The Stoddart Group is a

stratigraphical Stratigraphy is a branch of geology concerned with the study of rock layers (strata) and layering (stratification). It is primarily used in the study of sedimentary and layered volcanic rocks. Stratigraphy has three related subfields: lithostrati ...

unit of Mississippian to

Early Pennsylvanian The Pennsylvanian ( , also known as Upper Carboniferous or Late Carboniferous) is, in the International Commission on Stratigraphy, ICS geologic timescale, the younger of two period (geology), subperiods (or upper of two system (stratigraphy), s ...

age Age or AGE may refer to: Time and its effects * Age, the amount of time someone or something has been alive or has existed ** East Asian age reckoning, an Asian system of marking age starting at 1 * Ageing or aging, the process of becoming older ...

in the

Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin The Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin (WCSB) underlies of Western Canada including southwestern Manitoba, southern Saskatchewan, Alberta, northeastern British Columbia and the southwest corner of the Northwest Territories. This vast sedimentary ...

. It takes the name from the Stoddart Creek, a creek that flows into Charlie Lake north of Fort St. John, and was first described in well Pacific Fort St. John #23 (at depths from 2000 to 2600m) by A.T.C. Rutgers in 1958.

Lithology

The Formation is composed of both

carbonate A carbonate is a salt of carbonic acid (H2CO3), characterized by the presence of the carbonate ion, a polyatomic ion with the formula . The word ''carbonate'' may also refer to a carbonate ester, an organic compound containing the carbonate g ...

and

clastic Clastic rocks are composed of fragments, or clasts, of pre-existing minerals and rock. A clast is a fragment of geological detritus,Essentials of Geology, 3rd Ed, Stephen Marshak, p. G-3 chunks, and smaller grains of rock broken off other rocks ...

facies.

Distribution

The Stoddart Group reaches a maximum thickness of in the sub-surface north of Fort St. John in north-eastern

British Columbia British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, ...

. It is present in the sub-surface from the foothills of the

Northern Rockies The Northern Rocky Mountains, usually referred to as the Northern Rockies, are a subdivision of the Canadian Rockies comprising the northern half of the Canadian segment of the Rocky Mountains. While their northward limit is easily defined as th ...

and eastwards into the

Peace River Country The Peace River Country (or Peace Country; french: Région de la Rivière-de-la-paix) is an aspen parkland region centring on the Peace River in Canada. It extends from northwestern Alberta to the Rocky Mountains in northeastern British Columbia, ...

in north-western

Alberta Alberta ( ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is part of Western Canada and is one of the three prairie provinces. Alberta is bordered by British Columbia to the west, Saskatchewan to the east, the Northwest Ter ...

Subdivisions

The Stoddart Group is composed of the following formations, from top to bottom:

Relationship to other units

The Stoddart Group is overlain by the

Ishbel Group The Ishbel Group is a Stratigraphy, stratigraphic unit of Permian Geochronology, age in the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin. It is present in the Canadian Rockies of Alberta and British Columbia. First defined by A. McGugan in 1963,McGugan, A., ...

in the foothills and the

Prophet Formation The Rundle Group is a stratigraphical unit of Mississippian age in the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin. It takes the name from Mount Rundle (itself taking the name from Robert Terrill Rundle), and was first described in outcrops at the north ...

in the northern plains; it conformably overlays the

Debolt Formation The Debolt Formation is a stratigraphical unit of Meramecian age in the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin. It takes the name from the hamlet of Debolt, Alberta, and was first described in the Amerada Crown GF23-11 well near Debolt by G. Macaul ...

. It can be correlated with the Tunnel Mountain Formation, the Kananaskis Formation, the

Mattson Formation Mattson is a Swedish patronymic surname, meaning "son of Matt (shortened form of Matthew)". It is rare as a given name. People * Brad Mattson, Silicon Valley entrepreneur * Eli Mattson, pianist, singer, and runner-up on America's Got Talent * E ...

and the

Mount Head Formation The Rundle Group is a stratigraphical unit of Mississippian age in the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin. It takes the name from Mount Rundle (itself taking the name from Robert Terrill Rundle), and was first described in outcrops at the nort ...

of the southern

Canadian Rockies The Canadian Rockies (french: Rocheuses canadiennes) or Canadian Rocky Mountains, comprising both the Alberta Rockies and the British Columbian Rockies, is the Canadian segment of the North American Rocky Mountains. It is the easternmost part ...

, and with the

Amsden Formation The Amsden Formation is a geologic formation in Montana. It preserves fossils dating back to the Carboniferous period. See also * List of fossiliferous stratigraphic units in Montana * Paleontology in Montana Paleontology in Montana refers to ...

Montana Montana () is a state in the Mountain West division of the Western United States. It is bordered by Idaho to the west, North Dakota and South Dakota to the east, Wyoming to the south, and the Canadian provinces of Alberta, British Columbi ...

References

{{Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin, Northwest_Plains=yes Geologic groups of Alberta Geologic groups of British Columbia