Terrace deposits along a 40 mile segment of the Colorado River between Austin and Bastrop, Texas, are mapped in detail. The following deposits have been delineated (lowest to highest): Floodplain, Sixth Street Terrace, Montopolis Terrace, Capitol Terrace, Hornsby Terrace, Asylum Terrace, and Delaney Terrace. The Hornsby Terrace deposits and the Montopolis Terrace deposits were previously unrecognized. A program of mechanical analysis was conducted on samples taken from the terrace deposits and the floodplain. Cumulative frequency curves of grain size from five samples collected up to 15 miles apart from the Asylum Terrace gravel, are distinctively grouped--different from all other samples. Cumulative frequency curves from five samples from the Hornsby Terrace gravel also plot in a close grouping distinct from other samples. Over short distances where abrasion is not a dominant factor it seems that grain size distribution may be useful as a means of correlation of terrace remnants. Analysis of the lithologies of these samples indicate that the Hornsby, Asylum and Delaney Terrace gravels are practically without limestone clasts, in a drainage basin that is, presently, composed dominantly of limestone. This suggests that the Commanche Series in the Edwards Plateau region was not extensively exposed but was covered by the Gulf Series at the time of the formation of these terraces. The Manor lag gravel, an upland gravel in the thesis area, is thought to be the remnant of a high terrace deposit of the Colorado River. All terrace gravels except the Capitol and Montopolis Terrace gravels are thought to be the result of lateral planation by a stream at or near grade. The Montopolis and Capitol Terrace gravels are thought to be the result of a lengthy episode of lateral planation by the Colorado River accompanied by slow degradation. / text
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:UTEXAS/oai:repositories.lib.utexas.edu:2152/18670 |
| Date | 08 November 2012 |
| Creators | Weber, Gerald E. (Gerald Eric) |
| Source Sets | University of Texas |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Format | electronic |
| Rights | Copyright is held by the author. Presentation of this material on the Libraries' web site by University Libraries, The University of Texas at Austin was made possible under a limited license grant from the author who has retained all copyrights in the works. |
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