Stratigraphy and structure of a Late Wisconsinan salt collapse in the Saskatoon Low, south of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada: an update

Abstract

The Saskatoon Low is a collapse structure that formed as a result of dissolution of salt from the Middle Devonian Prairie Evaporite Formation. In this study, the collapse has affected the Upper Cretaceous Lea Park, Judith River, and Bearpaw formations of the Montana Group; the Early and Middle Pleistocene Mennon, Dundurn, and Warman formations of the Sutherland Group; and the Late Pleistocene Floral, Battleford, and Haultain formations of the Saskatoon Group. Locally, the collapse is about 180 m, which is about equal to the thickness of the salt. The first phase of collapse took place after deposition of the Ardkenneth Member of the Bearpaw Formation and before glaciation or during a pre-Illinoian glaciation. The second phase of collapse occurred during the Battleford glaciation (Late Wisconsinan). Prior to deposition of the Battleford Formation, the Saskatoon Low was glacially eroded, removing the Sutherland Group and the Floral Formation. After the glacial erosion, up to 110 m of soft till of the Battleford Formation and up to 77 m of deltaic sand, silt, and clay of the Haultain Formation were deposited in the Saskatoon Low. Lastly, the South Saskatchewan River eroded up to about 40 m into the deltaic sediment and tills before up to about 15 m of Pike Lake Formation was deposited. The Haultain and Pike Lake formations are new stratigraphic units.