Copyright by Nysha Chaderton 2009 - The University of Texas at ...

common in shallower marine water environments but can also be indicative of a
depositional setting near the apex of a fan complex (Figure 2.28). The U-shaped burrow
of Diplocraterion is indicative of high energy environments which experience erosional
and abrupt depositional events (Pemberton and MacEachern, 1995).
Individual beds at this location are predominantly S3 beds (Facies 3) with Tb, Tc, Td
(Facies 5) and rare R3 beds (Facies 1) that overlie scoured bases (Figures 2.29, 2.30,
2.31). Channel-fill associations at this location are dominated by stacked beds of Facies 3
coarse-grained beds within the system that overlie erosive channel bases. The channel
margins are comprised of thin bedded turbidites of Facies 5 that are interpreted as the
margins or localized levees of the channels due to their lateral interfingering relationship
with channel fill facies associations (Deptuck, 2003; Schwarz and Arnott, 2007). Up to 5
individual channel elements make up channel fill and margin facies associations at this
location. The five stacked channels form a channel complex (Figure 2.27) that is 40 m
thick.
Thick successions of thin bedded turbidite deposits (10’s of m thick- > 40 m) are
interpreted to record an abandonment of the channel complex set in space or time
(Campion, 2000; Schwarz and Arnott, 2007). The presence of sand beds with scoured
bases (figure 2.32) confirm that this thick succession of Facies 6 is not a distal basin
plain deposit, but a thick master levee deposit as described by Mutti (1977).
The Walker’s Ridge lower section is interpreted to have been deposited as outer
levees in association with a laterally adjacent large, deep water channel system. These
deposits appear to be classic deep water levee deposits as described by Mutti (1977). The
Walker’s Ridge is expected to be laterally associated with a channel sequence similar to
the overlying Walker’s Ridge Upper.
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