Watrous Formation

Watrous Formation Stratigraphic range: Triassic to Jurassic PreЄ Є O S D C P T J K Pg N
Type	Geological formation
Sub-units	Upper Watrous Lower Watrous
Thickness	up to 110 metres (360 ft)^[1]
Lithology
Primary	Shale, anhydrite
Location
Coordinates	51°16′57″N 105°52′48″W / 51.2826°N 105.8801°W / 51.2826; -105.8801 (Watrous Formation)Coordinates: 51°16′57″N 105°52′48″W / 51.2826°N 105.8801°W / 51.2826; -105.8801 (Watrous Formation)
Region	WCSB
Country	Canada
Type section
Named for	Watrous, Saskatchewan
Named by	R.L. Milner and G E. Thomas, 1954

The Watrous Formation is a stratigraphical unit of Triassic to Jurassic age in the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin.

It takes the name from the town of Watrous, and was first described in well Tidewater Davidson Crown No. 1, located south-west from the settlement, by R.L. Milner and G E. Thomas in 1954.^[2]

Lithology

Subdivisions

The Watrous Formation is divided into a lower and an upper member. The Lower Watrous is composed of red shale and mudstones with laminated anhydrite interbeds and sandstone and conglomerate in the base. The Upper Watrous is composed of massive anhydrite and only occurs at the rims of the depositional pool. ^[1]

Distribution

The Watrous Formation occurs in southern Saskatchewan to the border with Manitoba and stretches south into North Dakota. It reaches a maximum thickness of 110 metres (360 ft) on the North Dakota border, and thins out to zero at the margins of the depositional pool.^[1]

Relationship to other units

The Watrous Formation fills in the Paleozoic erosional surface, resting disconformably on older strata. It is equivalent to Amaranth Formation in Manitoba and represents a northern extension of the Spearfish Formation in North Dakota. The Upper Watrous can be correlated with the Nesson Formation.

References

1 2 3 Lexicon of Canadian Geologic Units. "Watrous Formation". Retrieved 2010-02-01.
↑ Milner, R.L. and Thomas, G E., 1954. Jurassic System in Saskatchewan. In: Western Canada Sedimentary Basin. American Association of Petroleum Geologists, p. 250-267

Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin

Hydrocarbon history	Oil sands and heavy oil Frontier exploration and development Natural gas liquids Natural gas

Depositional regions	Southern Alberta Central Alberta Northwestern Alberta Plains South-central Canadian Rockies foothills North-east Plains North-central foothills Liard River Fort Nelson Northern Rocky Mountains Fort St. John Saskatchewan Western Manitoba

Saskatchewan	Cypress Hills FM Ravenscrag FM Frenchman FM Whitemud FM Eastend FM Bearpaw FM Judith River GRP Belly River FM Oldman FM Foremost FM Lea Park FM Pakowki FM Milk River FM Colorado GRP Viking FM Mannville GRP Pense FM Cantuar FM Success FM Vanguard FM Ellis GRP Swift FM Rierdon FM Sawtooth FM Shaunavon FM Piper FM Gravelbourg FM Gypsum Springs FM Watrous FM Big Snowy GRP Madison GRP Charles FM Poplar Ratcliffe Midale Mission Canyon FM Kisbey SS Alida Tilston Lodgepole FM Souris Valley Three Forks GRP Bakken FM Big Valley FM Torquay FM Saskatchewan GRP Birdbear FM Duperow FM Manitoba GRP Souris River FM Elk Point GRP Davson Bay FM Prairie FM Winnipegosis FM Ashern FM Interlake FM Stonewall FM Stony Mountain FM Herald FM Yeoman FM Winnipeg FM Deadwood FM Canadian Shield

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