Abstract
The Hale Formation (lower Morrowan Series) is a sequence of sandstones and shales divided into the Cane Hill(lower) and Prairie Grove Members. In Washington County, Arkansas, the type Cane Hill consists predominantly of interbedded fine-grained, noncalcareous sandstones and silty shales often with a pebble conglomerate at its base. The member rests unconformably on Chesterian Strata of either the Pitkin Formation or underlying Fayetteville Formation, and it is unconformably overlain by the Prairie Grove Member. In Washington County, the Cane Hill exhibits a slight thickening trend to the south and east. Interpretation of sedimentary structures indicates that the Cane Hill was deposited in a near shore, tidal current-dominated environment throughout the type region. Eastward from Washington County, the Cane Hill thickens both southward and eastward to nearly 160 feet in southcentral Newton County. The sandstone content of the unit increases markedly in Madison County, then decreases again into eastern Newton County, where the Cane Hillis dominated by shales. Basal conglomerates are extremely rare in Madison County, but appear occasionally in Newton County. Thick linear sandstone bodies, apparently related to fluvial processes, occur in southeastern Carroll County and eastern Madison County, but the bulk of Cane Hill deposits are still of tidal origin.
Recommended Citation
Liner, Robert T.
(1979)
"Lithostratigraphy of the Cane Hill Member of the Hale Formation (Type Morrowan), Northwest Arkansas,"
Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science: Vol. 33, Article 18.
Available at:
https://scholarworks.uark.edu/jaas/vol33/iss1/18
Included in
Geology Commons, Sedimentology Commons, Stratigraphy Commons
