Mississippi National River & Recreation AreaPágina 6 de 23
NPS Geodiversity Atlas—Mississippi National River and Recreation Area, Minnesota
Geodiversity refers to the full variety of natural geologic (rocks, minerals, sediments, fossils, landforms, and physical processes) and soil resources and processes that occur in the park. A product of the Geologic Resources Inventory, the NPS Geodiversity Atlas delivers information in support of education, Geoconservation, and integrated management of living (biotic) and non-living (abiotic) components of the ecosystem.
Introduction
Mississippi National River and Recreation Area (MISS) encompasses a 115 km (72 mi) tract of the Mississippi River corridor through the Twin Cities metropolitan area in Anoka, Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey, and Washington Counties, Minnesota. Established on November 18, 1988, MISS includes approximately 21,762 hectares (53,775 acres) of river, tallgrass prairie, oak savanna, floodplain forest, and wetlands. MISS features a wealth of significant natural, cultural, historic, scenic, economic, and scientific resources, complemented by a variety of recreational opportunities (Anderson 2017). The character of the Mississippi River changes dramatically in MISS, starting as a modest-sized river under protection as a state wild and scenic river. The river plunges over its only true waterfall (St. Anthony Falls) in Minneapolis, and enters a deep, wooded gorge before opening up into a forested floodplain (Mississippi National River and Recreation Area 2021). Prominent attractions within the park include the St. Anthony Falls Historic District, Historic Fort Snelling and the adjacent Fort Snelling State Park, Minnehaha Falls, and the rustic Winchell Trail.
Geologic Setting
The bedrock geology of Mississippi National River and Recreation Area is predominantly composed of Paleozoic sedimentary rocks ranging from Cambrian through Ordovician in age. The oldest bedrock in MISS pertains to the late Cambrian Ironton Sandstone, Galesville Sandstone, St. Lawrence Formation, Franconia Formation, and the Jordan Sandstone, although only the Jordan Sandstone is exposed. Younger Ordovician rocks of MISS include the Prairie du Chien Group, St. Peter Sandstone, Platteville Formation, Glenwood Formation, Decorah Shale, and the Cummingsville Formation. Many bedrock units of MISS have historical character associated with American Indian tribes and early colonial traders. During the Pleistocene, the Illinoian and Wisconsinan glaciation events influenced the development of the landscape in MISS. The park unit sits near the terminus of the Wisconsinan event, exhibiting a glaciated landscape to the north that contains terminal moraines, till, glacial lake deposits, glacial drift, and outwash deposits.
Regional Geology
Mississippi National River and Recreation Area is a part of the Central Lowland Physiographic Province and shares its geologic history and some characteristic geologic formations with a region that extends well beyond park boundaries.
Maps and Reports
Geologic Resources Inventory
The Geologic Resources Inventory produces digital geologic maps and reports for more than 270 natural resource parks. The products listed below are currently available for this park, check back often for updates as many maps, reports, and posters are still in progress.
Scoping summaries are records of scoping meetings where NPS staff and local geologists determined the park’s geologic mapping plan and what content should be included in the report.
- Digital geologic maps include files for viewing in GIS software, a guide to using the data, and a document with ancillary map information. Newer products also include data viewable in Google Earth and online map services.
- Reports use the maps to discuss the park’s setting and significance, notable geologic features and processes, geologic resource management issues, and geologic history.
- Posters are a static view of the GIS data in PDF format. Newer posters include aerial imagery or shaded relief and other park information. They are also included with the reports.
- Projects list basic information about the program and all products available for a park.
Source: NPS DataStore Saved Search 3015. To search for additional information, visit the NPS DataStore.
Soil Resources inventory
A NPS Soil Resources Inventory project has been completed for Mississippi National River and Recreation Area and can be found on the NPS Data Store.
Source: NPS DataStore Saved Search 3062. To search for additional information, visit the NPS DataStore.
Related Links
Mississippi National River—Natural Feature and Ecosystems
Mississippi National River—Park Home
Related Articles
Mississippi National River and Recreation Area
- Paleozoic Era — During the Paleozoic Era (541 to 252 million years ago), fish diversified and marine organisms were very abundant. In North America, the Paleozoic is characterized by multiple advances and retreats of shallow seas and repeated continental collisions that formed the Appalachian Mountains. Common Paleozoic fossils include trilobites and cephalopods such as squid, as well as insects and ferns. The greatest mass extinction in Earth's history ended this era.
- Series: Geologic Time—Major Divisions and NPS Fossils — The National Park System contains a magnificent record of geologic time because rocks from each period of the geologic time scale are preserved in park landscapes. The geologic time scale is divided into four large periods of time—the Cenozoic Era, Mesozoic Era, Paleozoic Era, and The Precambrian.
- Ordovician Period—485.4 to 443.8 MYA — Shenandoah and Great Smoky Mountains national parks, along with the Blue Ridge Parkway that connects them, pass through rocks from the core of the Appalachian Mountains. The mountains began forming during the Ordovician and eventually attained elevations similar to those of the Himalayas.
- Series: Geologic Time Periods in the Paleozoic Era — During the Paleozoic Era (541 to 252 million years ago), fish diversified and marine organisms were very abundant. In North America, the Paleozoic is characterized by multiple advances and retreats of shallow seas and repeated continental collisions that formed the Appalachian Mountains. Common Paleozoic fossils include trilobites and cephalopods such as squid, as well as insects and ferns. The greatest mass extinction in Earth's history ended this era.
National Park Service Geodiversity Atlas
The servicewide Geodiversity Atlas provides information on geoheritage and geodiversity resources and values within the National Park System. This information supports science-based geoconservation and interpretation in the NPS, as well as STEM education in schools, museums, and field camps. The NPS Geologic Resources Division and many parks work with National and International geoconservation communities to ensure that NPS abiotic resources are managed using the highest standards and best practices available.
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