The Wisconsinan deglaciation, of southern Saskatchewan and adjacent areas

Abstract

The Wisconsinan deglaciation of southern Saskatchewan and adjacent areas of Alberta, Manitoba, Montana, and North Dakota is depicted in nine phases of glacial advance, readvance, and retreat. Althouth there is some uncertainty whether Phase 1 or 2 represents the Classical Wisconsin (Woodfordian) terminus, the glacial history from about 17 000–10 000 years ago is considered.Although the glacier margin retreated at an increasing rate in Saskatchewan, the volume of meltwater released by the melting glacier decreased with time. The large meltwater channels south of the Cypress Hills as compared to those to the north and the fact that most of the glacial lake deposits north of the Cypress Hills came from extraglacial rivers suggest there was much more glacial meltwater activity south of the Cypress Hills than north of them. This in turn suggests that much of the ice melted before significant retreat of the ice front took place.