Moores Creek National Battlefield 

Geologic Resource Evaluation Report 

Natural Resource Report NPS/NRPC/GRD/NRR—2006/012 

National Park Service 

U.S. Department of the Interior 

Natural Resource Program Center 

Moores Creek National Battlefield 

Geologic Resource Evaluation Report 

Natural Resource Report NPS/NRPC/GRD/NRR—2006/012 

Geologic Resources Division 

Natural Resource Program Center 

P.O. Box 25287 

Denver, Colorado 80225 

July 2006 

U.S. Department of the Interior 

Washington, D.C.
The Natural Resource Publication series addresses natural resource topics that are of interest 

and applicability to a broad readership in the National Park Service and to others in the 

management of natural resources, including the scientific community, the public, and the NPS 

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natural resource management information with managerial application. The series targets a 

general, diverse audience, and may contain NPS policy considerations or address sensitive 

issues of management applicability. Examples of the diverse array of reports published in this 

series include vital signs monitoring plans; "how to" resource management papers; 

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Printed copies of reports in these series may be produced in a limited quantity and they are 

only available as long as the supply lasts. This report is also available from the Geologic 

Resource Evaluation Program website (http://www2.nature.nps.gov/geology/inventory/

gre_publications) on the internet, or by sending a request to the address on the back cover. 

Please cite this publication as: 

Thornberry-Ehrlich, T. 2006. Moores Creek National Battlefield Geologic Resource 

Evaluation Report. Natural Resource Report NPS/NRPC/GRD/NRR—2006/012. National 

Park Service, Denver, Colorado. 

NPS D-215, July 2006 
 MOCR Geologic Resource Evaluation Report iii

Table of Contents 

List of Figures .............................................................................................................. iv

Executive Summary ...................................................................................................... 1

Introduction ................................................................................................................... 2

Purpose of the Geologic Resource Evaluation Program ............................................................................................2

Geologic Setting .........................................................................................................................................................2

Geologic Issues............................................................................................................. 4

Introduction.................................................................................................................................................................4

Pine Savanna Wetlands .............................................................................................................................................4

Recreational Demands ...............................................................................................................................................4

Water Issues...............................................................................................................................................................5

Cultural Landscapes...................................................................................................................................................5

Erosion and Slope Processes.....................................................................................................................................6

General Geology ........................................................................................................................................................6

Geologic Features and Processes............................................................................. 10

Geology and the Battle of Moores Creek Bridge ......................................................................................................10

Atlantic Coastal Plain and the Cape Fear Arch.........................................................................................................10

Map Unit Properties .................................................................................................... 15

Geologic History.......................................................................................................... 19

Southern Appalachian Mountains.............................................................................................................................19

Post-Orogenic Geologic Events at Moores Creek National Battlefield .....................................................................20

Glossary....................................................................................................................... 24

References................................................................................................................... 26

Appendix A: Geologic Map Graphic .......................................................................... 29

Appendix B: Scoping Summary................................................................................. 31

Attachment 1: Geologic Resource Evaluation Products CD
 NPS Geologic Resources Division iv 

List of Figures 

Figure 1. Map showing wetland areas relative to major roads and streams ..................................................................7

Figure 2. Map showing wetlands areas and satellite land imagery ................................................................................8

Figure 3. Map of Moores Creek National Battlefield.......................................................................................................9

Figure 4. Map of British and Loyalist lines versus Patriot positions..............................................................................11

Figure 5. Photo showing a soldier re-enactment..........................................................................................................12

Figure 6. Diagram showing a cross section view of progressively younger terraces....................................................13

Figure 7. Generalized stratigraphic cross-section ........................................................................................................14

Figure 8. Geologic time scale.......................................................................................................................................22

Figure 9. Cross sectional views of the evolution of the Southern Appalachian Mountains...........................................23
 MOCR Geologic Resource Evaluation Report 1

Executive Summary 

This report has been developed to accompany the digital geologic map produced by Geologic 

Resource Evaluation staff for Moores Creek National Battlefield in North Carolina. It 

contains information relevant to resource management and scientific research. 

The battle at Moores Creek Bridge in eastern North 

Carolina was a pivotal victory for American Patriots over 

Highlander Loyalists during the Revolutionary War. It 

was a turning point in the southern campaign in 1776 and 

led to the Patriots declaration of independence. The 

battle was fought on the banks of Moores Creek and 

over a partially dismantled bridge. The geology and 

hydrology in the area influenced the outcome of the 

battle, favoring the men who knew the terrain, including 

the river crossing, wetlands, and topographic differences. 

The soldiers used this knowledge to their advantage by 

planning strategies to minimize losses and maximize 

opportunities. Geologic and hydrologic processes 

combined to create the rock formations, topography, 

wetlands, and streams of Moores Creek each of these 

environmental elements contributed to the history 

preserved there today. 

The site of the bridge over Moores Creek and the setting 

of the battle attract visitors in search of a historical 

touchstone and those in search of recreational 

opportunities. Knowledge of the geologic resources and 

associated issues is beneficial to resource management, 

future scientific research projects, and interpretive 

opportunities in the park. 

Moores Creek National Battlefield offers an opportunity 

for visitors to study the historic struggle by American 

patriots for independence from England. This history is 

reflected on the streambanks of Moores Creek, the 

marshlands around the creek and bridge, the monuments 

erected to commemorate individuals and events, and the 

land those men were fighting for hundreds of years ago. 

It is not surprising then that some of the principal 

geologic issues and concerns pertain to protecting these 

features. 

Humans have significantly modified the landscape 

surrounding Moores Creek National Battlefield by 

installing a ditch and tile system to drain the wetlands in 

the park. This hydrogeologic system is dynamic and 

capable of noticeable change within a human life span. 

Geological processes continue to change the landscape, 

making preservation and park upkeep a challenge. 

The following selected features, issues, and processes 

may warrant consideration during land- use planning, for 

park resource management, and to enhance visitor 

experiences in the park: 

• Pine Savanna Wetlands. The pine savanna wetland 

habitats just west of the visitor center in the Moores 

Creek National Battlefield once contained diverse and 

rare plant communities. These types of wetlands have 

been known to contain more than 40 species per 

square meter. However, the wetland in the National 

Battlefield was drained in the early 20th century 

converting the area to a meadow dominated by weeds 

and non- indigenous plant life. The park’s goal has 

been to restore the drained meadow back to the predisturbance pine savanna wetland system. Its 

restoration and preservation are key components to 

reestablish the cultural landscape and historical 

context of the battlefield. 

• Recreational Demands. Visitors come to Moores 

Creek National Battlefield to experience the history of 

the Revolutionary War, but also to enjoy the natural 

beauty of eastern North Carolina. Visitor facilities 

include two self- guided trails, a boardwalk, picnic 

area, visitor center, battle monuments, Caswell’s 

Camp, and a reconstructed bridge over Moores Creek. 

Increasing demands placed upon geologic and other 

resources in the park make their management of 

utmost concern. 

Along with a detailed geologic map and a road or trail 

log, a guidebook that ties Moores Creek National 

Battlefield to the other parks in the Southern 

Appalachian region would enhance a visitor’s 

appreciation of the geologic history and dynamic 

processes that shaped the landscape and impacted the 

outcome of the battle. 

• Erosion and Slope Processes. Geologic processes can 

affect the manmade structures and the cultural 

landscape, especially the reconstructed bridge over 

Moores Creek and the patriot earthworks on the east 

side of the bridge. Weathering and erosion are 

continually changing the landscape of the park. 

The relatively wet climate of the eastern U.S. 

combined with severe storms, and the marshy 

wetlands at Moores Creek, create a setting, which is 

especially susceptible to slumping, slope creep, and 

streambank erosion. This is often due to the relatively 

frequent occurrence of intense seasonal rainstorms, 

and substantial seasonal runoff combined with a lack 

of stabilizing vegetative cover. This runoff can 

dramatically alter the landscape, creating new hazard 

areas in the process, and undermining historic features 

in the park. 

Other geologic management concerns for Moores Creek 

National Battlefield include water issues, preserving the 

historic landscape, and general geological research. 

These issues as well as recommendations for inventories, 

monitoring, and research are described in this report. 
 NPS Geologic Resources Division 2 

Introduction 

The following section briefly describes the regional geologic setting and the National 

Park Service Geologic Resource Evaluation program. 

Purpose of the Geologic Resource Evaluation Program 

Geologic features and processes serve as the foundation 

of park ecosystems and an understanding of geologic 

resources yields important information for park decision 

making. The National Park Service (NPS) Natural 

Resource Challenge, an action plan to advance the 

management and protection of park resources, has 

focused efforts to inventory the natural resources of 

parks. Ultimately, the inventory and monitoring of 

natural resources will become integral parts of park 

planning, operations and maintenance, visitor 

protection, and interpretation. 

The Geologic Resource Evaluation (GRE) Program, 

which the NPS Geologic Resources Division administers, 

carries out the geologic component of the inventory. 

Staff associated with other programs within the Geologic 

Resources Division (e.g., the abandoned mine land, cave, 

coastal, disturbed lands restoration, minerals 

management, and paleontology programs) provide 

expertise to the GRE effort. The goal of the GRE 

Program is to provide each of the identified 270 “natural 

area” parks with a digital geologic map, a geologic 

resource evaluation report, and a geologic bibliography. 

Each product is a tool to support the stewardship of park 

resources and is designed to be user friendly to nongeoscientists. 

GRE teams hold scoping meetings at parks to review 

available data on the geology of a particular park and to 

discuss specific geologic issues affecting the park. Park 

staff are afforded the opportunity to meet with park 

geology experts during these meetings. Scoping meetings 

are usually held for individual parks although some 

address an entire Vital Signs Monitoring Network. 

Bedrock and surficial geologic maps and information 

provide the foundation for studies of groundwater, 

geomorphology, soils, and environmental hazards. 

Geologic maps describe the underlying physical 

framework of many natural systems and are an integral 

component of the physical inventories stipulated by the 

NPS in its Natural Resources Inventory and Monitoring 

Guideline (NPS- 75) and the 1997 NPS Strategic Plan. 

The NPS GRE is a cooperative implementation of a 

systematic, comprehensive inventory of the geologic 

resources in National Park System units by the Geologic 

Resources Division; the Inventory, Monitoring, and 

Evaluation Office of the Natural Resource Program 

Center; the U.S. Geological Survey; and state geological 

surveys. 

For additional information regarding the content of this 

report, please refer to the Geologic Resources Division 

of the National Park Service, located in Denver, 

Colorado. Up- to- date contact information is available 

on the GRE website 

(http://www2.nature.nps.gov/geology/inventory/). 

Geologic Setting 

Moores Creek National Battlefield is located in Pender 

County in eastern North Carolina. The national 

battlefield borders Moores Creek, a tributary of the 

Black River, which is part of the larger Cape Fear 

watershed and lies within the Atlantic Coastal Plain 

province. The national battlefield covering 88 acres was 

established in 1926 to preserve the setting of a pivotal and 

significant victory by American Patriots over mostly 

Scottish Highlander Loyalists during the Southern 

Campaign of the Revolutionary War. The battle of 

Moores Creek Bridge, fought on February 27, 1776, is 

considered a decisive event that lead to the signing of the 

Declaration of Independence in July 1776. The victory 

ended Royal Governor Josiah Martin’s hopes of 

regaining the colony for the British crown. North 

Carolina was the first colony to vote for independence 

on April 12, 1776. 

The battle was fought on the Moores Creek bridge and in 

the surrounding area. The bridge was partially 

dismantled by the time approximately 1,600 Loyalists 

charged across it into nearly 1,000 North Carolina 

Patriots with cannons and muskets. "King George and 

Broadswords!" was their cry. Expecting to find an 

inadequate foe, the Loyalists were stunned to find 

themselves outgunned, leaderless, and in confusing 

retreat. The Patriots were able to seize wagons, weapons, 

and British sterling worth more than $1 million (presentday value). 

Remnants of the battle are on display at the park today. 

These include the road used by Patriot and Loyalist 

forces in 1776, the historic bridge site over Moores Creek, 

reconstructed patriot earthworks, various early 

monuments, and Caswell’s campsite. A 1.6 km (1 mile) 

trail with wayside exhibits leads through the battlefield 

and across Moores Creek. Another trail, the 1⁄2 km (1/3 

mile) Tar Heel trail, explains the naval stores industry 

and is located just east of Moores Creek Drive. 

Moores Creek National Battlefield was established on 

June 2, 1926 as a National Military Park. It was first under 

the jurisdiction of the War Department and transferred 

to the National Park Service in 1933. The park was 

officially renamed Moores Creek National Battlefield on 

September 8, 1980. Commemorative and preservation 

efforts at the park have been in progress since the mid 

1800’s. The first memorial celebration was held February 

27, 1856. In 2003, the park attracted 70,738 visitors. 
 MOCR Geologic Resource Evaluation Report 3

The following is a general description of the different 

physiographic provinces of the Appalachian Mountains. 

This information is relevant to understanding the 

geologic history of Moores Creek National Battlefield. 

Atlantic Coastal Plain Physiographic Province 

The easternmost province, the Atlantic Coastal Plain 

province, is primarily flat terrain with elevations ranging 

from sea level to about 60 m (197 ft). The present Atlantic 

coastline defines the province’s eastern limit and the 

western edge is the intersection of the sedimentary layers 

with the metamorphic rocks of the Piedmont 

physiographic province, described below. Sediments 

eroding from the Appalachian Highlands to the west 

formed the province. 

These sediments were intermittently deposited in a 

wedge- shaped sequence of sediments during periods of 

higher sea level over the past 100 million years. These 

deposits were then reworked by fluctuating sea levels 

and the continual erosive action of waves along the 

coastline. Moores Creek National Battlefield lies within 

this province and is composed of thick deposits of 

unconsolidated to partially cemented sands, silts and 

clays. shed from nearby Appalachian highlands. 

Piedmont Physiographic Province 

The “Fall Line” or “Fall Zone” marks a transitional zone 

where the less consolidated sedimentary rock of the 

Coastal Plain to the east, intersects the more resilient 

metamorphic rock to the west, forming an area of ridges, 

waterfalls, and rapids. This zone covers over 27 km (17 

miles) of many of the major rivers flowing to the Atlantic 

Ocean. 

Historically this area was an obstacle to upriver 

transportation. Westward of the Fall Line, stretching 

toward the Blue Ridge Mountains, is the Piedmont 

physiographic province (Harris et al. 1997). In the vicinity 

of North Carolina, the Piedmont is subdivided into 

several parallel belts. The Brevard Fault Zone separates 

the Inner Piedmont (Acadian metamorphic core of the 

Southern Appalachians) from the Blue Ridge. The 

eastward- sloping Piedmont Plateau was formed through 

a combination of folding, faulting, uplift, and erosion. 

These processes resulted in a landscape of gently rolling 

hills starting at 60 m (197 ft) that become gradually 

steeper westwards towards the edge of the province at 

approximately 300 m (984 ft) above sea level. 

Blue Ridge Physiographic Province 

Further westward, the Blue Ridge province forms the 

eastern edge of the Appalachian Mountains. The highest 

elevations in the Appalachian Mountains are in the Great 

Smoky Mountains National Park. Precambrian and 

Paleozoic igneous and metamorphic rocks were uplifted 

during several orogenic events to form the steep terrain. 

of the Blue Ridge province. Resistant Cambrian 

quartzites form Blue Ridge, whereas Precambrian 

metamorphic rocks underlie the valleys (Nickelsen 1956). 

Valley and Ridge Physiographic Province 

Located west of the Blue Ridge province, the landscape 

of the Valley and Ridge physiographic province is 

characterized by long, parallel ridges separated by 

valleys. Resistant sandstone ridges bordering more easily 

erodable shale and carbonate formations characterize 

this province. Areas dominated by carbonate formations 

exhibit karst topography. Karst is a term used to describe 

a process whereby the underlying bedrock, composed of 

limestone or dolomite is partially dissolved by surfaceor groundwater, creating a distinctive landscape 

characterized by sinkholes, caves and caverns. 
 NPS Geologic Resources Division 4 

Geologic Issues 

A Geologic Resource Evaluation scoping session was held for Moores Creek National 

Battlefield on April 6, 2000, to discuss geologic resources, to address the status of geologic 

mapping, and to assess resource management issues and needs. The following section 

synthesizes the scoping results, in particular, those issues that may require attention 

from resource managers. 

Introduction 

Issues in this section are identified in relative order of 

resource management significance with the most critical 

listed first. Potential research projects and topics of 

scientific interest are presented at the end of this section. 

Pine Savanna Wetlands 

Moores Creek National Battlefield lies in a lowland 

marshy area on the coastal plain of eastern North 

Carolina (figures 1 and 2). The area just west of the visitor 

center was once a floristically diverse and rare plant 

community called a pine savanna wetland. Pine savannas 

can include more than 40 vegetative species per square 

meter. A pine savanna wetland was present west of the 

present- day visitor’s center in 1776 but was artificially 

drained for agriculture and other uses in the early 20th

century and reverted to a meadow dominated by weeds 

and non- indigenous plant life. Portions of this meadow 

still contain relic populations of pitcher plants 

(Sarracenia spp.), and Carolina bog mint (Macbridea 

caroliniana) among other pine savanna species (Wagner 

2001). 

The National Park Service Water Resources Division, the 

North Carolina Heritage Program, the U.S. 

Environmental Protection Agency (Region IV) and The 

Nature Conservancy have been working with Moores 

Creek National Battlefield park staff to restore 

approximately 3.3 acres of the drained meadow to the 

historic pine savanna wetland system. Restoration and 

preservation are key components to reestablish the 

landscape and historical context of the battlefield. 

In 1996, the Water Resources Division installed 

hydrologic monitoring wells to measure fluctuations in 

the water table during existing (disturbed) and future 

(restored) conditions. In 1998, a 200- foot segment of the 

drainage ditch was plugged to raise water levels to 

historic, pre- drainage conditions. After installation of 

the plug, the water level fluctuated in a similar range as in 

nearby undisturbed pine savanna wetlands (Wagner 

2001; Woods and Wagner 2001). This project has 

reconnected the hydrologic systems between the 

hillslope behind the visitor center and the lower 

meadow. The wetland hydrologic regime has been 

restored and revegetation of the native grasses is nearly 

complete. 

Once the restoration is completed the park will need to 

perform prescribed burns every 3 to 5 years to maintain 

the wetland as a savanna rather than a forested area 

(personal communication Joel Wagner, NPS WRD, 

3/15/06). 

Inventory, Monitoring, and/or Research Needs for Pine 

Savanna Wetlands 

• Investigate whether there are changes in the 

hydrologic regime in other areas of the park. 

• Pursue further restoration activities such as 

reintroducing native species and planning and 

initiating prescribed burns. 

• Complete backfilling the ditch in the pine savanna 

wetland west of the visitors center. Determine, based 

on nearby soil and substrate, the appropriate material 

to use for restoring the landscape, and for permanently 

plugging the man- made drainage. 

Recreational Demands 

The National Park Service protects park resources and 

provides opportunities for visitors to enjoy those 

resources. Moores Creek National Battlefield provides 

numerous recreational opportunities such as hiking, 

fishing, bicycling, picnicking, and photography. 

Park visitation peaks during the summer months. Park 

visitors are placing increasing demands on the park’s 

natural resources. Management concerns range from 

trail erosion to preservation and maintenance of the 

cultural landscape and monuments. 

Two trails in the park wind through preserved biological, 

historical, and geological environments. Many of these 

areas are especially fragile and off- trail hiking could 

degrade their natural resources. Several streams enhance 

the natural beauty of the park and provide numerous 

fishing opportunities. Overuse of these areas may lead to 

contamination and increased stream- edge erosion. 

Inventory, Monitoring, and/or Research Needs for 

Recreational Demands 

• Develop resource management plans that include 

inventorying and monitoring to identify human 

impacts to springs, wetlands and marsh flora within 

the park. 

• Design wayside exhibits to educate park visitors and to 

encourage responsible use of park resources. 

• Monitor water quality in streams and wells for possible 

contamination. 
 MOCR Geologic Resource Evaluation Report 5

Water Issues 

In the moist climate of eastern North Carolina, water 

seems present everywhere from runoff, and in streams, 

wetland areas, springs and groundwater. Annual 

precipitation at Moores Creek averages 145 cm (57 

inches) per year with most of the rain occurring during 

summer storms. The unconsolidated sand, silt and clay 

deposits of the Atlantic Costal Plain filter contaminants 

and act as a groundwater reservoir for the water 

resources in the park. 

The biggest threat to surface and ground water resources 

in the park is from existing and future developments in 

the vicinity of the park. The streams and wetlands could 

be contaminated by surface runoff. The water table at 

Moores Creek is typically a meter or so below the 

surface. This shallow depth to groundwater makes the 

groundwater very susceptible to contamination from 

surface sources. 

Increased sediment loads, created by periodic floods, 

tropical storms, and hurricanes may degrade water 

quality and harm the aquatic ecosystems in the park. 

Environments that are already stressed may deteriorate 

further from the contamination and increased sediment 

loads. 

Where fertilizers and pesticides are used for agricultural 

purposes nitrogen levels in the water could become 

elevated. Knowledge of the chemicals used in regional 

agriculture and an understanding of the hydrogeologic 

system, including groundwater flow patterns, are 

essential to protect the park’s ecosystem. Surface runoff 

from roadways often has high levels of petroleum 

products and other contaminants, which could harm 

park waterways and wetlands by seeping into the soil and 

groundwater system. Other sources of contaminants 

include wind, surface runoff, groundwater transport, 

sewage outfalls, landfills, and fill dirt. 

The streams that flow through the park collect runoff 

from the upstream areas of the Cape Fear watershed and 

provide a measure of the status of the watershed’s 

hydrologic system. The park needs to monitor its water 

quality to assess the impacts that may be occurring from 

upstream sources. In addition, identifying potential 

contaminant sources in and near the park could help the 

park minimize contamination to downstream areas. 

Development surrounding Moores Creek affects the 

watershed in a variety of ways that are not related to 

water contamination. The hydrogeologic system changes 

in response to increased surface runoff where 

undeveloped natural areas are covered with impervious 

surfaces such as parking lots, roads and buildings. 

Surface runoff from a parking lot on a hot summer day is 

at a much higher temperature than from a grassy slope. 

In addition sedimentation increases as a result of land 

clearing activities. 

Inventory, Monitoring, and/or Research Needs for Water 

Issues 

• Establish working relationships with the U.S. 

Geological Survey, the North Carolina Geological 

Survey, and nearby universities to study and monitor 

the park’s watershed. Hydrogeology, slope creep, 

streambank erosion, and other geologic hazards are 

topics that could be studied. 

• Determine sources of runoff of pollutants and 

sediments. Monitor ground and surface water quality 

and determine their impacts on the historic 

battleground areas (for preservation purposes) and on 

downstream areas. 

• Map and quantify groundwater recharge zones. 

• Work with the NPS Air Resources Division and EPA to 

determine atmospheric inputs such as nitrogen and 

mercury and their effects on park resources. 

Cultural Landscapes 

One of the overall goals of the Moores Creek National 

Battlefield is to maintain the historical context of the area 

that includes the battleground and settlement by Native 

Americans and early settlers. Maintaining these cultural 

landscapes is put under constant pressure by natural 

processes such as erosion, weathering, urbanization, and 

increased park visitation. Issues may arise between 

conflicting priorities in managing cultural and natural 

resources in the park. 

The park includes historic features from the battle and 

later preservation efforts including the reconstructed 

bridge, Caswell's campsite, as well as monuments erected 

to commemorate figures and events related to the battle 

(figure 3). These historic features require protection 

from geologic processes, regional development, and 

from impacts related to park visitation. 

The geology of Moores Creek National Battlefield is also 

part of its history. At the time of the battle, the creek and 

its surrounding wetlands with bottomland hardwood 

forest and pine savanna wetlands dominated the 

landscape. Drainage with a ditch and tile system and 

mowing converted the site to a partially drained wet 

meadow dominated by weeds and other invasive species 

for much of the last century. A restoration project by 

Moores Creek in cooperation with the Water Resources 

Division of the NPS has begun to return the landscape to 

its historic condition by reestablishing the natural 

hydrologic system. 

Inventory, Monitoring, and/or Research Needs for Cultural 

Landscapes 

• Map development and changing land uses in the 

vicinity of the park, including construction, 

deforestation, and other land cover changes. 

• Assess the environmental impacts of proposed 

construction near park boundaries via photo points or 

aerial photography. 
 NPS Geologic Resources Division 6 

• Monitor human impacts at the picnic area, along 

designated and social trails, fishing sites, and other 

recreational areas within the park. 

• Use sediment coring, tree ring studies, soils data, and 

other historical information to develop chronologies 

of past floods and their impacts, and then document 

future frequency and potential extent of flood impacts, 

including changes to the morphology of the 

streambank, riparian areas and the position and nature 

of the substrate, and ecosystem recovery. Where 

possible, data should also be collected during storm 

and flood events to monitor their immediate effects. 

Erosion and Slope Processes 

Geologic hazards are a concern at the park where slope 

creep and streambank erosion can affect park visitors 

and damage or destroy roads, trails, and historic features. 

Many of the river valleys within and around the park 

have high slopes. This makes them susceptible to rock 

falls, landslides, slumps, and slope creep. An elevated 

concern exists for the weaker rock units such as the 

unconsolidated sands, silts and clays underlying the park. 

Unconsolidated alluvium is especially vulnerable to 

failure when exposed. Heavy rainstorms, common in the 

eastern U.S., can quickly saturate valley slopes. On slopes 

that lack stabilizing vegetation, rock and soil may 

mobilize and move downhill resulting in slumps or 

debris flows. 

Inventory, Monitoring, and Research Needs for Erosion and 

Slope Processes 

• Use shallow (10- inch) and deeper core data to monitor 

rates of sediment accumulation and erosion in the 

park’s streams and springs, and analyze changes in 

chemical constituents of the sediments. 

• Monitor hazards to staff and visitors from unstable 

slopes and streambanks. 

• Monitor erosion rates by establishing sites for repeat 

profile measurements to document rates of erosion or 

deposition, and if possible, remeasure these sites 

shortly after major storm events. Repeat photography 

may be a useful tool. 

• Perform a comprehensive study of the 

erosion/weathering processes active at the park, taking 

into account the different sediment deposit 

compositions versus slope aspects, location and 

likelihood of instability. 

• Inventory areas susceptible to flooding and develop 

management actions in these areas to protect park 

infrastructure, and park resources, including the 

cultural landscape. 

• Inventory the condition of park trails and determine 

which trails are in need of rehabilitation. Close and 

revegetate social trails that are harming park resources. 

General Geology 

Inventory, Monitoring, and Research Needs for General 

Geology 

• Work with the NPS Geologic Resources Division to 

have the digital soils map for Pender County, North 

Carolina completed by the Natural Resource 

Conservation Service (NRCS). 

• Collaborate with the U.S. Geological Survey, North 

Carolina Geological Survey, and nearby universities to 

conduct and integrate geological studies of the rivers 

draining the Piedmont throughout the Atlantic Coastal 

Plain. These studies would improve an understanding 

of Cenozoic tectonics along the Atlantic coast. 

• Perform detailed geologic mapping within the park to 

determine if the boundary between the Socastee and 

Wando Formations (described below) is 

distinguishable in the sediments. 

• Develop interpretive exhibit(s) describing sedimentary 

deposits underlying the park, their origins, and their 

significance to the physiography of the area, especially 

concerning the battle fought there in 1776. 
 MOCR Geologic Resource Evaluation Report 7

Figure 1. Map showing wetland areas relative to major roads and streams in the Moores Creek National Battlefield area. Graphic 

courtesy of: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Wetlands Mapper: http://www.nwi.fws.gov/mapper_tool.htm 

Moores 

Creek 

National 

Battlefield 

Currie

Wetland 

Areas 

along 

Moores 

Creek 
 NPS Geologic Resources Division 8 

Figure 2. Map showing wetlands areas and satellite land imagery of Moores Creek National Battlefield. Note open areas within the park 

and the broad wetland areas (in green) straddling the streams. Graphic adapted from: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Wetlands Mapper: 

http://www.nwi.fws.gov/mapper_tool.htm 

Moores Creek 

National Battlefield 

Moores Creek 

Wetland Areas 

HWY 210 
 MOCR Geologic Resource Evaluation Report 9

Figure 3. Map of Moores Creek National Battlefield with rough extent of wetlands areas, monuments, and historic features noted as 

well as the location of Moores Creek. Index map of North Carolina with location of Moores Creek National Battlefield included. 
 NPS Geologic Resources Division 10 

Geologic Features and Processes 

This section provides descriptions of the most prominent and distinctive geologic features 

and processes in Moores Creek National Battlefield. 

Geology and the Battle of Moores Creek Bridge 

In 1776, Widow Moore’s Creek (named after an early 

settler) was a meandering stream through a marshy 

wetland. The interplay of the climate, hydrology, and 

geology of the area created the historic setting. A bridge, 

necessary for crossing the boggy wetlands and the stream 

was a focal point of troop and supply movement for the 

Loyalist and Patriot forces in 1776. 

The Patriots got to the bridge first and the Loyalists 

rushed to meet them. Colonel Richard Caswell of the 

militia and Colonel James Moore of the First North 

Carolina Continentals were attempting to thwart a 

meeting and joining of forces between 1,600 Scottish 

Highlanders and British troops waiting off the coast of 

North Carolina (figure 4). Caswell, Moore, and a force of 

150 Wilmington militiamen under Colonel Alexander 

Lillington dug earthworks on either side of Moores 

Creek. 

Just before dawn on February 27, 1776, Loyalists 

completed their 9.7 km (6 miles) march to Moores Creek 

Bridge. There they discovered abandoned earthworks on 

the west side of the creek, near Caswell’s camp. While 

attempting to cross the bridge they discovered the 

Patriots had removed planks from the bridge and greased 

the stringers, making the crossing difficult. The Loyalists 

faced fire from two cannons behind the eastern 

earthworks and well- prepared militiamen. They quickly 

retreated in panic, and many men drowned in Moores 

Creek. When it was all over, approximately 30 Loyalists 

were killed, 40 wounded, and 850 or so were captured in 

the following days. It was a huge and lopsided victory for 

the Patriot forces. In the end, North Carolina was not 

secured for the British (Capps and Davis 1999). 

While the Highlander Loyalists appeared ever confident 

in the superiority of their troops, it was the Patriot’s 

familiarity with the terrain and their manipulation of the 

focal point, the Moores Creek Bridge that decided the 

battle’s outcome. The wetland landscape and topography 

at Moores Creek is defined by hydrology and geology. In 

addition to influencing battles, the landscape and 

topography also affected how troops and supplies were 

transported during the Revolutionary War (Wagner 

2000). 

One of the major goals of the park is to present the 

historical context of the area, including preserving and 

restoring historic buildings and the cultural landscape 

around them (figure 5). Maintaining the historic 

landscape often means controlling geologic processes, 

which can present resource management challenges. 

Geologic slope processes such as landsliding, slumping, 

chemical weathering, block sliding and slope creep are 

constantly changing the landscape at the park. Runoff 

erodes sediments and carries them downstream. Erosion 

removes sediment from higher areas such as earthworks, 

degrades bridge foundations, and fills in the lower areas 

and changes the appearance of the historic landscape. 

Atlantic Coastal Plain and the Cape Fear Arch 

The unconsolidated deposits of the Atlantic Coastal Plain 

record a series of marine transgressive - regressive 

sequences (periods of sea level rising and falling). These 

are dominated surficially by backbarrier- barrier 

sediments. In the Moores Creek area, older sequences lie 

some distance inland from the modern shoreline near 

Wilmington, while younger sequences are located at 

progressively lower elevations closer to the present shore 

(figure 6). These sequences typically include a thin basal 

marine unit with thicker overlying beds consisting of 

beach or barrier sands, estuarine- backbarrier sands and 

clays, and the sands and clays deposited as alluvial flood 

plains. The overlying units record the regression of the 

shoreline (Soller 1988). 

The surface of these transgressive sequences is relatively 

flat. Given their planar surface expression, they impart a 

step- like character to the regional topography. Each 

transgressive sequence is mapped as a separate unit. In 

the Moores Creek area, there are seven mapped 

transgressive units (formations). From youngest to oldest 

these are called the Wando, Socastee, Canepatch, 

Penholoway, Waccamaw, Bear Bluff, and Duplin 

Formations ranging in age from <0.1 to 3.25 Ma 

(McCartan et al. 1982; DuBar et al. 1974). 

Moores Creek is part of the Black Creek sub- watershed, 

which in turn is part of the larger Cape Fear watershed. 

This system begins in the Blue Ridge Mountains to the 

west. This system has eroded the Late Proterozoic to 

Permian metamorphic, igneous and sedimentary rocks of 

the Blue Ridge and Piedmont physiographic provinces 

and transported these sediments to the east, adding to 

the Atlantic Coastal Plain. 

The North Carolina, and by extension eastern North 

American, coastline has long been considered a passive 

margin. The series of level marine terraces, assumed to be 

the product of single periods of higher sea levels, were 

cited as evidence of a very passive margin. However, 

recent studies regarding the river channel 

geomorphology and sediment thickness reveal that this 

margin is not passive at all. 
 MOCR Geologic Resource Evaluation Report 11

The Cape Fear River valley runs on both sides of a broad 

tectonic feature called the Cape Fear arch. This tectonic 

feature has been persistent over time along the east coast 

near the North Carolina – South Carolina border. 

Tectonic warping of the arch axis is deforming Cenozoic 

sediments and influencing sedimentation patterns 

throughout the entire region (figure 7). The arch effects 

sedimentation patterns, topography and drainage of local 

rivers flowing across the Atlantic Coastal Plain in the 

Moores Creek area. This feature is deep- seated (located 

far below the earth’s surface) as illustrated by the 

geological structure contours reflected from the top of 

the basement, or hard, crystalline, rock that lies below 

the thick, unconsolidated sediments. Elevations range 

from 457 m (1,500 ft) below sea level on the arch axis near 

Wilmington, North Carolina, to 1,829 m (6,000 ft) below 

sea level along the Outer Banks of North Carolina. 

Uplift of at least a portion of the arch has continued 

throughout the Cenozoic Era (over the last 65 million 

years). The portion of the arch northeast of the Cape 

Fear River drainage has been uplifting and warping, 

causing a southwestward migration of the Cape Fear 

River valley. This migration is reflected in the 

preservation of river terraces and large tributaries that 

only occur to the northeast of the Cape Fear River. 

In addition, an anticlinal fold (flexure) roughly 

perpendicular to the Cape Fear arch uplifted the upper 

reaches of the river valley beginning more than 750 

thousand years ago. The lower portions of the valley 

were subsiding. The overall trend of persistent regional 

uplift is the reason the elevated transgressive marine 

shorelines are preserved in the area. Far from being a 

passive margin collecting sediment, the Cape Fear area is 

part of a regional tectonic uplift that has persisted for 

millions of years. 

Figure 4. Map of British and Loyalist lines versus Patriot positions in the vicinity of Moores Creek prior to the battle of Moores Creek 

Bridge. Figure adapted from Capps and Davis, 1999. 
 NPS Geologic Resources Division 12 

Figure 5. Photo showing a soldier re-enactment amidst the forested terrain at Moores Creek National Battlefield. This setting no doubt 

played a role in strategy and battle planning as well as influencing troop movements and transport of supplies in 1776. 
 MOCR Geologic Resource Evaluation Report 13

Figure 6. Diagram showing a cross section view of progressively younger terraces from marine transgressions along the coastal areas 

of North Carolina. The deposits in the Moores Creek area are older than those located in the Wilmington area. Diagram by Trista L. 

Thornberry-Ehrlich (Colorado State University). 
 NPS Geologic Resources Division 14 

Figure 7. Generalized stratigraphic cross-section along the modern coast line (Note location of Cape Fear Arch near the South and 

North Carolina border) from Florida to North Carolina. Graphic is courtesy of the U.S. Geological Survey: 

http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2004/1013/setting.html (accessed March 27, 2006). 
 MOCR Geologic Resource Evaluation Report 15

Map Unit Properties 

This section provides a description for and identifies many characteristics of the map 

units that appear on the digital geologic map of Moores Creek National Battlefield. The 

table is highly generalized and is provided for informational purposes only. Ground 

disturbing activities should not be permitted or denied on the basis of information 

contained in this table. More detailed unit descriptions can be found in the help files that 

accompany the digital geologic map or by contacting the NPS Geologic Resources 

Division. 

Compared to the hills and ridges of the Piedmont and 

Blue Ridge Mountains, the geology at Moores Creek is 

flat- lying and relatively young. The geology in this part 

of the Atlantic Coastal Plain is comprised of 

unconsolidated deposits representing a series of 

separable transgressive- regressive sequences. In most 

areas these sequences are flat- lying, and parallel to the 

coastline, except where they occur near the area’s many 

large river systems including the Cape Fear River 

drainage of which Moores Creek is a tributary. 

The unconsolidated to partially cemented deposits are 

separated regionally into seven units. From oldest to 

youngest these are called the Duplin, Bear Bluff, 

Waccamaw, Penholoway, Canepatch, Socastee, and 

Wando Formations (McCartan et al. 1982; DuBar et al. 

1974). 

The Duplin Formation, of Pliocene age (~3.25 Ma) lies at 

an elevation of about 55 m (180 ft) or more. The Bear 

Bluff Formation lies seaward of the Duplin at 30 to 37 m 

(100 - 120 ft) above sea level. These are shallow marine 

sediments, dominated by sand are weathered with well 

developed soil horizons (Soller 1988). 

The Waccamaw Formation outcrops at elevations up to 

32 m (105 ft) above sea level. It is considered to be a single 

transgressive unit of early to middle Pleistocene age (1.75 

Ma). The Penholoway Formation is sometimes 

considered part of the upper units of the Waccamaw 

Formation. The Canepatch and Socastee Formations are 

represented by an extensive backbarrier- barrier 

complex at elevation up to 12 m (40 ft) above sea level 

(Soller 1988). 

The Socastee Formation is widely recognized and 

exposed in the Moores Creek area. It has both marine 

and nonmarine facies. Its type locality is on the lower 

reaches of the Waccamaw River. 

The base of the Socastee consists largely of reworked 

shells, fine gravel, coarse sand, and some occasional 

woody pieces. The upper layers include sands and peaty 

clays. All of the deposits are fossiliferous (Owens 1989). 

The upper section of the Socastee Formation is 

sometimes associated with the Wando Formation. The 

Wando Formation is the youngest river terrace 

recognized in the area. It is late Pleistocene (0.1 Ma) in 

age and its surface does not exceed 5 m (16 ft) above sea 

level regionally (Soller 1988). 

These unconsolidated marine transgressive deposits 

include a thin basal marine unit with a thicker overlying 

series of coarser deposits preserved during regression of 

the sea. These deposits include beach or barrier sands, 

estuarine- backbarrier sands and clays, and sands and 

clays deposited in the floodplains of regional rivers 

(Soller 1988). These deposits and terraces are carved 

locally by rivers, transporting alluvium further 

downstream. This Holocene age alluvium consists of 

interbedded dark clays and light colored sands 

interbedded with an occasional gravel layer. Woody 

material and other organic matter is common, as well as 

bog deposits, local colluvium, minor dunes, and slope 

deposits (Owens 1989). These Holocene age sediments 

are the youngest sedimentary deposits found at Moores 

Creek. 

The following pages present a tabular view of the 

stratigraphic column and an itemized list of features for 

each map unit. This sheet includes several properties 

specific to each unit present in the stratigraphic column 

including: map symbol, name, description, resistance to 

erosion, suitability for development, hazards, potential 

paleontologic resources, cultural and mineral resources, 

potential karst issues, recreational use potential, and 

global significance. 



 MOCR Geologic Resource Evaluation Report 19

Geologic History 

This section highlights the map units (i.e., rocks and unconsolidated deposits) that occur 

in Moores Creek National Battlefield and puts them in a geologic context in terms of the 

environment in which they were deposited and the timing of geologic events that created 

the present landscape. 

Southern Appalachian Mountains 

The recorded history of the southern Appalachian 

Mountains begins in the Proterozoic Eon (figure 8). In 

the mid Proterozoic, during the Grenville orogeny 1,100 

Ma, a supercontinent formed that comprised most of the 

continental crust in existence at that time, including the 

crust of North America and Africa. The regional 

sedimentation, deformation, plutonism (the intrusion of 

igneous rocks), and volcanism are represented in the 

metamorphic gneisses in the core of the modern Blue 

Ridge Mountains (Harris et al. 1997). These rocks were 

deposited over a period of 100 million years and are more 

than a billion years old, placing them among the oldest 

rocks known from this region. They form the basement 

upon which all other rocks of the Appalachians lie 

(Southworth et al. 2001). 

The late Proterozoic, roughly 750- 600 Ma, was a period 

of extensional, rifting in the area (figure 9). The 

supercontinent broke up and a basin formed that 

eventually became the Iapetus Ocean (Carter et al. 1993). 

Locally, the Ocoee basin formed on the margin of the 

supercontinent in what are now the western Carolinas, 

eastern Tennessee and northern Georgia. Muds, silts, 

and sands shed from the Grenville highlands would 

eventually form the rocks of the Appalachian Mountains 

(Moore 1988). The basin subsided with further 

sedimentation in the basin during at least two prolonged 

pulses (Tull 1998). 

Associated with the shallow marine setting along the 

eastern continental margin of the Iapetus Ocean were 

sands, silts and muds that were deposited in nearshore, 

deltaic, barrier island, and tidal flat areas (Schwab 1970; 

Kauffman and Frey 1979; Simpson 1991). A thick 

sequence of marine deposits that thickened eastward was 

laid down on a large platform that persisted during the 

Cambrian and Ordovician Periods (545- 480 Ma). At the 

end of the Proterozoic, flood basalts and other igneous 

rocks such as diabase and rhyolite were also deposited. 

These igneous rocks were intruded through cracks in 

granitic gneisses of the Blue Ridge core and extruded 

onto the land surface during the break- up of the 

continental land mass (Southworth et al. 2001). 

The volcanism was concentrated in areas of present- day 

Virginia, the Carolinas, and Georgia. This igneous 

activity is largely responsible for the economic deposits 

of copper, zinc, iron, and sulfur in the eastern U.S. that 

formed when hot, metal- bearing fluids were deposited 

onto the floor of the Ocoee basin (Clark 2001). 

Several additional mountain building episodes and 

periods of continental collision occurred after the 

Grenville orogeny and were responsible for the creation 

of the Appalachian Mountains. These orogenies 

contributed to the heat and pressure that deformed and 

metamorphosed the sediments, intrusives, and basalts 

into schists, gneisses, marbles, slates, and migmatites 

(Southworth et al. 2000). 

During Early Cambrian through Early Ordovician time 

orogenic activity along the eastern margin of the 

continent began. This involved the closing of the ocean, 

subduction of oceanic crust, the creation of volcanic arcs 

and the uplift of continental crust during the first stages 

of the Taconic orogeny. The Mid to Late Devonian 

Taconic orogeny (~445- 435 Ma) was the first of three 

major orogenic events following the closure of the 

Iapetus Ocean. In response to the overriding plate 

thrusting westward onto the continental margin of North 

America, the crust bowed downwards creating a deep 

basin (the Appalachian basin) that filled with mud and 

sand eroded from the highlands to the east (Harris et al. 

1997). These infilling sediments covered the carbonate 

platform (Southworth et al. 2001). 

During the Late Ordovician, the marine sediments of the 

shrinking Iapetus Ocean were thrust westward onto 

other deepwater sediments of the western Piedmont. 

Sandstones, shales, siltstones, and limestones were 

deposited in the shallow marine to deltaic environment 

of the Appalachian basin. These rocks which were later 

metamorphosed currently underlie the Valley and Ridge 

physiographic province. The Piedmont metasediments 

record the transition from non- orogenic, passive margin 

sedimentation to extensive, syn- orogenic clastic 

sedimentation during Ordovician time (Fisher 1976). By 

the end of the Taconic Orogeny a volcanic arc and 

continental crust were thrust onto the eastern edge of the 

North American continent (Moore 1988, Connelly 1990). 

The Mid to Late Devonian Acadian orogeny (~375- 355 

Ma) continued the mountain building of the Taconic 

orogeny as the African continent move toward North 

America by continental drift (Harris et al. 1997). This 

orogeny was focused in the north- central Appalachian 

Mountains. The last significant mountain building event 

of the Appalachians was the collision between the 

African and North American continents during the 

Pennsylvanian- Permian Alleghenian orogeny (~300- 220 

Ma). 
 NPS Geologic Resources Division 20 

There are several proposed crustal sutures in the 

Southern Appalachians. A crustal suture is a feature that 

represents a major joining of previously unconnected 

terranes. These frequently form during orogenic events 

when portions of oceanic or continental crust are thrust 

against other terranes and eventually form a continuous 

landmass. Regional crustal sutures include: 1) central 

Blue Ridge (Fries- Hayesville faults), 2) Brevard zone, 3) 

central Piedmont (Kings Mountain- LowndesvilleMiddleton (or Towaglia) shear zones), and 4) beneath 

the Atlantic Coastal Plain physiographic province 

(Horton 1981; Butler et al. 1985). 

Thrusting along these sutures occurred during all three 

major Appalachian orogenies, but more so during the 

Taconic and Alleghenian orogenies. Taconic thrusting 

placed oceanic deposits onto a continental margin 

sequence which was covering the Grenvillian crust. 

Alleghenian deformation was more widespread in the 

area, affecting most of the exposed Appalachians. 

Thrusts were deeper, involving Grenvillian crust and 

other Precambrian rocks. The Acadian orogeny is 

associated primarily with metamorphism and magmatism 

in the Piedmont of the Southern Appalachians (Butler et 

al. 1985). 

The deformation associated with the Alleghenian 

orogeny modified many geologic structures that had 

formed in the southern Appalachians. Pre- existing 

Paleozoic faults were reactivated by the Great Smoky 

thrust fault, which is exposed far to the west of Moores 

Creek National Battlefield. This activity combined with 

the extremely large strains and lack of strain markers 

makes restoration of any pre- Alleghenian deformation 

difficult (Connelly 1990, Connelly and Woodward 1992). 

During the Alleghenian orogeny, rocks of the Great 

Valley, Blue Ridge, and Piedmont provinces were thrust 

westward onto younger rocks of the Valley and Ridge 

province. Estimates range from 20- 50 percent 

shortening which translates into 125–350 km (75- 125 

miles) of movement (Harris et al. 1997). Deformed rocks 

in the eastern Piedmont were also folded and faulted and 

existing thrust faults were reactivated as both strike slip 

and thrust faults during the Alleghanian orogeny 

(Southworth et al. 2001). 

Following the Alleghenian orogeny (late Triassic, 230-

200 Ma), a period of rifting began as the deformed rocks 

of the joined continents began to break apart. Several 

undeformed basaltic dikes present in the Greensboro, 

North Carolina area record the tensional stresses during 

the post- Paleozoic continental breakup (White and 

Almy 1977). The rock assemblage was then extensively 

folded and faulted. This faulting may have initiated 

during regional rifting that occurred about 200 Ma. 

The supercontinent Pangaea split into roughly the 

continents that persist today. This episode of rifting 

initiated the formation of the current Atlantic Ocean and 

caused many block- fault basins to develop with 

accompanying volcanism (Harris et al. 1997; Southworth 

et al. 2001). Following the initial breakup of Pangaea, 

large alluvial fans and streams carried debris from the 

uplifted Blue Ridge and Piedmont highlands. These 

nonmarine shales and sandstones were deposited in 

fault- created troughs in the western Piedmont. Most of 

the younger rocks were eroded during the Mesozoic 

(Moore 1988). 

The large faults that formed the western boundaries of 

the basins provided an escarpment that was quickly 

covered with eroded debris. Igneous intrusions such as 

sills (igneous intrusion emplaced parallel to adjacent 

rocks), and dikes (igneous intrusion that cuts across the 

structure of the adjacent rocks) extend beyond the basins 

into adjacent rocks (Clark 2001). After these igneous 

rocks were intruded at approximately 200 Ma, the region 

underwent a period of slow uplift and erosion. Isostatic 

adjustment within the crust forced the continental crust 

upwards and exposed it to erosion. 

Post-Orogenic Geologic Events at Moores Creek 

National Battlefield 

The sedimentary deposits at Moores Creek are relatively 

young compared to ancient rocks exposed in the 

Piedmont and Blue Ridge provinces. Thick deposits of 

unconsolidated gravel, sand, and silt were shed from the 

eroded mountains. These were deposited as alluvial fans 

and spread eastward to become part of the Atlantic 

Coastal Plain underlying Moores Creek National 

Battlefield (Duffy and Whittecar 1991; Whittecar and 

Duffy 2000; Southworth et al. 2001). The amount of 

material removed and transported from the nowexposed metamorphic rocks must have been immense. 

Many of the rocks exposed at the surface were at least 20 

km (~10 miles) below the surface prior to regional uplift 

and erosion. 

Throughout the Cenozoic, the primary geologic 

processes were erosion and weathering. The once craggy 

peaks were worn away by rain, ice, rivers, rooted plants, 

streams, dissolution, mass wasting, and landslides 

(Schultz 1997). 

The erosion continues today along regional drainages 

developed during the early Cenozoic Era. Large rivers 

and tributaries such as the Cape Fear River and Moores 

Creek are eroding the Coastal Plain sediments, lowering 

the mountains, and depositing sediments as alluvial 

terraces and in the floodplains, creating the present 

landscape (Moore 1988). Since the breakup of Pangaea 

and the uplift of the Appalachian Mountains, the North 

American plate has continued to drift toward the west. 

The isostatic adjustments that uplifted the continent 

after the Alleghenian orogeny continued at a slower rate 

throughout the Cenozoic Era (Harris et al. 1997). 

As the rivers transported sediments further eastward, the 

transgressions and regressions of the Atlantic Ocean also 

left their mark on the landscape at Moores Creek 

National Battlefield. The sediments moved by rivers are 

redistributed by ocean currents into the barrier island 

complex along coastline of North Carolina. 
 MOCR Geologic Resource Evaluation Report 21

Marine transgressions ( 3.25 to 0.1 Ma) created distinct 

marine and strandline deposits at lower elevations in flat 

terraces paralleling the outer Coastal Plain in parts of 

North and South Carolina, (Soller 1988; Owens 1989). 

These transgressive – regressive sequences typically 

include a thin basal marine unit with thicker overlying 

beds of beach or barrier sands, estuarine- backbarrier 

sands and clays, and the sands and clays deposited in 

floodplains. This sequence of deposition records the 

flooding of the area by marine waters and the subsequent 

erosion and deposition of further material as the 

coastline receded (Soller 1988). These deposits were 

preserved because of uplift along the coast. As the land 

uplifted, subsequent transgressions did not proceed as 

far inland as the preceding marine encroachment. The 

river migration preserved these important markers from 

erosion and burial where local uplift has diverted the 

watershed (Soller 1988). 

Downcutting by modern day rivers has exposed a 

tectonically active feature below Moores Creek and the 

Cape Fear watershed. This feature is called the Cape Fear 

Arch. For more information, see the Geologic Features 

and Processes section of this report. Differential uplift 

along its axis, focused northeast of the Cape Fear River, 

as well as warping in directions perpendicular to the arch 

which caused the southwestward migration of the 

watershed. 

The North Carolina coastline, while geomorphologically 

active, was typically considered by many geologists to be 

a passive margin that was only being shaped by surficial 

processes such as deposition and erosion. New studies of 

the preserved former marine highstands and terraces in 

the Moores Creek area reveal deep- seated tectonic 

activity. This activity is as recent as uplift along the Cape 

Fear arch beginning only 750 thousand years ago. 

Far from geologically static, the geologic features and 

processes at Moores Creek National Battlefield have 

been affected by tectonic events interacting with surficial 

geologic processes, which influenced the location of 

Moores Creek, the sedimentary deposits and 

stratigraphy in the park, the development of its bogs and 

wetlands, the historic setting for the battle, and its 

current physiography. 
 NPS Geologic Resources Division 22 

Figure 8. Geologic time scale; adapted from the U.S. Geological Survey. Red lines indicate major unconformities between eras. Included are 

major events in life history and tectonic events occurring on the North American continent. Absolute ages shown are in millions of years. 
 MOCR Geologic Resource Evaluation Report 23

Figure 9. Cross sectional views of the evolution of the Southern Appalachian Mountains from the Precambrian to Pennsylvanian. Following 

Precambrian rifting and passive margin deposition, the Taconic orogeny was responsible for regional metamorphism. The Acadian orogeny 

involved collision with an island arc which continued into the Alleghenian orogeny with the collision of the African continental plate and the 

development of the Blue Ridge and Valley and Ridge deformation. Adapted from DeWindt, 1975. 
 NPS Geologic Resources Division 24 

Glossary 

This glossary contains brief definitions of technical geologic terms used in this report. Not all 

geologic terms used are referenced. For more detailed definitions or to find terms not listed 

here please visit http://wrgis.wr.usgs.gov/docs/parks/misc/glossarya.html. 

active margin. A continental margin where significant 

volcanic and earthquake activity occurs; commonly a 

convergent plate margin. 

alluvial fan. A fan- shaped deposit of sediment that 

accumulates where a high gradient stream flows out of 

a mountain front into an area of lesser gradient such as 

a valley. 

alluvium. Stream- deposited sediment that is generally 

rounded, sorted, and stratified. 

aquifer. Rock or sediment that is sufficiently porous, 

permeable, and saturated to be useful as a source of 

water. 

baseflow. Stream flow supported by groundwater flow 

from adjacent rock, sediment, or soil. 

baselevel. The lowest level to which a stream can erode 

its channel. The ultimate base level for the land surface 

is sea level, but temporary base levels may exist locally. 

basement. The undifferentiated rocks, commonly 

igneous and metamorphic, that underlie the rocks of 

interest. 

basin (sedimentary). Any depression, from continental 

to local scales, into which sediments are deposited. 

braided stream. A stream, clogged with sediment that 

forms multiple channels that divide and rejoin. 

clastic. Rock or sediment made of fragments or preexisting rocks. 

clay. Clay minerals or sedimentary fragments the size of 

clay minerals (<2 cm). 

conglomerate. A coarse- grained sedimentary rock with 

clasts larger than 2 mm in a fine- grained matrix. 

continental crust. The type of crustal rocks underlying 

the continents and continental shelves; having a 

thickness of 25- 60 km (16- 37 mi) and a density of 

approximately 2.7 grams per cubic centimeter. 

convergent boundary. A plate boundary where two 

tectonic plates are moving together (i.e., a zone of 

subduction or obduction). 

cross-bedding. Uniform to highly- varied sets of inclined 

sedimentary beds deposited by wind or water that 

indicate distinctive flow conditions. 

cross section. A graphical interpretation of geology, 

structure, and/or stratigraphy in the third (vertical) 

dimension based on mapped and measured geological 

extents and attitudes depicted in an oriented vertical 

plane. 

crust. The outermost compositional shell of Earth, 10- 40 

km (6- 25 mi) thick, consisting predominantly of 

relatively low- density silicate minerals (also see 

oceanic crust and continental crust). 

crystalline. Describes the structure of a regular, orderly, 

repeating geometric arrangement of atoms 

delta. A sediment wedge deposited at a stream’s mouth 

where it flows into a lake or sea. 

divergent boundary. A tectonic plate boundary where 

the plates are moving apart (e.g., a spreading ridge or 

continental rift zone). 

drainage basin. The total area from which a stream 

system receives or drains precipitation runoff. 

estuary. The seaward end or tidal mouth of a river where 

fresh and sea water mix. Many estuaries are drowned 

river valleys caused by sea level rise (transgression) or 

coastal subsidence. 

facies (sedimentary). The depositional or environmental 

conditions reflected in the sedimentary structures, 

textures, mineralogy, etc. of a sedimentary rock. 

fan delta. An alluvial fan that builds into a standing body 

of water. The landform differs from a delta in that a 

fan- delta is next to a highland and typically forms at 

an active margin. 

fault. A subplanar break in rock along which relative 

movement occurs between the two sides. 

formation. Fundamental rock- stratigraphic unit that is 

mappable and lithologically distinct from adjoining 

strata and has definable upper and lower contacts. 

fracture. Irregular breakage of a mineral; also any break 

in a rock (e.g., crack, joint, fault) 

geology. The study of Earth including its origin, history, 

physical processes, components, and morphology. 

island arc. A line or arc of volcanic islands formed over 

and parallel to a subduction zone. 

lacustrine. Pertaining to, produced by, or inhabiting a 

lake or lakes. 

lamination. The finest stratification or bedding as seen in 

shales and siltstones (syn: lamina or laminae) or the 

formation of lamina. 

landslide. Any process or landform resulting from rapid 

mass movement under relatively dry conditions. 

levees. Raised ridges lining the banks of a stream; may be 

natural or artificial. 

longshore current. A current parallel to a coastline 

caused by waves approaching the shore at an oblique 

angle. 

meanders. Sinuous lateral curves or bends in a stream’s 

channel. 

mechanical weathering. The physical breakup of rocks 

without change in composition (syn: physical 

weathering). 

member. A lithostratigraphic unit with definable contacts 

that subdivides a formation. 

metamorphism. Literally, “change in form”. 

Metamorphism occurs in rocks with mineral 

alteration, genesis, and/or recrystallization from 

increased heat and pressure. 

orogeny. A mountain- building event, particularly a wellrecognized event in the geological past (e.g. the 

Laramide orogeny). 
 MOCR Geologic Resource Evaluation Report 25

outwash. Glacial sediment transported and deposited by 

meltwater streams. 

overbank deposits. Alluvium deposited outside a stream 

channel during flooding. 

paleogeography. The study, description, and 

reconstruction of the physical geography from past 

geologic periods. 

paleontology. The study of the life and chronology of 

Earth’s geologic past based on the phylogeny of fossil 

organisms. 

Pangaea. A theoretical, single supercontinent that 

existed during the Permian and Triassic Periods (also 

see Laurasia and Gondwana). 

passive margin. A tectonically quiet continental margin 

indicated by little volcanic or seismic activity. 

plate tectonics. The theory that the lithosphere is broken 

up into a series of rigid plates that move over Earth’s 

surface above a more fluid asthenosphere. 

point bar. A sand and gravel ridge deposited in a stream 

channel on the inside of a meander where flow 

velocity slows. 

progradation. The seaward building of land area due to 

sedimentary deposition. 

provenance. A place of origin. The area from which the 

constituent materials of a sedimentary rock were 

derived. 

recharge. Infiltration processes that replenish 

groundwater. 

regression. A long- term seaward retreat of the shoreline 

or relative fall of sea level. 

relative dating. Determining the chronological 

placement of rocks, events, fossils, etc. from geological 

evidence. 

seafloor spreading. The process in which tectonic plates 

diverge and new lithosphere is created at oceanic 

ridges. 

silt. Clastic sedimentary material intermediate in size 

between fine- grained sand and coarse clay (1/256- 1/16 

mm). 

siltstone. A variable- lithified sedimentary rock with siltsized grains. 

slope. The inclined surface of any geomorphic feature or 

rational measurement thereof (syn: gradient). 

slump. A generally large, coherent mass movement with 

a concave- up failure surface and subsequent 

backward rotation relative to the slope. 

subduction zone. A convergent plate boundary where 

oceanic lithosphere descends beneath a continental or 

oceanic plate and is carried down into the mantle. 

subsidence. The gradual sinking or depression of part of 

Earth’s surface. 

suture. The linear zone where two continental 

landmasses become joined due to obduction. 

tectonic. Relating to large- scale movement and 

deformation of Earth’s crust. 

tectonics. The geological study of the broad structural 

architecture and deformational processes of the 

lithosphere and asthenosphere (also see structural 

geology). 

terraces (stream). Step- like benches surrounding the 

present floodplain of a stream due to dissection of 

previous flood plain(s), stream bed(s), and/or valley 

floor(s). 

tongue (stratigraphy). A member of a formation that 

extends and wedges out away from the main body of a 

formation (also see formation, member, and bed). 

topography. The general morphology of Earth’s surface 

including relief and location of natural and 

anthropogenic features. 

trace fossils. Sedimentary structures, such as tracks, 

trails, burrows, etc., that preserve evidence of 

organisms’ life activities, rather than the organisms 

themselves. 

transgression. Landward migration of the sea due to a 

relative rise in sea level. 

type locality. The geographic location where a 

stratigraphic unit is well displayed, is formally defined 

as a typical section, and derives its name. 

unconformity. A surface within sedimentary strata that 

marks a prolonged period of nondeposition or 

erosion. 

uplift. A structurally high area in the crust, produced by 

movement that raises the rocks. 

water table. The upper surface of the saturated (phreatic) 

zone. 

weathering. The set of physical, chemical, and biological 

processes by which rock is broken down in place. 
 NPS Geologic Resources Division 26 

References 

This section provides a listing of references cited in this report. It also contains general 

references that may be of use to resource managers. A more complete geologic 

bibliography is available and can be obtained through the NPS Geologic Resources 

Division. 

Anonymous. 2004. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 

National Wetlands Inventory, Department of the 

Interior, Wetlands Mapper: 

http://www.nwi.fws.gov/mapper_tool.htm 

Butler, J. R.; Kish, S.A.; Goldberg, S.A.; Fullagar, P.D. 

1985. Metamorphic- tectonic history of the 

Appalachians in North Carolina, South Carolina and 

Tennessee. Abstracts with Programs - Geological 

Society of America 17 (7): 536- 537. 

Capps, M.A., Davis, S.A. 1999. Moores Creek National 

Battlefield, an Administrative History. Department of 

the Interior, National Park Service: 

http://www.cr.nps.gov/history/online_books/mocr/in

dex.htm 

Carter, M.W.; Martin, S.L.; Geddes, D.J.; Hatcher, R.D., 

Jr; Lombardi, C.E.; Costello, J.O. 1993. Western Blue 

Ridge tectonics of SE Tennessee, northern Georgia, 

and SW North Carolina; preliminary results, Part 1, 

Structure. Abstracts with Programs - Geological Society 

of America 25 (6): 484. 

Clark, S.H.B. 2001. Birth of the mountains; the geologic 

story of the Southern Appalachian Mountains. General 

Interest Publication, Report: GN, 23 pp. 

Connelly, J.B.; Woodward, N.B. 1990. Sequential 

restoration of early Paleozoic deformation; Great 

Smoky Mountain foothills, Tennessee. Abstracts with 

Programs - Geological Society of America 22 (4): 8. 

Connelly, J.B.; Woodward, N.B. 1992. Taconian 

foreland- style thrust system in the Great Smoky 

Mountains, Tennessee. Geology (Boulder) 20 (2): 177-

180. 

DuBar, J.R., Johnson, H.S., Jr., Thom, B.G., Hatchell, 

W.O. 1974. Neogene stratigraphy and morphology, 

south flank of the Cape Fear arch, North and South 

Carolina. In Post- Miocene stratigraphy, central and 

southern Atlantic Coastal Plain, eds. Oaks, R.Q., Jr., and 

DuBar, J.R., 139- 173. Logan, UT: Utah State University 

Press. 

Duffy, D.F., Whittecar, G.R. 1991. Geomorphic 

development of segmented alluvial fans in the 

Shenandoah Valley, Stuarts Draft, Virginia. Abstracts 

with Programs - Geological Society of America 23 (1): 24. 

Fisher, G.W. 1976. The geologic evolution of the 

northeastern Piedmont of the Appalachians. Abstracts 

with Programs - Geological Society of America 8 (2): 

172- 173. 

Groh, L. 1998. Moores Creek National Battlefield: 

Archeological Overview and Assessment. With 

contributions by Patricia Dietrich. U.S. Department of 

the Interior, National Park Service, Southeast 

Archeological Center, 130 pp. 

Harris, A.G., Tuttle, E., Tuttle, S.D. 1997. Geology of 

National Parks. Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company. 

Horton, J.W., Jr. 1981. Shear zone between the Inner 

Piedmont and Kings Mountain belts in the Carolinas. 

Geology (Boulder) 9 (1): 28- 33. 

Kauffman, M.E, Frey, E.P. 1979. Antietam sandstone 

ridges; exhumed barrier islands or fault- bounded 

blocks? Abstracts with Programs - Geological Society of 

America 11 (1): 18. 

McCartan, L, Owens, J.P., Blackwelder, B.W., Szabo, B.J., 

Bleknap, D.F, Kriausakul, N., Mitterer, R.M., 

Wehmiller, J.F. 1982. Comparison of amino acid 

racemization geochronometer with lithostratigraphy, 

biostratigraphy, uranium- series coral dating, and 

magnetostratigraphy in the Atlantic Coastal Plain of 

the southeastern United States. Quaternary Research 8: 

337- 359. 

Moore, H.L. 1988. A roadside guide to the geology of the 

Great Smoky Mountains National Park. American 

Geological Institute. 

Nickelsen, R.P. 1956. Geology of the Blue Ridge near 

Harpers Ferry, West Virginia. Geological Society of 

America Bulletin 67 (3): 239- 269. 

Owens, J.P. 1989. Geologic Map of the Cape Fear Region, 

Florence 1x2 degree quadrangle and northern half of the 

Georgetown 1x2 degree quadrangle, North Carolina and 

South Carolina. U.S. Geological Survey publication i1948- a. 

Schultz, A.; Southworth, S.; Chirico, P.G.; Rock, J.; 

Langdon, K.; Parker, C. 1999. Geology and the all taxa 

biodiversity inventory; Great Smoky Mountains 

National Park. Abstracts with Programs - Geological 

Society of America 31 (7): 484. 
 MOCR Geologic Resource Evaluation Report 27

Schultz, A.P.; Seal, R.R., II. 1997. Geology and geologic 

history of Great Smoky Mountains National Park; a 

simple guide for the interpretive program. U. S. 

Geological Survey, Report: OF 97- 0510. 

Schwab, F.L. 1970. Origin of the Antietam Formation 

(late Precambrian?; lower Cambrian), central Virginia. 

Journal of Sedimentary Petrology 40 (1): 354- 366. 

Simpson, E.L. 1991. An exhumed Lower Cambrian tidalflat; the Antietam Formation, central Virginia, U.S.A. 

In Clastic tidal sedimentology, eds. Smith, D G, Zaitlin, 

B.A, Reinson, G.E, Rahmani, R.A. Memoir - Canadian 

Society of Petroleum Geologists 16: 123- 133. 

Soller, D. 1988. Geology and Tectonic History of the Lower 

Cape Fear River Valley, Southeastern North Carolina. 

U.S. Geological Survey: PP- 1466. 

Southworth, S., Brezinski, D.K., Orndorff, R.C., Chirico, 

P.G., Lagueux, K.M. 2001. Geology of the Chesapeake 

and Ohio Canal National Historical Park and Potomac 

River Corridor, District of Columbia, Maryland, West 

Virginia, and Virginia. U. S. Geological Survey: OF 01-

0188. 

Southworth, S., Brezinski, D.K., Orndorff, R.C., Lagueux, 

K.M., Chirico, P.G. 2000. Digital geologic map of the 

Harpers Ferry National Historical Park. U. S. 

Geological Survey: OF 00- 0297, 1 disc. 

Southworth, S., Fingeret, C., and Weik, T. 2000. Geologic 

Map of the Potomac River Gorge: Great Falls Park, 

Virginia, and Part of the C & O Canal National 

Historical Park, Maryland. U.S. Geological Survey: OF 

00- 264. 

Southworth, S.; Schultz, A.P.; Naeser, C.W.; Naeser, 

N.D.; Chirico, P.; Matmon, A.; Bierman, P.R.; Pavich, 

M. 2001. Using geology to understand flora, fauna, and 

the evolution of the Great Smoky Mountain region. U.S. 

Geological Survey, Report: OF 01- 0406. 

Sutter, J.F.; Horton, J.W., Jr.; Kunk, M.J. 1984. Timing of 

Alleghanian metamorphism in the Kings Mountain 

belt of North Carolina and South Carolina. Abstracts 

with Programs - Geological Society of America 16 (3): 

201. 

Wagner, J. 2001. Hydrologic Restoration of a Historic Pine 

Savanna Wetland at Moores Creek National Battlefield. 

Department of the Interior, National Park Service, 

Water Resources Division Annual Report. 

Wagner, J.R. 2000. Geological influences on the 1780 

battle of Kings Mountain, SC; an opportunity for 

interdisciplinary learning. Abstracts with Programs - 

Geological Society of America 32 (2): 79. 

White, M.A.; Almy, C.C., Jr. 1977. Fracture and dike 

patterns, central Piedmont, Greensboro, North 

Carolina. Abstracts with Programs - Geological Society 

of America 9 (2): 195- 196. 

Whittecar, G. R., Duffy, D.F. 2000. Geomorphology and 

stratigraphy of late Cenozoic alluvial fans, Augusta 

County, Virginia, U.S.A. In Regolith in the Central and 

Southern Appalachians, eds. Clark, G.M., Mills, H.H., 

Kite, J.S., Southeastern Geology 39 (3- 4): 259- 279. 

Woods, S.W., Wagner, J.. 2001. Hydrologic Restoration of 

a Wet Pine Savanna at Moores Creek National 

Battlefield, North Carolina. Department of the Interior, 

National Park Service, Water Resources Division 

Technical Report NPS/NRWRD/NRTR- 2001/293. Ft. 

Collins, CO. 
 NPS Geologic Resources Division 28 
 MOCR Geologic Resource Evaluation Report 29

Appendix A: Geologic Map Graphic 

The following page provides a preview or “snapshot” of the geologic map for Moores 

Creek National Battlefield. For a poster size PDF of this map or for digital geologic map 

data, please see the included CD or visit the GRE publications webpage: 

http://www2.nature.nps.gov/geology/inventory/gre_publications.cfm 

 MOCR Geologic Resource Evaluation Report 31

Appendix B: Scoping Summary 

The following excerpts are from the GRE scoping summary for Moores Creek National 

Battlefield. The scoping meeting occurred on April 6, 2000 and was very brief, focusing 

solely on the mapping component of the inventory program. 

A geologic resources inventory workshop was held for 

Moores Creek National Battlefield (MOCR) on April 6, 

2000 to view and discuss the park’s geologic resources, 

to address the status of geologic mapping for compiling 

both paper and digital maps, and to assess resource 

management issues and needs. Cooperators from the 

NPS Geologic Resources Division (GRD), and NPS 

Moores Creek NB were present for the roundtable 

discussion for the workshop. 

This involved a half- day field trip to view the geology of 

the Moores Creek NB area, and another half- day 

scoping session to present overviews of the NPS 

Inventory and Monitoring (I&M) program, the Geologic 

Resources Division, and the on- going Geologic 

Resources Inventory (GRI). Round table discussions 

involving geologic issues for Moores Creek NB included 

interpretation, paleontologic resources (or lack thereof), 

and the status of geologic mapping efforts, sources of 

available data, geologic hazards, and action items 

generated from this meeting. 

Overview of Geologic Resources Evaluation 

This is an overview of the Geologic Resources Division, 

the NPS I&M Program, the status of the natural resource 

inventories, and the GRE in particular. 

A demonstration of some of the main features of the 

digital geologic map for the Black Canyon of the 

Gunnison NP and Curecanti NRA in Colorado was 

presented. This has become the prototype for the NPS 

digital geologic map model as it reproduces all aspects of 

a paper map (i.e. it incorporates the map notes, cross 

sections, legend etc.) with the added benefit of being 

geospatially referenced. 

It is displayed in ESRI ArcView shape files and features a 

built- in help file system to identify the map units. It can 

also display scanned JPG or GIF images of the geologic 

cross sections supplied with the map. Geologic cross 

section lines (ex. A- A') are subsequently digitized as a 

line coverage and are hyperlinks to the scanned images. 

The developing NPS theme browser was also 

demonstrated for adding GIS coverage’s into projects 

"on- the- fly". With this functional browser, numerous 

NPS themes can be added to an ArcView project with 

relative ease. Such themes might include geology, 

paleontology, hypsography (topographic contours), 

vegetation, soils, etc. 

The NPS GRE (Geologic Resources Evaluation) has the 

following goals: 

• to assemble a bibliography of associated geological 

resources for NPS units with significant natural 

resources (“GRBIB”), and to compile and evaluate a 

list of existing geologic maps for each unit, 

• to conduct a scoping session for each park, 

• to develop digital geologic map products, and 

• to complete a geological report that synthesizes much 

of the existing geologic knowledge about each park. 

It is stressed that the emphasis of the inventory is not to 

routinely initiate new geologic mapping projects, but to 

aggregate existing "baseline" information and identify 

where serious geologic data needs and issues exist in the 

National Park System. In cases where map coverage is 

nearly complete (ex. 4 of 5 quadrangles for Park “X”) or 

maps simply do not exist, then funding may be available 

for geologic mapping. 

Geologic Mapping 

Existing Geologic Maps and Publications 

1. Moores Creek National Battlefield: Archeological 

Overview and Assessment, by Lou Groh with 

contributions by Patricia Dietrich, published by NPS 

Southeast Archeological Center, 1998. 

2. USGS PP- 1466- a: Geology and Tectonic History of 

the Lower Cape Fear River Valley, Southeastern North 

Carolina by Dave Soller. 

3. USGS i- 1948- a "Geologic Map of the Cape Fear 

Region, Florence 1x2 degree quadrangle and northern 

half of the Georgetown 1x2 degree quadrangle, North 

Carolina and South Carolina." 

The Department of the Interior protects and manages the nation’s natural resources and cultural heritage; provides scientific and other 

information about those resources; and honors its special responsibilities to American Indians, Alaska Natives, and affiliated Island 

Communities. 

Moores Creek National Battlefield 

Geologic Resource Evaluation Report 

Natural Resource Report NPS/NRPC/GRD/NRR—2006/012 

NPS D-215, July 2006 

National Park Service 

Director • Fran P. Mainella 

Natural Resource Stewardship and Science 

Associate Director • Michael A. Soukup 

Natural Resource Program Center 

The Natural Resource Program Center (NRPC) is the core of the NPS Natural Resource Stewardship and 

Science Directorate. The Center Director is located in Fort Collins, with staff located principally in 

Lakewood and Fort Collins, Colorado and in Washington, D.C. The NRPC has five divisions: Air 

Resources Division, Biological Resource Management Division, Environmental Quality Division, Geologic 

Resources Division, and Water Resources Division. NRPC also includes three offices: The Office of 

Education and Outreach, the Office of Inventory, Monitoring and Evaluation, and the Office of Natural 

Resource Information Systems. In addition, Natural Resource Web Management and Partnership 

Coordination are cross-cutting disciplines under the Center Director. The multidisciplinary staff of NRPC 

is dedicated to resolving park resource management challenges originating in and outside units of the 

national park system. 

Geologic Resources Division 

Chief • David B. Shaver 

Planning Evaluation and Permits Branch Chief • Carol McCoy 

Credits 

Author • Trista Thornberry-Ehrlich

Editing • Lisa Norby and Sid Covington 

Digital Map Production • Stephanie O’Meara and Melissa Copfer 

Map Layout Design • Melanie Ransmeier
Geologic Resources Division 

Natural Resource Program Center 

P.O. Box 25287 

Denver, CO 80225 

http://www.nature.nps.gov/geology/inventory/ 

(303) 969-2090 

EXPERIENCE YOUR AMERICATM 

National Park Service 

U.S. Department of the Interior