Last updated: July 16, 2024
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NPS Geodiversity Atlas—Salt River Bay National Historical Park and Ecological Preserve, Virgin Islands
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
Salt River Bay National Historical Park and Ecological Preserve (SARI) is located in Salt River Bay along the north-central coast of the island of St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands. Authorized on February 24, 1992, SARI encompasses approximately 400 hectares (989 acres) and protects a ridge to reef environment featuring coral reefs, a submarine canyon, mangrove forests, tropical coastline, and terrestrial uplands bordering Salt River Bay. The cultural history of SARI dates back more than 2,000 years and includes an aboriginal village site, a Taíno ball court—a ceremonial stonelined ball court/plaza of the Taíno people, and historic European plantation structures that provide opportunities to explore the human occupation of the Caribbean before and after the arrival of European explorers in 1493. The national historical park contains the only confirmed site where members of Christopher Columbus’s second expedition (1493) set foot on what is now U.S. territory during their voyage to the Western Hemisphere (National Park Service 2016b). Situated at the mouth of Salt River Bay is Fort Salé, a 17th century European fortification structure that represents one of the earliest of the few surviving European forts of the New World (National Park Service 2015).
Geologic Setting
The geology of St. Croix Island spans the Cretaceous to the present and forms a dynamic topographic landscape featuring mountains, dissected ridges, valleys, coastal lowlands, and bluffs. The oldest bedrock within SARI consists of tuffaceous rocks of the Cretaceous Judith Fancy Formation, a widespread geologic unit covering a large area of western and central St. Croix. The Judith Fancy Formation (Mount Eagle Group) was named after Estate Judith Fancy along the eastern boundary of SARI where the formation is well-exposed along coastal bluffs (Whetten 1966). Overlying the Judith Fancy Formation are calcareous conglomerate and dark clay-rich strata of the Oligocene Jealousy Formation, a unit likely named after Estate Jealousy located about 5 km (3 mi) southwest of SARI. Together, the Judith Fancy Formation and Jealousy Formation form elevated ridges, hills, and steep slopes surrounding Salt River Bay within SARI. The youngest geologic units mapped within SARI are Holocene surficial alluvium and beach deposits associated with Salt River and the coastal lowlands of Salt River Bay (Whetten 1966, 1968).
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: Data Store Saved Search 3407. To search for additional information, visit the Data Store.
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Salt River Bay National Historical Park and Ecological Preserve
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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.