0.83 MILE

1.24 MILES

5.2 MILES

Wasatch Formation

Wasatch Formation

Anvil Points Member

Anvil Points Member

Anvil Points Member

0 20 40 60 80 100

1,500

2,000

2,500

3,500

0 20 40 60 80 100

3,500

3,400

600

700

800

900

1,000

1,100

1,200

1,400

1,600

1,700

1,800

1,900

500

1,500

1,600

1,700

1,800

1,900

2,000

500

600

700

800

900

1,000

1,100

1,200

1,300

1,400

1,500

1,600

1,700

1,800

1,900

2,000

2,100

2,200

2,300

2,400

2,500

500

600

700

800

900

500

C0499

0 20 40 60 80

C0499

500

0

Marlstone at Mare Canyon 

of Green River Formation 

Marlstone at Trail Canyon 

of Green River Formation 

Marlstone at Greasewood Creek

of Green River Formation 

A-Groove

Tg3

Tg4

Tu4

Tu5

Tu3

No sample description,

nahcolite interval from

water content

Garden Gulch

Member

C0529

Exxon Co.

Yellow Creek 3

1,850’ FEL, 1,450’ FSL

sec. 24, T. 1 N., R. 98 W.

GL 6,040’

C0196

Superior Oil Co.

Core hole 10

355’ FWL, 1,735’ FNL

sec. 6, T. 1 N., R. 97 W.

GL 6,072’

C0121

Superior Oil Co.

Core hole 19

1,725’ FEL, 1,836’ FNL

sec. 7, T. 1 N., R. 97 W.

GL 6,200

C0191

Superior Oil Co.

Core hole 07/07–A

1,913’ FWL, 472’ FSL

sec. 8, T. 1 N., R. 97 W.

KB 6,387’

C0212

Superior Oil Co.

Core hole 15

250’ FWL, 150’ FSL

sec. 7, T. 1 N., R. 97 W.

GL 6,309’

C0034

U.S. Bureau of Mines/AEC

Colorado 1

1,284’ FEL, 2,331’ FSL

sec. 13, T. 1 N., R. 98 W.

GL 6,003’

Total depth 2,000 feet

Total depth 2,431 feet

Total depth 2,295 feet

900

1,100

1,000

1,200

1,300

1,400

1,500

1,600

1,700

1,800

1,900

2,000

2,100

2,300

2,400

2,500

2,600

2,700

2,800

2,900

3,200

3,300

3,400

900

1,000

1,300

1,500

1,600

1,900

2,000

900

1,100

1,300

1,400

1,600

1,700

1,800

1,900

2,400

1,100

1,300

1,500

1,600

1,700

1,800

1,900

2,000

2,100

2,200

2,300

2,400

2,500

1,500

1,700

1,800

1,900

2,000

2,200

2,300

2,400

800

1,100

1,000

1,200

1,300

1,400

1,500

1,700

1,800

2,000

2,100

2,300

2,500

2,600

600

800

900

1,100

1,300

1,400

1,500

1,600

1,700

1,800

1,900

2,000

2,300

2,400

2,500

2,600

2,700

1.35 MILES

1.14 MILES

2.38 MILES

1.66 MILES

3.57 MILES

2.38 MILES

3.52 MILES

4.19 MILES

3.42 MILES

4.19 MILES

3.83 MILES

0.62 MILE

C0006

Sinclair Oil and Gas Co.

Federal strat 1 & 1–B

643’ FWL, 820’ FSL

sec. 6, T. 1 S., R. 97 W.

GL 6,247’ C0008

Sinclair Oil and Gas Co.

Skyline 1

1,980’ FEL, 660’ FNL

sec. 26, T. 1 S., R. 98 W.

GL 6,608’ 

1,000

1,200

1,300

1,400

1,500

1,600

1,700

1,800

1,900

2,000

2,100

2,200

2,300

2,600

1,200

1,300

1,500

1,700

1,900

2,000

2,100

2,200

2,300

2,400

2,500

2,600

2,800

3,100

3,200

3,300

900

1,100

1,000

1,200

1,300

1,400

1,500

1,600

1,700

1,800

2,000

2,100

2,200

2,300

2,600

2,800

2,900

R–0

C0179

Shell Oil Co.

23X–2

1,580’ FWL, 2,325’ FSL

sec. 2, T. 2 S., R. 98 W.

GL 6,520’ C0116

Equity Oil Co.

Boies Corehole 1

1,170’ FWL. 930’ FSL

sec. 19, T. 2 S., R. 97 W.

KB 6,294’

C0158

Shell Oil Co.

Greeno 1–4

515’ FEL, 625’ FNL

sec. 4, T. 3 S., R. 97 W.

GL 6,417

C0306

Carter Oil Co.

Upper Willow 2 & 2A

1,900’ FEL. 700’ FNL

sec. 27, T. 3 S., R. 97 W.

GL 6,690’

C0204

Tosco Corp.

TG–71–4

125’ FWL,2,200’ FSL

sec. 6, T. 4 S., R. 96 W.

GL 7,089

C0434

Union Oil Co.

Mary Ann 32/32B

390’ FNL, 2,450’ FEL

sec. 22, T. 4 S., R. 96 W.

GL 7,486’

C0230

Colony Development Co.

01–2

1,800’ FWL, 1,150’ FNL

sec. 1, T. 5 S., R. 96 W.

GL 7,626’

R–0

100

200

0

300

400

600

500

900

1,100

1,000

1,200

1,300

1,400

1,600

1,900

2,000

600

700

800

900

1,100

1,000

1,200

1,300

1,600

1,700

1,900

2,100

2,200

2,400

2,500

2,700

300

600

500

0

100

200

800

1,000

1,300

1,400

1,500

1,700

1,800

1,900

2,000

2,100

700

800

1,000

1,300

1,400

1,500

1,600

1,700

1,800

1,900

2,000

2,100

2,300

200

300

400

0

100

600

500

700

800

900

1,100

1,000

1,200

1,300

1,900

2,000

2,100

2,300

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

900

1,000

1,100

1,200

1,500

1,600

1,700

1,800

1,900

2,000

20 40 60 80

0

100

200

20 40 60 80

Oil yield, in

gallons per ton

Oil yield, in

gallons per ton

Oil yield, in

gallons per ton

0

100

200

300

600

700

200 40 60 80 100

100

0

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

900

0 20 40 60 80 100

Oil yield, in

gallons per ton

Oil yield, in

gallons per ton

Oil yield, in

gallons per ton

20 40 60 80

500

400

300

200

100

0

600

800

900

1,000

200

200

0

300

400

500

600

700

800

200

300

400

500

600

700

400

300

200

0

+100

+200

400

200

100

0

500

600

700

0

100

300

200

500

600

700

800

1,000

1,100

0

100

200

300

400

700

0

100

200

300

400

500

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

0

100

200

300

400

0

200

100

300

400

500

600

700

800

900

1,000

1,100

1,200

1,300

1,400

0

100

200

300

400

0

100

200

300

400

1,100

1,000

1,200

1,300

1,400

1,600

1,500

1,700

1,800

1,900

+100

+300

+200

+100

0

100

+400

+300

+200

+100

+500

+600

Yellow Creek measured section

Secs. 10, 15, 16, 17, T. 2 N., R. 98 W.

R-0 oil shale zone

L-0 oil shale zone

R-1 oil shale zone

L-1 oil shale zone

R-2 oil shale zone

L-2 oil shale zone

R-3 oil shale zone

L-3 oil shale zone

R-4 oil shale zone

L-4 oil shale zone

R-5 oil shale zone

L-5 oil shale zone

R-6 oil shale zone

B-groove

A-groove

Mahogany oil shale zone

R-0 oil shale zone

L-0 oil shale zone

R-1 oil shale zone

L-1 oil shale zone

R-2 oil shale zone

L-2 oil shale zone

R-3 oil shale zone

L-3 oil shale zone

R-4 oil shale zone

L-4 oil shale zone

R-5 oil shale zone

L-5 oil shale zone

R-6 oil shale zone

B-groove

A-groove

Mahogany oil shale zone

Parachute Creek

Member

Parachute Creek

Member

Yellow Creek Tongue of Green River Formation

Thirteenmile Creek Tongue

of Green River Formation

Top of bed 44 of Donnell (2008)

Stuart Gulch Tongue of Green River Formation

Marlstone at Barnes Ridge of Green River Formation

Coughs Creek Tongue of Green River Formation

Thirteenmile Creek Tongue of Green River Formation

Dry Fork Tongue

of Green River Formation

Yellow Creek Tongue of Green River Formation

Marlstone at Mare Canyon and Marlstone

at Trail Canyon of Green River Formation

 

Uinta Formation

Uinta Formation

Uinta Formation

Uinta Formation

Uinta Formation

Uinta Formation

Uinta Formation

Uinta Formation

Uinta Formation

Uinta Formation

Uinta Formation

Uinta Formation

Uinta Formation

Uinta Formation

Uinta Formation

Uinta Formation

Uinta Formation

Uinta Formation

Uinta Formation

Uinta Formation

Uinta Formation

Uinta Formation

Uinta Formation

Uinta Formation

Uinta Formation

Uinta Formation

Uinta Formation

3 percent sand beds

30 percent clay beds

Syneresis cracks

and mud volcanos

Siltstone beds are 

lenticular and rippled

Ripups to 6 inch

Even top and base,

very persistent

Even top and base,

persistent

SLH?

SLH/LLH

 LLH

 LLH/LLH

SLH?

Syneresis cracks

Syneresis cracks

Syneresis cracks

Syneresis cracks

Syneresis cracks

Syneresis cracks

Syneresis cracks

Syneresis cracks

Yellow weathering, even top & bottom

Coarsens up.

Sharp base

Sharp top and base

Clastic dikes

Clastic dikes

Clastic dikes

SLH

Sharp top and base

SLH/SLH, SLH/LLH

Minor contorting,rust weathering

Highly contorted, rust weathering

Rust weathering

Rust weathering

Rust weathering

Rust weathering

Minor contourting, rust weathering

Interbedded Sandstone and silty marl

Mostly indistinct bedding,

dark minerals along some

laminae, rust weathering

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

33

32

?

34

10,500

10,400

10,300

10,200

10,100

10,700

10,600

FEET

10,000

9,900

9,800

9,700

9,600

9,500

9,400

9,300

9,200

9,100

9,000

8,900

8,800

8,700

8,600

8,500

8,400

8,300

8,200

8,100

8,000

7,900

7,800

7,700

7,600

7,500

7,400

7,300

7,200

7,100

7,000

6,900

6,800

6,700

6,600

6,500

6,400

6,300

6,200

6,100

6,000

5,900

5,800

5,700

5,600

5,500

5,400

5,300

5,200

5,100

5,000

4,900

4,800

4,700

4,600

4,000

3,900

3,800

3,700

3,600

4,500

4,400

4,300

4,200

4,100

3,500

3,400

3,300

3,200

3,100

3,000

2,900

2,800

2,700

2,600

2,500

2,400

10,500

10,400

10,300

10,200

10,100

10,700

10,600

FEET

10,000

9,900

9,800

9,700

9,600

9,500

9,400

9,300

9,200

9,100

9,000

8,900

8,800

8,700

8,600

8,500

8,400

8,300

8,200

8,100

8,000

7,900

7,800

7,700

7,600

7,500

7,400

7,300

7,200

7,100

7,000

6,900

6,800

6,700

6,600

6,500

6,400

6,300

6,200

6,100

6,000

5,900

5,800

5,700

5,600

5,500

5,400

5,300

5,200

5,100

5,000

4,900

4,800

4,700

4,600

4,000

3,900

3,800

3,700

3,600

4,500

4,400

4,300

4,200

4,100

3,500

3,400

3,300

3,200

3,100

3,000

2,900

2,800

2,700

2,600

2,500

2,400

Wasatch Formation

Green River Formation (part)

Green River Formation

(part)

Anvil Points Member Parachute Creek Member (part) Uinta Formation

(part)

Uinta Formation

(part)

Mahogany

Zone

A-groove

B-groove

R-6 zone

L-5 zone

R-5 zone

L-4 zone

R-4 zone

Wasatch Formation

Green River Formation

Anvil Points Member Garden Gulch Member Parachute Creek Member

Uinta Formation

(part)

Tongue of

Green River

Formation

Tongue of

Green River

Formation

Uinta Formation

(part) Uinta Formation (part)

Plate 2. Detailed north to south structural cross section across the Piceance Basin

Bioturbated, rust

weathering

Blinding white marl

Can’t see bedding, rust weathering White marl

White marl

Very lean, 2 feet thick

Can’t see bedding, rust weathering

Siltstone, marl, and Ss, syneresis cracks

Minor contourting, rust weathering

Rust weathering

Larg-scale southward directed slumping

Highly contorted, rust weathering

Calcareous ripups as large as 2 feet lower

6 feet of unit

Gradational contacts, syneresis cracks

100

0 20 40 60 80 100

Geokinetics Inc., 

Jacqueline 24

300 ft FEL, 1,100 ft FNL

 Sec 16, T2N, R98W

GL 5,780

Geokinetics Inc., Jacqueline 24,

Sec 16, T02N, R098W

5

5 percent dolomite beds

10 percent ostracod beds

5 percent non-laminated silt beds

Bioturbated

Bioturbated

Bioturbated

Gyp

Gyp

Gyp

Gyp

Gyp

Gyp

Gyp

30 percent ostracod beds

0 100

300

400

500

700

600

800

1,200

1,700

1,800

0 100

+200

1,000

400

500

800

1,000

1,200

2,300

1,400

1,200

700

1,100

1,200

1,300

1,400

1,600

2,900

3,000

Total depth 3,140 feet

Total depth 2,677 feet

Total depth 2,825 feet

Total depth 2,593 feet

0 100

0 20 40 60 80 100

Oil yield, in

gallons per ton

0 20 40 60 80 100

Oil yield, in

gallons per ton

0 20 40 60 80 100

Oil yield, in

gallons per ton

0 20 40 60 80 100

Oil yield, in

gallons per ton

0 20 40 60 80 100

Oil yield, in

gallons per ton

0 20 40 60 80 100

Oil yield, in

gallons per ton

0 20 40 60 80 100

Oil yield, in

gallons per ton

0 20 40 60 80 100

Oil yield, in

gallons per ton

0 20 40 60 80 100

Oil yield, in

gallons per ton

0 20 40 60 80 100

Oil yield, in

gallons per ton

0 20 40 60 80 100

Oil yield, in

gallons per ton

0 20 40 60 80 100

Oil yield, in

gallons per ton

20 40 60 80

Oil yield, in

gallons per ton

Oil yield, in

gallons per ton

0 20 40 60 80 100

3,000

3,100

900

2,700

Total depth 2,352 feet

2,500

C0157

Carter Oil Co.

Yellow Creek 1

1,124’ FEL, 175’ FNL

sec. 2, T. 1 S., R. 98 W.

GL 6,224’

100

1,000

1,200

2,200

300

800

900

1,100

2,400

2,500

2,700

Garden Gulch

Member

Total depth 3,385 feet

Total depth 2,699 feet

Total depth 2,011 feet

Total depth 2,710 feet

Total depth 2,245 feet

Total depth 2,050 feet

Total depth 2,036 feet

Total depth 1,684 feet

Total depth 1,920 feet

Total depth 1,555 feet

Total depth 1,600 feet

Total depth 826 feet

0 20 40 60 80 100

400

900

1,400

1,600

1,800

3,000

500

600

800

2,500

2,700

1,800

1,700

800

700

1,400

1,500

2,300

2,600

400

700

900

1,100

1,200

1,600

0 20 40 60 80 100

0 100

2,200

1,200

1,100

900

1,400

1,500

2,200

1,600

2,200

1,800

1,700

1,300

1,400

500

1,300

1,500

2,000

SOUTH

NORTH

16

C0183

Pure Oil Co.

Battlement Mesa core hole

600’ FWL, 2,200 FNL

sec. 36, T. 7 S., R. 94 W.

GL 9,740

3.57 MILES

4.86 MILES

2.38 MILES

6.12 MILES

1.55 MILES

10.76 MILES

2,100

2,000

1,400

1,500

1,100

2,100

2,500

2,600

2,700

2,800

2,200

2,200

2,400

2,200

1,900

1,600

2,100

2,900

2,700

2,400

1,900

1,500

2,000

1,800

+400

Sharp base, persistent

Sharp base, persistent

C0121 C0191

C0212

C0034

C0529

C0157 C0006

Core hole and identifier

Cross section

108° 30' 108°

0 12 18 MILES

0 6 12 18 KILOMETERS

6

0 1 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 MILES

0

2

EXPLANATION

COLORADO

40°

39° 30'

White River

White River

Meeker

Rangely

Rifle

Rio Blanco

DeBeque

Parachute

Colorado River

Creek

Creek

GARFIELD

GARFIELD

RIO BLANCO

MESA

Roan

Parachute

Creek

Piceance

C0230

C0077

C0360

C0098

Anvil Points

Section

C0183

C0183

INDEX MAP

R 103 W R 102 W R 101 W R 100 W R 99 W R 98 W R 97 W R 96 W R 95 W R 94 W R 93 W

T 8 S

T 7 S

T 6 S

T 5 S

T 4 S

T 3 S

T 2 S

T 1 S

T 1 N

T 2 N

C0179

C0116

C0158

C0306

C0204

C0434

Rich oil shale zones—Carbonate rich 

Variegated mudstone, sandstone, and siltstone 

EXPLANATION

Carbonate-rich mudstone with ostracodal,

oolitic, and stromatolitic limestone and 

minor sandstone and siltstone

Carbonate-rich mudstone with sandstone and 

siltstone and minor ostracodal, oolitic, and 

stromatolitic limestone

Oil yield—In gallons per ton

Volcaniclastic rocks 

Contact— Dashed where location approximate

Mostly lean oil shale with some volcaniclastic

material

Lithology

Fish bones or fish scales

Limestone

Pelcypod

Climbing ripples

Symmetrical ripples

Horizontal stratification

Irregular stratification

Contorted stratification

Claystone, clayshale

 or mudstone

Siltstone

Sandstone

Large-scale lateral

accretion

10

11

12

Mainly climbing ripples

Buff to white

Light gray/green

Medium gray/green

Maroon

Dark gray/green

Black

Purple

Pebbles and cobbles

Coarse sand

Medium sand

Fine sand

Very-fine sand

Silt

Clay

Covered

 Irregular

scour surface

 Pinches out

along outcrop Thins along outcrop

Partially covered

Unweathered color Lithology Grain-size range Internal characteristics

Measured section

Lithologies above Mahogany zone

Core hole identifier and location

Description of saline interval

Hundreds

of feet

Calcareous or dolomitic 

rock

Ostracodes

Gastropods

Rip-up clasts 

Oolites

Oncolites

Cross-stratification, 1 to 3 ft high

Cross-stratification, greater than 3 ft high

Indistinct laminae

Evidence for leaching of 

nahcolite and halite

Marlstone and oil shale

(Above Mahogany zone only)

Sandstone and siltstone

(Above Mahogany zone only)

Lean oil shale zones—Carbonate rich 

Saline minerals leached

Saline minerals leached boundary

Saline mineral interval

Core hole

Saline minerals present

VERTICAL EXAGGERATION ×45

Rich oil shale zones—Clay rich 

Lean oil shale zones—Clay rich 

Mahogany bed

Mahogany bed

Nahcolite

Halite

C0306

Carter Oil Co.

Upper Willow 2 & 2A

1,900’ FEL. 700’ FNL

sec. 27, T. 3 S., R. 97 W.

GL 6,690’

300

600

500

0

100

200

800

900

Oil yield, in

gallons per ton

0 20 40 60 80

Total depth in feet

400

700

Oil shale

Area underlain by the Mahogany bed

Boundary of area underlain by the

 Mahogany bed

139

139

64

13

13

64

C0008

C0196

Anvil Points

Section

B B ́

70

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 KILOMETERS

Thin beds of dolomite

Carbonaceous or woody

 material

NORTH

SOUTH

Development, Evolution, and Destruction of the Saline Mineral Area of Eocene Lake Uinta, Piceance Basin, Western Colorado

By

Ronald C. Johnson and Michael E. Brownfield

2015

Any use of trade, product, or firm names in this publication is for descriptive purposes only and does not

imply endorsement by the U.S. Government 

This map was printed on an electronic plotter directly from digital files. Dimensional calibration may vary

between electronic plotters and between X and Y directions on the same plotter, and paper may change

size due to atmospheric conditions; therefore, scale and proportions may not be true on plots of this map. 

For sale by U.S. Geological Survey, Information Services, Box 25286, Federal Center, Denver, CO 80225,

1–888–ASK–USGS 

Digital files available at http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/sir20135176/

Suggested citation: Johnson, R.C., and Brownfield, M.E., 2015, Development, evolution, and destruction

of the saline mineral area of Eocene Lake Uinta, Piceance Basin, western Colorado: U.S. Geological

Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2013–5176, 76 p., 2 pl., http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/sir20135176 

ISSN 2328-0328 (online)

http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/sir20135176

Vertical coordinate information is referenced to sea level

U.S. Department of the Interior

U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2013–5176

Plate 2 of 2

8

7

5

4

3

2

1

0

17

16

15

13

12

11

10

9

?

?

?

?

?

C0077

U.S. Navy/USBM

Core hole E (NOSR 1)

325 FWL,2,575 FNL

sec. 2, T. 5 S., R. 95 W.

GL 7,851’

C0360

U.S. Navy

Core hole 20 (NOSR 1)

61’ FWL, 1,251’ FSL

sec. 14, T. 5 S., R. 95 W.

GL 8,380’ 

C0098

U.S. Navy/USBM

Core hole C (NOSR 1)

90’ FWL, 2,040’ FNL

sec. 12, T. 6 S, R. 95 W.

GL 8,586

Anvil Points measured section

sec. 7, T. 6 S., R. 94W.

14

6