The general configuration of the basin is shown by a contour map of the base of the A septic system is installed for a public facility near Berea. Stresses exerted by swelling soils have caused this block wall surrounding a condominium complex (not in Madison County) to tilt and break. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Known Kentucky occurrences: Tectonic faults do not occur everywhere, so faulting is not pervasive. Lexington, Kentucky River, and Irvine-Paint Creek fault systems (fig. The of the southernmost Illinois basin, report little or no lateral offset but significant vertical movement on the of the Cumberland Plateau and is represented at the surface mainly by strata of Pennsylvanian age. The epicenter of the quake was located about 10 miles from the city of Ridgecrest and was located about 124 miles northeast of Los Angeles. An Equal Opportunity University. But, also located beneath much of western Kentucky is the New Madrid Seismic Zone (NMSZ). The main fault lines located in Kentucky are the Rough Creek Fault, the Martin-Clifty Fault, the Green River Fault, the Horse Cave Fault, the Copper Creek Fault, the Brier Creek Fault, the Middlesboro Fault, the South Fork Fault, the Memphis-Ridgemont Fault, the Mott's Valley Fault, the Barren River Fault, the Pigeonroost Fault, the Elkton Fault, Despite these studies, the seismic activity in Kentucky remains relatively low in comparison to other areas of the United States, and there is no evidence that highly destructive seismic activity is likely in the near future. For information on obtaining Kentucky Geological Survey maps and publications call: Public Information Center 859.257.3896. Powered by Leaflet Maps provided by MapQuest, OpenStreetMap and contributors., USGS, Peter Bird, USGS. Butler County - Morgantown. the Nashville dome in central Tennessee through central Kentucky to northwestern Ohio, where it Definition and formation: Faults are breaks in the earths crust across which movement has occurred. Lying in the central area of the North American Plate, the seismic zone is about 45 miles (70 km) wide and about 125 miles (200 km) long. 8, with anything past that not being measureable or happening at all. Caldwell County - Princeton. When strata moves along a fault an earthquake occurs. For more information on the groundwater resources of the county, see Carey and Stickney (2001). thisYr = now.getYear();
Specifically, the region of Kentucky is in the Central and Eastern Tennessee Seismic Zone, which is classified as a high hazard by the United States Geological Survey. The resulting power outages, liquefaction, and flooding would further add to the destruction. 15). How likely is Kentucky to have an earthquake? area dominated by numerous closely spaced high-angle faults trending northeastward from the Mississippi In 1811-1812, three earthquakes measuring between 7-8 (out of the standard magnitude scale of 1.0-10.0) in magnitude originated from this fault. 16). The Kentucky Building and Residential Codes (Fig. Ponds with dam heights exceeding 25 feet, or pond volumes exceeding 50 acre-feet require permits. View the KGS World Wide Web site at: www.uky.edu/kgs. The location of Pine Mountain, Kentucky is in the Appalachian Mountains, which are ancient mountains that were built up over time by the movement of the plates and their associated faults. strata. King and Zeitz (1978) have recognized the New York-Alabama basement The NMSZ is the most active seismic area in the United States east of the Rocky Mountains. Show in Google Earth or other KML viewer: https://mrdata.usgs.gov/services/sgmc2 (WMS, version 1.3.0), https://mrdata.usgs.gov/services/wfs/sgmc2 (WFS, version 1.1.0), Preliminary integrated geologic map databases for the United States : Kentucky, Ohio, Tennessee, and West Virginia, Detailed report of standardization procedures, Methods used to create several styles for lithology or geologic time. The largest earthquake in recorded history to have ever occurred in Kentucky was a magnitude 5. The Mesozoic and Cenozoic were characterized by uplift and minor faulting, associated with These faults roughly parallel the trend of the Cincinnati Arch and are related to the origin of the stresses that upbowed the Arch, deep beneath the surface of Kentucky. The EFZ runs east-west through the far western part of the state and into Tennessee, while the CU runs through eastern and southeastern Kentucky. and Zietz, 1976), marking the southern boundary of the Moorman syncline, is similar in form to the Rough GIS KT map from ArcGIS site: "1:24,000 Geologic Map Data for Kentucky in GeoSCiML. 0000000476 00000 n
A variety of datasets can be located and downloaded, static map products can be viewed, and many web mapping applications and services are easily accessible. 3 earthquakes in the past 7 days. A map of earthquakes epicenters, however, reflects faulting at depth and shows that the earthquakes define several branches of the New Madrid seismic zone in northeastern Arkansas, southwestern Kentucky, southeastern Missouri, and northwestern Tennessee. Reservoir embankments built on limestone must take into account the type of rock used as a base. Illustration prepared by Paul D. Lowman Jr., NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. A map of the fault lines database from the United States Geological Survey. In some cases, where offset is not too great, mine plans can be altered to ramp (adjust the dip of the excavated entries up or down) across the fault to the level of the coal on the other side of the fault. New Madrid Seismic Zone (NMSZ), region of poorly understood, deep-seated faults in Earth's crust that zigzag southwest-northeast through Arkansas, Missouri, Tennessee, and Kentucky, U.S. was a shoal in late Middle and early Late Ordovician time. example, Sable (1979), as the Eastern Interior basin; others, such as Snyder (1968), use the latter term to 3 quake occurred near Smiths Grove. Geophysical Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Mo., a few miles from the border of westernmost Kentucky (Heyl and McKeown, 1978). The rule-of-thumb is one foot of compacted clay for each 8 feet of water depth. Ervin and McGinnis (1975) suggested, largely on the Historically, strong earthquakes are uncommon in Kentucky, and the frequent tremors are too small to be felt by humans. Harris (1970) has shown the fault to be a ramp on a bedding plane For example, recent studies have suggested that deep-injection wells and hydraulic fracturing may cause minor earthquakes. Use this service to convert a single coordinate value (lat/lon, KY single zone, carter coordinate, etc..) to 14 different coordinate values. Roof support: Slickensides and fractures near faults can cause adverse roof conditions, and roofs may require supplemental support, as discussed for fractures. initiation of the Illinois and Appalachian basins. suggest that the Waverly arch represents the position of this migratory arch during Beekmantown (Early amphibolites, and mafic granulites are found in the vicinity of highs. Beneath the Surface [Geologic Structures]. Closer to home is the Ramapo Fault Zone, which stretches from New York through New Jersey to Pennsylvania and was most active millions of years ago during the formation of the Appalachian Mountains. lineament, defined by aeromagnetic and gravity data, which lies across the easternmost tip of Kentucky; marking a region of continental collision associated with the Grenville event. These structures are described by the following categories: The block diagram shown above, represents a slice through Kentucky, as if a giant knife had cut the State to a depth of 3,000 feet. Only the western edge of the Appalachian Basin is preserved in Kentucky, so that Pennsylvanian strata continue to dip into the subsurface in eastern Kentucky. OKeefe and others (2008) reported on a mine in Hopkins County that began in the Springfield coal, crossed a fault without much offset into the Coiltown coal (W. Ky. No. . 877.778.7827 (toll free). Hillside road construction can cause earth movements if not properly planned, as shown in the photographs above and below. View Show in a web browser window: [ Legend for lithology colors] Show in Google Earth or other KML viewer: kygeol.kml (Uncompressed, 23.1M) 15), rose at the close of Early Ordovician time. Boonesboro Quarry mines the Camp Nelson Limestone along the Kentucky River. surveys of the area (Black and others, 1977) show a close relationship between gravity and magnetic data Faulting Resource maps of most of the mined coal beds in western Kentucky show that a large number of mines are bounded by faults. major structural features, and tectonic history, including age of deformation where known. 19 earthquakes in the past 30 days. This function will create two bookmark links to save the current map layout with or without the current extent: These basemaps are displayed above the ESRI basemaps. unexposed Cambrian and Ordovician strata. In essence, these faults acted as a hinge line that cracked and broke when the Appalachian Basin was subsiding. Some Earth scientists suggest that fracturing in this region resulted from stresses brought on by the downcutting of the Mississippi River into the surrounding landscape between 10,000 and 16,000 years ago. 5 magnitude earthquake that shook the southern part of South America in 1960. migration of an arch through northeastern Kentucky in the Late Cambrian and Early Ordovician; they Embayment across a gentle, northwest-trending arch (Heyl and others, 1965; Pinckney, 1976; Trace and Irvine-Paint Creek fault systems, the Pine Mountain thrust fault, and the Waverly arch of northeastern they postulate large-scale strike-slip displacement in basement rocks under the Appalachian basin, perhaps (1979) mapped the Rome trough in eastern Kentucky by gravity and deep drilling data and concluded that it 4 coal (Greb and others, 2001) and Springfield (W. Ky. No. trailer
province, and a western mildly deformed part referred to as the Appalachian Plateaus; the latter include the (1982) points out that the New Madrid earthquakes were characterized by a particularly large "felt area" and been reactivated in the late Paleozoic and possibly Mesozoic. The fractures are covered by thick layers of rock, which in turn are overlaid by deep, unstable alluvial material relating to the Mississippi, Missouri, and Ohio rivers. Usually, movements along faults are not great at any one time. This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/place/New-Madrid-Seismic-Zone, Missouri Department of Natural Resources - Facts about the New Madrid Seismic Zone. The surface traces of faults are shown as black line segments on the geologic map, and offsets along some of the major faults are shown in the block diagram. 14), and then after some distance, crossed another fault. Ages range Calloway County - Murray. 15). Computer Simulation of a Magnitude 7.7 Earthquake in the New Madrid Seismic Zone This animation shows the simulated ground motion of the Earth's surface that could occur in the central U.S. region for a magnitude 7.7 strike-slip earthquake on the southern section of the New Madrid seismic zone. The Mississippi Embayment is currently delineated by the Cretaceous and Tertiary coastal plain strata (see The faults on which the earthquakes occur are buried beneath 100- to 200-foot thick layers of soft river sediments called alluvium. Black (1978) has compiled structure contours for central Kentucky from the geologic quadrangle maps. Which 6 states are most at risk for these earthquakes? Most of this data has been summarized by McGuire and A description of meteor impact sites and other interesting features. (photo by Edward Nuhfer). Kentucky is one of the top ten limestone producers in the country. zones and some associated with dolomitization (Black and Haney, 1975). What are gas prices at Buc EEs in Richmond KY? Don't search a large area this way, it takes too long. Data set is derived from the 7.5-minute geologic quadrangle maps (scale 1:24,000); then attributed, edgematched, and compiled for statewide coverage. 16). They maintain that the erosion of surface material in the region allowed the upward force of warmer, expanding rocks below to overcome the weight of the remaining rocks above. 133 0 obj
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The Cascadia Subduction Zone, Pacific Northwest By the time Lewis and Clark arrived on the West Coast in 1805, it had been 105 years since the Cascadia Subduction Zone last ruptured, sending a large portion of the Pacific Ocean roaring toward the coast. The zone of radiating faults in far western Kentucky adjacent to the Tertiary strata are part of the Fluorspar District. Rock movement along fault lines might be reactivated during an earthquake. Fish and Wildlife, 2003, National Wetlands Inventory, http://www.nwi.fws.gov/, Copyright 2003 by the University of Kentucky, Kentucky Geological Survey. If the New Madrid fault line went off, it would cause catastrophic destruction. A recently assembled series of studies on the New Madrid region (McKeown considerably more data, report a close correlation between gravity anomalies and basement lithology: 30 mi wide, which coincides with gravity and magnetic highs and extends from south-central Kentucky into The oldest rocks at the surface in the State occur in central Kentucky, because older rock strata is pushed upward along a broad bulge, called the Cincinnati Arch, which in Kentucky, stretches from Covington in the north, to just west of Dale Hollow Lake in the south. While the state is not located in an area that is highly prone to earthquakes, it is located in an area with a moderate level of seismic activity. 5 earthquake, the resulting tsunami impacted countries thousands of miles away, devastating communities and taking even more lives. It started at 8:11pm GMT on May 22nd 1960 and ended at approximately 8:21pm GMT. Breckinridge County - Hardinsburg. While stronger quakes can still occur, they are rare and damage is usually minimal. The time of formation of the Cincinnati arch in central Kentucky has recently been discussed by McDowell If faults were active just after peat/coal accumulation, roof rocks may change rock type or thickness across faults. Getting the basin filled with water as soon as possible after construction prevents drying and cracking, and possible leakage, of the clayey soil liner. Zoom in instead. This map shows the major fault lines in the US! 2 and caused major destruction throughout the state. Newton, J.H., McDonald, H.P., Preston, D.G., Richardson, A.J., and Sims, R., 1973, Soil survey of Madison County, Kentucky: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Soil Conservation Service, 103 p. Sparks, T.N., Dever, G.R., Jr., and Anderson, W.H., 2001, Geologic map of the Harrodsburg 30 x 60 minute quadrangle, central Kentucky: Kentucky Geological Survey, ser. 1 earthquake, which caused some damage to homes and businesses in the area. It was the first major earthquake in California since the 6. Note that most faults that can affect residents are either onshore or just offshore. The origin of the Muldraugh dome is uncertain. Likewise, movement along a fault plane is not always uniform, so the amount of offset may change laterally. southern part of the Illinois basin lies in Kentucky and includes the Pennsylvanian strata of the western coal 16). northeastern Kentucky (Dever and others, 1977). Omissions? From AIPG (1993). Kentucky geologic map data A GIS database of geologic units and structural features in Kentucky, with lithology, age, data structure, and format written and arranged just like the other states. 16; not labeled on the geologic map) occupies most of central Kentucky, as Keller (1981) indicate that the Moorman syncline is underlain by a large graben, which they name the In Mississippi, the fault line passes through the following counties: Tishomingo, Itawamba, Pontotoc, Prentiss, as well as part of Tippah and Alcorn counties. These cracks in the crust have caused considerable damage in the past and scientists say will do so again. concurrent with this early period of arching has been demonstrated by Simmons (1966). It was the first major seismic activity in Ky since 2003 when a magnitude 4. Several types of smaller, nontectonic faults have also been encountered during mining and are discussed separately in different sections of this website. 0000003508 00000 n
include the Michigan basin as well. Valley syncline (Krause and Treworgy, 1979). Earthquakes still occur on these faults, but most are so small that they are barely felt. The KyGeoNet is the Geospatial Data Clearinghouse for the Commonwealth of Kentucky. bifurcates to form the Kankakee and Findlay arches (fig. [Click on image to see a larger version in a new window. Both sides of the Illinois Basin are preserved in western Kentucky, which is why the Pennsylvanian strata on the geologic map have a roughly circular pattern surrounded by Mississippian strata. Cryptoexplosive structures: J, Jeptha Knob; MO, Middlesboro; MU, Muldraugh dome; V, Versailles. Drag folding and steepened bed dips (with possible bedding-plane movement along beds) near faults can also lead to roof weakness. At the surface it is represented Denison and others (1984, fig. August 1, 2012
The New Madrid, Reelfoot, and Wabash Valley seismic zones sometimes affect the state, but they are located in adjacent Missouri and Tennessee. # / ) ) 0 $! structure, about midway between Louisville and Lexington (sheet 2), is 14,000 ft in diameter. ], [Click on image to see a larger version in a new window.]. a relatively large number of strong shocks, and occurred over a long period of time. In some cases, coals become mineralized (calcite veins, etc.) Creek but has fewer and smaller faults; fault scarps along this system exposed by strip mining of the coal Borden Formation (Mbf) at the east margin of sheet 3 about 4 mi south of the Ohio River. Branches of the fault extend into Arkansas, Missouri, Tennessee, and Kentucky. Did you know record earthquakes have rocked Kentucky? Paved roads constructed without precautions on swelling soils exhibit heaving, undulation, and extensive cracking. Cretaceous time, after subsidence and erosion of the Pascola arch to the south (Olive, 1980, p. 5). the presence of an ancestral Mississippi Embayment. several thousand years (McKeown, 1982, p. 1), damaging earthquakes in the region have been common Geologists know what the rocks in the subsurface look like from data gathered during drilling beneath the surface for oil, natural gas, coal, industrial minerals, and water resources, and from seismic exploration. University of Kentucky. Dataset Size: 0 bytes. in the western part of the Appalachian basin. Rock excavation may be required in areas with shallow soil (excavation was not required here). According to the Colorado Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, The Sangre de Cristo Fault, which lies at the base of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains along the eastern edge of the San Luis Valley, and the Sawatch Fault, which runs along the eastern edge of the Sawatch Range, are two of the most prominent potentially active faults in Colorado and that Seismologists predict that Colorado will again experience a magnitude 6.5 earthquake at some unknown point in the future.. Other leakage prevention measures include synthetic liners, bentonite, and asphaltic emulsions. But while Americans are aware of the San Andreas fault and the seismic activity in California, which has wreaked havoc in San Francisco and Los Angeles, there are other, lesser-known fault lines in the United States that fly dangerously under the radar. The Jessamine dome (fig. Through millions of years, strata have gradually dropped downward above the rift, along the southern edge of the Rough Creek faults and the northern edge of the Pennyroyal Faults. endstream
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response to some later event, formed along the western margin of the gravity high (Lidiak and Zeitz, 1976; Yes, Ky has had a major earthquake in the past. There, the Devonian (red on the section) and Mississippian (light blue on the section) strata appear to split upward on the eastern (right) side of the diagram. The Kentucky River fault system has been extended eastward, The arch thus separates the Appalachian basin mapping has revealed numerous minor normal faults and grabens, many en echelon in northwest-trending However, Ammerman and Keller The relative direction or motion of movement defines the type of fault. The area is considered to have a low seismic hazard relative to other parts of the United States. Kentucky is far enough inland that it does not border any part of the North American Plate. Keller and others (1982, p. 218), on the basis of In recent years, the risk of earthquakes in the C&E Tennessee seismic zone has increased due to the numerous chemical reactions, and the presence of active faults in the region. The following brief descriptions of the four structural provinces include discussions of their regional setting, It also covers a part of West Tennessee, near Reelfoot Lake, extending southeast into Dyersburg. California experiences thousands of earthquakes each year, many of which cause moderate to significant damage. From AIPG (1993). 02% in any given year. The hard dolomite of the Boyle formation was undercut by weathering of the softer shale of the Crab Orchard Formation, which caused the dolomite to fracture and fall. Arkansas experiences earthquakes due to having proximity to the New Madrid Fault Line. Major changes in a coals apparent elevation in core and old mine maps provide hints of possible faulting and offset (although sometimes errors in underground mine-map elevations can lead to apparent offsets between mines, which are not real). The basin 38) reported wells penetrating brecciated Knox dolomites and cherts below coherent Silurian dolomite, Map showing Quaternary faults in the western U.S. and Pacific Ocean. 0 earthquake. Rock movement along fault lines might be reactivated during an earthquake. 0000000879 00000 n
suggesting a "crypto-volcanic" nature. the geologic map layers are set at 20% transparent by default). However, there is evidence that Kentucky may be experiencing a spike in seismic activity since 2009, with more frequent tremors occurring throughout the state. However, there have been seismic readings taken from areas like the Indian Ocean that have recorded seismic readings of up to 10.