-15000

-15000

-15000

-10000

-10000

-10000

-5000

-5000

-5000

-5000

5000

5000

5000

5000

-5000

5000

5000

5000

5000

5000

5000

5000

5000

-5000

-5000

5000

5000

SL

SL

SL

SL

SL

SL

SL

SL

SL

SL

SL

SL

SL

5000

5000

5000

5000

SL

SL

? ? ?

5000

R 105 W

R 110 W

T

40

N

R 5 W

R 100 W

R 1 W R 1 E

T

5

N

R 5 W

R 95 W R 90 W R 85 W

R 5 E

T

1

N

T

1

S

R 1 W

T

5

N

T

1

N

R 1 E

T

30

N

R 100 W

R 5 E

T

1

S

T

40

N

T

35

N

R 95 W

T

30

N

R 90 W R 85 W R 80 W

R 80 W

T

30

N

Washakie uplift

Wind

River

uplift

uplift Creek

Owl

Bighorn

uplift

Casper

arch

Granite

Mountains

uplift

Absaroka volcanics

Approximate limit of

Niobrara interval

in subsurface 

Structure Contour Map of the Niobrara Interval

of the Upper Cretaceous Cody Shale in the Wind River Basin, Wyoming

By

Thomas M. Finn

2019

5000

Base from U.S. Geological Survey, 2010, 1:2,000,000-scale digital data

Lambert Conformal Conic projection

North American Datum of 1983 (NAD 83)

Standard parallels 41o and 45o; Central meridian, 107o 30’

Latitude of origin 41o, meters

Elevation

(in feet)

-14000

-15000

-16000

-17000

-18000

-19000

-13000

-12000

-11000

-10000

-9000

-8000

-7000

-6000

-5000

-4000

-3000

-2000

-1000

SL

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

EXPLANATION OF MAP SYMBOLS

Tertiary volcanic rocks

Frontier Formation outcrop

Precambrian rocks

Wind River Basin boundary

Faults

Thrust fault—Sawteeth on upper plate

Normal fault—Bar and ball on downthrown side

High-angle fault

Structure contours—Drawn at base of the “chalk kick” marker bed

Datum is mean sea level.

Index contours—Contour interval 5,000 feet

Intermediate contours—Contour interval 1,000 feet. SL, sea level

Anticline—Large arrowhead shows direction of plunge

Syncline

Well locations—Wells drilled through the Niobrara interval

Well location—Estimated pick, wells drilled into the upper part of the 

Niobrara or overlying Cody Shale

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 or plate is offered as an online-only, digital publication. Users should be aware that, 

because of differences in rendering processes and pixel resolution, some slight distortion of 

scale may occur when viewing it on a computer screen or when printing it on an electronic 

plotter, even when it is viewed or printed at its intended publication scale.

For more information concerning the research in this report, contact the

Center Director, USGS Central Energy Resources Science Center

Box 25046, Mail Stop 939

Denver, CO 80225

(303) 236-1647

Or visit the Central Energy Resources Science Center website at

https://energy.usgs.gov/

Suggested citation: Finn, T.M., 2019, Structure contour and overburden maps of the Niobrara 

interval of the Upper Cretaceous Cody Shale in the Wind River Basin, Wyoming: U.S. 

Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Map 3427, pamphlet 9 p., 2 sheets, scale 

1:500,000, https://doi.org/10.3133/sim3427.

Report digital files available at https://doi.org/10.3133/sim3427

Publishing support provided by: 

Denver Publishing Service Center

Edit and digital layout by L.J. Binder

Manuscript approved for publication February 18, 2019

To learn about the USGS and its information products visit

http://www.usgs.gov/ 

1-888-ASK-USGS

For product and ordering information visit:

http://store.usgs.gov/

ISSN 2329-132X (online)

https://doi.org/10.3133/sim3427

ScienceBase files that support this report are available at https://doi.org/10.5066/F7BZ65CN

10 0 10 20 30 40 KILOMETERS

SCALE 1: 500 000

10 0 10 20 30 40 MILES

APPROXIMATE MEAN

DECLINATION, 2018

MAGNETIC NORTH

TRUE NORTH 10°

WIND RIVER

BASIN

WYOMING

MAP AREA LOCATION

43° 

43° 

110° 109° 108° 107° 

110° 109° 108° 107° 

30’ 30’ 30’ 30’

30’

30’

30’

30’ 30’ 30’ 30’

30’

U.S. Department of the Interior

U.S. Geological Survey

Scientific Investigations Map 3427

Sheet 1 of 2

Pamphlet accompanies map

ALTITUDE, AS USED IN THIS REPORT, REFERS TO DISTANCE ABOVE SEA LEVEL.