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Sediments in lower Chehalis valley span middle Wisconsin (Olympia nonglacial interval) to Holocene time. Sediments are divided into six units with chronological control provided by 14 new radiocarbon ages. Fluvial gravel spans the transition from the late Olympia nonglacial interval to the early Fraser Glaciation. Glaciolacustrine sedimentation represents the first definitive glacial activity in the valley and indicates that Vashon ice in the Fraser Lowland blocked the mouth of the Chehalis valley at ca. 18–17 ka BP. Ice then flowed down the Chehalis valley. The Chehalis valley deglaciated while ice persisted in the Fraser Lowland, forming another lake. After this lake drained, terraces and fans formed. This style of glaciation–deglaciation is typical of many watersheds peripheral to the Fraser Lowland in that local valley ice was slightly out of phase with ice in the lowland. This resulted in glacial lakes forming during both advance and retreat phases. However, in contrast to watersheds in the northwestern Fraser Lowland, no definitive evidence of a Coquitlam ice advance was found within the Chehalis valley. Although glaciers in the area were likely active and advancing, data from the Chehalis valley indicates that they were not as extensive as previously thought. Since ice source areas in the northeastern Fraser Lowland are in the leeward area of the Coast Mountains, it is suggested that lower precipitation resulted in limited glacier activity there during the Coquitlam Stade. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Fraser River valley near Clinton contains a thick sediment fill that is presently incised down to bedrock. The sequence, approximately 500 m thick, is generally upward fining and consists of up to 100 m of glacigenic debris flow diamicton and glaciofluvial–deltaic gravel and sand at the base, overlain by about 350 m of glaciolacustrine sediments and minor diamicton, which is in turn capped by several metres of till. The sequence is interpreted to represent (i) valley aggradation in response to glaciation, followed by (ii) the impoundment of the valley by sediment and (or) ice, and the formation of a large proglacial lake(s), and finally (iii) overriding of the valley fill by glaciers. This glacial advance sequence can be readily correlated with previously studied units situated immediately to the north, most of which have been associated with the last glaciation; however, the age of these units has been based only on stratigraphic relations. We introduce limiting optical ages from a widespread glaciolacustrine unit that show that the glacial advance sequence was formed, at the earliest, during the penultimate Okanagan Centre Glaciation (oxygen isotope stage 4; ca. 74–59 ka), but almost certainly during the (last) Fraser Glaciation (oxygen isotope stage 2; ca. 24–12 ka). It could not have been deposited during oxygen isotope stage 6, or during an older glaciation.Près de Clinton, la vallée de la rivière Fraser est remplie d'épais sédiments qui sont présentement recoupés jusqu'au roc. La séquence, d'une épaisseur d'environ 500 m, est à affinement vers le haut et comprend jusqu'à 100 m de diamicton provenant d'écoulements de débris glaciogéniques et de sable et de gravier fluvio-glaciaire–deltaïque à la base, recouvert d'environ 350 m de sédiments glacio-lacustres et de diamictons mineurs qui sont à leur tour recouverts de plusieurs mètres de till. Selon notre interprétation, la séquence représente (i) l'accumulation dans la vallée, résultat de la glaciation, suivie (ii) du barrage de la vallée par les sédiments et (ou) de la glace et la formation d'un ou de plusieurs grands lacs glaciaires et finalement, (iii) une avancée glaciaire qui recouvre tout dans la vallée. Cette séquence d'avancée glaciaire peut être corrélée aisément à des unités localisées immédiatement au nord étudiées antérieurement. La plupart de ces unités ont été associées à la dernière glaciation; toutefois, l'âge de ces unités a seulement été basé sur des relations stratigraphiques. Nous introduisons des âges optiques limites provenant d'une unité glacio-lacustre de grande portée qui montre que la séquence d'avancée glaciaire a été formée, au plus tôt, au cours de l'avant-dernière glaciation de l'Okanagan-Centre (étape 4, isotope de l'oxygène; ca. 74–59 ka) mais presque assurément au cours de la (dernière) glaciation Fraser (étape 2, isotope de l'oxygène; ca. 24–12 ka). La séquence ne pourrait pas avoir été déposée durant l'étape 6 de l'isotope de l'oxygène, ni durant une glaciation antérieure.[Traduit par la Rédaction] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]