Hostname: page-component-8448b6f56d-cfpbc Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-25T01:52:00.631Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Holocene alluvial stratigraphy and response to climate change in the Roaring River valley, Front Range, Colorado, USA

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 June 2012

Richard F. Madole
Richard F. Madole*
Affiliation:
U.S. Geological Survey, MS 980, Denver Federal Center, Lakewood, CO 80225, USA
*
⁎Fax: + 1 303 236 5349. Email Address:madole@usgs.gov
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Stratigraphic analyses and radiocarbon geochronology of alluvial deposits exposed along the Roaring River, Colorado, lead to three principal conclusions: (1) the opinion that stream channels in the higher parts of the Front Range are relics of the Pleistocene and nonalluvial under the present climate, as argued in a water-rights trial USA v. Colorado, is untenable, (2) beds of clast-supported gravel alternate in vertical succession with beds of fine-grained sediment (sand, mud, and peat) in response to centennial-scale changes in snowmelt-driven peak discharges, and (3) alluvial strata provide information about Holocene climate history that complements the history provided by cirque moraines, periglacial deposits, and paleontological data. Most alluvial strata are of late Holocene age and record, among other things, that: (1) the largest peak flows since the end of the Pleistocene occurred during the late Holocene; (2) the occurrence of a mid- to late Holocene interval (~ 2450–1630(?) cal yr BP) of warmer climate, which is not clearly identified in palynological records; and (3) the Little Ice Age climate seems to have had little impact on stream channels, except perhaps for minor (~ 1 m) incision.

Keywords

Front RangeColoradoAlpine alluvial stratigraphyHolocene climate changeFluvial geomorphologyCirque-glacier advances
Type
Articles
Information
Quaternary Research , Volume 78 , Issue 2 , September 2012 , pp. 197 - 208
Copyright
University of Washington

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Anderson, L. Holocene record of precipitation seasonality from lake calcite δ18O in the central Rocky Mountains, United States. Geology 39, (2011). 211–214.Google Scholar
Benavides-Solorio, J., de, D., (2003). Post-fire runoff and erosion at the plot and hillslope scale, Colorado Front Range. Ph.D. dissertation, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO., 218 pp.Google Scholar
Benavides-Solorio, J. de D., MacDonald, L.H., and Pietraszak, J. Measuring and predicting post-fire erosion rates at the hillslope scale, Colorado Front Range. Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs 34, no. 6 (2002). 179:13 Google Scholar
Benedict, J.B. Chronology of cirque glaciation, Colorado Front Range. Quaternary Research 3, (1973). 584–599.Google Scholar
Benedict, J.B. The Fourth of July Valley—glacial geology and archeology of the timberline ecotone. Ward, Colorado, Center for Mountain Archeology, Research Report No. 2. (1981). 139 pp.Google Scholar
Benedict, J.B. Arapaho Pass—glacial geology and archeology at the crest of the Colorado Front Range. Ward, Colorado, Center for Mountain Archeology, Research Report No. 3. (1985). 197 pp.Google Scholar
Benedict, J.B., Benedict, R.J., Lee, C.M., and Staley, D.M. Spruce trees from a melting ice patch: evidence for Holocene climatic change in the Colorado Rocky Mountains, USA. The Holocene 18, (2008). 1067–1076.Google Scholar
Braddock, W.A., Cole, J.C., (1990). Geologic map of Rocky Mountain National Park and vicinity, Colorado. U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Investigation Series Map I-1973, scale 1:50,000.Google Scholar
Caine, N. Streamflow patterns in the alpine environment of North Boulder Creek, Colorado Front Range. Zeitschrift für Geomorphologie N.F. Supplementband 104, (1996). 27–42.Google Scholar
Carrara, P.E. Deglaciation and postglacial treeline fluctuation in the northern San Juan Mountains, Colorado. U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper. (2011). 48 pp.Google Scholar
Carrara, P.E., Mode, W.N., Rubin, Meyer, and Robinson, S.W. Deglaciation and postglacial timberline in the San Juan Mountains, Colorado. Quaternary Research 21, (1984). 42–55.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Carrara, P.E., Trimble, D.A., and Rubin, Meyer Holocene treeline fluctuations in the northern San Juan Mountains, Colorado, USA, as indicated by radiocarbon-dated conifer wood. Arctic and Alpine Research 23, (1991). 233–246.Google Scholar
Clow, D.W. Changes in the timing of snowmelt and streamflow in Colorado: a response to recent warming. Journal of Climate 23, (2010). 2293–2306.Google Scholar
Cole, J.C., Braddock, W.A., (2009). Geologic map of the Estes Park 30′ × 60′ quadrangle, north-central Colorado. U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Map 3039, scale 1:100,000.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Das, T., and eight others, (2009). Structure and detectability of trends in hydrological measures over the western United States. Journal of Hydrometeorology 10, 871–892.Google Scholar
Davis, P.T. Holocene glacier fluctuations in the American Cordillera. Quaternary Science Reviews 7, (1988). 129–157.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Davis, P.T., and Osborn, G. Age of pre-Neoglacial cirque moraines in the central North American Cordillera. Geographie Physique et Quaternaire XLI (1987). 365–375.Google Scholar
Davis, P.T., Birkeland, P.W., Caine, N., and Rodbell, D.T. New radiocarbon ages from cirques in Colorado Front Range. Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs 24, 6 (1992). A347 Google Scholar
Dethier, D.P. Late Holocene charcoal-rich alluvium and Holocene fan/latest Pleistocene alluvium. Easterbrook, D.J. Quaternary Geology of the United States, INQUA 2003 Field Guide Volume. (2003). Desert Research Institute, Reno NV. 89–90.Google Scholar
Elias, S.A. Paleoenvironmental interpretations of Holocene insect fossil assemblages from four high-altitude sites in the Front Range, Colorado. Arctic and Alpine Research 17, (1985). 31–48.Google Scholar
Elias, S.A., Short, S.K., and Clark, P.U. Paleoenvironmental interpretations of the late Holocene, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado, U.S.A. Revue de Paleobiologie 5, (1986). 127–142.Google Scholar
Eschman, D.F. Glaciation of the Michigan River basin, North Park, Colorado. Journal of Geology 63, (1955). 197–213.Google Scholar
Fall, P.L. Timberline fluctuations and late Quaternary paleoclimates in the Southern Rocky Mountains, Colorado. Geological Society of America Bulletin 109, (1997). 1306–1320.Google Scholar
Gable, D. J., Madole, R. F., (1976). Geologic map of the Ward quadrangle, Boulder County, Colorado. U.S. Geological Survey Geologic Quadrangle Map GQ-1277, scale 1:24,000.Google Scholar
Gordon, N. Summary of technical testimony in the Colorado Water Division 1 trial. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Streams Systems Technology Center General Technical Report RM-GTR-270. (1995). 140 pp.Google Scholar
Ives, R.L. Glacial geology of the Monarch Valley, Grand County, Colorado. Geological Society of America Bulletin 49, (1938). 1045–1046.Google Scholar
Jarrett, R.D. Paleohydrologic techniques used to define the spatial occurrence of floods. Geomorphology 3, (1990). 181–195.Google Scholar
Jarrett, R.D. Flood elevation limits in the Rocky Mountains. Kuo, C.Y. Engineering Hydrology—Proceedings of the Symposium Sponsored by the Hydraulics Division of the American Society of Civil Engineers, San Francisco, CA, July 25–30, 1993. (1993). American Society of Civil Engineers, New York. 180–185.Google Scholar
Jarrett, R.D., and Costa, J.E. Hydrology, geomorphology, and dam-break modeling of the July 15, 1982, Lawn Lake Dam and Cascade Lake Dam failures, Larimer County, Colorado. U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1369, (1986). 109 pp.Google Scholar
Knowles, N., Dettinger, M.D., and Cayan, D.R. Trends in snowfall versus rainfall in the western United States. Journal of Climate 19, (2006). 4545–4559.Google Scholar
Madole, R.F. Pinedale and Bull Lake glaciation in upper St. Vrain drainage basin, Boulder County, Colorado. Arctic and Alpine Research 1, (1969). 279–287.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Madole, R.F. Glacial geology of the Front Range, Colorado. Mahaney, W.C. Quaternary Stratigraphy of North America. (1976). Dowden, Hutchinson, and Ross, Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania. 297–318.Google Scholar
Madole, R.F. Lake Devlin and Pinedale glacial history, Front Range, Colorado. Quaternary Research 25, (1986). 43–54.Google Scholar
Madole, R.F., VanSistine, D. Paco, and Michael, J.A., (1998). Pleistocene glaciation in the upper Platte River drainage basin, Colorado. U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Investigation Series Map I-2644: scale 1: 310,000.Google Scholar
McCain, J.F., Hoxit, L.R., Maddox, R.A., and Chappell, C.F. Meteorology and hydrology in Big Thompson River and Cache la Poudre River basins. U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1115, Pt. A. (1979). 1–85.Google Scholar
Menounos, B., and Reasoner, M.A. Evidence for cirque glaciation in the Colorado Front Range during the Younger Dryas chronozone. Quaternary Research 48, (1997). 38–47.Google Scholar
Moody, J.A., and Martin, D.A. Initial hydrologic and geomorphic response following a wildfire in the Colorado Front Range. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms 26, (2001). 1049–1070.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Moody, J.A., Martin, D.A., Haire, S.L., and Kinner, D.A. Linking runoff response to burn severity after a wildfire. Hydrologic Processes 22, (2008). 2063–2074.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Moore, J.N., Harper, J.T., and Greenwood, M.C. Significance of trends toward earlier snowmelt runoff, Columbia and Missouri Basin headwaters, western United States. Geophysical Research Letters 34, (2007). L16402 http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2007GL031022 Google Scholar
Mote, P.W. Climate-driven variability and trends in mountain snowpack in western North America. Journal of Climate 19, (2006). 6209–6220.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pederson, G.T., Fagre, D.B., Gray, S.T., and Graumlich, L.J. Decadal-scale climate drivers for glacial dynamics in Glacier National Park, Montana, USA. Geophysical Research Letters 31, (2004). L12203 http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2004GL019770 Google Scholar
Pederson, G.T., Gray, S.T., Ault, T., Marsh, W., Fagre, D.B., Bunn, A.G., Woodhouse, C.A., and Graumlich, L.J. Climatic controls on the snowmelt hydrology of the Northern Rocky Mountains. Journal of Climate 24, (2011). 1666–1687.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pederson, G.T., Gray, S.T., Woodhouse, C.A., Betancourt, J.L., Fagre, D.B., Littell, J.S., Watson, E., Luckman, B.H., and Graumlich, L.J. The unusual nature of recent snowpack declines in the North American Cordillera. Science 333, (2011). 332–335.Google Scholar
Petersen, K.L., Mehringer, P.J. Jr. Postglacial timberline fluctuations, La Plata Mountains, southwestern Colorado. Arctic and Alpine Research 8, (1976). 275–288.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Peterson, D.H., Stewart, I., and Murphy, F. Principal hydrologic responses to climatic and geologic variability in the Sierra Nevada, California. San Francisco Estuary and Watershed Science 6, (2008). 1–21.Google Scholar
Reasoner, M.A., and Jodry, M.A. Rapid response of alpine timberline vegetation to the Younger Dryas climate oscillation in the Colorado Rocky Mountains, USA. Geology 28, (2000). 51–54.Google Scholar
Regonda, S.K., Rajagopalan, B., Clark, M., and Pitlick, J. Seasonal cycle shifts in hydroclimatology over the western United States. Journal of Climate 18, (2005). 372–384.Google Scholar
Rood, S.B., Samuelson, G.M., Weber, J.K., and Wywrot, K.A. Twentieth-century decline in streamflows from the hydrographic apex of North America. Journal of Hydrology 306, (2005). 215–233.Google Scholar
Schildgen, T., Dethier, D.P., Bierman, P., and Caffee, M. 26Al and 10Be dating of late Pleistocene and Holocene fill terraces: a record of fluvial deposition and incision, Colorado Front Range. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms 27, (2002). 773–787.Google Scholar
Schumm, S.A. The Fluvial System. (1977). John Wiley & Sons, New York. 338 pp.Google Scholar
Shafer, D.S., (1989). The timing of late Quaternary monsoon precipitation maxima in the southwest United States. [Ph.D. dissertation]. Tucson, University of Arizona, 234 pp.Google Scholar
Short, S.K. Holocene dynamics of the subalpine forest in central Colorado: American Association of Stratigraphic Palynologists. Jacobs, B.F., Fall, P.L., and Davis, O.K. Late Quaternary Vegetation and Climates of the American Southwest. American Association of Stratigraphic Palynologists Foundation Contribution Series No. 16 (1985). 7–29.Google Scholar
Simons, Li Associates Technical Report for National Forest Streams Prepared for Colorado Department of Law. (1989). Li & Associates, Inc., Fort Collins, Colorado, Simons. 438 pp.Google Scholar