Wapiti Formation
| Wapiti Formation Stratigraphic range: Late Cretaceous to Early Paleocene |
|
|---|---|
| Type | Geological formation |
| Lithology | |
| Primary | Sandstone, siltstone, mudstone |
| Other | conglomerate, coal |
| Location | |
| Region |
 Alberta
|
| Country |
 Canada
|
| Type section | |
| Named for | Lower part of Wapiti River |
| Named by | G.M. Dawson, 1881. |
The Wapiti Formation is a geological formation of the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin in northwestern Alberta, and Northeastern British Columbia, Canada. Its deposition spanned the time interval from Late Cretaceous (Campanian stage) to early Paleocene, and it includes sediments that were deposited before, during, and after the Cretaceous-Paleogene (K-Pg) extinction event. It was named by G.M. Dawson in 1881, presumably for exposures along the lower part of the Wapiti River and downstream along the Smoky River in Alberta.
Dinosaur remains are among the fossils that have been recovered from the Cretaceous portion of the formation. The Wapiti Formation does not produce many fossils due to its limited surface exposure and accessibility, although two Pachyrhinosaurus bone beds have been productive.
The Wapiti Formation consists of interbedded sandstones, siltstones, shales and mudstones, with thin conglomerates, coal seams and bentonite beds. The sandstones are typically thick, pale grey, crossbedded and bentonitic. The middle part contains less sandstones, more mudstones, and fewer and thinner coals. The upper part contains thicker lenticular sandstones and more coals.
The Wapiti Formation was deposited in inland fluvial and floodplain environments, with local areas of lacustrine sediments. The sandstones were deposited mainly in fluvial channel environments, with siltstones, carbonaceous shales and coals accumulating in overbank settings.
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