"The authors have documented the distribution of the main lithostratigraphic and biostratigraphic units that evolved during Cenozoic time through complex, but discrete, deltaic sequences, modified by important structural and erosional events and nondepositional intervals. The stratigraphy framework established will provide a basis for understanding the evolution of this Cenozoic sedimentary basin, which has potential to contribute greatly to Canada's future energy resources." --

Description of Upper Cretaceous to Holocene clastic sediments in the Beaufort-Mackenzie Delta and Banks Island areas of the Northwest Territories, deposited in deltaic, shelf and deep water environments.

Integration of data from reflection seismic, borehole geophysical logs, lithology, and foraminiferal biostratigraphy revealed the need to revise previous stratigraphic correlations of Barremian to Albian strata in the subsurface of the south Mackenzie Delta and in the vicinity of Parsons Lake, Northwest Territories.

This guidebook for the non-specialist reader focuses on the geology and physical geography of the Mackenzie Delta area of the Northwest Territories as seen on the land surface near Inuvik, and on the permafrost features called pingos in the Tuktoyaktuk area.