Richard W. Sternberg
Departmenr of Oceanography
University of Washington
Seattle,Vashington
RecenlSedimenlsin
BellinghamBay, Washinglon'
Bellingham Bay is a relatively large embayment located in the eastetn prt of the
Puget Sound-GeorgiaSrait complex ( Figure 1). Two rivers, the Nooksack and the
Samish, enter from the north and the south, respectively,and have built relatively
large deltas into the bay. The city of Bellingham is located in the northeasteln corner
of the areaDuring 19)9 and 1960 an extensivesampling program was carried out to investi:
gate Bellingham Bay as a sedimentaryenvironment and to reconstructits depositional
history. Sediments have been examined from Bellingham Bay proper, Samish Bay
(Samish Bay is the southernhalf of the area and vrill be consideredas part of Bellingham Bay), and Hale Passage,but not ChuckanurBay or Point FrancesLagoon (Figure
1). A total of 82 sediment sampleswere collected from all parts of the bay using
both grab and coring (gravity and piston) devices. The sample distribution is
shown in Figure 1.
Descriptionol lhe Area
The easternside of Bellingham Bay is characterizedby steep hillsides rising from sea
level to elevationsexceediog 1)00 ft (458 m). The beachesalong these shores are
narrovr and strevrn with large boulders- The topography of the northern and southern
ends of the bay is low and flat and extends inland as- lovrlands. These lowlands
(the Nooksack River Valley and the Skagit River Valley) are covered with a mantle
of marine silts and clays,various types of glacial deposirs.and alluvium mostly derived
from reworked glacial material (Jenkins, 1923; Easterbrook,1!62).
The westetn side of Bellingham Bay is exposed. A shallow sill ( approx. 30 ft
19.15rnl) locatedbesweenEliza Island and Point Francesopens into Hale Passage,but
the main enrranceto the bay lies between Eliza and Samish islands ( Figure 1 ) . The
depths in this enfiance vary from 70 to 335 ft (21.4 to 102 m) near Eliza Islandl
This 33)-ft (102-m) sounding is the deepestpart of a small trough adjacent to the
southern and easternsides of Eliza Island, which sho'alsrapidly and connectswith the
bay floor (oudined by the 90-ft [27.5-m] isobath).
Except for the small depression(maximum depth 1!2 ft It8.6 ml ) north of Samish
Island and the trough around Eliza Island, depths in southern Bellingham Bay do not
'Codtribution No. 365, Departmentof Oceanography,
Universitv of lrashio$on, Seattle,I(/ash,
NorthwestScience,
Vol. 41,No.2, 1967
6t
Figute 1.
Area location chart and bathymetry of Bellingham Bay.
Richard W. Sternberg
exceed60 ft (18.3 rn). The area can be characterizedby a flat sheif (bounded by
the 30- and 60lt 19.15-and 18.3-ml isobaths) that gradually deepensnorthward until
ir reachesthe bay floor (.)90 ft l)>27.5 ml). North of the bay floor rhe deprh
decteasesat a constant rate to the Nooksack River Delra, which is exposed during
low tides.
PreviousWork
No geological investigarionsdealing with the bottom sediments of Bellingham Bay
have been made prior to this srudy. The Recent sedimentsof the Puget Sound-Georgia
Stait complex were describedby $Cang in 1955, but this srudy was nor concerned
specifically with Bellingham Bay. There is a report of the work done in 1959 by
Roger Tollefson for the Puget Sound PLrlpar.rdTimber Company, which describesthe
biology in Bellingham Bay as related rc the generalphysical conditions and circulation.
Concurrent with this sedimenr study, a survey was cauied our in 1960-1961 by
the Departmenr of Oceanography,University of I7ashington, to determine the circulation and physical properdes of the water in the bay (Coliias er al., f9661. 'thl,s
investigationincludesmeasurementsof temperature,saliniry, dissolvedoxygen,dissolved
inorganic phosphate, speor sulfite liquor, and currents.
SedimentDescriDlion
Laboratory analysesincluded observationof color, odor, and structure; grain-sizedistibution (by sieve and pipette methods); aod coarse-fractionanalysis. Besides the
sutface sediment samples,select sectionsraken from the gravity cores at disrancesof
), 13, and 2I cm (1.97,5.13, ard 8.29 in) from the upper surfaceand at the botom
were also analyzed,
Color
Only slight variations in color (wet) were observedin rhe sedimentscollected from
B.-llingham Bay. In general the color of the sediments varies in relation to their
size characteristics. The co.arsermaterial has an olive hue (Nar. Res. Council, Rock
Color Comm., 1951), usualiy dark, while the finer sedimentshave a greenishor olivegreen hue wirh varying degrees of darkness,possibly depending upon the organic
content of the sediment.
The upper portions ( uppr 40 cm [15.8 in] or less) of all core samplesexhibit
approximately the same color relationships as the surface sediments. Below this
region colors generally change to darL gray or olive gray mortled with dark gray.
Often rhe dark-gray hue changesto olive gray near the bottom of the core (approximately 1 m l).29 fu)). Some color changesare gradual, others are sharp.
Odor
Hydrogen sulfide odors were noted in sedimentsfrom ooly rwo of the surfacesampling
stations. These starionswere located ilirectly adjacentto, and seawardof, the GeorgiaPacific Corporation mill and the sewer ourfall of the ciry of Bellingham.
Hydrogen sulfide odor was nored at varying deprhs in all core samplesfrom the
north-central part of the bay. The depth of the uppet conrac of this odor varied
from aborit 5 to 80 cm (1.97 to 17.5 in) and usually continued throughout the lengrh
of the cores.
Recent Sedimentsin Bellingham Bay
65
Structtne
Generally, the sediment collected from this area can be considered as lacking in sructure. Several of the core samples exhibit indistinct bedding because of localized
coocenrrarions of shell fragments or inorganic detritus; however, lateral continuity of
bedding was not observed.
Textue
Oq the basis of size, mosr of the sedimentsfrom Bellingham Bay can be divided into
thiee major types, delta platfoim sands, bay mrids, and lag gravels. A few samples
have size distriburions that are intermediate between parent types and are classified
as transirional sediments. The geographicdistribution of these major sediment
rypes
is shown in Figure 2.
Deha plalorm undl
The delta platforms of rhe Nooksack and Samish rivers
extend in a seaward direction from the marshes near the mourhs of these rivers to the
delta fronts (at a depth of 18 fr [5.1 m]). The marginal boundariesof these platfotms are the beacheslining the bay into which these rivers flow.
A layer of sand sras fouod to be uniformly spread over these plarfofms. In general,
this sedimenr is a well-sorted medium sand, slightly skewed toward the finer sizes,
consisting of approximately 85 per cenr sand, 13 per cent silt, and 2 per cent clay.
The thicknessof this sand is not koown; however,a water well drilled at Marietta hit
bed rock ac 24s fr { Jenkins.lc)2i .
The cumuladve-frequencycurves reptesenringthe delta platform sand (Figure 3a)
fall into two groupings,those strongly skewedtoward the finer sizesberweenthe g4th
and 95rh percentilesand those thar are not. This difference,although small, allows a
fwther subdivision of these sands into rype A (the straighter curves) artd
rype B
(those curves vrith an accumulationof fine material). AII samplesfrom type A are
located on the Nooksack River Delta platform, and rhose of type B are on the Samish
River Delta platform. The numerical difference of statistical paj:amerels for the two
groups is given in Table 1.
Ball mads. Seaward of rhe delta platforms, in the central part of the bay, a homogeneousmud is being deposited. This mud is classifiedas a clayeysilt ( SheEard,1954)
and is composedof approximarely8 per cent sand,66 per cent silr, and 26 per cent clay.
Visual inspection of long pisron cores collected from each end of the bay reveals
that this sedimentrype exists conrinuouslyto depths greater than 16 ft ( 11 m). This
sediment rype can also be divided into two subrypes: rype C, those curves that ale
Table 1.
Delta pladorm sands
Type A
Type B
Bay muds
Type C
Type D
gravels
I-ag
66
Statistical Parameters oI the Three Major Sediment Types
(calculated according to Inmaq 19j2)
Median
diameter
(o)
Sorting
coefficient
(ph;unirs)
Skewness
2.56
2.28
0.17
1.07
0.r7
0.24
2.31
1.09
0.36
0.10
0.20
5.92
-4.58
Richard lW. Sternberg
Sand and
SiIt
( 7a)
Clay
(Va)
88.28
a4.09
11.25
13.34
0.47
2.57
6.58
9.91
100.00
70.11
59.92
00.00
22.95
30.17
00.00
( V a)
Iigule 2.
Lo.atioo of sedimenttypes.
Recent Sedimentsin Bellingham Bay
67
relatively straight belovz the )0th percentile; and rype D, those curves that exhibit a
sharp increase in particle size between the 5th and 16th prcentiles. These types
appear to be distributed sysrematically wirh rype C located in the center portion of
the bay and type D found seaward of the river deltas. The significance of this disribution is discussedin the next sectron.
Lag graoeh, A layer of well-sorted gravel covers the sill betvreen Point Frances
and Eliza Island. The particle sizesrange from 3{, (0.125 mm) ro coarserthan -j+
(32 mm), with a median diameter of 4.586 Q3.9 mm) (Table 1). This sediment
is composed of well,rounded, spherical, lithic fragments with abundant shell fragments
in the finer sizes. It is of glacial origin, possibly an ourwashgravel (Reagan, 1906).
60
r- 20
tr_
;
z
H
tre5
J
I
l a o
-4
6
2
0
2
4
5
8
tO
PARTICLESIZE IN '
Figure 3.
68
Sedjment.rpes basedon families of cumulative-frequency
curves. (a) Major types;
fb) iraniition sedimenB ( represen
red by dark curves.t.
Richard
V.
Sternberg
Transition sedimentt, Of all the samPlesanalyzed,12 did not fit the basic sediment
classificationshown in Figure Ja. Most of these samplesappearedto be a mixture
of rwo basic types afld are thereforeconsideredto be transitional in nature ( Figute 3b) '
These sedimentsare not only transitional on a textural basis but geographicallyrepresenr a transition region that demonsttatesthe naffov/ zone of raPid change between
parent types in the area.
Coarte'Fraction Cam| oJition
Sedimentarymaterial is introduced into Bellingham Bay from severalsources (Nooksack River, SamishRiver, Ifhatcom Creek area). To interpret the relations betweeo
these different constituentsand the way io which they are spread thtoughout the bay,
a coarse-fractionanalysiswas used. This technique differentiates sedimentsaccording
to their coarse-fraction( fracdon size )62p) compositiofl and is useful in tracing the
geographic origin of specific constituents (Shepard and Moore, 1954; Scruton, 1955;
Shepard,1956), Thirty-nine sediment sampleswere choselras rePresentativefor the
area and subjected to this analysis. Five coostituentsaccolrnt for over 95 per ceot
of the total coarsefraction of the represe[tative samples.
Il/ood. In Bellingham Bay only tracesof wood fibets ale found, most wood being
preserved in the form of fragments. \food fragments are concentratedsouth along
the shore, adjacentto the Georgia-PacificCorporation mill (Figure 4). Their origin
is not the mill itself (which would supply fibers), but the numelous log rafts located
adjacent to the mill. The bark-removalarea located at the southeastside of the miil
is also a soutce of wood.
Directly seawatd of the pulp mill the sediment contaios numerous wood chips
(approx. 5 cm [1.97 in] iong). These chips are transported to the mill in barges,
vrhich are anchored and cleaned in this area. This accoun$ fol the relatively high
concenffatior of wood chips found between the unloading docks of the mill and
apptoximately 1% miles seaward.
Within a four mile radius of the puip mill the Percentageof wood in rhe sediment
decreases
to 20 per cenr of the coarsefraction (approx. 2 Per cent of the total sample).
This 20 per cent vaiue is a maximum basevalue for wood concentrationthroughout the
remaindet of the bay.
The vertical distribution of wood in the sedimentsalso reflects the influence of
the pulp mill. Near the mill the concentratiooof wood decreasesfron 70 per cent
at the surface to 5 per cent at a depth of approximately 1.1 ft (1 m) wherc'as21 :
miles west of the mill the depth of 5 per cent concentrationis found at 8 in (20.3 cm).
Clal gall:. Many of the sedimentsamplescontain varying percentagesof clay galls
(Johnston, 1921). These galls are usually well-rounded,spherical aggregatesas large
as 0.33 io (8 mm) in diameter. A size aoalysisindicates that they are agglegates
of silt-sized palticles with less than 2 per cent sand and 22 per cent clay They are
similar in textllre to the bay muds, and are also found throughout the core samPles.
The clay galls are concenffatedin the northern and southern parts of the bay (Figure
5) and account for rhe texnrtal differencesobservedin the bay muds. Type C representssampleswithout theseaggregates;type D containsclay galls. Although clay galls
have been known to originate from severalconditions, in Bellingham Bay they seem
ro form on the delta platforms afld are then transported onto tile bay floor.
"In
placeshard
In his study of the FraserRiver Deite, Johnston (i!21) concluded,
Recent Sedimentsin Bellingham Bay
69
Figure 4.
Distribution of vood fragments in surface sediments tepotted as F€rcetrtageby weight
of the coa$e fraction.
Richard Sf. Sternberg
Figure 5. Distribution of clay galls in surfacesedinents reported as percentageby weight of the
coafsefraction.
Recent Sedimentsin Bellingham Bay
Figure 6.
Dis$ibution o.f terrigenous sand in surlace sediments lepolted as lrrcentage by weight
ol the coa$e
lfactron,
Richard W. Sternberg
silt occurs in the main channel. The hard silt beds. which do nor form in rhe main
channel but in the slack-waterchannels,become buried and compactedand are later
exposedin the banks or occur in the bottom of the river becauseof shifring of the
channel and erosion of the overlying beds. The silt, when compacted,offers considerable resistaoceto erosion. It does not go into suspensionbut erodesslowly undir the
influence of a sfforg curreor. Small massesare broken off which, by being rolled
along the bottom, become subangular or rounded and form the well known 'claygalls."' The facts that silt layers are presently being eroded on the Nooksack River
Delta and that clay galls are concenrmredseawardof rhe deltas suggestrhat the disrribution of these aggregatestesults from erosionaland ffaosportationprocessesano rney
should be consideredas a discrereportion of the sediment in the area.
Terrigenous sand, The highest concentations of terrigenous sand ate found on
the delta platforms ( Figure 6). Seawardof the delta fronts concenffarionsof sand
decreaserapidly from greater than 80 per cent of the rotal sample to 10-20 per cent
of the coarsefraction. There is an increaseof saod near the enffaoce to Bellingham
Bay, which may reflect the stronger currents in this region.
Sbell fugment:. The concentration of pelecypod shell fragments in Belliogham
Bay varies from 0 ro 23 per cent of the coarsefractioo. High concenrations of shell
{ragmenrs are located directly seaward of both delta fronts. The highest concentra,
tioo is found adjacentto the shorelineeasrand south of the pulp mill ( Figure 7 ) .
The shell materiai found seawardof the deltas is fragmental and appearsto have
been transportedto its present location from the delra platforms. Oyster beds locared
on the Samish River Delta platform provide a soruce for the sourhern area. The
population density of oysters on the Nnoksack River Delta platform is unknown;
however, they are abundant in Point FrancesLagoon (Tollefson, 1!5!).
ForatniniJeratertr, Concentrationsof Foraminifera tests varied from 0 to 6 per
cent of the coarsefracrion and are distributed in approxirnatelythe same way as shell
fragments ( Figure 7). Microscopic analysesof rhe tesrs were not conducted; thus
futther commenr on their disuibution is imoossible.
Oiscussion
Both wind waves breaking on the defta platform and the high total range in rhe bay
(diurnal range is 8.6 ft 12.62 ml) are important facors ir determining the morphology and sediment distribution in the area.
Becauseof the high ridal range, the deita platform and the river channelsare often
inundated by seawater. Thus the seawardadvanceof sand carried in the distributary
channels is inhibited, and the sand cannoa be carried over the delta front. If rhe
advancing tide is accompaniedby wiod, the resulting waves can quickly redistribute
sand that has been temporarily depositedin the channels. The deitas are continually
smoothed by waves, resulting io a blanket of rvell-sortedsand incised by numerous
shallow (4 to 5 It [1.22 to 1.)3 m] deep) disuibutary channels. Some sand is probably carried to rhe outer edge of the delta platform, but this is readily distribured.
Thus the delta grows seawardby the steadyadvanceof the delta front, rather than by
localizedextensionsof river channelsgrowing into the bay (e.g., the Mississippi River
Delta).
In the pasr 70 years the sediment introduced by rhe Nooksack River has had a
Recent Sedimentsin Bellingl.ramBay
73
Iigure
74
7.
Distribution of shell fragments and Ioraminifera
as percentage by x'eight oI the coarse fraction-
Richard \7. Sternberg
tests in surface sediments reported
strong inf.luence in Bellingham Bay. As much u 20 k (5.1 m) of sediment has
been depositednear rhe mouth of this river, and rhe delta has been exrendedapproximately 1 mile seaward (Figure 8). Ir is esrimarcdfrom sediment thicknessesthat the
averagedeposition in northern Beilingham Bay over the last 70 years is about ! x 10;
ytLrdss/yr(6.9 x 105 m3/yr). This rate could nor have been conrinuoussince the end
of the Pleistoceneepoch becausethe growth of the delta in the past 70 years is nearly
as gfeat as the total previously existing delta. There is evidence that the Nooksack
Rivet, since Pleistocene,has flowed into Bellingham Bay, Lummi Bay, Boundary Bay,
and the FraserRiver ( Easterbrook,peisonal commuoication), which would account for
frequent hiatusesin the Bellingham Bay sedimentation.
Apparently the Nooksack River ofren has shifted over i1s lowlands during Recent
geologic time, flowing alternately into cach of the above-mentionedareas. Therc is
rlo exact way of knowing how long this river has been flowing into Bellingham Bay, or
how many times it has emptied into rhe bay in the past.
As shown by Figure 8, no sediment has been deposited in the southern part of
Bellingharn Bay in the pasr 70 years. This signifies that sediment is being removed
by marine erosion at lhe samerate that it is being depositedby the Samish River, or
that the delta and offshore silts were depositcdat a time when the SamishRivet was
larger (or another large river enrered this bay) and have not been strongly affected
by marine erosion since rhar time.
There exists an inconsistencybetween the present size of the Samish River and
the extent of the sedimentdepositsatributed to it. The mean dischargeof the NooksackRiver is 1700 cfs (104 mr/sec) wirh a maximum of 46,000cfs (12!0 m3/sec),
yet its dehaic depositsare significantly smallet than those of rhe SamishRiver (avetage
dltschatge242 cfs [6.8 m3,/sec],maximum 5800 cfs 1163 rnn/secl). It appearsrhar
che sedimentsof the SamishRiver Delta and of the sourhernparr of Bellingham Bay
(as outlined by the 60-ft [18.]-ml isobath in Figure 1) are a direcr resulr of the
much larger Skagit River, which musr ar one time have shifred acrossits valley floor
and emptied its large sedimentload into southern Belliogham Bay.
In the geologic past, the South Fork of the Nooksack River was rurned southwatd
to join rhe Skagit Rivcr (Brctz, L9I)), which then formed a great delta covering
almost the entire wesren part of Skagit County (Jenkins, 1921). 'fhe relationships
of the South Fork of the Nooksack River, the Skagir River, and the resulting delta
axe shown in Figure f. Thus rhe fearure that superficially appearsto be the Samish
Delta and its offshore silt is a relict srrLrcure r€presentingthe northernmost part of
the ancient Skagit River Delta.
At its presentdischargemte ( averagedischarge16,260 cfs [456 mrr,,/sec],
maximum
744,000 cfs {4010 m3lsecl, U.S. Geological Survey, 19)9), the Skagit River would
need to have emptied ioto Bellingham Bay for only a short time ro account for rhe
size of the Samish Delta. Since the last shift of the Skagit River from the area, the
only apparent effect of the SamishRiver has been to introduce fine material inro the
bay. The presenceof eel grass (Zo:tera sp.) on the SamishDelta platform is import;rnr
in conuolling the sediment distriburion rhere. Even rhough rhe Samish Rivet Delta
is not being built at the present rime, it is srill subject to wave and curlenr acion.
The eel grass protects the delta platform sands from redistributioo, thus stabilizing
the sediments and rrapping the finer materials carried into the bay by the Samish
Rccent Sedimentsin Bellingham Bay
75
Figute 8.
76
Isopach map representing thickness of sediment depocited between the yeals 1886 alrd
1956 (USC&GS Chart 6380 1st and 9th editions).
Richard 17. Sternberg
Figure 9.
Areal geologic map of westerri Vhatcod
aod Skagit counties (after Jenkins, 1924),
Recent Sedimentsin Bellingham Bay
River. This fine sediment accounts for rhe relatively high percentagesof silt and
clay found in the sandsthar cover this delta ( type B, Figrue 3a).
Thus the Recent geologic history of Bellingham Bay probably has been characterized
by intermittent periods of deposition, first from. the Nooksack and then Irom the
Skagit rivers, or simultaoeouslyfrom both. The sequenceand number of theseperiods
cannot be determined with the present data.
Conclusions
From rhe data presentedand the interpretationsmade, the following conclusionsmay
be drawn:
1. Size analysesindicate that the sedimentsin the bay can be divided into three
major sediment types: delta platform sands ( located on the delta platforms), bay
muds ( covering the central part of the bay), and lag gravel (covering a shallow sill
at the enffance on lhe western side of the bay). A transitional sediment type marks
rhe zones of intermixing between major types.
2. Five constituents account for ovet 95 per cerr of the ccarse fraction of all
sedimentsin the bay. Theseare: (a) wood fragmentsderived from log rafts adjoining
the pulp n.rill, (b) shell fragments, (c) Foraminifera tests, (d) clay galls (originating
on the deltas and carried ovet the delra platforms by rivers), and (e) terigenous sand
transportedinto the area by the Nooksack and Samishrivers.
3. The influence of wind waves, tidal currents, and the high tidal range have a
pronouncedeffect in the bay. This marine acrion is strong eoough to redistibure the
sediment deposited by rivers, thus controlling the sediment disribution in the bay
and the shapesof the deltas.
4. The Samish River Delta is considereddormant and in the past century has not
changed. This delta was built after the Pleistoceneepoch by rhe Skagit River (combined with the South Fork of rhe Nooksack River) and represenrsthe nonhernmost
part of the ancient Skagit River Delta.
5. At present the Nooksack River is depositing sediment in Bellingham Bay at a
rate of 9 x 105 yards3/yr (6.9 x 105 m3,/yr) and in the past 7O yearshas been extended
seaward approximately one mile.
6. Sedimentation in Bellingham Bay is chatactetzed as spomdic, with sediments
being introduced ar differenr times by the Nooksack River, the Samish (or Skagit)
River, or from both simultaneously. It is not koown how often or in what sequence
each river flowed into the area.
Acknowledgments
The author wishes to thank those who assistedin this investigation. Special thanks
are due to personnel of the Georgia-PacificCorporation who were most helpful in
providing rime and equipment for a pofiion of the sampling program. The projecr
was supported by the Office of Naval Research Conract Nonr-477(37), Proiect
NR 083 012.
78
Richard !(.
Sternberg
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Bretz, I. H. 1913. claciatiotr of the Puget Sound region. Strashingror Geological Survey
BulletinNo. 8, 17l-241.
Collias, E. E., C. A. Batnes,C. B. Murty, and D. V. Hansen. 1966. An oceanographic
survey
li(ashingtoo, Department-of ^Oceanogra'of the Bellinsham-Samish
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p h 1 .S p e . r aR
l e p o n\ o . 1 2 .V o . l l . A n a l l . e so i d a r a . M u l r i t i ; h e d . t - i l p .
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Inman, D. L. 1952. MeasuresIor describing the size of sediments. Joutnal of Sedimentary
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O. P. 1923.. Geological investigationof the coal fieids of western Whatcom County,
Jeflki-ns,.
rVashington (State) Consewationand DevelopmentDelmnment, Mines and Geology Divisioi,
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_:-: ;-.
^L921. . Geologtcal investigation of the coal fields of Skagit County, \trashiogton.
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Reagan.A. B. _ 1006.. Someseoogi(al siudicson norlhwe(rero
Vdshingronrnd adjacenrBrirjsh
rerriton'. lrrnsdctrons
or LheKan5r5Academyol SLience,
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Shepard, L P. 1954. Nomenclature based on sand,silt-clayratios. Joutnal of Sedimentary
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. 1156._Marqinatsedimenrs
of the Mi>issippi Det(d. Bu erin of the Ameri,an
_
,r.ssorrdtron
ol PetroLeum
CeologrsA,0: 21)--262J.
-----:-------,
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AssociaiionoI petroleum Ceologists, 38: 1792_
1402.
Tollefson. R. 1o59.
iDvesrigation. Summary report for the puget Sound pulp ffrd
rrmber Lompany,_BioLogi(al
/l p.
Unired.StatesGeological.Survq. 1959. Surfacewater supply of the United States: part 12_
fa-crrrc_siol>e
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water-supply Paper 1616. U.S. Governmentprirting Office, I(ashington, D.C,402 p.
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- ---- ---and
lake \fashinsron. Universiry of rJfashingrbnprex, Seanli, $fl.shinston. 16i
t.
Acceptedfor publicaion June3, 1966.
Recent Sedimentsin Bellingham Bay
79