Onshore and Oshore Geologic Map of the Coal Oil Point Area, Southern California

By

Peter Dartnell, James E. Conrad, Richard G. Stanley, and Guy R. Cochrane,

2010

Data Sources and Availability

U.S. Geological Survey—2006 and 2007, partial 10 m data available in this 

 report.

California State University, Monterey Bay—http://seafloor.csumb.edu/. 2007, 

 Data used in this study were acquired, processed, archived, and distrib-

 uted by the Seafloor Mapping Lab of California State University

 Monterey Bay.

Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute—

 http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/mgg/bathymetry/multibeam.html. 

 1998, Chief Scientist: David Clague, Simrad EM300.

National Geophysical Data Center (NOAA)—

 http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/mgg/bathymetry/hydro.html. 1985, Survey 

 H10165, NOAA Ship Fairweather.

Topography data, NOAA Coastal Service Center—

 http://www.csc.noaa.gov/digitalcoast/. 2002/2003 IfSAR data for

 Southern California: Digital Elevation Model

Any use of trade, rm, or product 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 les. 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 les available at http://pubs.usgs.gov/sim/3124/

HWY-1

HWY-1

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Tmm

Tmm

Tml

Qms

Qlh

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Tmp

Tsq

Qas

Qas

Qas

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QTst

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Tml

Trs

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Qls

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Trs

Qsb

Qoa

Trs

Tr

Tr

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Qoa

Qoa

Qsb

Qls

Qa

Qa

Qsb

Tml

Qsb

Qsb

Qc

Qb

Qc

Qas

QTst

QTst?

QTst?

Qss

Qms

Qys

Qas

Qas

Qas

Qac

Qac

Qac

Qac

Tr

Qls

Tr Tr

af

af

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af

af

Tml

Tml

Tmu

Qac

Tml

Qmt

Qac Tmu

Tsq

Tmm

Qac

Tv

Qls

Tr Qac

Qac

Tspu

Tr

Qoa

Qoa

Qoa

Qoa

Qac Qls

Qoa

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Tspu

Qac

Qac

Qac

Qac

Qac

Qac

Qac

Tml

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Qia Qia

Qac

Qac

Qac

Tr

Qia

Qac

Qac

Qac

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Qmt

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Tmu

Qe

Tmu

Tsq

af

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Qac

Qac

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Tr

Tr

Qoa

w

af

af

Tmu

Tsq

Qoa

Tv

Tr

Tv Qoa

af

Qa

Tspu

Qoa

Coal Oil Point

Goleta Point

Eagle Canyon

Qac

Qoa

Qoa

Qoa Tv

Qoa

Qoa

af

Tsq

Tspu

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Qtc

Qtc

10

Frame grab from seafloor video collected at location A on 

map, south of Goleta Point in 46 meters water depth. The 

image shows asphalt deposits that form a tar mound (Qas) 

with a thin sediment cover at the top of the image. Green 

diagonal lines are paired lasers used for scale.

Frame grab from seafloor video collected at location B on map, 

south of Goleta Point in 46 meters water depth. The image 

shows a relatively recent tar mound (Qas) as evident by minimal sediment cover and no encrusting organisms. Green diagonal lines are paired lasers used for scale.

Frame grab from seafloor video collected at location E 

showing cobble conglomerate near the top of a thin (2 - 3 

m thick) flat-lying sequence of sedimentary rocks (Qys) 

that lie unconformably on folded Miocene and Pliocene 

rocks (Tmp). Green diagonal lines are paired lasers used 

for scale.

~16 cm ~16 cm ~16 cm

~16 cm

Seafloor photograph taken at location F on map. This region is 

sediment covered with fine-grained material. Images such as 

these help characterize unconsolidated marine sand, silt, and 

mud deposit (Qms) on the geologic map. Frame is approximately 1 m wide.

~16 cm

Similar to frame grab C, this image shows seafloor outcrop of 

Miocene and Pliocene mudstone and shale (Tmp). Red gorgonian are attached to the rocks. Green diagonal lines are paired 

lasers used for scale.

Frame grab from seafloor video collected at location C on map, 

in the mid-shelf region in 64 meters water depth. The seafloor in 

this region is comprised of Miocene and Pliocene mudstone and 

shale of the Monterey and Sisquoc Formations and unnamed 

younger marine sedimentary rocks (Tmp). Red gorgonian are 

attached to the rocks. Green diagonal lines are paired lasers used 

for scale.

A B C D

E F

A

B

C

D

F

E

120°30'

34°30'

120° 119°30' 119°

34°

Santa Barbara Channel

Channel Islands

Santa Barbara

Pt. Conception

Index map of southern California showing 

location of map and other geographic 

features.

Pacic Ocean

1000 0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000 7000 FEET

1 .5 0 1 KILOMETER

SCALE 1:24 000

1 1/2 0 1 MILE

DESCRIPTION OF MAP UNITS

Artificial fill (Holocene)—Fill used for construction of highways, roads, buildings, airport 

runways, harbor facilities, breakwaters, and dams

Platform debris (Holocene)—Mostly shelly debris shed off oil-platform structures, seep tents, 

and other equipment related to oil and gas recovery

Active channel alluvium (Holocene)—Unconsolidated sediments, primarily pebble to boulder 

gravel, in modern stream channels. Thickness less than 5 m

Beach deposits (Holocene)—Unconsolidated sand along coastal beaches. Thickness varies 

seasonally and rarely exceeds 5 m

Dune sand (Holocene)—Unconsolidated windblown sand forming coastal dunes northwest of 

Coal Oil Point

Estuarine deposits (Holocene)—Locally organic-rich clay, silt, and subordinate sand deposited 

primarily in peritidal environment in low-lying coastal areas of modern and historically 

active sloughs. Maximum thickness probably less than 20 m

Asphalt deposits (Holocene)—Black, tar-like asphalt that represents weathered and 

biodegraded oil derived from nearby natural seeps. Along modern shorelines typically 

found near asphalt-filled fractures in bedrock exposed in sea cliffs

Marine gravel deposit (Holocene)—Unconsolidated gravel or shell debris, possibly of 

debris-flow origin, recognized on the basis of high reflectivity and sea-floor morphology

Marine sedimentary deposit (Holocene)—Unconsolidated marine sand, silt, and mud deposits

Debris flow deposits (Holocene and upper Pleistocene)—Massive, weakly consolidated 

rock-debris breccia derived from rock units exposed upslope. Mainly located along lower 

flanks of Santa Ynez Mountains, where deposits estimated to be less than 5 m thick

Alluvium and colluvium (Holocene and upper Pleistocene)—Poorly consolidated silt, sand, 

and gravel deposits of modern drainages and piedmont alluvial fans and flood plains. 

Exposed thickness generally less than 10 m

Colluvium (Holocene and upper Pleistocene)—Poorly consolidated, poorly stratified, and 

poorly sorted deposits that mantle gentle to moderate slopes and are chiefly derived from 

weathering and down slope movement of nearby bedrock. Maximum thickness probably 

less than 15 m

Landslide deposits (Holocene to middle Pleistocene)—Deposits of diverse slope-movement 

processes ranging from poorly sorted, disrupted mixtures of rock fragments and soil to 

relatively intact bedrock slump blocks. Largest landslide deposits may be as thick as 60 m

Deposits of Goleta slide complex (Holocene)—Compound submarine slide complex, part of 

which is exposed in the southwest corner of map area. Source of slides is considered to be 

Pleistocene shelf-edge deltaic sediments deposited during glacial sea-level low stands, and 

age of the failure is 8 to 10 ka (Fisher and others, 2005). Subdivided by Greene and others 

(2006) into:

Fourth generation flow—Youngest main flow of the Goleta slide

Third generation flow—Third main flow unit of the Goleta slide

Head wall flow—Secondary slides derived from the headwall that post-date the main.

 slide complex

Head block—Intact slump block at the base of the head wall

Head wall—Intact marine sedimentary rocks (probably Tmp) exposed by slide

Intermediate alluvial deposits (upper Pleistocene)—Weakly consolidated, stratified silt, sand, 

and gravel that form low, rounded, moderately dissected terraces and piedmont alluvial 

fans that rest at higher elevations than the modern coastal piedmont surface underlain by 

unit Qac. Thickness probably locally exceeds 20 m

Marine-terrace deposits (upper Pleistocene)—Weakly to moderately consolidated, variably 

stratified gravel, sand, and silt deposited as marine intertidal, beach, and estuarine deposits 

(fossiliferous in basal ~1 m) and overlying nonmarine eolian, alluvial, and colluvial 

deposits. Marine-terrace deposits rest on elevated marine wave-cut platforms and form 

single terraces or flights of terraces ranging in elevation from 10 to 90 m and in age from 

45 ka (oxygen isotope substage 3a) to 105 ka (substage 5c). Maximum exposed thickness 

about 20 m

Younger sedimentary rocks (upper Pleistocene?)—Isolated outcrop of consolidated or 

semi-consolidated flat-lying sedimentary rocks, at least in part conglomeratic, 

unconformably overlying folded marine sedimentary rocks of Miocene and Pliocene age 

(Tmp). Deposit is 2 - 3 m thick

Older alluvial deposits (upper and middle Pleistocene)—Moderately consolidated, crudely 

stratified, poorly sorted sand and sandstone, gravel, conglomerate, and breccia, and rare 

interbeds of clay, silt, and mudstone comprising proximal to distal facies of alluvial fans 

shed from the Santa Ynez Mountains. Unit forms dissected, gently south sloping elevated 

terraces, interfluvial caps, and other erosional remnants as thick as 35 m

Santa Barbara Formation (middle and lower Pleistocene)—Chiefly marine, pale-gray, -buff, 

and -tan, friable, bioturbated and massive sandstone; includes subordinate interbeds and 

intervals of shale, siltstone, and silty to clayey sandstone. Contains diverse assemblage of 

marine invertebrate fossils. Rare conglomeratic lenses become more common up section, 

and uppermost part of unit locally interfingers with nonmarine conglomerates of the 

Casitas Formation (Qca) or older alluvial deposits (Qoa). Maximum exposed thickness 

approximately 300 m

Unnamed sedimentary rocks east of Goleta Pier (Pleistocene and Pliocene?)—Marine 

conglomerate, sandstone, siltstone, and mudstone mapped as two local unnamed, 

lithologically distinct units

 Sandstone unit (lower Pleistocene?)—Laminated and bioturbated sandstone, siltstone,

 and subordinate mudstone and conglomerate. Contains marine fossils. Unit

 contains clasts derived from the Sisquoc Formation (Tsq) and (or) Monterey

 Formation (Tmu, Tmm, Tml). Exposed thickness 45 – 60 m

 Siltstone unit (lower Pleistocene and upper Pliocene?)—Massive and extensively

 bioturbated siltstone, mudstone, and silty sandstone. Contains marine fossils.

 Exposed thickness about 45 m

Marine sedimentary rocks, undivided (Pliocene and Miocene)—Marine well-bedded 

mudstone and shale. Includes rocks of the Monterey and Sisquoc Formations and younger 

strata bearing Repettian-age microfossils

Sisquoc Formation (lower Pliocene and upper Miocene)—Marine, tan- to white-weathering, 

diatomaceous mudstone and shale, conglomerate, and subordinate dolomite. Unit 

distinguished by thick beds of conglomerate containing angular clasts (commonly as much as 

1 m across; some blocks as large as 10 m) derived from the Monterey Formation. Both base 

and top of Sisquoc consist of erosional unconformities. Maximum preserved thickness of 

300 m in sea cliffs

Monterey Formation, undivided (Miocene)—Marine, predominantly well-bedded, siliceous and 

calcareous mudstone and shale with subordinate porcelanite and dolomite. Contains 

abundant microfossils. Unit deposited at water depths ranging from upper to lower bathyal 

(150–2,000 m). Maximum composite thickness of Monterey estimated to be about 830 m. 

On land, the Monterey Formation is divided into three subunits that are distinguished from 

each other by lithology and age:

Upper siliceous unit (upper Miocene)—East of Eagle Canyon, unit consists mainly of 

 white- to tan-weathering diatomaceous mudstone and shale with subordinate 

 dolomite and porcelanite. West of Eagle Canyon, consists mainly of 

 thin-bedded, light-brown-weathering, siliceous mudstone and shale, 

 porcelanite, and subordinate dolomite. Thickness ranges from about 50 m to

 250 m

Middle shale unit (upper and middle Miocene)—White-weathering shale, mudstone,

 dolomite, porcelanite, phosphorite, and subordinate tuff. Unit includes a 

 prominent, at least 20- to 30-m-thick, submarine slump deposit in sea cliff in

 western part of map area. Thickness estimated to range from 70 to 

 180 m

Lower calcareous unit (middle and lower Miocene)—Calcareous, siliceous, and 

 phosphatic, white- to tan-weathering mudstone and shale, with subordinate 

 dolomite, porcelanite, breccia, glauconitic sandstone, and tuff. In places unit 

 is characterized by intraformational deformation that may have formed by 

 gravitational slumping shortly after deposition. About 250 m thick in far western 

 part of map area

Rincon Shale (lower Miocene)—Marine, primarily massive and thick-bedded, 

light-brown-weathering mudstone, with subordinate dolomite, siliceous shale, sandstone, and 

tuff. Mudstone is bioturbated and massive, pervasively hackly fractured, and locally 

contains abundant microfossils. Single or multiple white-weathering tuff layers limited to 

upper 10 m of Rincon section. Thickness ranges from about 400 m to 460 m

Siliceous shale interval (lower Miocene)—Thin-bedded, white- to pale-gray-weathering

 siliceous shale that resembles siliceous shale intervals within Monterey

 Formation. Unit about 60 m stratigraphically below top of Rincon Shale and has

 a thickness of 35 to 45 m

Vaqueros Formation (upper Oligocene)—Shallow marine, massive and bioturbated, resistant, 

light-tan-weathering sandstone. Uppermost part consists of thinly interbedded sandstone, 

siltstone, and mudstone; base typically marked by a 50- to 150-cm-thick, thinly bedded, 

calcareous conglomerate containing abundant fossil shell fragments. Unit gradually 

decreases in thickness eastward from more than 150 m to about 75 m

Sespe Formation (upper Oligocene)—Interbedded sandstone, siltstone, and mudstone that 

weather to various shades of maroon, buff, pale green, tan, and gray. Proportions of different 

sedimentary rock types vary both laterally and vertically through the section. Sandstones 

commonly broadly lenticular, laminated, and thin- to thick-bedded. Upper unit thickens 

eastward across map area from about 500 m to more than 1,000 m

Water

S o u t h E l l w o o d A n t i c l i n e

A

G o l e t a s l i d e c o m p l e x

c o n t i n e n t a l s h e l f e d g e

outfall pipe

w

Qds

Qe

Qb

Qa

pd

af

Qas

Qmg

Qms

Qac

Qc

Qls

Ql4

Ql3

Qlf

Qlb

Qlh

Qmt

Qsb

QTst

Qys

Tmp

Tsq

Tm

Tmu

Tmm

Tml

Tr

Trs

Tv

Tspu

Qia

Qss

Qoa

Goleta Pier

Ellwood Canyon

31

Qdf

Santa Ynez Mountains

?

Contact—Solid where certain; long-dashed where approximately located; shortdashed where inferred; dotted where concealed

Fault—Solid where certain; long-dashed where approximately located; shortdashed where inferred; dotted where concealed; queried where uncertain; 

small red arrow shows direction and angle of dip; red diamond-headed arrow 

shows bearing and rake of slickenlines and inferred slip direction of hangingwall block

Strike-slip fault—Opposing arrows show sense of strike-slip movement, queried 

where uncertain; bidirection arrows indicate superimposed dextral and 

sinistral slip on same fault

Normal Fault—Bars on apparent downthrown side

Reverse Fault—Boxes on apparent upthrown side

Fault-line scarp

Anticline—Solid where certain; long-dashed where approximately located; 

short-dashed where inferred; dotted where concealed

Syncline—Solid where certain; long-dashed where approximately located; 

short-dashed where inferred; dotted where concealed

Arrow showing direction of fold plunge

Modern shoreline

Paleo-shoreline

Horizontal bedding

Inclined bedding—Showing strike and dip

Inclined bedding—Showing approximate strike and dip direction

Overturned bedding—Showing strike and dip

Asphalt deposits—Unit Qas too small to show at scale of map 

Travertine and/or caliche deposits—Unit Qtc too small to show at scale of map

Location of selected seafloor images from video and still photographs used to help 

make geologic interpretations

65 36

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af Qa Qb Qds Qe Qas pd Qmg Qms

Qdf Qac Qc

Qls

Qb Qas Qlh Qlf Qlb Ql3 Ql4

Qmt

Qsb

Qys

Qia

Qoa

QTst

Tmp

Tsq

Qss

Tm

Tmu

Tmm

Tml

Tsq

Tr Trs

Tv

Tspu

Holocene

Pleistocene

Pliocene

Miocene

Oligocene

QUATERNARY

TERTIARY

ONSHORE OFFSHORE

CORRELATION OF MAP UNITS

UNCONFORMITY

UNCONFORMITY

UNCONFORMITY

UNCONFORMITY

UNCONFORMITY

UNCONFORMITY

UNCONFORMITY

UNCONFORMITY

LOCAL UNCONFORMITY

FAULT

119°54'

119°54'

119°52'

119°52'

119°50'

119°50'

34°22'

34°22'

34°24'

34°24'

34°26’

34°26'

34°28'

34°28'

APPROXIMATE MEAN

DECLINATION, 2009

14 / ° 1 2

MAGNETIC NORTH

TRUE NORTH

CALIF.

MAP LOCATION

Base from U.S. Geological Survey, Goleta, 1997

Universal Transverse Mercator projection.

Background shaded relief image generated from 

publicly available multibeam and bathymetric 

side-scan data and onshore ifSAR digital elevation 

models, all merged at 10-m spatial resolution. See 

“Data Sources and Availability”.

Oshore geology by James E. Conrad, 

onshore geology modied from Minor and 

others, 2009.

Bathymetric contour interval 20 meters

U.S. Department of the Interior

U.S. Geological Survey Scientic Investigations Map 3124