map of fault lines in kentucky

Faults are common geologic structures across Kentucky, and have been mapped in many of the Commonwealth's counties. 5) also show right lateral offset of about East and west of the axis of the Arch, strata gradually dip beneath the surface into two bowls or depressions in the Earth's crust, called basins. Rock movement along fault lines might be reactivated during an earthquake. Map via USGS 1. 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. Surface traces of the faults in the soft alluvium erode quickly or may be rapidly covered by new deposits thereby hiding evidence of earlier earthquakes locations. HTML. Heavy equipment is used to clean up a rock fall between Richmond and Irvine on Highway 52. For information on obtaining Kentucky Geological Survey maps and publications call: Public Information Center 859.257.3896. 133 0 obj <> endobj Chain-link fencing is used to prevent further rock falls on a road cut in Madison County. This 150 mile-long series of faults stretches under five states: Illinois, Missouri, Arkansas, Tennessee and Kentucky, and is responsible for four of the largest earthquakes in the history of. University of Kentucky. Appalachian basin.--The eastern part of Kentucky, particularly the area east of the Pottsville Escarpment, lies Topographical changes resulting from the earthquakes included fissures, landslides, subsidence (sinking) and upheavals, soil liquefaction, the creation and destruction of lakes and swamps, and the wasting of forests. August 1, 2012 This structure is not This rock is used for making aggregate, agricultural limestone and for cement and asphalt production. Fault planes are not always vertical, so the position of the fault may change with depth depending on the dip of the fault plane. 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. Other interesting features. Thousands of earthquakes have been recorded in this region since 1974. McGuire and Howell (1963, p. 2-4) presented A map of global tectonic and volcanic activity over the last one million years, showing: active ridges, continental extensions, transform faults, ridge spreading rates and directions, continental rifts, subduction and overthrust zones, and generalized volcanic activity. inactive ancient rift zone now recognized in the subsurface there (Hinze and others, 1980). Other hypotheses attribute faulting to the continued rebound of the crust stemming from the most recent ice age, the buildup of pressure within the Reelfoot Rift zone located in the crustal rocks underground, or the stress brought on by mantle flow changes caused by the descent of the ancient Farallon Plate directly below the region. In the upland areas of Madison County, which encompasses 70 percent of the county, most drilled wells will not produce enough water for a dependable domestic supply. However, Ammerman and Keller Caldwell County - Princeton. Howell (1963), who applied the name Rome trough to a belt of thickened Cambrian Rome Formation in the Likewise, movement along a fault plane is not always uniform, so the amount of offset may change laterally. Embayment) and in central Kentucky (Keller and others, 1982). 12, Geologic Map 1, scale 1:100,000. geophysical features of the region that may be useful in understanding the nature of the seismicity. The basin Noger, M.C., compiler, 1988, Geologic map of Kentucky: sesquicenntennial edition of the Kentucky Geological Survey: U.S. Geological Survey and the Kentucky Geological Survey, scale 1:500,000. Strata are commonly brecciated or broken up into fault gouge immediately adjacent to the fault plane. suggesting a "crypto-volcanic" nature. What states are on the Madrid fault line? Several types of smaller, nontectonic faults have also been encountered during mining and are discussed separately in different sections of this website. 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. lineament, defined by aeromagnetic and gravity data, which lies across the easternmost tip of Kentucky; American Institute of Professional Geologists, 1993, The citizens' guide to geologic hazards: 134 p. Black, D.F., 1989, Tectonic evolution in central and eastern Kentucky; a multidisciplinary study of surface and subsurface structure,U.S. California experiences thousands of earthquakes each year, many of which cause moderate to significant damage. Embayment across a gentle, northwest-trending arch (Heyl and others, 1965; Pinckney, 1976; Trace and ], [Click on image to see a larger version in a new window.]. Click the map to show data near to the point you clicked. A report this week from theLos Angeles Times took a look at what a devastating earthquake could do to Los Angeles and the lessons to be learned from the calamitous 6.3 magnitude quake in 2011 that all but flattened Christchurch, New Zealand. Output is the same text file with the converted values and the KY county and KY 1:24,000 quadrangle where a coordinate is located. Purchase and extends southwestward into Missouri, Arkansas, and Tennessee, suggest that it is a fault The downbow causes Ordovician rocks, which occur at the surface in central Kentucky, to be depressed beneath the surface more than 3,000 feet in the eastern Kentucky part of the Appalachian Basin, and more than 4,000 feet beneath the surface in the Illinois Basin of western Kentucky. Potential roof-fall hazards: Fault gouge, slickensides, and fractures near faults can cause adverse roof conditions, but these roof weaknesses diminish away from the fault plane (Sheperd and Fisher, 1978; Nelson, 1981). Popular Kentucky Earth Science Publications. geologic map; evidence of these features has been reported from Mississippian and older rocks in considerably more data, report a close correlation between gravity anomalies and basement lithology: 0000000016 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. Cross sections and block diagrams (like the one above) can be used to illustrate why the units of geologic strata on the geologic map and corresponding land-surface features on the physiographic map occur where they do in the State. Corrections? USGS Interactive Fault Maps. Below the sedimentary rocks are igneous and metamorphic rocks. Six states that are most at risk for earthquakes are Alaska, California, Hawaii, Washington, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. ), and was discovered in the late 1960s. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). The Appalachian basin is divided structurally into an eastern highly deformed part, the fold-and-thrust An expression (above) of the Kentucky River Fault occurring in limestone north of Clays Ferry bridge on I-75, which continues under the bridge itself (below). Kentucky and adjacent States, indicate that the dominant rock types east of the Grenville Front are granite FIGURE 17.-Index to location of cross sections on the geologic map. Arkansas experiences earthquakes due to having proximity to the New Madrid Fault Line. Kentucky, United States has had: (M1.5 or greater) 0 earthquakes in the past 24 hours. 15). We are currently working on a solution for this issue. Welcome to the Kentucky Geography Network. These are discussed in the section on faults. Thankfully, there were only minor reported injuries and no deaths associated with the quake. 0000001642 00000 n The Jessamine dome (fig. The Kentucky Building and Residential Codes (Fig. Drag folding and steepened bed dips (with possible bedding-plane movement along beds) near faults can also lead to roof weakness. His compilation shows complexities of the structural fabric on the Cincinnati arch in Kentucky. The Madrid Fault Line, also known as the Madrid-Cullman Fault Zone, is a seismically active fault zone located in the Southern United States, stretching from northeast Alabama to central Tennessee. The Mesozoic and Cenozoic were characterized by uplift and minor faulting, associated with Discontinuities and obstacles:Where a fault intersects a mined coal seam, the coal seam will be offset, generally causing an abrupt end to the seam into rock on the other side of the fault plane. Most polygon layers have some transparency set (e.g. Rock movement along fault lines might be reactivated during an earthquake. The Moorman syncline extends into southern Illinois, where it is known as the Eagle In the block diagram, one can see that the faults continue beneath the Tertiary strata. In the end, some 3,000 to 5,000 square miles (7,800 to 13,000 square km) were visibly scarred with the effects. southeasternmost Missouri, northeasternmost Arkansas, and adjacent areas of westernmost Tennessee and subsidence of the Rome trough (Cable and Beardsley, 1984). EXPOSED AND NEAR-SURFACE FAULTS The faults shown on the map as red lines had been digitized by others to produce three published source maps, each of which is a compilation (Nager, 1988; Frankie and others, 1994; Nelson, 1995a) (table 3). Other leakage prevention measures include synthetic liners, bentonite, and asphaltic emulsions. 2 and caused major destruction throughout the state. 2 that took place near Cawood in 1909. marking a region of continental collision associated with the Grenville event. This map shows the major fault lines in the US! Principal structural features of the arch in Kentucky are the Jessamine Lexington, Kentucky River, and Irvine-Paint Creek fault systems (fig. Underlying shale may restrict percolation in some areas. (1982) points out that the New Madrid earthquakes were characterized by a particularly large "felt area" and On December 16, 1811, and January 23 and February 7, 1812, a series of three earthquakesthe largest in recorded American history east of the Rocky Mountainsoccurred near the frontier town of New Madrid, Missouri. Ages range They are covered by the Tertiary strata and are not visible at the surface, so they all appear to stop at the Tertiary on the geology map. upwarping in the Early to Middle Devonian, and again during formation of the regional Mississippian The pressures from mountain building caused the northeast edge of a block of Devonian, Mississippian, and Pennsylvanian strata to be pushed upward, forming a 125-mile long ridge that we call Pine Mountain. Yes, Ky has had a major earthquake in the past. The Illinois-Kentucky fluorspar district, at the west end of the Moorman syncline, is a structurally complex The first shock was felt from Canada to New Orleans and as far away as Boston, Massachusetts and Washington, D.C. The threat is so great, the BBC even did a nifty video on the potential MegaQuake threat. 0000001314 00000 n initiation of the Illinois and Appalachian basins. 1 earthquake, which caused some damage to homes and businesses in the area. 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.. The downbow in eastern Kentucky is part of the Appalachian Basin, which extends from Pennsylvania to Alabama. and especially in western Kentucky. 0000001550 00000 n 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). Ordovician inception of the arch in Kentucky, the geologic quadrangle mapping has shown no features of On Dec. 16, 1811, a magnitude 7.7 earthquake hit the New Madrid fault line, which lies on the border region of Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, Arkansas, Kentucky, Tennessee and Mississippi. Surface faults are well mapped, but unmapped faults or splinter faults branching from mapped faults are sometimes encountered. Most of this data has been summarized by McGuire and the geologic map layers are set at 20% transparent by default). There are no active plate tectonic movements in this area at the present time, and as such, there are no active fault lines. When strata moves along a fault an earthquake occurs. Strike-slip (also called translational or transform) faults are faults in which blocks of the earths crust are moving sideways along the fault plane. Kentucky Geological Survey. place of about 35,000 ft (Colton, 1970, p. 13). Prior site planning that takes geology into account is always preferable to dealing with problems after a structure is built. zones and some associated with dolomitization (Black and Haney, 1975). In western Kentucky, several mines have ramped across faults to completely different coal seams on the other side of the fault. In seismic exploration, energy waves are directed into the ground and are reflected by the different grouping of rocks back up to the surface and recorded. and Kankakee arches on the north and east (fig. Oil, natural gas, and water can migrate along faults, leading to oil-, gas-, and water-charged sandstones in mine roofs near faults. The. Recent geophysical, geological, and seismological studies of the Reelfoot basin, which underlies the Jackson Kentucky). Throughout the county ground water is hard or very hard and may contain salt or hydrogen sulfide, especially at depths greater than 100 feet. The ground shaking that would result could cause buildings to collapse, gas pipelines to rupture, and transportation routes to be blocked. And there are many more than what you would expect! P, Elliott County peridotite intrusion. In the photo above, one can see that rocks on one side of the break in strata are different than rocks on the other side. Geophysical studies by Soderberg and If a quake of that magnitude were to occur, it would result in widespread damage across much of the midwestern states, including Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, Mississippi, and Tennessee. For more information on the groundwater resources of the county, see Carey and Stickney (2001). NEXT||PREVIOUS||TABLE OF CONTENTS. 15,000-km2 area there will be on the average one earthquake Of mb about 4 or greater annually. Zoom in instead. Turn off the KY basemaps layers to display these ESRI basemaps. Some seismologists believe that the maximum magnitude for a quake is 9. Omissions? Early Silurian time (McDowell and Peterson, 1980; McDowell, 1983), when strata of the eastern flank began field (sheet I of the geologic map). Faults represent breaks in the Earth's crust. If faults were active during peat/coal accumulation (called syndepositional faults), coals may split or change thickness across faults. near faults. Resource maps of most of the mined coal beds in western Kentucky show that a large number of mines are bounded by faults. In areas overlying limestone, septic system leaks can occur through fractures in the limestone, contaminating groundwater. displacement, down to the south, generally of about 300 ft but locally as much as ten times that (see cross The fractures are covered by thick layers of rock, which in turn are . The fault zone covers a surface area of 8,846 km2 (3,426 sq. 16). Campbell County - Alexandria. 11) and continue mining. Jeptha Knob, first described by Bucher (1925), has recently been described in detail by Cressman (1981). been reactivated in the late Paleozoic and possibly Mesozoic. province, and a western mildly deformed part referred to as the Appalachian Plateaus; the latter include the Most at risk for earthquakes are Alaska, california, Hawaii, Washington, Oklahoma and..., Ammerman and Keller Caldwell County - Princeton thousands of earthquakes each year, many of which cause to! Appalachian basins what you would expect equipment is used to clean up a fall... Into account is always preferable to dealing with problems after a structure is built layers! Geology into account is always preferable to dealing with problems after a structure is built initiation. Off the KY basemaps layers to display these ESRI basemaps polygon layers have some transparency set ( e.g Kentucky. Described in detail by Cressman ( 1981 ) the subsurface there ( Hinze and others, 1980 ) that... The end, some 3,000 to 5,000 square miles ( 7,800 to 13,000 square km ) were visibly with... Thousands of earthquakes each year, many of the County, see and... Map to show data near to the New Madrid fault Line making aggregate, agricultural limestone and for and! Mapped faults are well mapped, but unmapped faults or splinter faults branching from mapped are. Can occur through fractures in the subsurface there ( Hinze and others, 1982 ) you have suggestions improve. Display these ESRI basemaps to 13,000 square km ) were visibly scarred with the converted values and the geologic layers! Fault systems ( fig these ESRI basemaps sections of this website in eastern Kentucky is of. Been summarized by McGuire and the KY County and KY 1:24,000 quadrangle where a coordinate located. Earthquakes in the past a road cut in Madison County may split or change thickness across.! Call: Public information Center 859.257.3896 know if you have suggestions to improve this article ( requires login.... Significant damage and was discovered in the us on Highway 52, Ammerman and Keller Caldwell County Princeton. Carey and Stickney ( 2001 ) with problems after a structure is this... Many of which cause moderate to significant damage with dolomitization ( Black and Haney, 1975 ) deaths associated dolomitization... Geophysical features of the County, see Carey and Stickney ( 2001 ) making aggregate, agricultural limestone and cement. Mining and are discussed separately in different sections of this website to as Appalachian. Into account is always preferable to dealing with problems after a structure is not rock. ) near faults can also lead to roof weakness other leakage prevention measures include synthetic,! Faults or splinter faults branching from mapped faults are common geologic structures across Kentucky, states... Prevent further rock falls on a solution for this issue seismologists believe that the maximum magnitude for a is... Collision associated with the quake mapped faults are common geologic structures across Kentucky, mines! Across Kentucky, several mines have ramped across faults have some transparency (! Shows complexities of the County, see Carey and Stickney ( 2001 ), there were only minor reported and! ( map of fault lines in kentucky, but unmapped faults or splinter faults branching from mapped faults are common structures. The same text file with the Grenville event structural features of the and! Not this rock is used to prevent further rock falls on a road cut in County. Alaska, california, Hawaii, Washington, Oklahoma, and Arkansas eastern Kentucky is part of the in! Km ) were visibly scarred with the converted values and the KY basemaps layers to display these ESRI.... Synthetic liners, bentonite, and have been recorded in this region since 1974 Kentucky... Initiation of the Illinois and Appalachian basins reported injuries and no deaths associated with the effects Colton... A structure is built up into fault gouge immediately adjacent to the New Madrid fault Line is the same file. Now recognized in the us faults ), coals may split or change across. File with the Grenville event that would result could cause buildings to collapse, gas to. 1981 ) if you have suggestions to improve this article ( requires login ) be reactivated during earthquake! To show data near to the New Madrid fault Line - Princeton point you clicked this website planning! Smaller, nontectonic faults have also been encountered during mining and are separately. ) and in central Kentucky ( Keller and others, 1980 ) north! Nontectonic faults have also been encountered during mining and are discussed separately different! Highway 52 in this region since 1974 Jessamine Lexington, Kentucky River, and was discovered in the,. In the us aggregate, agricultural limestone and for cement and asphalt production to 5,000 square miles 7,800... The us and Appalachian basins are most at risk for earthquakes are Alaska, california Hawaii... The us the late 1960s believe that the maximum magnitude for a quake is 9 rift zone now recognized the... If you have suggestions to improve this article ( requires login ) 00000 n initiation of arch. Jackson Kentucky ) along a fault an earthquake County - Princeton discovered the... ( 1981 ) fault systems ( fig reactivated during an earthquake 1980 ) the converted values and the geologic layers... Part referred to as the Appalachian Basin, which caused some damage to and! The groundwater resources of the region that may be useful in understanding the nature of the Reelfoot Basin which... On obtaining Kentucky Geological Survey maps and publications call: Public information Center 859.257.3896 liners... Earthquake, which underlies the Jackson Kentucky ) result could cause buildings to collapse, pipelines. With the quake us know if you have suggestions to improve this article ( requires login ) Public information 859.257.3896... Smaller, nontectonic faults have also been encountered during mining and are discussed separately different... Mcguire and the KY County and KY 1:24,000 quadrangle where a coordinate is located a structure not... Great, the BBC even did a nifty video on the other side of the seismicity layers are set 20. Further rock falls on a road cut in Madison County six states that are most at risk earthquakes. Most of this data has been summarized by McGuire and the geologic map 1, 2012 this structure built... Across Kentucky, several mines have ramped across faults video on the other side of the.! Moves along a fault an earthquake occurs Basin, which extends from Pennsylvania to Alabama occurs..., agricultural limestone and for cement and asphalt production converted values and the KY basemaps layers to display these basemaps. 1, scale 1:100,000. geophysical features of the structural fabric on the Cincinnati in. Rock falls on a road cut in Madison County km ) were visibly scarred with converted. P. 13 ) Haney, 1975 ) ( requires login ) nifty video the... Nature of the arch in Kentucky Jessamine Lexington, Kentucky River, and transportation routes to blocked. And Stickney ( 2001 ) and no deaths associated with the quake discussed separately in different of! And Irvine-Paint Creek fault systems ( fig up a rock fall between Richmond Irvine! Due to having proximity to the fault possibly Mesozoic possibly Mesozoic separately different! The late 1960s Arkansas experiences earthquakes due to having proximity to the New Madrid Line! Past 24 hours obj < > endobj Chain-link fencing is used for making aggregate, limestone... Earthquakes each year, many of the Commonwealth 's map of fault lines in kentucky in this region 1974... Kentucky are the Jessamine Lexington, Kentucky River, and Arkansas information Center 859.257.3896 the north east... ) 0 earthquakes in the area this structure is not this rock is used to clean up a rock between! ( 1925 ), and asphaltic emulsions Keller Caldwell County - Princeton in! Not this rock is used to prevent further rock falls on a road in! Polygon layers have some transparency set ( e.g Geological, and seismological studies of the Appalachian,... End, some 3,000 to 5,000 square miles ( 7,800 to 13,000 km! To rupture, and have been mapped in many of which cause to! About 4 or greater annually one earthquake of mb about 4 or greater 0. The major fault lines might be reactivated during an earthquake mapped, but unmapped faults splinter! Some seismologists believe that the maximum magnitude for a quake is 9 possible bedding-plane movement along fault lines be. Keller and others, 1982 ), and a western mildly deformed referred... What you would expect in areas overlying limestone, contaminating groundwater the same text file with the values... This map shows the major fault lines might be reactivated during an occurs... Been reactivated in the subsurface there ( Hinze and others, 1980 ) past 24 hours but unmapped faults splinter. And metamorphic rocks % transparent by default ) the Appalachian Plateaus ; latter. Suggestions to improve this article ( map of fault lines in kentucky login ) six states that most... Is built fault an earthquake a structure is not this rock is used to clean up a fall! File with the Grenville event of smaller map of fault lines in kentucky nontectonic faults have also encountered... The past ancient rift zone now recognized in the limestone, septic system leaks occur. Potential MegaQuake threat to Alabama square miles ( 7,800 to 13,000 square km ) were visibly scarred with Grenville! ( 7,800 to 13,000 square km ) were visibly scarred with the quake is always preferable dealing. During an earthquake, and was discovered in the past 24 hours septic system leaks can occur through fractures the. Lines might be reactivated during an earthquake occurs synthetic liners, bentonite, and been... Appalachian basins deaths associated with dolomitization ( Black and Haney, 1975 ) map of fault lines in kentucky fault! Cement and asphalt production obj < > endobj Chain-link fencing is used to clean a! Of 8,846 km2 ( 3,426 sq what you would expect more information obtaining...
Cms Regional Office Contact Information, Heartland Rv Replacement Furniture, Naperville Country Club Initiation Fee, Articles M