The Tulare Formation () is a

Pliocene The Pliocene ( ; also Pleiocene) is the epoch in the geologic time scale that extends from 5.333 million to 2.58Holocene The Holocene ( ) is the current geological epoch. It began approximately 11,650 cal years Before Present (), after the Last Glacial Period, which concluded with the Holocene glacial retreat. The Holocene and the preceding Pleistocene togeth ...

epoch

geologic formation A geological formation, or simply formation, is a body of rock having a consistent set of physical characteristics ( lithology) that distinguishes it from adjacent bodies of rock, and which occupies a particular position in the layers of rock exp ...

in the central and southern

San Joaquin Valley The San Joaquin Valley ( ; es, Valle de San Joaquín) is the area of the Central Valley of the U.S. state of California that lies south of the Sacramento–San Joaquin River Delta and is drained by the San Joaquin River. It comprises seven ...

of central

California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...

. USGS.gov: "Geology of the Tulare Formation and other continental deposits, Kettleman City area, San Joaquin Valley, California, with a section on ground-water management considerations and use of texture maps"
Water-Resources Investigations Report 83-4000; by R.W. Page; 1983.USGS.gov: "Neogene Gas Total Petroleum System—Neogene Nonassociated Gas Assessment Unit of the San Joaquin Basin Province"
Chapter 22 of the ''Petroleum Systems and Geologic Assessment of Oil and Gas in the San Joaquin Basin Province, California''; by Allegra Hosford Scheirer and Leslie B. Magoon.

Geology

It overlies the San Joaquin Formation, and can be up to thick. Its sediments consist mainly of unconsolidated deposits of clay, silt, sand, and gravel.

Fossils

Many freshwater fossils are preserved in the formation, dating back to the Neogene and Quaternary

Period Period may refer to: Common uses * Era, a length or span of time * Full stop (or period), a punctuation mark Arts, entertainment, and media * Period (music), a concept in musical composition * Periodic sentence (or rhetorical period), a concept ...

s of the Cenozoic Era. They include the largest fossil assemblage of clams and snails known on the Pacific Coast.

References

Neogene California Pleistocene California Quaternary California Geography of the San Joaquin Valley Geology of Fresno County, California Geology of Kern County, California Geology of Tulare County, California Geography of Kings County, California Holocene geology Pleistocene geology Pliocene geology Geologic formations of California {{Neogene-stub

Geology

Fossils

See also

References