Gowganda

Oard (2009a) Attacks the Wrong Issue about the Origin of the Gowganda Formation

Kevin R. Henke, Ph.D.

May 4, 2014

In yet another example of referring to my 1999 essay out of context, Oard (2009a, p. 121) takes a small section of what I wrote about the origin and deposition of the glaciogenic sediments of the Precambrian Gowganda Formation and sets it up for a strawperson attack:

"Henke ([1999], p. 49) then challenges the scale of the debris flow during the Flood: ‘YECs want to believe that debris flows from Noah’s Flood could have spread sediment over at least 250 km north to south and 400 km east to west across the Gowganda Basin.’ This is 100,000 km². A debris flow of the magnitude is easily accommodated in a global Flood. Even modern, relatively low-energy flows cover large areas (Oard 1997). The Agulhas Slump off South Africa has an areal extent of 80,000 km² (Kid [sic, Kidd], 1982)!”

However, the emphasis of what I wrote in my 1999 essay was not the supposed ability of a mythical Flood to transport sediments. Instead, my emphasis was on how Oard (1997) misrepresented and ignored important evidence on the glaciogenic origin of the Gowganda Formation as described in Miall (1985), Junnila and Young (1995), and other references, and how the evidence in these references refute Mr. Oard's efforts to misrepresent the formation as one huge debris flow that formed during Noah’s Flood. Here is my statement in context with the small portion misused by Oard (2009a, p. 121) in bolded italics:

“Despite the multiple depositional events and complex history that are associated with the Gowganda Formation as presented in Miall (1985), Junnila and Young (1995), and other references, Oard ([1997] p. 75) concludes that the entire Gowganda Formation was deposited as one huge debris flow!! YECs want to believe that debris flows from Noah's Flood could have spread sediment over at least 250 km north to south and 400 km east to west across the Gowganda basin. Obviously, Miall (1983) does not believe in such huge turbidity flows and argues (p. 488-489) that the formation's large area resulted from continental glaciers delivering the sediment by advancing and retreating far south into the basin. Furthermore, Fedo et al. (1997) argue that the preservation of abundant plagioclase in the Serpent Formation, which underlies the Gowganda Formation, indicates less intense weathering conditions and is consistent with the presence of widespread Gowganda continental glaciers.” [bolded italics misused by Oard, 2009a, p. 121]

Now, Oard (2009a, p. 121) argues that Noah’s Flood could have easily deposited a debris flow over 100,000 square kilometers. But, what does that have to do with the Gowganda Formation when the evidence indicates that the formation resulted from ancient glaciers and not from one rapidly deposited debris flow? On the basis of the evidence, how could the discussions in Miall, Fedo, Junnila, Young and other references ever support a Flood origin for these sediments? The following larger portion of my essay discusses and documents far more important issues related to the errors and misrepresentations of the Gowganda Formation in Oard (1997) than what Oard (2009a) is willing to admit:

MIDDLE PRECAMBRIAN GOWGANDA GLACIAL DEPOSITS

The Gowganda Formation of Ontario, Canada, consists of Middle Precambrian glacial deposits. Geologists almost unanimously accept a glacial origin for the formation, although glacial origins are sometimes doubted for the associated Lake Ramsay and Bruce diamictites (Eyles, 1993, p. 61). As usual, Oard ([1997] p. 71-72) manages to locate a few skeptics of the glacial origin for the Gowganda Formation, many of which published their opinions in 1961 and earlier. Eyles (1993, p. 61) cites Card (1978) as claiming that the formations of the Huronian Supergroup, which include the Gowganda Formation, are non-glacial mass flows. Oard ([1997] p. 71) repeats Eyles’ claim. However, in reality, Card (1978, p. 125) believes that glaciations may have been responsible for initially providing the sediments for the Huronian Supergroup. Oard ([1997] p. 72) also cites Young (1981, p. 811) as admitting that part of the Gowganda Formation was deposited by mudflows. In reality, Young (1981, p. 811) states that mass flows MAY have been locally important in the deposition of the formation, but that glacial processes were dominant.

Both the glacial and non-glacial components of the Huronian Supergroup have southerly paleoflow directions (Oard [1997], p. 72-73). Oard ([1997] p. 72) believes that it's an incredible coincidence that the glaciers of the Gowganda Formation flowed in the same southerly direction as the mass flows in the other parts of the supergroup. Actually, this is not surprising. Even Oard's [1997] Figure 9.6 on p. 72 clearly illustrates why both the glaciers and the mass flows went south during the deposition of the Huronian Supergroup. There is a clear southward dipping paleoslope on the older Precambrian (Archean) basement in the figure. Of course, thick glaciers could easily flow over low hills or shallow basins, but, in general, both glaciers and mudflows find it easier to flow downhill than uphill, or to flow into a basin than out of one. In the northeastern United States, both Pleistocene glaciers (Oard’s [1997] Figure 10.4, p. 80) and most (but not all) associated rivers flowed south and the rivers continue to flow south today, 10,000 years after the glaciers are gone. Therefore, flow directions may be consistent for multiple materials (ice, mud, and water) over long periods of time.

Most of the Gowganda Formation is glaciomarine, although some tillites are probably present. Brecciated igneous boulders in parts of the formation may indicate deposition by land-based glaciers (tillites) (Harker and Giegengack, 1989). Oard ([1997] p. 72) dismisses Harker and Giegengack’s (1989) arguments for land-based glaciers on the grounds that the authors admitted that their work was tentative and based on limited data and many assumptions. Nevertheless, Harker and Giegengack (1989, p.125) make the following observations, which sink Oard's efforts to fit these rocks into mass flows from "Noah's Flood":

"Given that the brecciation ... [references to their figures omitted here] ... has been caused by crushing of densely packed clasts, it is unlikely that forces large enough to cause this breakage could be transmitted through a slowly advancing mud flow. Although it is easy to visualize boulders striking each other with shattering force as they move at high speed in a landslide, it is difficult to imagine broken pieces remaining adjacent to their parents in such a situation. The same argument can be made against an origin through catastrophic flood, mudslide, or high-speed turbidity current."

Oard ([1997] p. 72) cites Junnila and Young (1995), Miall (1985) and other references as indicating that the Gowganda Formation has "abundant evidence" of mass flow. However, Junnila and Young (1995, p. 197) actually describes the lower Gowganda Formation as being glaciogenic. While Miall (1985, p. 763) argues for a marine origin for the Gowganda Formation, he also claims that continental glaciers supplied the coarse debris. Oard ([1997] p. 72-73) attacks Miall for continuing to support a glacial association for the Gowganda Formation rather than accepting the YEC position that the formation only had a non-glacial origin. Miall has abundant reasons to maintain his support for a glacial association. For example, iceberg dropstones are abundant in the formation and Miall (1983) explains why their glacial origins are definitive. As discussed earlier, only icebergs can explain the origins of abundant Precambrian dropstones.

Despite the multiple depositional events and complex history that are associated with the Gowganda Formation as presented in Miall (1985), Junnila and Young (1995), and other references, Oard ([1997] p. 75) concludes that the entire Gowganda Formation was deposited as one huge debris flow!! YECs want to believe that debris flows from Noah's Flood could have spread sediment over at least 250 km north to south and 400 km east to west across the Gowganda basin. Obviously, Miall (1983) does not believe in such huge turbidity flows and argues (p. 488-489) that the formation's large area resulted from continental glaciers delivering the sediment by advancing and retreating far south into the basin. Furthermore, Fedo et al. (1997) argue that the preservation of abundant plagioclase in the Serpent Formation, which underlies the Gowganda Formation, indicates less intense weathering conditions and is consistent with the presence of widespread Gowganda continental glaciers.

Not surprisingly, Oard ([1997] p. 106) cites a statement by Frarey (1977, p. 10) that the 12 km thick Huronian Supergroup was "rapidly deposited." However, it’s obvious that Frarey did not have "Noah’s Flood" in mind when he said this. Frarey (1977, p. 58) even refers to changes in climate, uplift and other slow events as the sediments of the supergroup were deposited.

Frarey and Oard clearly define "rapid" differently and this is an example of how a relative and flexible term, such as "rapidly," may be easily misused and misunderstood by people with radically different viewpoints. When geologists say "rapid," it can mean anything from hours to ten’s of millions of years. When YECs hear the term, they think of seconds to one year during "Noah’s Flood" or a literal creation consisting of six days. Also, see: van Loon (1999) for a geologist’s perspective on "aruptness."

References

Card, K.D. 1978. Geology of the Sudbury-Manitoulin Area, Ontario Geological Survey Report 166, Ministry of Natural Resources, Ontario.

Eyles, N., 1993. "Earth’s Glacial Record and its Tectonic Setting," Earth-Science Reviews, v. 35, pp. 1-248.

Fedo, C.M., G.M. Young and H.W. Nesbitt. 1997. "Paleoclimatic Control on the Composition of the Paleoproterozoic Serpent Formation, Huronian Supergroup, Canada: A Greenhouse to Icehouse Transition," Precambrian Research, v. 86, pp. 201-223.

Frarey, M.J. 1977. Geology of the Huronian Belt between Sault Ste. Marie and Blind River, Ontario, Geological Survey of Canada Memoir, no. 383, Ottawa.

Harker, R.I. and R. Giegengack. 1989. "Brecciation of Clasts in Diamictites of the Gowganda Formation, Ontario, Canada," Geology, v. 17, pp. 123-127.

Junnila, R.M. and G.M. Young. 1995. "The Paleoproterozoic Upper Gowganda Formation, Whitefish Falls Area, Ontario, Canada: Subaqueous Deposits of a Braid Delta," Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences, v. 32, pp. 197-209.

Kidd, R.B. 1982. “Long-range Sidescan Sonar Studies of Sediment Slides and the Effects of Slope Mass Sediment Movement on Abyssal Plain Sedimentation” in S. Saxov and J.K. Nieuwenhuis (eds). Marine Slides and Other Mass Movements, Plenum Press: New York, pp. 289-303.

Miall, A.D. 1983. "Glaciomarine Sedimentation in Gowganda Formation (Huronian), Northern Ontario," Journal of Sedimentary Petrology, v. 53, pp. 477-491.

Miall, A.D. 1985. "Sedimentation on an Early Proterozoic Continental Margin under Glacial Influence: The Gowganda Formation (Huronian), Elliot Lake Area, Ontario, Canada," Sedimentology, v. 32, pp. 763-788.

Oard, M.J. 1997. Ancient Ice Ages or Gigantic Submarine Landsides? Creation Research Society, Monograph No. 5, Chino Valley, AZ.

Oard, M.J. 2009a. “Landslides Win in a Landslide over Ancient 'Ice Ages'“, chapter 7 in M.J. Oard and J.K. Reed (editors). 2009. Rock Solid Answers: The Biblical Truth Behind 14 Geological Questions, Master Books: Green Forest, AR, pp. 111-123.

van Loon, A.J. 1999. "The Meaning of ‘Abruptness’ in the Geological Past," Earth-Science Reviews, v. 45, pp. 209-214.

Young, G.M., 1981, "The Early Proterozoic Gowganda Formation, Ontario, Canada," in M.J. Hambrey and W.B. Harland (eds.) "Earth’s Pre-Pleistocene Glacial Record," Cambridge University Press, London, pp. 807-812.