Panoche formation. Lower formation of Chico group. Rests unconformably on Franciscan formation and is conformably overlain by Moreno formation, the upper formation of Chico group. Consists of alternating beds of dark thin-bedded clay shale and massive gray concretionary sandstone aggregating 9,500 to over 20,000 feet in thickness. The formation also includes some arenaceous shale, platy sandstone, and beds of coarse conglomerate, which locally attain great thicknesses. The lowest beds here included in Panoche formation are nonfossiliferous and may represent Knoxville formation, which, however is believed to be absent. Age is Late Cretaceous.
Named from development in Panoche Hills, Diablo Range, Fresno Co., southern CA.

Source: US geologic names lexicon (USGS Bull. 896, p. 1597-1598).

Pg. 1612. Panoche group. Upper Cretaceous Chico series subdivided into Gaines group (new), western Shasta County; Panoche group, Diablo Range; and Moreno group, Diablo Range. Panoche group, including Chico Creek and Los Gatos beds, has characteristic faunas in its upper one-third, but lower and major part is barren.

Source: US geologic names lexicon (USGS Bull. 1200, p. 2913-2914).

Pg. 1863. Panoche group. Upper Cretaceous Chico series subdivided into three major groups: Pioneer (new), Panoche, and Orestimba (new). Panoche group best exposed on west border of Joaquin Valley, where it has average thickness of 14,200 feet on flanks of Diablo Range.

Source: US geologic names lexicon (USGS Bull. 1200, p. 2913-2914).

Pg. 6 (fig. 2), 7, 8 (fig. 4), 12 (fig. 6). See also 1941 [abs.], GSA Bull., v. 52, no. 12, pt. 2, p. 1954-1955. Panoche formation. Underlies Dosados sand and shale member (new) of Moreno formation in type area of Moreno. Top is taken at same concretionary sandstone designated by Anderson and Pack (1915). Fossils [listed]. Age is Late Cretaceous.

Source: Publication; US geologic names lexicon (USGS Bull. 1200, p. 2913-2914).