Late Quaternary Stratigraphy and Geochronology of the Spring Creek Drainage along the Southern High Plains Eastern Escarpment, Northwest Texas

The eastern escarpment breaks of the Southern High Plains Texas are both a geomorphic and ecotonal transition zone from high plains surface to Rolling below. geoarchaeological record on is well documented, but few studies have investigated sediments, soils, geochronology escarpment. current investigation has targeted discontinuous remnants Late Quaternary deposits within Spring Creek, tributary upper Brazos River basin. A total 19 profiles, core, isolated exposure locations placed along transect Macy Fork through Creek 40 radiocarbon ages provide composite sequence that also documents Pleistocene Holocene paleoenvironments this drainage. resulting illustrates series major changes in sediments local habitats over past ~11,550 years (13,469–13,390 calendar years), characterized primarily by reductions available water increasing aridity peaked during middle Holocene. This provides significant context an expanding biota cultures. Subsequent downcutting drainage post-6000 14C yr B.P. (6988–6744 years) removed large sections depositional sequence. Local topography greatly impacted preservation these deposits. remaining some different insights than those record.