Using fieldtrips to Local Rivers to

Enhance Student Understanding of

Depositional Environments
Alexander R. Simms
Boone Pickens School of Geology, Oklahoma State University, 105 NRC, Stillwater, Oklahoma, 74078

Description
One important aspect of interpreting ancient
environments from sedimentary structures is
visualizing the depositional environment in
which the rocks formed. Although not everyone
has access to spectacular outcrops to use as
examples of depositional environments, almost
every city has a river or stream nearby. We will
show how visits to local rivers in Texas and
Oklahoma can be used to help students link
processes, environments, and sedimentary
structures.
Purpose:
To take advantage of modern rivers to teach
basic principles in sedimentology and interpreting
past deposits. The students first observe the
sedimentological features of a modern river and
use those observations to interpret the
depositional environment of recent fluvial
deposits from a near-by sand pit.

Student Preparation
Goals Upper-level undergraduate (can be modified for
graduate level or entry-level undergraduate)
1. Make simple field-based observations.
2. Recognize patterns.
Knowledge of basic sedimentary structures (e.g.
3. Develop and apply facies models. cross-bedding, ripples, etc.), sorting, grain-size,
4. Critically evaluate competing models basic fluvial sub environments.

Demonstration -
Modern River
1. Visit the following modern fluvial environments
a. Thalweg
b. Point Bar (Upper versus Lower)
c. Flood Plain
Activity Sand Pit
2. Questions to Ask: Visit a nearby sandpit
a. Describe the grain size and sorting at 1. Describe the grain-size, sorting, and
each of these three locations. sedimentary structures of each of the
b. What sedimentary structures are present lithological units in the pit.
at each of these three locations?
2. What is your interpretation of the units
c. What subenvironments can be found at depositional environment?
each of these three locations? (e.g.
crevasse splay, oxbow lake, sand waves)

Other Ideas
Acknowledgements 1. Measure paleocurrent directions
I would like to thank John Anderson for introducing me 2. Sample for grain-size analysis as part of
to this method and Kauk construction for access to another lab
their sand pit. Cindy Hansen took the photo of the
3. Measure section in sand pit
sand pit.