The Water Canyon/Timber Canyon fan complex on the southeast flank of Mount Taylor, New Mexico

Abstract

—the Water–timber Canyon fan complex is an example of a highly dissected fan comprising predominantly early to middle Pleistocene fan deposits on the piedmont southeast of Mt. taylor. Deposition of the oldest, early Pleistocene fan unit (Qf0) records breaching of the Mt. Taylor amphitheater by erosion into the volcanic edifice. Deposition of multiple inset fan deposits (Qf1 through Qf3) was in response to episodic pulses of sediment, combined with regional incision, from early through middle Pleistocene time. Eruption of the 0.38 to 0.128 Ma Laguna basalt, which flowed along the Rio San Jose drainage, created a stable base level south of the Water–timber Canyon fan complex and has resulted in piedmont aggradation or minimal incision into middle Pleistocene Qf3 surfaces. Holocene fan deposits (Qf4) have prograded over Qf3 surfaces in proximal fan areas or are inset against Qf3 in some distal fan areas.