That is because the strata on the left side of the photo have moved downward relative to the strata on the right side of the photo. 02% in any given year. [Click on image to see a larger version in a new window. 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. The Rough Creek fault system (Rough Creek-Shawneetown of some authors) crosses the southern end of 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. subsurface of eastern Kentucky. 16). 16). failed arm (the "Reelfoot rift") of a late Precambrian triple junction. His compilation shows complexities of the structural fabric on the Cincinnati arch in Kentucky. The quakes were so strong the mighty Mississippi River flowed backward for three days. may have originated much earlier, however: Schwalb (1969, p. 9) identified a Cambrian-Ordovician basin of Major cities like Portland, Seattle and Vancouver lie along the Cascadia Subduction Zone, which scientists say has the capability of a 9.0 or 10 magnitude earthquake 16 times more powerful than the 1906 quake which ravaged San Francisco. 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). In some cases, coals become mineralized (calcite veins, etc.) # / ) ) 0 $! Kentucky 1:24,000 Geologic Map Data. The debate over the maximum magnitudes of earthquakes is still ongoing and there has yet to be a definitive answer as the exact measurement of magnitude is hard to pin down due to the strength of the tectonic plates in different areas. sparse data on samples from the nine basement test wells. Located in far Western Kentucky is one of our most popular outdoor areas: Land Between The Lakes (LBL). This fracturing may influence slope stability and groundwater flow in these limited areas. Its not just the Virginia Seismic Zone New Yorkers have to worry about. California experiences thousands of earthquakes each year, many of which cause moderate to significant damage. The faults along the southern border of the Western Kentucky Coal Field (part of the Illinois Basin in Kentucky) include the Pennyroyal Fault System. 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. place of about 35,000 ft (Colton, 1970, p. 13). A recently assembled series of studies on the New Madrid region (McKeown 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. 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. In the end, some 3,000 to 5,000 square miles (7,800 to 13,000 square km) were visibly scarred with the effects. Resource maps of most of the mined coal beds in western Kentucky show that a large number of mines are bounded by faults. Use the search capabilities of the KyGovMaps Open GIS Data . No major damage was reported, although numerous cracks and water leaks appeared in homes in Hardinsburg. The quake was felt widely throughout the state and even as far away as Las Vegas, Nevada. Late Paleozoic (Alleghenian) thrusting in southeasternmost Cambrian This structure is not This devastating earthquake destroyed numerous homes and took the lives of over 2,000 people. to be a positive feature in Devonian time, but its influence on sedimentation in Kentucky waned and considerably more data, report a close correlation between gravity anomalies and basement lithology: 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. P, Elliott County peridotite intrusion. Successful pond construction must prevent water from seeping through structured soils into limestone solution channels below. Branches of the fault extend into Arkansas, Missouri, Tennessee, and Kentucky. Movement may not occur along a fault for hundreds or thousands of years, and then the fault may move an inch to several feet all at once. Which 6 states are most at risk for these earthquakes? sheet I of the geologic map). Within the thin Kentucky River valley along the northern edge of Madison County, and in the lower reaches of the valleys of the larger creeks that empty into the Kentucky River, most drilled wells will produce enough water for a domestic supply at depths of less than 100 feet. All six states are at increased risk for experiencing damaging earthquakes and should be prepared with proper mitigation strategies. 0000003508 00000 n Six states that are most at risk for earthquakes are Alaska, California, Hawaii, Washington, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. 0000000016 00000 n FIGURE 17.-Index to location of cross sections on the geologic map. Without remedial measures, the house will actually become deformed and shatter masonry and windows. rocks as young as latest Ordovician, which are capped in the central part by undeformed earliest Silurian mi. Thousands of milder aftershocks occurred daily for more than a year. All files associated with this page are copyrighted 1997 A map of the fault lines database from the United States Geological Survey. Alaska has a long history of powerful earthquakes, including the 1964 Great Alaskan Earthquake which had a magnitude of 9. Valley syncline (Krause and Treworgy, 1979). This map courtesy of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) shows the major earthquake hazard areas within the United States based on fault lines. Illinois basin.--The Illinois basin is a major structural downwarp in the eastern midcontinent, occupying large Normal faults are faults in which one side of the earths crust is offset downward relative to the other side. The most recent major earthquake in Ky was the M4. Alternate titles: Mississippi Valley fault system, New Madrid Fault. Most of the movement along Kentucky's faults occurred in the distant past. The origin of the Muldraugh dome is uncertain. 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. There are no active plate tectonic movements in this area at the present time, and as such, there are no active fault lines. The intensity of the largest of the three main shocks has been given as XII, and the body-wave Jeptha Knob, first described by Bucher (1925), has recently been described in detail by Cressman (1981). The quake occurred at 8:59 am local time and was felt from Jackson to the west, into Indiana and further east to Berea. The arch continued Stresses exerted by swelling soils have caused this block wall surrounding a condominium complex (not in Madison County) to tilt and break. From AIPG (1993). Kentucky, United States has had: (M1.5 or greater) 0 earthquakes in the past 24 hours. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. thisYr = now.getYear(); (1982) points out that the New Madrid earthquakes were characterized by a particularly large "felt area" and Bullitt County - Shepherdsville. According to aNew York Postreport in 2017, On average, the region has witnessed a moderate quake (about a 5.0 on the Richter scale) every hundred years. Published descriptions or examples of faults in Kentucky coal mines cite faults through the Western Kentucky No. Creek and Pennyrile fault systems, the Moorman syncline, and faults in and around the Illinois-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. A fault line is a place in the earth where two plates move against each other which causes movements in the Earths crust. suggest that the Waverly arch represents the position of this migratory arch during Beekmantown (Early These fault systems were formed along the edges of a broad rift or crack in the Earth's crust that occurs deep beneath the surface, and extends from western Kentucky to the Mississippi River. http://kgs.uky.edu/kgsweb/download/wrs/MADISON.pdf, Water well information is available at: http://wris.state.ky.us/website/kgs/viewer.htm. now = new Date; 3 quake occurred near Smiths Grove. Faults are common geologic structures across Kentucky, and have been mapped in many of the Commonwealth's counties. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Harris (1970) has shown the fault to be a ramp on a bedding plane Fractured limestone, such as that found in Richmond, can result in leaky reservoirs or embankments. xref The faults that cut across the coal field are part of the Rough Creek FAult System. 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. Denison and others (1984, fig. Contains faults, geologic units, and geologic contacts. 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. In some areas, faults may bifurcate and merge laterally. University of Kentucky. the Illinois basin in Kentucky and forms the northern boundary of the east-west-trending Moorman unexposed Cambrian and Ordovician strata. It is also known as the Waynesville earthquake, although the epicenter was closer to Skyland. been described by Black (1964). 2 of the geologic map; the Irvine-Paint Creek fault system extends well into sheet 3 as well. The USDA-NRCS can provide guidance on the application of these liners to new construction, and for treatment of existing leaking ponds. Kentucky is one of the top ten limestone producers in the country. The nature of the Precambrian basement is not well known. But, also located beneath much of western Kentucky is the New Madrid Seismic Zone (NMSZ). Cross sections C-C' through F-F' on sheet 2 of the geologic map Lexington, Kentucky River, and Irvine-Paint Creek fault systems (fig. To select data from a rectangular area, hold the Ctrl key (use Cmd key on Macs) and drag the pointer. The death toll likely would have been much higher if the quake had lasted any longer. Other interesting features. Mitchell County Earthquake - July 8, 1926. How likely is Kentucky to have an earthquake? Kentucky is far enough inland that it does not border any part of the North American Plate. Fault gouge is commonly mineralized. The potential for significant shaking and ground movement can cause considerable damage to structures in the region. 5 earthquake lasted approximately 10 minutes. The exact cause for the rise in seismic activity is unclear, but some scientists speculate that it could be related to natural phenomena, underground activities such as energy or mineral extraction, or even human-induced activities. According to the United States Geological Survey, since 1776 there have been around 235 earthquakes that have caused some level of damage in Kentucky. (epicentre 36.6 N 89.6 W), each measuring greater than magnitude 7.0. 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. Most of this data has been summarized by McGuire and Some seismologists believe that the maximum magnitude for a quake is 9. Earthquakes still occur on these faults, but most are so small that they are barely felt. digital geologic map information service, 310 Columbia Ave, 228 Mining and Mineral Resources Building, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506-0107. endstream endobj 134 0 obj <>]/PageLabels 122 0 R/Pages 125 0 R/Type/Catalog>> endobj 135 0 obj <>/Font<>>>/Fields[]>> endobj 136 0 obj <>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text/ImageB]/XObject<>>>/Rotate 0/Type/Page>> endobj 137 0 obj <> endobj 138 0 obj <>stream The fault passes through Winston, Blount, Cullman, and Marshall counties, as well as portions of Madison, Jackson and Dekalb counties, before continuing into northern Mississippi. Cressman (1981) suggested that Mississippian doming over a pre While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Dataset Size: 0 bytes. (Cressman, 1981, p. 14). (Photo by Paul Howell). A compacted clay liner, or artificial liner, may prevent pond failure. 16). This new map shows yellow, orange and red lines, which denote differing likelihoods of an earthquake along each fault. Although the arch was a positive structural element through much of the Paleozoic, strata were A detail of the western part of the block diagram, presented as a cross section (2-dimensional panel illustration) how the Tertiary and Cretaceous strata cut across the older Paleozoic strata, and dip into the Paducah-Memphis Basin. 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. Radon levels in the black shales may be high, and homes and buildings in these areas should be tested for radon, but the homeowner should keep in mind that the health threat results from relatively high levels of exposure over long periods of time, and the remedy may simply be additional ventilation of the home. the Nashville dome in central Tennessee through central Kentucky to northwestern Ohio, where it A septic system is installed for a public facility near Berea. Contact the Webmaster for questions and comments. No, Kentucky is not on a major fault line. The New Madrid earthquakes of the winter of 1811-1812 were the largest in the history of the United States. The feature is about 5,000 ft in diameter and is in limestones and shales of Surface faults are well mapped, but unmapped faults or splinter faults branching from mapped faults are sometimes encountered. magnitude mb has been estimated to be 7.4 (Nuttli, 1979). Therefore, the term "Illinois basin" is used herein to avoid confusion.) Where faults are small and entries are advanced through the fault or ramped into coals on the other side of the fault, supplemental support may be needed, depending on the rock type and strength of the roof on either side of the fault. U.S. What states are on the Madrid fault line? subsidence of the Rome trough (Cable and Beardsley, 1984). granites, metasediments, and felsic volcanics are associated with gravity lows, while mafic volcanics, 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. 0 Nelson (1981, 1983) provided examples of mining adjacent to and through faults in southern Illinois. What are the most dangerous fault lines in the USA? include the Michigan basin as well. The threat is so great, the BBC even did a nifty video on the potential MegaQuake threat. Creek but has fewer and smaller faults; fault scarps along this system exposed by strip mining of the coal The quake woke a lot of people in the northeast up to the Virginia Seismic Zone (VSZ) below the Mason Dixon and the consequential effects it could have on major cities along the East Coast. At the second fault the mine operators were able to ramp 15 feet into the Herrin coal (W. Ky. No. the geologic map layers are set at 20% transparent by default). Offset along faults may be measured in inches to thousands of feet. 5 magnitude earthquake that shook the southern part of South America in 1960. Welcome to the Kentucky Geography Network. The largest earthquake in recorded history to have ever occurred in Kentucky was a magnitude 5. 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. Kentucky (Nuttli, 1979, p. 68). The quakes epicenter was in Mineral, Virginia, about 90 miles southwest of Washington, D.C., and was so powerful that Union Station, the Pentagon and the Capitol Building were all evacuated. Seismologists say we can expect the next one any day now. Fun times! The age is closely constrained: disturbed beds include 1 earthquake, which caused some damage to homes and businesses in the area. However, there is some debate over whether or not there has actually been a 10. Yes, there have been 10. 11) and continue mining. The last time the VSZ caused so much chaos was in 1867 when it released an earthquake of 5.6-magnitude the strongest in Virginias history. Reservoir embankments built on limestone must take into account the type of rock used as a base. Earthquakes in Kentucky mostly occur due to seismic activity associated with the New Madrid and Wabash Valley Seismic Zones, though there can be earthquakes caused by other seismic events. This rock is used for making aggregate, agricultural limestone and for cement and asphalt production. 30 mi wide, which coincides with gravity and magnetic highs and extends from south-central Kentucky into The tectonic plates of the earth are the large, moving portions of the lithosphere (the solid outer layer of the earth) and they typically cover entire continents or ocean basins. 16). Getting the basin filled with water as soon as possible after construction prevents drying and cracking, and possible leakage, of the clayey soil liner. The last one was in 1884. From AIPG (1993). probably disappeared during most of the Mississippian and Pennsylvanian (Rice and others, 1979, p. F5, Lexington (sheet 2 of the geologic map), near the axis of the Cincinnati arch (fig. characterized at the surface by concentric and radial faults, an uplifted, brecciated, and partly dolomitized 8). saddle, the depression between the Jessamine dome and the Nashville dome of Tennessee; and the The various colors and line types indicate different ages of the most recent earthquakes on the fault and how well the location of the fault is constrained. Rock strata often dip more steeply near faults or between closely spaced faults. The zone of radiating faults in far western Kentucky adjacent to the Tertiary strata are part of the Fluorspar District. Embayment) and in central Kentucky (Keller and others, 1982). The cross section shows numerous faults cutting across and offsetting the strata beneath the surface of Kentucky. In western Kentucky, however, faulting is common. Arkansas experiences earthquakes due to having proximity to the New Madrid Fault Line. 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