonneville basins between 13,000 and 9000 14C yr B.P

Abstract Recessions of Lakes Lahontan and Bonneville that commenced ∼13,500 14 C yr B.P. were interrupted at ⪖11,500 14 C yr B.P. in the Lahontan basin and ∼12,200 14 C yr B.P. in the Bonneville basin by relatively large perturbations in lake level that persisted for ∼ 2000 years. Minor glacial readvances in the Sierra Nevada and White Mountains of California-Nevada occurred during the latter half of this interval (between 11,000 and 9700 14 C yr B.P.). The hydrologic response of Lakes Lahontan and Bonneville and the mountain glacial advances were concurrent with the Allerod/Younger Dryas climatic intervals recorded in vegetational and glacial records of western and central Europe.

Age and paleoclimatic significance of the Stansbury shoreline of Lake Bonneville, Northeastern Great Basin

Abstract The Stansbury shoreline, one of the conspicuous late Pleistocene shorelines of Lake Bonneville, consists of tufa-cemented gravel and barrier beaches within a vertical zone of about 45 m, the lower limit of which is 70 m above the modern average level of Great Salt Lake. Stratigraphic evidence at a number of localities, including new evidence from Crater Island on the west side of the Great Salt Lake Desert, shows that the Stansbury shoreline formed during the transgressive phase of late Pleistocene Lake bonneville (sometime between about 22,000 and 20,000 yr B.P.). Tufa-cemented gravel and barrier beaches were deposited in the Stansbury shorezone during one or more fluctuations in water level with a maximum total amplitude of 45 m. We refer to the fluctuations as the Stansbury oscillation. The Stansbury oscillation cannot have been caused by basin-hypsometric factors, such as stabilization of lake level at an external overflow threshold or by expansion into an interior subbasin, or by changes in drainage basin size. Therefore, changes in climate must have caused the lake level to reverse its general rise, to drop about 45 m in altitude (reducing its surface area by about 18%, 5000 km2), and later to resume its rise. If the sizes of Great Basin lakes are controlled by the mean position of storm tracks and the jetstream, which as recently postulated may be controlled by the size of the continental ice sheets, the Stansbury oscillation may have been caused by a shift in the jetstream during a major interstade of the Laurentide ice sheet.

Radiocarbon chronology andδ13C analysis of mid-to late-Holocene aeolian environments, Guadalupe Mountains National Park, Texas, USA

The Red Dunes of Guadalupe Mountains National Park are quartzose sand sheets and dunes stabilized by sparse plant cover. Stratigraphy, radiocarbon dating, and δ13C analysis were examined in two of the larger arroyos for correlating evidence of aeolian deposition, which in this basin is taken as an indication of arid conditions. Four quartz-sand lithostratigraphic units, representing intervals of aeolian activity, are identified. Radiocarbon dates provide constraint on the timing of the three youngest quartz-sand units. A mid-Holocene aeolian interval, represented by a single radiocarbon date of 6350± 70 BP, is interpreted as transitional to an altithermal regime. A neopluvial period, dated at 3370± 70 BP, separates mid-and late-Holocene aeolian activity. Late-Holocene time is characterized by generally drier conditions than present and almost continuous aeolian activity from 1690± 80 BP to 350± 0 BP. Stable carbon isotope analysis suggests an abrupt shift to generally cooler summer temperatures during this late-Holocene arid interval. While climate changes identified in the stratigraphic record broadly agree with changes reported elsewhere in the southwestern United States, differences in the timing of climate onset between this and adjacent regions suggest that climate change was time transgressive, and supports the recognition of the spatial and temporal variability of climates in response to local and regional controls.

Extraterrestrial coastal geomorphology

Abstract Earth is the only planet in the solar system where large amounts of liquid water have been stable at the surface throughout geologic time. This unique trait has resulted in the production of characteristic landforms and massive accumulations of aqueous sediments, as well as enabled the evolution of advanced and diverse forms of life. But while Earth is the only planet with large bodies of water on its surface today, Venus and Mars may have once had lakes or oceans as well. More exotic fluids may be stable in the outer solar system. Prior to the Voyager flybys of the outer planets during the 1970s and 1980s, the moon of Neptune, Triton, was thought to be much larger than the Voyager cameras revealed it to be, and predictions that liquid nitrogen lakes or oceans might be found were made. The moon of Saturn, Titan, however, was found to have a massive atmosphere, so the possibility remains that it may have, or may once have had, lakes or oceans of liquid hydrocarbons. The recent, high-resolution synthetic aperture radar imaging of Venus has failed to reveal any evidence of any putative clement period, but the results for Mars are much more intriguing. Herein, we briefly review work on this subject by a number of investigators, and discuss problems of identifying and recognizing martian landforms as lacustrine or marine. In addition, we present additional examples of possible martian coastal landforms. The former presence of lakes or oceans on Mars has profound implications with regard to the climate history of that planet.

Paleoshoreline evidence for postglacial tilting in Southern Manitoba

Detailed air photo interpretation and four seasons of field mapping and surveying in southern Manitoba have revealed that the once-level paleoshorelines of Lake Winnipegosis and Dauphin Lake and the Burnside shoreline of former Lake Agassiz have been tilted up to the northeast by postglacial differential rebound. Our investigation has also revealed that Lake Winnipegosis has the best preserved paleoshoreline record of any of the large lakes in southern Manitoba, including lakes Winnipeg and Manitoba. This is because northeasterly uptilting shifts the regions lakes to the southwest. Lakes with southern outlets, like Lake Winnipegosis, undergo general regression as the outlet is lowered relative to the rest of the basin. Lakes with northern outlets, like lakes Winnipeg and Manitoba, undergo general transgression as northeasterly uptilting raises the outlet relative to the rest of the basin. Along the northeastern shore of Lake Winnipegosis a staircase of at least 32 abandoned Winnipegosis shorelines exists that is consistent with northeasterly tilting. The Dawson level represents the major mid-Holocene highstand on Lake Winnipegosis. It persisted for about 500 years, peaking at 5290 14C yr B.P. (early Dawson) and then falling about 3 m by 4740 14C yr B.P. (late Dawson). The early Dawson shoreline is tilted at 13.5 cm km-1 in a direction N24.3°E. Three other shorelines informally named shoreline 4, shoreline 3, and shoreline 2 are also tilted up to the northeast. Their radiocarbon ages (and slopes in cm km-1) are 3330 yr B.P. (2.2), 1510 yr B.P. (1.3), and 1080 yr B.P. (0.7), respectively. On Dauphin Lake shoreline IV is the oldest level mapped for this study. It has a 14C age of 7910 yr B.P. and is tilted at 21.7 cm km-1 in a direction N44.4°E. The Id shoreline marks the major mid-Holocene highstand for Dauphin Lake. It peaked at 4640 14C yr B.P. followed by a rapid decline of about 1 m to the Ib shoreline, which is dated at 4320 14C yr B.P. Id is tilted up at 8.8 cm km-1 in a direction N53.4°E. The next major shoreline is Ia3 which has a 14C age of 3020 yr B.P. and is tilted up at 5.3 cm km-1 in a direction N62.3°E. Tilt directions are significantly more easterly for the Dauphin Lake shorelines than those from Lake Winnipegosis or any of the much older Lake Agassiz shorelines. Taken together, the Winnipegosis and Dauphin isobases indicate that the direction of tilt in southern Manitoba is more complex than a simple uni-directional pattern. The observed pattern of tilting for paleoshorelines in southern Manitoba agrees better with predictions derived from the recently revised loading history model ICE-4G than with those from its predecessor ICE-3G. In general, the calculated tilt based on the ICE-3G load tends to exceed the observed tilt, while ICE-4G tends to underestimate it. Both ice load models appear to disagree most with our observed tilts in this region during the interval before about 9000 cal yr B.P., when deglaciation was proceeding rapidly and the large water load associated with Lake Agassiz covered the region. Because both of these ice load models have been estimated mainly from a global data set of relative sea level curves from marine coast sites, it is not unexpected that model tilts derived from them do not agree well with observations in the North American continental interior. The pattern of postglacial crustal deformation for southern Manitoba described in this paper could be used to further refine ice load models for the North American continental interior.