Looser sand of the Valentine Formation sloping back from its contact with the Rosebud Formation on the Niobrara River at the Valentine, Nebraska, type location. Water from the Ogallala Aquifer seeps from the base of the Valentine down the face of the Rosebud.[1]
The Valentine Formation is a geologic unit formation or member within the Ogallala unit in northcentral Nebraska near the South Dakota border. It preserves fossils dating to the Miocene epoch of the Neogeneperiod and is particularly noted for Canid fossils.[2][3] This unit consists of loosely consolidated sandstone that crumbles easily. These sands carry the water of the Ogallala Aquifer and is the source of much of the water in the Niobrara River.[1] A particular feature of the Valentine is lenticular beds of green-gray opaline sandstone that can be identified in other states, including South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, and Colorado. Although three mammalian fauna stages can be mapped throughout the range of the Ogallala, no beddings of the Ogallala are mappable and all attempts of formally applying the Valentine name to any mappable lithology beyond the type location have been abandoned. Even so, opaline sandstone[4] has been used to refer to this green-gray opalized conglomerate sandstone that is widely found in the lower Ogallala Formation.
Development, the earliest Ogallala deposits
At the beginning of the Ogallala times, as sediments began washing out from the rising Rocky Mountains into the central plains states, the members of the Pierre Shale[5] and Niobrara Formation outcrop had been largely exposed in their present outcrop range. The Niobrara had been broadly incised by the present river systems, but only to a fraction of their present depths. Therefore, the earliest Ogallala deposits, the time of the Valentine deposits, filled in these shallower valleys; but there was no continuous exposure over the range of the eastern outcrop of the Ogallala.[6][4] Isolated exposures of the Valentine phase have been located along the Niobrara outcrop and quarried along the Smoky Hill River, Solomon River, Republican River, and Niobrara River where these watersheds have cut deeply down through the Niobrara Chalk into the Carlile Shale.
Lithology
The Valentine Formation presents white, buff, gray to gray-green, unconsolidated, fine-to-coarse grained, fluvial siltstone, channel sandstone, and gravel eroded from uplift of the Rocky Mountains as well as locally eroded materials,[7]
particularly Niobrara chalk cobbles and chalk sand.[8] Thin, localized beds of caliche are abundant. A specific index stone for the Valentine is the lenticular beds of grey-green opaline sandstone. Locally thick beds of volcanic ash are associated with the underlying opaline sandstone
Distribution
Even as discussed above, the term Valentine is not now formally used outside of Northcentral Nebraska, older literature in other states with Ogallala may refer to the name.
The opaline sandstone of the lower Ogallala is recognized in Kansas in outcrops on hills to the east of the limits of the upper Ogallala (e.g., Rush, Graham, and Rooks counties). These outcrops, which formed in the bottoms of shallow valleys, are now found on the upper slopes of deeper valleys; that is, in inverted topographies.[9][10]
The silicate cementation makes the opaline sandstone denser and harder than any other local stone, and it has been quarried as ballast, road gravel, and dam outflow rip-rap (e.g., Cedar Bluff Reservoir, Sherman Dam[12]). The opaline sandstone has had limited use in construction, and example being the structures in the city park of Hill City, Kansas. Beds of flint or chert can be found higher in the Valentine and the weathered Niobrara Chalk is also silicified where there is contact with these beds in the Valentine.
^ a b"Geologic Formations". Niobrara National Scenic River. National Park Service. Retrieved 2024-02-24. Valentine Formation -- Beneath the Ash Hollow is the Valentine Formation. This loosely-consolidated sandstone crumbles easily, but holds the primary source of the Niobrara River in this area: the Ogallala, or High Plains, aquifer. About 70% of the water in the river comes directly from groundwater.
^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj akRobert L. Evander, Emanuel County Junior College (1986). "Carnivores of the Railway and Quarries Local Fauna". Transactions of the Nebraska Academy of Sciences and Affiliated Societies Nebraska Academy of Sciences. University of Nebraska - Lincoln.
^"Geologic Unit: Valentine". National Geologic Database. Geolex — Significant Publications. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 2020-06-05.
^ a bJohn C. Frye; A. Byron Leonard; Ada Swineford (1956). Stratigraphy of the Ogallala Formation (Neogene) of Northern Kansas, Bulletin 118. University of Kansas Publications, State Geological Survey of Kansas. p. Methods of Correlation. ... and the configuration of the lower surface indicates location of preexisting valleys and the most likely locale of earliest sedimentation. ... Therefore, it is expectable that the lowest, hence oldest, members be present in low areas of the bedrock, ... The relation of the configuration of the erosional surface at the base of the Ogallala to the stratigraphy of the formation has been fully recognized only recently (Merriam and Frye, 1954).
^Alvin Leonard Lugn, University of Nebraska - Lincoln (1938). "The Nebraska State Geological Survey and the "Valentine Problem"". American Journal of Science. 36 (213). University of Nebraska - Lincoln: 220. Bibcode:1938AmJS...36..220L. doi:10.2475/ajs.s5-36.213.220. S2CID 129509059.
^Alvin R. Leonard; Delmar W. Berry (1961). Geology and Ground-water Resources of Southern Ellis County and Parts of Trego and Rush Counties, Kansas, Bulletin 149. University of Kansas Publications, State Geological Survey of Kansas. p. Geomorphology / Stream Development. At the close of Pliocene time, the area from the Rocky Mountains to the Flint Hills was a nearly featureless aggradational plain crossed by streams flowing toward the east. During the formation of this [Ogallala] plain in central Kansas the Cretaceous [Niobrara] rocks were buried under a mantle of debris, ...
^"Ogallala Group". USGS.
^John C. Frye; A. Byron Leonard; Ada Swineford (1956). Stratigraphy of the Ogallala Formation (Neogene) of Northern Kansas, Bulletin 118. University of Kansas Publications, State Geological Survey of Kansas. p. Measured Sections.
^Warren G. Hodson (1965). "Geology and Ground-Water Resources of Trego County, Kansas". State Geological Survey of Kansas Bulletin 149. University of Kansas. Retrieved 2021-06-13. Silica also is present as a cementing material in beds of opaline sandstone ...
^Jesse M. McNellis (1973). "Geology and Ground-Water Resources of Rush County, Central Kansas". State Geological Survey of Kansas Bulletin 207. University of Kansas. Retrieved 2021-06-13. (2) a quartzitic-appearing green conglomerate with an opaline cement matrix, ...
^Glenn Scott (1969). "General and Engineering Geology of the Northern Part of Pueblo, Colorado" (PDF). Geological Survey Bulletin (1262). United States Department of the Interior: 112. Retrieved 2021-06-13.
^"Sherman Dam: Constructed 1959-1962". United States. Bureau of Reclamation. 1964. p. 25.
^ a b c d e f gCzaplewski, Nicholas J. (1991). "Miocene Bats from the Lower Valentine Formation of Northeastern Nebraska". Journal of Mammalogy. 72 (4): 715–722. doi:10.2307/1381832. ISSN 0022-2372. JSTOR 1381832.
^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v wWang, Xiaoming; Tedford, Richard H.; Taylor, Beryl E. (1999). "Phylogenetic systematics of the Borophaginae (Carnivora, Canidae)". Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History (243). hdl:2246/1588.
^ a b c d e f g hRothwell, Tom (2003). "Phylogenetic systematics of North American Pseudaelurus (Carnivora, Felidae)". American Museum Novitates (3403): 1–64. doi:10.1206/0003-0082(2003)403<0001:PSONAP>2.0.CO;2. hdl:2246/2829. S2CID 67753626.
^ a b c dHunt, Robert (1998-01-01). "Amphicyonidae". Mammalogy Papers: University of Nebraska State Museum.
^ a b cTedford, Richard H.; Wang, Xiaoming; Taylor, Beryl E. (2009). Phylogenetic systematics of the North American fossil Caninae (Carnivora, Canidae). (Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History, no. 325). [New York] : American Museum of Natural History. hdl:2246/5999.
^ a bWerdelin, Lars; Yamaguchi, Nobuyuki; Johnson, W. E.; O'Brien, S. J. (January 2010). "Phylogeny and evolution of cats (Felidae)". Biology and Conservation of Wild Felids: 59–82.
^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n oVoorhies, M. R.; Timperley, C. L. (1997). "A New Pronotolagus (Lagomorpha: Leporidae) and Other Leporids from the Valentine Railway Quarries (Barstovian, Nebraska), and the Archaeolagine-Leporine Transition". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 17 (4): 725–737. doi:10.1080/02724634.1997.10011020. ISSN 0272-4634. JSTOR 4523860.
^ a b c dBarbour, E. H. (1916). "A new longirostral mastodon from Nebraska, Tetrabelodon osborni sp. nov". American Journal of Science. 41 (246): 522–529. Bibcode:1916AmJS...41..522B. doi:10.2475/AJS.S4-41.246.522. S2CID 130158099.
^ a bKorth, William W.; Emry, Robert J. (1997). "The Skull of Anchitheriomys and a New Subfamily of Beavers (Castoridae, Rodentia)". Journal of Paleontology. 71 (2): 343–347. doi:10.1017/S0022336000039251. ISSN 0022-3360. JSTOR 1306468. S2CID 86110621.
^ a b c d e fKorth, William W. (2000-11-29). "Review of Miocene (Hemingfordian to Clarendonian) mylagaulid rodents (Mammalia) from Nebraska". Annals of the Carnegie Museum. 69 (4): 227–280. doi:10.5962/p.215191. ISSN 0097-4463. S2CID 198263863.
^ a b cBarnosky, Anthony D. (1986). "New Species of the Miocene Rodent Cupidinimus (Heteromyidae) and Some Evolutionary Relationships within the Genus". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 6 (1): 46–64. doi:10.1080/02724634.1986.10011598. ISSN 0272-4634. JSTOR 4523073.
^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n oKorth, William W. (June 2008). "Cranial Morphology, Systematics and Succession of Beavers from the Middle Miocene Valentine Formation of Nebraska, USA". Acta Palaeontologica Polonica. 53 (2): 169–182. doi:10.4202/app.2008.0201. ISSN 0567-7920. S2CID 53517390.
^ a b c dKlingener, D. (January 1966). "Dipodoid rodents from the Valentine Formation of Nebraska". Occasional Papers of the Museum of Zoology University of Michigan (644): 1–9. hdl:2027.42/57080.
^ a b cKorth, William W. (2007). "The Skull of Nothodipoides (Castoridae, Rodentia) and the Occurrence of Fossorial Adaptations in Beavers". Journal of Paleontology. 81 (6): 1533–1537. doi:10.1666/05-110.1. ISSN 0022-3360. JSTOR 4541271. S2CID 129875541.
^ a b c d e fJr, Richard Hulbert (January 1988). "Calippus and Protohippus (Mammalia, Perissodactyla, Equidae) from the Miocene (Barstovian-Early Hemphillian of Gulf Coastal Plain". Bulletin Florida State Museum. 32 (3): 221–340.
^ a bVoorhies, Michael; Corner, Richard; Fitzgibbon, James (1987-01-01). "Calippus regulus (Mammalia: Equidae) in the Penny Creek Local Fauna (Clarendonian), Webster County, Nebraska". Transactions of the Nebraska Academy of Sciences and Affiliated Societies.
^ a b c d e fPROTHERO, DONALD R. (2021-05-28). THE SYSTEMATICS OF NORTH AMERICAN PECCARIES (MAMMALIA: ARTIODACTYLA: TAYASSUIDAE). New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science.
^ a b c d e fWoodburne, Michael O. (September 2007). "Phyletic diversification of the Cormohipparion occidentale complex (Mammalia, Perissodactyla, Equidae), late Miocene, North America, and the origin of the Old World Hippotherium datum". Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History. 306 (306): 1–138. doi:10.1206/0003-0090(2007)306[1:PDOTCO]2.0.CO;2. hdl:2246/5872. S2CID 82559706.
^ a b cWoodburne, Michael O. (April 1996). "Reappraisal of the Cormohipparion from the Valentine Formation, Nebraska". American Museum Novitates (3163): 1–56. hdl:2246/3683.
^ a b cBreyer, John A. (1983). "The Biostratigraphic Utility of Camel Metapodials". Journal of Paleontology. 57 (2): 302–307. ISSN 0022-3360. JSTOR 1304654.
^ a b cS. David Webb; Richard C. Hulbert. "Systematics and evolution of Pseudhipparion (Mammalia, Equidae) from the late Neogene of the Gulf Coastal Plain and the Great Plains". ResearchGate.
^ a b c d e f gSchultz, C.; Martin, Larry; Corner, R. (1975-01-01). "Middle and Late Cenozoic Tapirs from Nebraska". Bulletin of the University of Nebraska State Museum.
^ a b c dSchultz, C. Bertrand (Charles Bertrand); Falkenbach, Charles H. (1941). "Ticholeptinae: a new subfamily of oreodonts". Bulletin of the AMNH. 79 (1): 4–105. hdl:2246/379.
^ a b c dShort, Lester L. (1967). "A New Pliocene Stork from Nebraska". Smithsonian Miscellaneous Collections. 149 (9): 1–12. hdl:10088/26174.
^ a b c d eOlson, Storrs L. (1991). "The Fossil Record of the Genus Mycteria (Ciconiidae) in North America". The Condor. 93 (4): 1004–1006. doi:10.2307/3247735. ISSN 0010-5422. JSTOR 3247735.
^ a bShort, LL (1970). "A New Anseriform Genus and Species from the Nebraska Pliocene" (PDF). Auk. 87 (3): 537–543. doi:10.2307/4083796. JSTOR 4083796.
^ a b cCracraft, Joel; Morony, John J. (December 1969). "A new Pliocene woodpecker, with comments on the fossil Picidae". American Museum Novitates (2400): 1–8. hdl:2246/2610.
^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v wHolman, J. Alan (January 1982). "New Herpetological Species and Records from the Norden Bridge Fauna (Miocene: Late Barstovian) of Nebraska". Transactions of the Nebraska Academy of Sciences and Affiliated Societies.
^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au avEstes, Richard; Tihen, Joseph A. (1964). "Lower Vertebrates from the Valentine Formation of Nebraska". The American Midland Naturalist. 72 (2): 453–472. doi:10.2307/2423518. ISSN 0003-0031. JSTOR 2423518.
^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m nHolman, J. Alan (1964). "Fossil Snakes from the Valentine Formation of Nebraska". Copeia. 1964 (4): 631–637. doi:10.2307/1441438. ISSN 0045-8511. JSTOR 1441438.
^ a b c d e f g hWellstead, Carl F. (1982). "Taxonomic Re-Assignment of the Miocene Lizard, Peltosaurus minimus, from Nebraska". Copeia. 1982 (3): 549–553. doi:10.2307/1444654. ISSN 0045-8511. JSTOR 1444654.
^ a b cHolman, J. Alan (1976). "A New Peltosaurus (Reptilia, Sauria, Anguidae) from the Upper Miocene of Nebraska". Journal of Herpetology. 10 (1): 41–44. doi:10.2307/1562926. ISSN 0022-1511. JSTOR 1562926.
^ a bHolman, J. Alan (1995). "A New Species of Emydoidea (Reptilia: Testudines) from the Late Barstovian (Medial Miocene) of Cherry County, Nebraska". Journal of Herpetology. 29 (4): 548–553. doi:10.2307/1564737. ISSN 0022-1511. JSTOR 1564737.
^ a b cHolman, J.; Alan; Fritz, U. (2001-04-11). "A new emydine species from the Medial Miocene (Barstovian) of Nebraska, USA with a new generic arrangement for the species of Clemmys sensu McDowell (1964) (Reptilia: Testudines: Emydidae)". Zoologische Abhandlungen. 51 (2): 331–353. ISSN 0375-5231.
^ a b c dTihen, J. A.; Chantell, Charles J. (1963). "Urodele Remains from the Valentine Formation of Nebraska". Copeia. 1963 (3): 505–510. doi:10.2307/1441470. ISSN 0045-8511. JSTOR 1441470.
^Meszoely, Charles (1966). "North American Fossil Cryptobranchid Salamanders". The American Midland Naturalist. 75 (2): 495–515. doi:10.2307/2423407. ISSN 0003-0031. JSTOR 2423407.
^ a b c dBrown, L.; Brown, E. S. (2014). "A new genus of fossil frogs (Amphibia: Anura: Hylidae) from the Miocene of the northern Great Plains (USA), with a commentary on vertebrate diversity 1". Life: The Excitement of Biology. 2 (3): 136–146. doi:10.9784/LEB2(3)BROWN.01. S2CID 86934239.
^Gabel, Mark L.; Backlund, Douglas C.; Haffner, Jacob (1998). "The Miocene Macroflora of the Northern Ogallala Group, Northern Nebraska and Southern South Dakota". Journal of Paleontology. 72 (2): 388–397. doi:10.1017/S0022336000036362. ISSN 0022-3360. JSTOR 1306723. S2CID 130146978.