GEOLEX

Summary of Citation: Pamlico

Publication:
Stephenson, L.W., 1912, The coastal plain of North Carolina;
   Part 1, The physiography and geology of the coastal plain of
   North Carolina; The Cretaceous, Lafayette, and Quaternary
   formations: North Carolina Geological and Economic Survey
   [Report], v. 3, p. 73-171, 258-290, Prepared in cooperation
   with the U.S. Geological Survey.

Usage in Publication:
Pamlico formation*

Modifications:	Geologic Province:	Dominant Lithology:
Named	Atlantic Coast basin	Loam Sand Clay

Summary:
Pamlico formation described as fine sandy loams, sands, and clays, and to a limited extent gravels. In the swamp lands, the soils consist in large part of accumulations of peat matter, which are of later origin than the main body of deposits. Thickness 15 or 20 ft. The Pamlico terrace has been traced northward through VA into MD. The upper surface of Pamlico beds forms a low, nearly level plain whose elevation above sea level nowhere exceeds 25 ft. Younger than Chowan formation, whose surface lies at elevations varying from 25 to 70 ft above sea level. Top formation of Columbia group in NC. Named for Pamlico Sound in eastern NC, "away from whose shores the terrace plain forming the surface extends as broad, nearly level stretches of lowland."

Summary of Citation: Pamlico

Publication:
Wentworth, C.K., 1930, Sand and gravel resources of the coastal
   plain of Virginia: Virginia Geological Survey Bulletin, no.
   32, 146 p.

Usage in Publication:
Pamlico formation

Modifications:	Geologic Province:	Dominant Lithology:
Revised	Atlantic Coast basin

Summary:
Pamlico formation of Stephenson divided into Princess Anne formation and terrace (at 25 ft elevation), of marine origin, and Dismal Swamp formation and terrace (at 12 ft elevation), largely of marine origin.

Summary of Citation: Pamlico

Publication:
Cooke, C.W., 1931, Seven coastal terraces in the southeastern
   States: Washington Academy of Sciences Journal, v. 21, p.
   503-513

Usage in Publication:
Pamlico formation*

Modifications:	Geologic Province:	Dominant Lithology:
Revised	Atlantic Coast basin

Summary:
Author proposes following reclassification of younger Pleistocene terrace formations of MD, VA, and NC: Pamlico formation at the 25-ft level; Talbot formation, restricted, at the 40-ft level (Same as typical "Chowan" abandoned, but not same as "Chowan" as defined); Penholoway terrace (deposits not yet named), at the 70-ft level [These deposits have heretofore been included in Wicomico to north and in Chowan to south]; and Wicomico formation, restricted, at the 100-ft level. As "Dismal Swamp" terrace has identically same shore line (25 ft) as the Pamlico, the name Pamlico, which has many years priority, should be retained. The "Princess Anne" terrace was separated from the "Dismal Swamp" because of presence of a low scarp about 12 ft in neighborhood of Norfolk and elsewhere in VA. [Cooke, 1932, in Guidebook 12, 16th International Geologic Congress, recognizes the terrace formations, including Pamlico, from DE to southern GA and probably into FL. He includes Princess Anne in Pamlico.]

Summary of Citation: Pamlico

Publication:
Brown, G.F., Foster, V.M., Adams, R.W., Reed, E.W. and Padgett,
   H.D., Jr., 1944, Geology and ground-water resources of the
   coastal area in Mississippi: Mississippi Geological Survey
   Bulletin, no. 60, 232 p., Prepared in cooperation with the
   U.S. Geological Survey.

Usage in Publication:
Pamlico sand

Modifications:	Geologic Province:	Dominant Lithology:
Areal limits	Mid-Gulf Coast basin

Summary:
Pamlico sand underlies Pamlico plain along north shore of Mississippi Sound. Much of outer edge of sand is capped by Holocene beach and dune deposits from which it cannot readily be separated. Thickness on southeast bank of Wolf River is 15 ft. [This is only reference on file suggesting that unit is present in the Mid-Gulf Coast basin.]

Summary of Citation: Pamlico

Publication:
Parker, G.G. and Cooke, C.W., 1944, Late Cenozoic geology of
   southern Florida, with a discussion of the ground water:
   Florida Geological Survey Bulletin, no. 27, 119 p.

Usage in Publication:
Pamlico sand*

Modifications:	Geologic Province:	Dominant Lithology:
Areal limits	South GA-North FL sedimentary province South Florida province

Summary:
Pamlico geographically extended into FL where it includes all marine Pleistocene deposits younger than Anastasia formation. Consists chiefly of sand. Thickness ranges from featheredge to about 50 ft. Generally lies at altitudes of less than 25 ft above sea level on east, south, and west coasts.

Summary of Citation: Pamlico

Publication:
Cooke, C.W., 1952, Sedimentary deposits of Prince Georges County
   and the District of Columbia, IN Cooke, C.W., Martin, R.O.R.,
   and Meyer, Gerald, Geology and water resources of Prince
   Georges County: Maryland Geological Survey Bulletin, no. 10,
   p. 1-52

Usage in Publication:
Pamlico formation*

Modifications:	Geologic Province:	Dominant Lithology:
Overview	Atlantic Coast basin

Summary:
In Prince Georges Co., MD, and in DC, the Pamlico is entirely fluvial and estuarine. Thickness does not exceed 30 ft. Lies on valley floors cut in crystalline rocks and in sedimentary deposits ranging in age from Cretaceous Potomac group to Miocene Chesapeake group. May locally lie unconformably on Pleistocene Wicomico formation. Where it does not form the surface, overlain unconformably by Holocene sediments. Formation accumulated during third cycle of downcutting and subsequent drowning of Potomac River. Presumably this epoch is in later Pleistocene. It began during third glacial stage (Illinoian) and continued and was completed during third interglacial stage (Sangamon).

Summary of Citation: Pamlico

Publication:
DuBar, J.R., 1958, Neogene stratigraphy of southwestern Florida:
   Gulf Coast Association of Geological Societies Transactions,
   v. 8, p. 129-155

Usage in Publication:
Pamlico sand

Modifications:	Geologic Province:	Dominant Lithology:
Overview	South Florida province

Summary:
In southwestern FL, Pamlico forms an almost continuous blanket of sand at elevations less than 25 ft above sea level. Generally rests with apparent unconformity on a member of the Fort Thompson, Caloosahatchee, or Tamiami formations. Between La Belle and Ortona Locks, commonly overlies Coffee Mill Hammock marl and may be overlain by Lake Flirt marl or lie exposed at surface. Downstream from La Belle, as far as Fort Denaud, rests, in many places, directly on Caloosahatchee formation, sometimes on upper shale bed and sometimes unconformably on Bee Branch member (new).

Summary of Citation: Pamlico

Publication:
Huddlestun, P.F., 1988, A revision of the lithostratigraphic
   units of the coastal plain of Georgia; the Miocene through
   the Holocene: Georgia Geological Survey Bulletin, no. 104,
   162 p.

Usage in Publication:
Pamlico terrace

Modifications:	Geologic Province:	Dominant Lithology:
Abandoned	Atlantic Coast basin

Summary:
Author proposes that name Pamlico Formation be abandoned in GA and that the name Satilla Formation, which has priority, be reinstated. Pamlico is associated with the specific marine terrace as well as with certain Pleistocene deposits in NC. Use of name for two widely occurring, but different, geological phenomena is confusing and undesirable. Name Pamlico Formation has not been in general use in GA or SC in recent years. Name is retained for the marine terrace and abandoned for the lithostratigraphic unit. The redefined Satilla Formation of GA, SC, and FL now includes Pleistocene and Holocene coastal marine deposits formerly mapped as Pamlico (Cooke, 1943), Princess Anne and Silver Bluff Formations (Hails and Hoyt, 1969), and the Holocene shoreline complexes (Mann, 1976). Terms Princess Anne and Silver Bluff also abandoned as lithostratigraphic names, but retained for marine terraces.