Sedimentation in area of Diversion Dam, Figueredo Wash, New Mexico

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SEDIMENTATION IN AREA OF DIVERSION DAM, FIGUEREDO WASH, NEW MEXICO

A Thesis Presented To The Faculty of the Department of Geology University of Southern California

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Science

By James E. Slosson June 1950

UMI Number: EP58432

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T h is thesis, w ritte n by

......Jame s..Edward..Slo.sson....... under the guidance of h%JSi... F a c u lty C o m m itte e , and ap p ro v e d by a l l its members, has been presented to and accepted by the C o u n c il on G ra d u a te S tudy and Research in p a r t ia l f u l f i l l ­ ment of the requirements f o r the degree of

Master of Science

Faculty Committee

hairman

NOTE:

The author wishes to explain that the

ideas and conclusions put forth in this paper are his own and do not, in any way, reflect those of any govern­ mental agency*

It should also be understood that the

auther did the actual writing of this report after his official service with the United States Geological Sur­ vey had been completed.

TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Abstract...................... . ...........

1

Introduction

1

........................

Acknowledgements

...........

3

Geography and Physiography • • • • • • • • • • •

5

General Geology............

5

Stratigraphy.

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • .

Historical Geology............ Climate and Vegetation . . . . .

6

9

.............

Methods...........

10 11

Field...................................

11

Laboratory...............................

13

Distribution of Grain Sizes............

18

Effect of Vegetation on Deposition .

26

Relationship to Deposition Conclusions. . . . . Bibliography . . .

.......

.......

in Larger Areas . . .

27

.......

28

• • • • • • • • • •

30

LIST OF TABLES Page Table No.

1.

Summary of Data - Size Analysis

45, 46, 47, 4&

Table No.

2.

Probable Error of Estimate, Wetted and Dried, 6 Hour-10 Minute. . . . .

Table No.

3.

49

Probable Error of Estimate, Wetted and Dried, 40 Second . . . . . . . . 5 0

Table No.

4.

Probable Error of Estimate, Natural State, 6 Hour-10 Minute............ 51

Table No.

5*

Probable Error of Estimate, Natural State, 40 Second

Table No.

6.

.......... 52

Least-square Trend Line, Wetted and Dried, 6 Hour-10 Minute.........

Table No.

7*

Least-square Trend Line, Wetted and Dried, 40 Second .........

Table No.

&.

• 53

....54

Least-square Trend Line, Natural State, 6 Hour-10 Minute............ 55

Table No.

9•

Least-square Trend Line, Natural State, 40 Second . . . . . . . . . . 5 6

Table No. 10.

Standard Deviation • * ............57

Table No. 11.

Suspended Samples.

Table No. 12.

Size Analysis for Surface Samples. . 59

Table No. 13*

Profile Gradients. •

............ . 5 #

............ 60

LIST OF FIGURES Page Figure No-

1.

Soil auger disassembled. . . . . .

3#

Figure No.

2.

Soil auger in use................. 3$

Figure No.

3*

Integrated stream sampler assembled........................ 39

Figure No.

4*

Integrated stream sampler disassembled .........

.....

39

Figure No.

5-

Area of dam f i l l ................. 40

Figure No.

6.

Photograph taken from old Figueredo Wash channel, looking toward the d a m ................... 40

Figure No.

1*

Photograph

taken from dam looking

downstream in old channel......... 41 Figure No.

3.

Photograph taken near Station 140.

Figure No.

9*

Pediment remnant located in vicinity 42

Figure No. 10.

41

Photograph taken from old Figueredo Wash channel approximately one mile downstream from dam. . . . . . . .

Figure No. 11.

1+2

Photograph of downstream portion of the old Figueredo channel • • • • . 43

Figure No. 12.

Mud cracks formed after flood in present channel................... 43

Figure No. 13.

Round mud balls formed in meander­ ing portion of new channel . . . .

Figure No. 14

44

Oblong mud ball formed in straight portion of new channel . . . . . .

44

LIST OF GRAPHS Page Graph 1

Correlation of Air-dry Moisture and Percent in Suspension for Wetted Samples 61, 62

Graph 2

Correlation of Air-dry Moisture and Percent in Suspension for Samples in 63, 64

Natural State........... Graph 3

Graphic Presentation of Table No. 1*

Graph 4

Profile Down Channel, Stratification

• •65, 66,

Overlay. • • ................. . . • .6& Graph 5

Profile A-A,tf and Profile South of Dam, Stratification Overlay ...............

Graph 6

Profile 11, Profile B-Bf11 and Profile C-Cff,, Stratification Overlay .......

Graph 7

69

70

Profile 7 and 9, Stratification Overlay. 71

Graph 8 1 Suspended Samples. . . . . . . . . . . . 7 2

LIST OF MAPS Map No. 1.

Topographic and Index Map. . . in folder

Map No. 2.

Planimetric Map. • • • • • • •

in folder

SEDIMENTATION IN AREA OF DIVERSION DAM FIGUEREDO NASH, NEW MEXICO By James.E* Slosson ABSTRACT This report describes a large diversion dam on one of the intermittent streams in New Mexico and attempts to out­ line the type of alluvial deposition that has and is taking place. It is pointed out that due to various local conditions the deposition here is not identical to that of large alluvial fans. Of these local conditions, the type and direction of stream flow together with the lithology of the source area seems to be the most important. A rapid but accurate method for sed­ iment analysis is discussed. This method entails using the per­ centage of moisture retained by each of the sediment samples for calculating the percent of sand, silt, and clay*

INTRODUCTION Since 1880 there has been considerable wasting away of valuable range and agricultural lands in the southwest portion of the United States, and in 1933 the United States Soil Conservation Service began a series of investigations to determine the causes of the problem.

In order to deter­

mine methods of reducing the rapid removal of valuable soils, the Soil Conservation Service established one of its first experiment stations at Mexican Springs, New Mexico, located in the southeastern portion of the Navajo Indian Reservation.

2

Owing to the newness of this type of investiga­ tion, the Soil Conservation Service adopted the fftrial and error11 method of field study in hope that a successful me­ thod would be found to solve the problem at hand.

It was

believed in the early stages that the primary cause was overgrazing*

This has been proven to be instrumental in

causing accelerated erosion, but there is proof forthcom­ ing that other factors have an influence on the rate of erosion*

Of these factors, climatic changes and erosion

down to beds of soft, easily destructible sediments seem to the author to be the most important of the other fac­ tors that cause accelerated erosion. Many methods of control have been and are being tested and the Technical Co-ordination Branch of the Uni­ ted States Geological Survey has been called in to make surveys of these controls and to evaluate them.

The wri­

ter had the opportunity during the year 1949 of being a member of the crew that made a preliminary evaluation of the Mexican Springs Area, where erosion was and still is taking place at a fairly high rate*

The prime part of

the author*s wrork has been in the source, rate, type, and the methods of sedimentation that took place in the vi­ cinity of the large diversion dam which is located oust

5

east of Highway 666 on the Figueredo Wash. The reason for choosing the Figueredo Wash Di­ version Dam was that the dam

located in the lower por­

tion of the area thus affording a good overall picture of the relationship between the sedimentation and stream flow. Also, it should be pointed out that the Figueredo

Wash and

its tributaries - Black Springs Wash, Catron Wash, and Mex­ ican Springs Wash - form the major drainage system of the Experiment Station Area. Prior to the study by the U. S. Geological Sur­ vey,

the only reports on the area were published by the

Soil Conservation Service which controlled the work. These reports were concerned largely with grazing and land man­ agement and did not delve into other causes of erosion, chiefly because the organization believed that overgraz­ ing was the primary cause.

The Soil Conservation Service

also published its annuaal fiscal reports on the Havajo District and these reports covered the development and progress year by year. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The author is especially indebted to lb?. H. V. Peterson of the U. S. Geological Survey who was directly in charge of the work and who placed the author on W.A.E. status (Work and Education) with the Survey while con­ ducting the research program.

Mr Peterson, Staff Geolo­

4

gist of the Technical Co-ordina.tion Branch of the U. S. Geo­ logical Survey, has been associated with this type of work for approximately eight years and has advanced much valuable information*

Mr* Irving Sherman and Mr. Luna B. Leopold,

also of the U. S. Geological Survey, gave very highly appre­ ciated guidance and suggestions to the author as the work progressed.

These two men are specialists in this field

and without their able assistance the writer would still be in the first stages of laboratory work. To Dr. Thomas Clements who visited the Navajo Ex­ periment Station and aided the author in the field work and also to Dr. K. 0. Emery who was called on many times to give aid in laboratory work and interpretation of re­ sults, the author wishes to express his gratitude. The author also wishes to thank Dr. J. C. Miller of the U. S. Geological Survey, Los Angeles Office, who loaned laboratory and office space together with supplies so that the work could be accomplished conveniently and in as short a time as possible. Other individuals who aided in the collection and compilation of data and to whom the author also conveys his appreciation are:

Mr. H. C. Troxell, Mr. ¥. C. Gere, Mr.

L. B. Halpenny, and Miss Vivian L. Engler, all of the U. S. Geological Survey; Dr. John Harshbarger and Mr. E* E. McKee of the Geology Department of the University of Arizona; Dr. Kirk Bryan and Dr. Frederick Vidal of the Geology and Anthro-

5

pology Departments respectively of Harvard University; and Dr. D* A. McNaughton and Dr. 0. L. Bandy of the Geology De­ partment of the University of Southern California. GEOGRAPHY AND PHYSIOGRAPHY The Navajo Experiment Station Area, or the Mexi­ can Springs Area as it is known hy the natives of the re­ gion, lies on the east flank of the Fort Defiance uplift about twenty miles north of Gallup, New Mexico on U. S. Highway 666.

It occupies a portion of the Navajo Indian

Reservation in McKinley County in northeastern New Mexi­ co, which is situated in the Colorado Plateau physiogra­ phic province.

The area is bounded on the north by the

southern end of the Chuska Mountains, on the west by the escarpment of the Defiance monocline, and on the south and west by the boundaries of the drainage area.

The to­

tal area embraced by the Experiment Station is approxi­ mately 67.3 square miles or 43,072 acres*

The drainage

area, however, for the Figueredo Wash, which is of main import to the author, is 72.0 square miles or approxi­ mately 46,080 acres in extent, a greater portion of which lies in the Experiment Station Area. GENERAL GEOLOGY Structurally, Mexican Springs is located on the upper portion of the Defiance monocline, which in this lo­

6

cal area has an eastward dip of approximately three to ten degrees and strikes north to northwest.

This monocline was

formed by post-Laramide and pre-Tohachi folding and faulting and is capped by the Mesa Verde formation.

Due to the more

gently folded structure of the Mesa Verde, it is presumed that it was deposited Just prior to and during the abovementioned folding and faulting. Situated on the northern part of the monocline are the Chuska Mountains, whose stratigraphic units unconformably overlie the Mesa Verde and older units.

The beds in

the Chuska Mountains have a regional dip of five to ten de­ grees westward and strike essentially northeast.

They were

elevated by the uplift that took place in early Miocene time* Stratigraphy: GENERALIZED SECTION OF THE OUTCROPPING UNITS System & Series Quat •

Formation

Thickness in Feet

Unnamed

Unc onf ormity ? Chuska sandstone

Valley filling and eolion deposits. 700- 900

White and gray porous cross-bedded sandstone.

200- 400

Dark brown and white shales and subordinate sandstones*

500-13.00

Light-colored sandstone containing shales and seams of coal. Gray calcarious shales at base,changing to buff and becoming arenaceous above. Contains marine fossils.

oj

*5 Unc onformity ? % Tohachi a* shale to o

Unconformity? Mesa Verde formation

p

u o

Mancos

Character of Formation

500-800

7

Cross and Whitman (1899, p 4) described the Maneos as an almost homogeneous body of soft, dark gray or nearly black carbonaceous shale which is limited below by the Da­ kota sandstone and above by the Mesa Verde,

Sears, et al

(1941, pp 110-111) have described Mesa Verde as a trans­ gress ive-regressive series of rocks 2,500 to 3,000 feet thick and made up of five members listed below: Member Allison barren

Thick­ ness 800

Gibson coal

150-175

Bartlett barren

350-400

Dilco coal

240-300

Gallup sandstone

180-250

Character Lenticular sandstones, lightcolored clay, and thin irreg­ ular coal beds, but none of commercial importance. Top member eroded; total thickness undetermined. Valuable coal beds, lenticular sandstones, and light-colored clays. Lenticular sandstones, lightcolored clay, and thin irreg­ ular coal beds, but none of commercial importance. Valuable coal beds, lenticu­ lar sandstones, and light-col­ ored clay. Three thick persistent ipassive sandstones; interbedded clay and coal beds, the upper of which are locally of commercial importance.

The Chuska Mountains bounding the area on the north consist of Tohachi shale and the Chuska sandstone which unconformably overlie the Mesa Verde on the Defiance monocline. Some of the sediment load to the stream of the area is de-

8

rived from the erosion of these mountains.

Both of these

beds are of undeterminable early Tertiary age (Eocene?). The Tohachi shale (Gregory, H. C., 1817, p 80) consists of alternating beds of poorly consolidated clays and sands ■with a few strata of impure lignite.

The stratification

is very irregular with interfingering shales, sandstones, and lignites of moderate thickness.

The sandstones are

crossbedded layers of brown, yellow, gray, and white sand and contain chunks of shale.

The shales are predominantly

argillaceous and vary in thickness from thirty to eighty feet averaging sixty feet with colors ranging through black, blue, yellow, brown, and red. The Chuska sandstone outcrops on Chuska Peak at an elevation of 7,000 feet, and unconformably overlies the Tohachi shale.

This formation as described by Reiche (1941,

p 2) consists of white to yel3.owish, soft fine to medium grained, silty sands.

At the base, however, there is a bed

of gray, pebbly conglomerate. The Chuska Valley is a downwarped basin partly fil­ led with Tertiary and Recent alluvium but with pediment rem­ nants of Mesa Verde still standing. The alluvium in the valley and small tributary can­ yons entering the Valley is Tertiary in age and is covered by a mantle of recent flood plain material.

These flood

plain deposits are, for the most part, material that was

9

eroded from the upper areas on the monocline and from the Chuska Mountains and are therefore a heterogeous mixture of materials from these earlier formations. Historical Geology: The Mexican Springs Area, being a part of the Colorado Plateau province, has a geologic his­ tory that is similar to that as outlined by Fenneman (1951, pp 520-325) for the Grand Canyon district and is as follows:

a)

Post-Cretaceous: uplifting and folding.

(2)

Pre-Upper-Eocene: Extensive erosion.

(3)

Upper Eocene: widespread deposition.

(4)

Present drainage lines established (prob­ able time of north-south faulting).

(5)

Regional uplift.

(6)

Profound erosion, resulting in general peneplain.

(Davis1 plateau cycle.) Var­

iously assigned to Miocene and Pliocene. (7)

Renewed moderate uplift of a few hundred to a thousand feet.

(8)

Erosion to a late-mature or older surface.

(9)

Great general uplift at or after the begin­ ning of the Quaternary.

(10)

The TIcanyon cycle of erosiontT.

(11)

Recent canyon alluviation and trenching.

10

CLIMATE AND VEGETATION Reiche (1941) summarizes the climate and vegeta­ tion of the region as follows: "The altitude ranges from 6060 to 8500$ the mean annual precipitation from 9 to 16.5 inches correlating close­ ly therewith, according to the short-term records available. A pronounced summer rainy season following a strong rainfall minimum in June is characteristic.

The dominant vegetation

includes galleta-blue grama up to 6600 feet; pinyon-juniper from 6600 to 7300, and yellow pine above 7300." Rubbell, et al (1941) gives the following brief description of a typical storm which occurred during July of 1939; from the example, the reader may get a more com­ plete understanding of the run-off problem and its effect on the vegetation (p 41, Navajo Report): "The rain which fell in the afternoon of the 28th covered all the watersheds under study.

Additional rain

which fell in the evening and in the afternoon of the 29th covered only parts of the area. . . .The average rainfall on each watershed for July 28 and 29 was as follows: Parshall, 1.40 inches; Lower Crevasse, 2.15 inches; Mexican Springs, 1.49 inches; Catron, 1.08 inches; Figueredo, 1.22 inches.

Watershed No. 1, Horse Pasture, had no run-off."

11

METHODS Field: The field methods were similar to those prescribed in the TJ* S. Department of Agriculture report on sedimentation behind reservoirs (Eakin and Brown,1939). All sediment samples were taken either with a standard garden shovel or with the hand-operated soil auger which is shown in Figures 1 and 2.

The cylinder in the auger

was four inches in diameter and twelve inches in length. The top end was covered by a trap door thus enabling a complete one foot core to be removed by inserting a plun­ ger at the toothed or lower end. For the shallow samples 0 to 2 feet, the shovel was used and all breaks in stratification were logged in the field book.

Typical samples for each stratification

layer were taken and. these were used later for laboratory analysis. Samples taken at a depth below two feet were ob­ tained with the soil auger.

The extensions for the auger

were in five-foct lengths and were constructed of threequarter inch water pipe.

One-foot cores were attempted

and the measurements were made by lowering a steel car­ penter *s tape into the drill hole.

The samples were log­

ged as mentioned previously and typical samples were also taken for each stratification layer,. Suspended stream samples were taken with the aid

12

of the integrated stream sediment sampler shown in Figures 3 and 4.

This sampler was obtained from the U. S. Depart­

ment of Agricultiire Experimental Station at Albuquerque, New Mexico, and the samples obtained were complete and rep­ resentative provided that the velocity of the stream was sufficient to force the water through the intake tube*

For

the samples taken from the sluggish stages of the stream, the author merely lowered a one-pint mason jar into the stream and then jdealed the lid* A hasty field determination of texture was attemp­ ted by using a standard ten-power triplex hand lens and feeling the sediment between the fingers.

This method

showed results fairly comparable to the laboratory analysis* After a fewT samples were taken, this field method of analy­ sis enabled the author to select future sampling points more intelligently. Color determinations were made on the spot with the aid of the U. S. Department of Agriculture color chart (1939).

The colors recorded wrere not corrected for water

content and merely served as an aid in determining the gen­ eral change in lithology* The surveying was done with a Johnson head planetable when good weather prevailed and with a Swiss Theodo­ lite transit during inclement weather.

This enabled the

party to work during the frequent summer rain storms that

15

prevailed during most of the summer of 1949* Laboratory: The analysis of tiro hundred or more samples in the available time of four months created the chief laboratory problem.

Before work was started, the

author discussed the problem with Dr. Clements and Dr. Emery, who were on the author fs advisory committee from the University of Southern California, and with Mr. H. V. Peterson and Mr. Irving Sherman of the U. S. Geological Survey.

The method decided upon for the textural analy­

sis was ShermanTs modification of the Bouyoucos Hydrome­ ter method.

This method gave the sand-silt and silt-clay

break t o t 5% accuracy and gave two other points for plot­ ting the various curves. After sixteen samples were analysed, it was evi­ dent that this method was not rapid enough to enable the author to complete the laboratory work in the limited time available.

Again, the author was confronted writh

the problem of finding a reasonably fast and accurate me­ thod of determining the composition percentages.

This

time, with the assistance of Mr. Luna B. Leopold and Mr. Irving Sherman of the U. S. Geological Survey, the au­ thor decided on an air-dry moisture content technique as prescribed by Mr. Sherman. Experimental investigations were made to de­ termine the best procedure for the method and the accur-

14

acy of

the procedures.

The first procedure attempted is,

for convenience, broken down into the following steps: (i)

The sample was split down as nearly as pos­ sible to 30 or 40 grains by the use of a Jones Sample Splitter;

then it was placed

in a 100 ml beaker and weighed, (8) The sample was thoroughly saturated with distilled water and placed in front of a fan for twenty-four hours.

This brought

the natural (hydroscopic) water content back to normal and eliminated the drying effect that could have been produced by having the sample stored from three to five months. (o) The sample was again weighed and placed in an electric oven for twenty-four hours in order to drive off all the moisture pre­ sent. (4) The sample was removed from the oven, placed in a desiccator, allowed to cool, and weighed for the final time. (5) The air-dry moisture content was obtained by subtracting the weight after removal from the desiccator from the weight after the fan treatment.

To obtain the percentage of mois-

15

ture present in each sample the oven-dried weight was divided into the weight of the moisture content and multiplied by one hun­ dred, the resultant being the percentage* The second procedure was similar and only Step. No. 2 was eliminated.

This procedure was about twice as

fast as the first procedure but the accuracy was somewhat better in the first. Least-square linear trend lines were calculated for the data as prescribed by Pearson and Bennett (1942, pp 76-80).

This method was used in order to eliminate

any human (or personal) errors, as anyone can readily de­ monstrate that no two persons would draw an identical trend line for a series of points plotted on a graph.

By

this method, the average and the rate of increase are de­ termined mathematically and are based on all the observa­ tions made and plotted.

Graph No. 1 shows the 6 hour-10

minute and 40 second curves for the saturated samples and Tables 6 and 7 show the least-square calculations for de­ termination of the trend lines.

Graph No. 2 with accomp­

anying Tables 8 and 9 show the corresponding information for the sample in its natural state. Tables 2, 3, 4, and 5 show the accuracy of the 6 hour-10 minute, and 40 second curves for the two proce­ dures and also the methods used in arriving at the prob-

16

able errors of estimate.

The mathematical method is sim­

ilar to that prescribed by Pearson and Bennett (1942, pp 304-322).

The probable error of estimate for the 6 hour-

10 minute curves were -2.12% for the saturated sample and ±2.97/o for the natural sample and for the 40 second curves ±5.S/a for the saturated sample and ±5.46m for the natural sample.

A quick glance at the figures will show that for

the speed desired, the second procedure was much better as the probable error increased only ± .35;'! and the time in­ volved was practically cut in half.

Another observation

can also be made that the 6 hour-10 minute curve is the only one that has a sufficiently low error to allow ac­ curate correlation. The author would like to caution anyone who may desire to use this method in the future that for each sep­ arate locality new curves must be calculated.

Furthermore,

the method would not be applicable to large areas receiv­ ing material from various sources, the reason beirg that a change in lithology and chemical content of the material being deposited will cause the curve to shift in order to fit these two factors.

In other words, the method should

only be used for local areas where the lithology and chem­ ical content are not too diverse and where the moisture con­ tent is the only significant variable. Another point that warrants mentioning is that if

17

a laboratory were equipped with a constant temperature regulator and a HgSO^ desiccator used, the probable er­ ror of estimate possibly could be cut in half, thus put­ ting the error in the -1% range. Table 11 shows the analytical results for the fifteen suspended stream samples.

The method used to de­

termine the percentage by weight of sediment in each sam­ ple was to divide the weight of the net sample (sediment included) into the weight of the sediment (dry). This was calculated by obtaining the weight for the sample bot­ tle with the sediment in it, decanting off as much water as possible and pouring the remaining water and sediment into a previously weighed beaker.

The sample bottle was

then dried and weighed and the beaker with the sediment and water placed in a drying oven.

After the sample was

dried, it was weighed, the weight of the water being ob­ tained by adding the weight of the sediment to the weight of the bottle and subtracting this from the original to­ tal weight. Map ho. 2 in the back pocket was dr aim up under the direction of Mr. Leopold in order to enable the author to visualize the drill holes and their locations with re­ spect to the diversion dam topography and vegetation as noted in the field.

All of the drill holes were plotted

on this map and the location of cross-sections were also

18

plotted on the map.

This procedure vas followed so as to

enable the reader to get a better overall picture of the area and system of deposition.

DISTRIBUTION OF GRAIN SIZES The data shows a very imperfect trend for the me­ dian diameter to decrease in the downstream direction and also a decrease in median diameter with depth in the fill, the smaller sizes being in the bottom portion or layers of the fill, but local variations are great.

The upstream

limits of the fill grade into a coarse pebbly gravel. There is no appreciable change in the size of the sand grains throughout the entire fill area, the reason be­ ing that the Mesa Verde formation which outcrops in the source area has sand grains which are predominantly fine to very fine sizes. The pebbly gravel that lies beyond the effective upper limits of the diversion dam is also found beneath the fill in the main stream channel and represents material part­ ly residual and partly transported, from nearby outcrops. This materia], had a tendency to line the channel prior to depo­ sition of fill behind the diversion dam.

The pebbles are

mainly composed of lithified shale which lias been weathered from the Mesa Verde formation.

Mesa Verde sandstone in this

area is too poorly cemented to hold together for any length

19

of time while in transport; thus sandstone pebbles are con­ fined to the upper limits of streams adjacent to outcrops of the Mesa Verde sandstone. The ratio of sand-silt to clay, however, does show definite variations which can be tabulated and Graphs ho. 4, 5, 6, and 7 were drawn to emphasize differences verti­ cally and horizontally that were brought about by changes of the above ratio.

The author does not believe that any

individual flood can be plotted by this method or that any one flood controlled the type and sequence of deposition. He does believe, however, that these graphs suggest rough patterns of deposition that reflect the hydrologic and geologic conditions that prevail during a given period. These conditions can be classified into the following three main groups: (1)

Lithologic type:

the material that was

eroded from the source area varied with time and floods and this can be easily de­ monstrated by pointing out the highly ir­ regular form of the Mesa Verde formation as described by Sears, et al (194.1).

The

author believes that the Mesa Verde form­ ation in the area undergoing erosion con­ tributed over eighty percent of the mater­ ial laid down in the fill.

20

(2)

Flow pattern:

the building of the original

diversion dam changed the direction of the flow considerably, causing degradation where the velocity was increased and aggradation where the velocity was decreased^ as addi­ tional wings were added to the directions of the flow were changed with each addition. Another hydrologic factor that influenced the type of deposition or fill is the win­ nowing action of the flood waters as the fill (or fan) was built further downstream. The stream would pick up the fine parti­ cles from the upper fill area and carry them down to the outer extremities of the fill, where the velocity was decreased due to increased friction as the water spread out over the fan.

This action caused a

constant migration of the fine constitu­ ents as the fan spread out into the valley. (3)

Wind action:

the wind tended to stri]3 out

the clay particles and leave the silt-sand particles.

This condition is especially

effective in the fill area directly up­ stream from the original dam structure and also along the fill to the southeast of the

21

dam*

The prevailing winds for the most part

came from the west*

This is also the rea­

son for the extensive sand dunes on the down­ stream side of the dam near Survey Stations 68 and 73*

Photograph ho. 5 shows the sand

area behind the dam and also the Russian olive trees that the Soil Conservation Ser­ vice planted in an attempt to hold the soil and stabilize the fill.

These trees were,

for the most part, dead due to lack of water. Photographs No. 6 and 7 were taken on the downstream side of the dam and show the sand dunes.

Photograph No. 8 was taken near Sta­

tion 140, which is situated to the southeast of the dam. Graph No. 4 shows the correlation of layers that can be Identified in the longitudinal profile drawn fran Station 1 to Station 191 along the main channel that now carries the flood water*

This graph illustrates clearly

the shape of the fill in the longitudinal profile and al­ so points out the fact that the same type of fine material found in the bottom layers of the drill holes is similar to that now being deposited at the lower extremities of the fill, commencing at Station 76.

The surface layer is

similar throughout most of the fill excepting in the outer

extremities where a high percentage of clay now being de­ posited is reached*

This again is additional proof of the

idea, mentioned earlier, that hydrologic conditions affect the top few feet. It should be pointed out that the trend of the pre­ sent channel has existed for only approximately four years and that the original fan from the first portion of the di­ version dam followed down the southeast side of the Figueredo Wash channel.

The profile south of the dam shown on

Graph No. 5 is a longitudinal profile along part of this old fan.

wind action has prevailed here since the south­

west wing was added to the dam and therefore no conclusion can be drawn from this fan except that, as stated before, it has been altered by wind action.

This fact is indica­

ted by the increase in the percentage of sand for the top foot of alluvium in a downstream direction.

This is con­

trary to all principles of alluvial fan deposition. Table Ho. 12 was prepared to show the analysis of the top foot of fill along the two profiles, the north pro­ file being the one along the present active fan and the south profile being along the same line as on Graph No. 5. Longitudinal profiles through the dam are repre­ sented by longitudinal profile along A-Af which is on Graph No. 5 and hngitudinal profiles along B-BT and C-Ct which a re on Graph No. 6.

These three profiles show that the

clay content in the bottom few feet increases toward the dam. This may have been due to a ponding effect on the lower por­ tions of the flows which possibly could have been highly sa­ turated with colloidal particles.

The water in this portion

of the Navajo region has a tendency to be gypsiferous (Clarke, 1924) and floculation could have taken place. A comparison of Profiles 7 and 9 on Graph ho. 7 and Profile 11 on Graph No. 6 illustrates the same effect in the transverse sections, that is, the clay content of the lower portion increases toward the dam* The results of the analysis for the suspended stream samples are shown on Table Ho. 11.

The effect of velocity

can be clearly noted as the higher velocities accordingly carry the greater percentage of sand.

The clay content of

the material carried in suspension during the low stages of flow, or when the velocity was less than one foot per sec­ ond, did not correspond to any portion of the fill.

The rea­

son for this is not known but the author believes that the clay was probably mixed with the coarse fractions of the fill by infiltration between the sand grains and also that wind action may have picked up some of the fines after the stream channel dried. The clay content carried by the streams with vel­ ocities over one foot per second does correlate with the low­ er portion (vertically) of the fill and also with the mater­

24

ial now being deposited on the downstream extremities of the fan*

The reason for the overall overage of the clay

content being lower than the clay content of the sediment in the stream is possibly due to the action of the wind transporting a considerable amount of the clay particles from the area. Graph No, 8 was drawn up to show the following changes that seemed to affect the sediment carried in sus­ pension: (1) with an increase in velocity there is a correspondirg increase in median diameter of the suspended sediment; (2)

with an increase in velocity there is also

an increase in the percentage of sediment carried by the stream; and (3) that from the first and second observat­ ions can be drawn a third, stating that with an increase in a percentage carried in suspension there is a corres­ ponding increase in median diameter. The gradients obtained from Graphs No. 4, 5, 6, and 7 show that gradient had little influence on the type and rate of deposition.

The data recorded in Table No. 13

show that the ratio of present grade to original grade is 61,84 percent or a decrease of gradient of .00202 per foot. It also shows, however, that the gradient of the present channel is 1.105$ greater than the original gradient of the valley floor in this local area.

This may mean that

once the present stream can again connect with the old

25

channel dawn stream that a gulley will cut with gradient equal to that of Figueredo Hash.

The phenomenon did start

on the lower portion south fill area and that was the rea­ son for the addition of the last wing near Station 90 which changes the direction of flow into its present channel. Kaetz and Rich (1959), in their report on the sur­ veys made to determine the grade of deposition above silt and gravel barriers, reached the following conclusions: rrl.

Ho definite correlation appears to exist be­ tween grade of deposition above barriers in alluvial washes and the material carried when such ephemeral washes are in flow.

2.

There appears to be a correlation between the grade of deposition and the original grade in alluvial and gravel washes.

The

above study revealed that the average grade of deposition above barriers in alluvial washes was 37$ of the original grade with a smaller percentage indicated in the ma­ jority of cases.

In heavy gravel washes the

average grade of deposition was 49$ that of the original grade. 3.

Ho positive correlation exists between the age of the barrier and the grade of depos­ ition beyond that attained after a limited

26

number of years of operation.tT These conclusions are well-supported by the re­ sults of the investigation undertaken by the author.

EFFECT OF VEGETATION OK DEPOSITION As should be expected, vegetation had an effect on deposition and conversely deposition affected plant growth. It was noted in the vicinity of transverse Profile 17 that the sage brush in the area trapped debris such as pine need­ les and twigs and formed natural barriers of a few inches in height behind which sediment was deposited. The fan be­ ing formed on the north side of Figueredo had much of its bottom layer deposited in this manner.

This characteristic

was useful in determining the base of the fill in many lo­ calities. At the present time, on the downstream extremities of the fill, Russian wheat is causing increased deposition by increasing the friction factor thereby decreasing the velocity of individual flows.

This Russian wheat is kept

alive, hoever, by the water that reaches this area by way of flow from the floods. Excessively rapid deposition tends to kill off the vegetation in the following ways:

(l) fast deposition

will bury the plants; (2) once the plants have been buried, wind action can take effect and thus remove the humus and

27

fine clay particles that plant life requires for growth; and (3) if excessive amounts of the clay fraction are de­ posited , an impervious layer will be formed and thus not allow surface water to seep through the ground into the root zone. Kaetz and Rich (1939) reported that in washes surveyed no vegetation had taken hold on deposited mater­ ial above the barriers studied.

Such deposition, when

confined within the banks of the original channel, seemed tobe subject to sufficient velocity and scour to prevent vegetation from establishing itself.

Hence, no fanning

and additional deposition had resulted from introduction of vegetation above dry barriers studied by them under these conditions.

This may be a factor that has prevented

growth in the barren area near the intersection of Pro­ file 21 with the new stream channel.

There are signs of

a small dam having once been located near Station 73 and at a later date breached. RELATIONSHIP TO DEPOSITION IN LARGER AREAS The alluvial material is not being deposited in the true pattern of an lluvial fan or of a pattern of de­ position in larger reservoirs.

The overall pattern in this

area, however, may resemble a modification of the two men­ tioned above to fit local situations.

The main modifica­

tions are those which take into consideration the source

28

area and material available for erosion, transportation, and eventual deposition. The composition of valley alluvium (sand, silt, and clay) is very close to that for the average of the Figueredo samples.

This may mean that with continued weathering and

erosion the features in the fill area as one now sees them will some day resemble variances that are demonstrated by cut and fill areas on the walls of Figueredo hash.

In other

words, the deposition described in this report is local and will show up as such when the large extent of alluvium in the valley is considered.

CONCLUSIONS 1.

The gradient in the general area of the diver­

sion dam lias little effect on the grain size as turbulent flow caused by the diversion tends to overcome the natural sequence.

The gradient above the dam and out of its area

of effect does, however, effect the grain size deposited and transported. 2.

Vegetation does slow down the flow (by trap­

ping debris) and this causes depositioi. However, when deposition is at a high rate, the vegetation Is smothered. The sediment layer (high in clay) also acts as an aquiclude and does not allow influent seepage to take place.

29

3.

Lithology of the eroded material is one of the

factors to be considered when making interpretations of the sediment as the highly irregular Mesa Verde formation con­ tributes over 80% of the material that has been and is being deposited in the area studied. 4.

Intensity and extent of storm affects the over­

all pattern of flow and thus in turn sedimentation. 5.

The action of wind tends to strip out the clay

particles and leave the sand-silt sizes.

This condition is

effective directly behind the dam and also along the fill to the southeast of the dam.

30

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(1925), The Story of the Range. U. S. Cong. 69th, First Sess., Subcoxnm., Public Lands and Survey Hearing, Part VI

Barrell, J., (1908), Relationship Between Climate and Terrestial Deposits. Jour. Geol., Vol.16, pp 159-190, 255-295, 363-384 Bennett, H. i H., (1932), Relation of Erosion to Vegetative Changes. Sci. Mon., 35, pp 385-415 Blackwelder , E., (1931), Desert Plains. Jour. Geol., Vol. 39, p 137 Breazeale, J . F., (1926), A Study of the Colorado River Silt. Ariz. Agri. Exp. Sta. Tech. Bui. 8, Brooks, C. E . P., (1928), Climate Through the Ages. John ¥iley and Sons, Inc. Bryan, ICirk, (1925), Date of Channel Trenching in the Ar­ id Southwest. Sci. N. S., Vol. 62, pp 338-344 Bryan, Kirk, (1927), Channel Erosion of the Rio Salado. Socono County. New Mexico. U. 3. Geol. Sur­ vey Bui. 790, p 17-19 Bryan, Kirk, (1928), Change in Plant Associations by Change in Ground Water Level. Ecology, Vol. 9, pp 474-478 Bryan, Kirk, (1929), Relation of Silt Zuni River, lieu Mexico: Taylor *s Paper; Silting tin. Texas. A mer. Soc. Vol. 93, pp 1703-1707

to Stream Flow on Discussion of T. U . of the Lake at Aus­ Civ. Engrs. Trans.

Bryan,

Kirk, (1940), Erosion in the Valleys west , New Mexico Quart•, Nov.,

of the South­ pp 227-232

Bryan,

Kirk, (1942), Pre-Columbian Agriculture in the South­ west as Conditioned by Periods of Alluvlation. 8th Amer. Sci. Cong., Proc. Vol. 2, pp 57-74

Bryan, Kirk and McCann, F. T., (1945), Sand Dunes and Allu­ vium Near Grants. New Mexico. Amer. Antiq., Vol. 8, No. 5, pp 281-295 Clarke, F.¥., (1924), Data of Geochemistry. U. S. Geol, Survey Bill. Y7'qY Cooperrider, C. K., and Hendricks, B. A., (1937), Soil Erosion and Stream Flow on Range and Forest Lands of the Upper Rio Grande Watershed in Relation to Land Resources and Human Welfare. U. S. Dept. Agri., Tech. Bull. 567. Cotton, C. A., (1942), Climatic Accidents, Nhitcombe and Tombs, Ltd., pp 11-26 Cotton, C. A., (1947), Geomorphology. ¥iiey and Sons, Inc., pp 26-47 Cross, ¥., (1899), TJ. S. Geol. Atlas, Tellurite Folio No. 57 Davis, ¥. M., (1905), The Geographic Cycle in An Arid Cli­ mate, Jour. C-eol., Vol. 13, pp 381-40? Davis, ¥. M., (1936), Sheet Floods and Stream Floods. Geol. Soc. .Amer., Bull. 49, p 1360 Duley, F. L. and Miller, M. F., (1923), Erosion and Surface Under Different Soil Conditions. Mo. Agri. Expt. Sta., Res. Bull. 63 Eakin, H. M. and Brown, C. B., (1939), Silting of Resevoirs. U. S. Dept. Agri., Tech. Bull.^524 Edwards, A. M., (1936), Silting of the 0 TShaughnessy Reser­ voir . Civ. Eng., Vol. 6, No. 8, pp 511-512 Farris, 0. A*, (1935), The Silt Load of Texas Streams. U.S. Dept. Agri., Tech. Bull. 382

32

Fenneman, N. M., (1951), Physiography of the Western Uni­ ted States, McGraw-Hill Book Co. Field, R., (1935), Stream-carved Slopes a nd Plains in Desert Mountains. Amer. Jour. Sci., 5th Series, Vol. 29, No. 172, pp 113-132 Flock, L. R., (1934), Records of Silt Carried by the Rio Grande and Its accumulation in Elephant Butte Reservoir. Amer. Geophys. Union, Trans., Ann. Meeting 15 (Pt. 2), pp 468-473 Forbes, R. H., (1908), Irrigating Sediments and Their Ef­ fects on Crops. Ariz. Agri. Exp. Sta., Bull. 53 Galliher, E. N., (1933), Cumulative Curves and Histograms. Amer. Jour. Sci. Vol. 26, pp 475-478 Gile, P. Ii., (1927), Colloidal Soil Material. Soil Sci. Vol. 25, pp 359-364 Goldman, N[. I. and Hewett, D. F., Schedule for Field De­ scription on Sedimentary Rocks. U. S. G. S. Special Paper Gregory, 1l. E., (1916), The Nava .jo Country and Hydrographic Reconnaisance Arizona. New Mexico, and Utah. Survey Water Supply Paper 580,

A Geographic of Parts of U. S. Geol. p 219

Hack, J . T ., (1939), The Late Quaternary History of Sever­ al Valleys of North Arizona. Mus. Notes, Mus. N. Ariz., Vol. 11, No. 11 Happ, S. C ., Rittenhouse, G., and Dobson, G. C., (1940), Some Principles of Accelerated Stream and Valley sVd'lmVnt'at'ion'UY"*S. Dent. Agri., Tech. Bull. 695 Halbert, A . B., (1930), Soil: Its Influence on the His­ tory of the United States. Yale Univ. Press, New Hav en, Conn. Hutton, J. G., (1928), Soil Colors. Their Nomenclature and Description. 1st Inter. Cong., Soil Sci. Proc. and Papers (4), pp 164-172

Ireland, H. A., -Sharpe, C. F. S., and Eargle, D. H., (193S) Principles of Gulley Erosion In the Piedmont of South Carolina. U. S. Dept. Agri., Tech. Bull. 633 Jepson, H. G., (193S), Prevention and Control of Gullies. U. S. Dept. Agri., Farmer*s Bull. 1813 Johnson, D. ¥., (1932), Rock Fans of /a?id Regions. Amer. Jour• Sci., 5th Ser., Vol. S3, pp 389-416 Juddand Kelly, (1939), Methods of Designation of Colors. Natl. Bur. Stan. Jour., Res. 23, pp 355-385 Kaetz, A. and Rich, L. R., (1939), Report of Surveys Made to Determine Grade of Deposition Above Silt and Gravel Barriers. U. S. Dept. Agri., Soil Con. Serv., Albuquerque, New Mexico Keen, B. A., (1928), Some Comments on the Hydrometer Me­ thod for Studying Soils, Soil Sci., Vol. 26, pp 261-263 Kellogg, C. E., (1937), Soil Survey Manual. U. S. Dept. Agri., Misc. Pub. 274 Krug, J. A., (1946), The Colorado River. TJ. S. Dept. Int. Krumbein, ¥. C., (1932), A History of the Principles and Methods of Mecnanical Analysis. Jour. -Sed. Pet. Krumbein, ¥. C., (1932), The Mechanical Analysis of Fine Grained Sediments. Jour. Sed. Pet. 2, pp 140-149 Krumbein, ¥. C., (1934), The Probable Error of Sampling Sediments for Mechanical Analysis. A mer. Jour. Sci. 27, pp 204-214 Krumbein, N. C., (1934), Size Frequency Distribution of Sediments. Jour. Sed. Pet. 4, pp 65-77 Krumbein, ¥. C. and Pettijohn, Manual of Sedimentary Petrography. Appleton-Century-Crofts, Inc. Krumbein, ¥. C., (1939), Preferred Orientation of Pebbles in Sedimentary Deposits. Jour. Geol. 47, pp 6?5-706

54

Krumbein, ¥

C*, (1941), Measurement of Geologic Signifi­ cance of Shape and Soundness of Sedimentary Particles, Jour, Sed, Pet. 11, pp 64— 72

Lawson, A. C., (1915), Epigene Cycles of the Desert. Univ. of Calif., Dept, of Geol., Bull. Vol. 9, pp 23-48 Lawson, L. M., (1925), Effect of Rio Grande Storage.on River Erosion and Deposition. Engin. Hews, op 372Wl

Lockett, H. , (1959), Along the Beale Trail, U. S. Off, Ind. Affairs, Pub. of Educ. Div., Marsh, G. P ., (1874), The Earth as Modified by human Action. Scribner, Armstrong and Co. McCann, F. T., (1938), Ancient Erosion Surface in the GallupZuni Area. Hew Mexico, A mer. Jour. Sci., Vol. 36, pp 260-278 HitcheIson, A. A. and Muckle,_ D. C., (1937), Spreading Water for Storage Underground. U. S. Dept. Agri., Tech. Bull. 578 0 fNeal, A. 14., (1925), The Effect of Moisture on Soil Colors. Soil Sci. Vol. 16, pp 275-279 Paige, S., (1912), Rock-cut Surfaces in the Desert Ranges, Jour. Geol., Vol. 20, pp 442-450 Pike, ¥. S. Jr., (1947), Intertonguing Marine and Nonmarine Upper Cretaceous Deposits of New Mexico. Arizona, and Southwestern Colorado. Geol. Soc. Amer., Memoir Mo. 24 Pierson and Bennett, (1942), Statistical Methods. John Uiley and Son, pp 76-89, 304-322 Reiche, P., (1941), Erosion Stages of the Arizona Pla.teau as Reflected in the Headwater Drainage Area. Plateau Vol. 13 No. 4, pp 53-64 Rich, J. L. , (1935), Origin and Evolution of Rock Fans and Pediments. Geol. Soc. Amer., Bull. Vol. 46, pp 999-1024

55

Robinson, ¥. 0, and Holmes, R. S., (1924), The Chemical Composition of Soil Colloids. U. S. Dept. Agri. Bull. 1311 Rubey, ¥. ¥., (1953), Settling Velocities of Gravel. Sand. and Silt Particles. Amer. Jour.' Sci. 25, pp 325538 Rule, Glenn K., (1937), Emergency Wind-erosion Control. U. S. Dept. Agri., Cir. Ho. 450, Govt. Print. Off., Wash., D . C. Sears, J. D., (1925), Geology and Coal Resources of the Gallup-Zuiii Basin. Nev Mexico, U. S. Geol. Survey Bull'.' Y e T T v p 'fe'-ib-----Sears, J. D., (1953), Regressive Sandstones« Hash. Acad. Sci. Jour., Vol. £5, pp 397-598 Sears, J. D., Hunt, C. B., and Hendricks, T. A., (1941), Transgressive and Regressive Cretaceous De­ posits in Southern San Juan Basin. Hew Mexico. U. S. Geol. Survey Prof. Paper 193-F Sears, Paul, (1935), Deserts on the March. Univ. of Okla. Pr ess, H orman, Oklahoma Shaler, Ii. JX., (1907), A Reconnaisance Survey of the Hest­ ern Part of the Durango-Gallup Coal Field of Colorado and New Mexico. U. S. Geol Survey Bull. 31G Sherser, W. H., (1910), Criteria for Recognition of Var­ ious Types of Sand Grains. Geol. Soc Amer., Bull. Vol. 21, No. 4, pp 625-662 Shrader, F. C., (1906), The Durango-Gallup Coal Field of Colorado and New Mexico, U. S. Geol. Survey Bull. 285, pp 241-258 Smith, ¥. 0., (1943), Density of Soil Solids and their Genetic Relationship. Soil. Sci., Vol. 56, Ho. 4 Snedecor, G. ¥., (1946), Statistical Methods. Iowa State College Press Stabler, H., (1925), Does Desilting Affect Cutting Power of Streams. Engin. Hews-Rec., 95, pp 968-969

36

Stevens, J. E., (1936), The Silt Problem. Amer. Soc. Civ, Engin. Trans, 101, pp 207-250 Suplee, Lt. E, M,, (1892), Condition of the Nay a.jo Indian Country, Report, to the War Dept, Taylor, T, TJ,, (1930), Silting of Reservoirs, Texas Univ. Bull. 5025 Tieje, A. J., (1921), Suggestions as to the Description and Naming of Sedimentary Rocks. Jour. Geol. Vol. 29, No. 7, pp 650-666 Tolinan, C. F., (1937), Ground Water. McGraw-Hill Inc. Twenhofel, ¥. H., (1932), Treatise on Sedimentation. Wit liams and Wilkens Co. Twenhofel, ¥. H., (1939), Principles of Sedimentation, McGraw-Hill Inc. Twenhofel and Tyler, (1941), Methods of Study of Sediments. McGraw-Hill Inc. United States Congress, (1936), The Western Range. 74th Cong., 2nd Sess., S. Doc. No. 199 United States Dept. Agri., (1937), Soil Conservation Dis­ tricts^ for Erosion Control, Soil Cons. Serv., . MiYc* PublT~293 United States Dept. Agri., (1938), Soil and Man. 1938 Year­ book United States Dept. Agri., (1941), Climate and Man. 1941 Yearbook University of Iowa, (1940), A Study of Methas Used in Measurement and Analysis,of Sediment Loads in Streams. Hydraulic Lab., Report No". 1 - 9 Wentworth, C. K., (1926), Methods of Mechanical Analysis of Sediments. Univ. of Iowa, N. S. 11 Wentworth, C. K., (1927), The Accuracy of Mechanical Anal­ ysis. Amer. Jour. Sci., Vol. 13

37

Wentworth, C. K., (1929), Methods of Computing Mechanical Composition Types in Sediments* Geol. Soc. Amer. Bull., Vol. 40, pp 771-790 Wiegner, G. , (1927), Method of Preparation of Soil Suspen­ sion and Degree of Dispersion as Measured by the Wiegner-Gessner Apparatus. Soil Sci., Vol. 23, pp 377-390 Wooton, E. 0., (1915), Factors Affecting Range Management in New Mexico. U. S. Dept. Agri., Bull. 211

38

Figure No* 1: Photograph of soil auger used to acquire samples* Scale shown is one foot in length.

Figure No* 2: Photograph of soil auger in use; workman is standing on truck to allow more weight to be applied in the vertical direc­ tion.

39

Figure No* 3: Integrated stream sampler assembled*

Figure No. 4: Integrated stream sampler unassembled* Water enters tube in front and floors into bot­ tle, the water in turn forces the air in the bottle out through the escape vent to the left of the in­ take tube.

40

Figure No. 5: Area of dam fill. Note that vegetation is sparse and that small dunes are form­ ing.

Figure No. 6: Photograph taken from old Figueredo Nash channely looking toward the dam. Note how wind action has altered face of dam.

Figure No. 7s Photograph taken from dam looking downstream in old channel. Note depth of channel and sand being blown into channel from dam.

near Station 140. Note sand dunes forming, due to prevalent wind action.

42

Figure No. 9: One of the pediment remnants that is located in the vi­ cinity.

Figure No. 10: Photograph taken from old Figueredo Wash channel ap­ proximately one mile downstream from dean. Note side gulley that starte;d to cut while water was being diver­ ted around to the southeast of the dam. Time required to cut this tri­ butary gulley was approximately two years•

43

Figure No, 11: Photograph showing downstream portion of the old Figueredo channel. Note meandering of channel,

Figure No, 12: Example of mud cracks formed after each flood in present channel. These cracks will roll up into mud balls when next flood passes over.

44

Figure No, 13: Round mud balls formed in meandering portion of new channel.

Figure No, 14: Oblong mud ball formed in straight portion of new channel.

45

TABLE NC. 1

SIMTARY OF DATA - SIZE ANALYSIS CN FIGUERADO NASH SAMPLES NUMBER FI F2 F3 F4 F5 F6 F7 F8 F9 F10 Fll FIS 49A 4SB 49C 4SD 49E 49F 49G 61 62A 6SB 62C 6SD 68A 68B 76A 76B 91A 9IB 91C 95A 95B 95C 95D 101A 101B 101C 101D 10IF 10IF

MOIST

SAND

Gravel 1.17 Gravel 5.13 0.798 5.73 5.88 4.45 0.76 Gravel Gravel Gravel 1.48 3 •89 1.5 3.17 2.098 5.17 3.62

— 72.8

p o

A 1f A

0.93 3 . 53 1.86 4.37 0.75 3.19 0.655 3 •95 1.84 1.17 2.01 0.64 0.51 •

nry I

0.69 0.80 1.11 1.90 2.39 2.13 2.15

—

— 80.0 — — 11 •8 80.8

SILT 18. 0 —

40.5 9.0 54.0 29.5 56.4 8.6

_

—

—

—

_ 67.8 22.2 67.0 35.2 55.7 35.6 27.1 53.7 77.4 29.0 60.0 13.2 81.0 35, 3 82.7 21.3 60.5 72.7 57.2 82.9 85.5 84.0 81.8 80.0 74.2 59.5 50.1 55.0 54. 8

CLAY 15.2 ■ — 59.5 11.0 66.0 70.5 51.8 10.6

MEDIAN DIAMETER 1431-1 —

190M

—

_ 1.61 —

1.47

—

_

—

_

_

13.6 32.2 14.3 27.1 18.8 25.9 30.4 19.5 10.1 29.5 17.1 35.8 8.5 24.9 7.9 32.8 16.9 12.1 18.5 7.8 6.9 7.5 8.2 9.0 11. o 17.4 21.5 19.2 19.2

SORT I]

_

18.6 45.6 18.7 37.7 25.5 37.5 42.5 26.8 12.5 41.5 22.9 51.0 10.5 37.8 9.4 45.9 22.6 15.2 24.5 9.3 7.6 8.5 10.0 11.0 14.5 O T A « 1 28.6 25.8 26.0

102

1.65

181

142

95

2.54

1

1.51

o

TABLE NO. 1 (Continued)

n

O

4.

o o

o :j

O

o

G T o >2L

rr •

3

8 7 0 7

r5 O

7 6 1 G

0 o

6 8 o G O

3

£"> r—

ryo 0

41 70 76 76 81 74 44 r>

9 7 2 0 8 2 7 o

15. ll 5 7 9 9. 10 3 15. 21 p 29. 14 6 20. 28 7 40. 16 0 ‘) H O CD C O C D C O ( D lO O O lO O

HID HIE 11IF 111G 111H 1111 H1J HIE HIT, 112A 13.2B 112C 112D 112E 112F 112 G 11 1121 112J

A A

75 83 76 49 62 30 62 77 72 64 59 70 80 7Q 75 72 73 67 39 22 5 64 82 84 81 85 50 20 41 69 3 57

CD LO 10 £-

e

15 634 01 4b 66

to C D LQ LO tO 2> O O C O OHCOHQ

m

1 0 1 2 1 3 1 0 1 1 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 1 f4

OHLQ

102A 102B 102C 102D 102E 102F 1Q2G 102II 1021 102J 102K 102L 104A 104B 104C 104D 104E 104F 106A 106B 106C 106D 110 111A 111B

47 TABLE NO. 1 (Continued) 118K

3 .9 6

21

0

r~7rv ; O/A 7

46

< ~ 7 O

112L

1 .8 2

61

0

16

6

b--fC

4

1 .6 4

64

1

15

5

80

4

15 oo t-J^

7

21 2 4O 3

112M 114 A

1 .7 1

63

1

114B

3 . GO

27

8

114C

1 .5 1

66

14

.h

19

114D

1 .4 7

67

6 r* o

9

14

0

114E

1 .2 2

71

9

12

11 4E

1 .8 7

59

11

O 59

114G

4 .4 7

11

114Ti

3 .5 9

27

7 O 45 O O

1 ] 41

4 .6 1

8

9

114J

4 .7 9

5

114K

1 .5 1

115

0 .7 1

120 A

0 .7 2

l o OB 12 OC

A

56

6

30

1

42

27

5

53

6

o

39

1

55

6

67

0

14

0

19

0

81

7

10

0

83

7

8 3 O 8

13

1

0 .7 7

85

3

1

9

0 .6 9

83

5

1

6

18 14

8 Q ■J

1 2 0 D -1

0 .7 3

80

1

1 2 0 D -2

4 .2

17

9

5 7 *7O OO / 7

14 AQ

12 OE 12 OF

1 .7 6 xU * A-U •

2

3 .7

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51

4

3 ,7 5

15

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49

1

1201

4 .3 4

15

o

45

0

43

7

120J

5 .0 2

4

1

44

8

51

1

2 .9 7

38

0

28

4

33

6

0 .9 3

77

5

10

0

12

H H o

1 2 OG 1 2 OH

122 A

V) 5

( i i 84

2) 6

a

1 .4 7

o

(2 4 c> O/O 37 ^ r> OO

48

161

1

H

(6 4

.5 7

0

18 5 15 8 O05 0 roo o lJ/x

r-y

88

1) G ■U 7 5

1 .6 1 5

64

3

15

o

20

1

2 .2 8

52

1

20

4

27

5

1 2 2D 1 OOP JL (J

4 .2 5

15 ry o

5

35

0

49

5

32

1

45

5 4

10 07,

2

37

3

52

5

1

31

9 O /O f

45

0

19

7

10

8

21 0/1

0

55

5 ,1 9 5.75

12 2B ~l OOP

3 .8 8

122F

4 .5 1

122G

3 .8 4

122H “TO I aoO

1 .5 3

65 SO

1 o 45

15

0 .7 3

9

0

is o

1 .7 1

63

1

15

9

151

1 .9 7

58

2

17

8

132

1 • 03

75

7

10

lo o A

82

0

8

1 3 SB

0 .6 9 O rz (-i . u

8 r;

52

1

80

133C

2 .1 4

43

8

134 A

1 .6

65

134B

4 .4

13 6 A

1 .0

136B

3 .8 7

0

93

13

5

114

1 .7 4

o

9 ?7

7

2b

6

32

6

0

15

0

80

12

5

36

0

51

76 QO

y. rj

10

5

13

0 o O o (u

111

1 .4 7

5

32

0

45

5

6

48

TABLE NO. 1 (Continued) 136C 1561) 157A 1573 13 9A 159B 140A 14OB 141 142 A 145A 145B 144A 144B 145A 145B 147 151A 151B 151C 151D 160 165 171A 171B 172A 172B 173 C 181X 181A 181B 191 194 510 211 ITatural A B

1.63 3.03 S.4 3.77 1.1 3.15 1.75 4.8 1.40 4.1 0.7B 5.7 0.63 3.15 0.66 5.56 1.0 0.73 0.667 1.99 1.33 1.83 3 • 06 1.52 5.13 1.95 4.85 4.057 0.825 3.13 2.65 4.66 a

^

. rz

tJ

5.79 5.47 1.15 0.34 2. S3

65 • 5 38. 5 50.0 24.2 74.5 c~) O

O •

62.3 ^5.7 68.o 18.3 80.2 —

82. 8 30.3 82.7 _

76.3 80.2 82.5 57.7 71.6 o9. 6 37.7 66.3 —

58.6 4.4 19,4 79.4 36.4 ^5.5 2.6 5.3 .25 14.8 73.3 79.2 40.1

15.9 25.5 21.2 51.5 11.1 26.5 16.2 38.7 13.7 a 53 O 0 6 •

9.0 34.2 7.9 26.7 7.8 35. 8 10.5 9.0 8.0 18.0 12.6 17.3 26.1 14.5 40.5 17.6 29.4 33.3 9.3 26.5 •■ro

n

40.8 57.7 r" r-7 ” O. o 16.3 11.7 9. 3 25.1 O

ry >.J

80.8 56.0 28.8 44.3 14.4 ry r y o f

d

1 . 53

o

21. 5 55.6 17.8 47.8 10.8 65.8 9.5 57.0 9.5 64.2 13.2 10.8 o

104

ry

•

1.2

03 not Icn

140

1.36

134 161

1.41 -t JL*G O

97

2.39

117

1.28

ry ry

a . O

24.3 15.8 23.1 36.2 19.2 59.5 23.8 t>6. 2 47.3 11.3 37,1 31.6 56.6 37.0 66.4 68.9 15.0 11.5 34.8

1.5

Q3 not kn