Runningwater Formation facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Runningwater Formation Stratigraphic range: Early Miocene (Hemingfordian) ~20.6–16.3Ma PreЄ Є O S D C P T J K Pg N ↓
Type	Formation
Lithology
Primary	Sandstone
Other	Conglomerate
Location
Coordinates	42°24′N 103°00′W / 42.4°N 103.0°W / 42.4; -103.0
Approximate paleocoordinates	43°06′N 99°06′W / 43.1°N 99.1°W / 43.1; -99.1
Region	Nebraska
Country	United States

The Runningwater Formation is a special area of rock layers in Nebraska, USA. It's like a giant history book made of stone! These rocks hold fossils that tell us about life from a very long time ago.

The fossils found here date back to a time called the Early Miocene period. This was about 16 to 20 million years ago! That's even before humans were around.

The rocks in this formation are mostly made of sandstone and conglomerate. Sandstone is like hardened sand, and conglomerate is like natural concrete with lots of pebbles stuck together. These rocks were formed in a fluvial environment, which means they were laid down by ancient rivers. Imagine a big river flowing through Nebraska millions of years ago, dropping off sand and pebbles as it went!

This formation is super important because it has given us many amazing fossils of ancient mammals.

What Fossils Are Found Here?

Scientists have found many cool fossils in the Runningwater Formation. These fossils help us understand what kinds of animals lived in Nebraska millions of years ago. They tell us about ancient ecosystems and how life has changed over time.

Here are some of the fossils discovered in this area:

Mammals

Reptiles

• Macrochelys schmidti
• Rhineura marslandensis
• Sceloporus sp.