The upper part of the Tongue River Member of the Fort Union Formation (Paleocene) in the northern Powder River basin, Wyoming, contains assemblages of excellently preserved nonmarine mollusks which occur in laterally continuous outcrops of diverse lithologic sequences and sedimentary structures. These attributes offer a unique opportunity for interdisciplinary interpretation of depositional environments based on molluscan paleoecology and lithofacies relations. Taphonomic histories of mollusk assemblages as reflected by molluscan biofabric (size,

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shape, orientation, and distribution of faunal elements), and the taxonomic composition, diversity, and abundance representation of species in assemblages are of particular importance in interpretations of paleoecology and depositional environments.

Three facies are recognized vertically within an alluvial-lacustrine system. The interfluvial lake and lake splay facies is characterized by sequences of coarsening-upward detritus, abundant continuous limestone beds, and few beds of discontinuous coal and continuous carbonaceous shale. Limestones, contain two lacustrine mollusk assemblages: a locally reworked assemblage dominated by the bivalve Plesielliptio (two species), and the gastropods Viviparus, Lioplacodes (three species), and Clenchiella; and a quiet-water assemblage dominated by sphaeriid bivalves. This facies reflects development of numerous lakes bordered by well-drained backswamps in interfluvial flood basins. Lakes were repeated infilled by carbonate mud, splay detritus, and backswamp deposits.

The interfluvial crevasse splay-crevasse channel facies is characterized by sequences of coarsening-upward detritus and few discontinuous limestone beds, separated vertically by thick, continuous coal and carbonaceous shale beds. This facies includes small crevasse channel sandstones which scour into splay sandstones. Biofabric of lacustrine mollusk assemblages, which are identical in composition (but with dwarfed species of Plesielliptio) to locally reworked lacustrine assemblages of the interfluvial lake and lake splay facies, reflects deterioration of lakes through active infilling by crevasses.

The fluvial channel and interchannel facies is typified by thick channel sandstones laterally separated by sequences of coarsening-upward detritus, overbank sediments, and rare limestones. This facies includes thick, continuous coal and carbonaceous shale beds. Muddy-substrate flood basin lakes are characterized by an untransported lacustrine mollusk assemblage differing from those of the interfluvial lake and lake splay facies in both composition and relative abundance of species. Transported mollusk assemblages dominated by the gastropod Hydrobia eulimoides occur in crevasse sandstones. Relative to northerly flowing major channels, proximal and distal parts of splay deposits can be differentiated by their mollusk assemblage composition. The fluvial channel and interchannel facies re lects deposition on flood basins that were formerly occupied by lake, crevasse, and backswamp deposits. Thick, continuous coal beds reflect the spread of backswamps from interchannel depressions to abandoned major channel ridges. Cessation of fluvial channel and interchannel sedimentation was marked by widespread lacustrine deposition.

The vertical sequence of facies just described also reflects the areal distribution of deposits of major channels that pass laterally into overbank and crevasse splay channel areas, which in turn merge into large and small lakes. Alluvial-lacustrine deposition in the upper part of the Tongue River Member is similar to that of anastomosed reach of the Saskatchewan River, Canada, as reported in a 1980 study by Smith and Putnam.

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