Abstract
Topographic and geologic map interpretation strongly suggests the eastern Montana Redwater River valley eroded headward across large southeast-oriented ice-marginal melt water floods. The north-oriented Redwater River heads in an area to the south of recognized continental glaciation and flows into the recognized glaciated region before joining the east-oriented Missouri River. Detailed topographic maps show the eastern drainage divide is asymmetric with steeper slopes on the Redwater River side and is crossed by shallow dry valleys linking northwest-oriented Redwater River tributaries with southeast-oriented streams that flow as barbed tributaries to the northeast-oriented Yellowstone River. The western drainage divide is also crossed by shallow dry valleys linking northwest-oriented drainage routes to north-oriented Missouri River tributaries with southeast-oriented and barbed tributaries to the northeast- and north-oriented Redwater River. Alluvium from upstream Yellowstone River source areas found within the Redwater River drainage basin suggests the Redwater River and much longer Yellowstone River valleys eroded headward from a continental ice sheet margin as headward erosion of the larger Yellowstone River valley across the southeast-oriented flood flow was supplemented by northeast- and north-oriented flow moving at the present day Redwater-Yellowstone River drainage divide elevation.
Highlights
IntroductionThe Redwater River originates on the east central Montana plains (see Figure 1) and drains a larger north-oriented valley than the present-day river and drainage basin size justify before joining the east-oriented Missouri River opposite the south-oriented Popular River valley
The Redwater River originates on the east central Montana plains and drains a larger north-oriented valley than the present-day river and drainage basin size justify before joining the east-oriented Missouri River opposite the south-oriented Popular River valley
Since the published literature appeared to rule out all suggested source areas this author decided to test a hypothesis that continental ice sheet ice-marginal melt water floods had transported the alluvium in a southeast direction from the north central Montana Bear Paw Mountains
Summary
The Redwater River originates on the east central Montana plains (see Figure 1) and drains a larger north-oriented valley than the present-day river and drainage basin size justify before joining the east-oriented Missouri River opposite the south-oriented Popular River valley. The northeast-oriented Yellowstone River valley is to the east and south of the Redwater River drainage basin and a high asymmetric drainage divide separates the two north-oriented Missouri River tributaries. Sand Creek, the longer Prairie Creek, and the even longer Big Dry Creek drainage basins are located to the west and southwest of the Redwater River drainage basin and like the Redwater River drain in north directions to the Missouri River. This paper addresses the question of how the large north-oriented Redwater River valley originated
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