Wills Creek Formation

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The Silurian Wills Creek Formation (Swc) is a mapped bedrock unit in Pennsylvania, Maryland and West Virginia. It forms the bedrock of the valley around and to the east of Lewistown, Pennsylvania.[1]

Contents

[edit] Description

The Wills Creek is defined as a moderately well bedded greenish-gray shale containing local limestone and sandstone zones, or more specifically as an olive to yellowish-gray, thin-bedded sandstone, calcareous shale, dolostone, argillaceous limestone, and sandstone. Red shale and siltstone occur in the lower part of the formation. The formation has a thickness between 450 feet and 600 feet in Maryland and 445 to 620 feet in Pennsylvania.[2]

[edit] Fossils

The Wills Creek Limestone contain fossils from the Pridoli to the Ludlow epoch, or 422.9 to 418.1 Ma.[3]

[edit] Age

Relative age dating of the Wills Creek places it in the Silurian period. It rests conformably a top the Bloomsburg Formation and below the Tonoloway Formation.[4]

[edit] Economic Uses

The Wills Creek is a poor source of construction material and is only suitable as common fill.[5]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Pennsylvania Geological Survey. Bedrock Geologic Map of the Lewistown Quadrangle, Mifflin and Juniata Counties, Pennsylvania [map]. (2004)
  2. ^ Table 1. Paleozoic Stratigraphic Section in Central Pennsylvania. Geological Report On The Skytop Road Cuts. Pennsylvania State University Department of Geosciences (2004).
  3. ^ Wills Creek Limestone Formation. Advisory Board of the Paleobiology Database. Retrieved on 2008-01-26.
  4. ^ Allegheny Plateau and Valley and Ridge. Maryland Geological Survey (1968). Retrieved on 2008-01-26.
  5. ^ Doden, Arnold G. and Gold, David P.. "Bedrock Geologic Map of The Mc Alevys Fort Quadrangle, Huntingdon, Centre, and Mifflin Counties, Pennsylvania" (pdf). . Pennsylvania Geological Survey

[edit] See also


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