ðə kˈɜːtlənd fɔːɹmˈeɪʃən ɪz ðə pɹˈɑːdʌkt ʌv ɐlˈuːvɪəl mˈʌdz ænd ˌoʊvɚbˈæŋk sˈænd dᵻpˈɑːzɪts fɹʌmðə mˈɛni tʃˈænəlz dɹˈeɪnɪŋ ðə kˈoʊstəl plˈeɪn ðæt ɛɡzˈɪstᵻd ɔnðɪ ˈɪnlənd sˈiːʃoːɹ ʌv nˈɔːɹθ ɐmˈɛɹɪkə, ɪnðə lˈeɪt kɹɛtˈeɪʃəs pˈiəɹɪəd.
The Kirtland Formation is the product of alluvial muds and overbank sand deposits from the many channels draining the coastal plain that existed on the inland seashore of North America, in the late Cretaceous period.