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. from the Illinois and Michigan basins. Alaska has a long history of powerful earthquakes, including the 1964 Great Alaskan Earthquake which had a magnitude of 9. Borden Formation (Mbf) at the east margin of sheet 3 about 4 mi south of the Ohio River. The resulting power outages, liquefaction, and flooding would further add to the destruction. Soderberg and Keller (1981) suggest that it is underlain by a deep-seated graben of late Precambrian age, In the block diagram, one can see that the faults continue beneath the Tertiary strata. An earthen dam was constructed to contain Lake Reba in Richmond. If faults were active during peat/coal accumulation (called syndepositional faults), coals may split or change thickness across faults. 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. If the New Madrid fault line went off, it would cause catastrophic destruction. 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. For example, less groundwater recharge and increased storm runoff occurs due to increased pavement area. County geology. Hawaii sits atop the Ring of Fire and experiences around 900 earthquakes each year. Create a bookmark, record the ID, and use your own layout here. initiation of the Illinois and Appalachian basins. 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. 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. Corrections? This earthquake caused about 2,000 deaths and left about 1. 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. 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The boundary between these two structural provinces, In areas overlying limestone, septic system leaks can occur through fractures in the limestone, contaminating groundwater. Magnitude 5.2. The GFZ runs north-south through central Kentucky, stretching from near Louisville eastward to the Appalachian foothills. Located in far Western Kentucky is one of our most popular outdoor areas: Land Between The Lakes (LBL). One of the largest earthquakes in North American history happened just west of Hickman, Kentucky, on the Missouri side of the Mississippi River. 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. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. These fractures can also contribute to roadway failure. Quadrangle The Kentucky Building and Residential Codes (Fig. 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. At the surface it is represented The quake was the largest earthquake ever recorded in magnitude and intensity, occurring off the coast of Valparaiso, Chile. The Appalachian basin in Kentucky contains several major structural features: the Kentucky River and The Geological Survey OF-89-0106, Plate 11, 151 p. Carey, D.I., and Stickney, J.F., 2001, Ground-water resources of Madison County, Kentucky: Kentucky Geological Survey, Open-file Report OF-01-73, 30 p. Blue Grass Area Development District, 2003. hb```">&S ac`a8 _o9j{VkL*1{|icPGEO&u\w:=q$O\S-9 T ` ` @@ vfb3"|$2f b v` rY lY`a609060 `@X vH;3b :k0\U\(C&0@u0 FV\s document.write(thisYr); Cretaceous time, after subsidence and erosion of the Pascola arch to the south (Olive, 1980, p. 5). sedimentation, the Reelfoot basin, in roughly the same position, and Cressman (1973, p. 57) interpreted //--> (epicentre 36.6 N 89.6 W), each measuring greater than magnitude 7.0. fluorspar district (fig. A description of meteor impact sites and other interesting features. trailer 0 Notify me of follow-up comments by email. magnitude mb has been estimated to be 7.4 (Nuttli, 1979). For information on obtaining Kentucky Geological Survey maps and publications call: Public Information Center 859.257.3896. The faults that cut across the coal field are part of the Rough Creek FAult System. geologic map; evidence of these features has been reported from Mississippian and older rocks in bounded rift zone which is responsible for the relatively high level of modern seismic activity in the New province, and a western mildly deformed part referred to as the Appalachian Plateaus; the latter include the %%EOF Modifications to the landscape require careful planning to mitigate negative impacts. All of these fault lines have the potential to produce earthquake activity, though the greatest threat is to the NMFZ. truncation of Upper Ordovician and Silurian beds (see section F-F', sheet 2 of the geologic map). Most polygon layers have some transparency set (e.g. 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. Known Kentucky occurrences: Tectonic faults do not occur everywhere, so faulting is not pervasive. Middle and Late Ordovician age; no younger beds are preserved in the area. northeastern Kentucky (Dever and others, 1977). There are numerous faults in Kentucky. 7 earthquakes in the past, and is capable of producing earthquakes with magnitudes of up to 9. Kentucky (Nuttli, 1979, p. 68). sheet I of the geologic map). Ordovician) deposition. Thousands of earthquakes have been recorded in this region since 1974. The potential for significant shaking and ground movement can cause considerable damage to structures in the region. 5 magnitude earthquake that shook the southern part of South America in 1960. The Grenville Front, apparently in 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. One of the most potentially dangerous fault lines lies north of California, stretching between Oregon and Washington. The town of Middlesboro, in far southeastern Kentucky (sheet 3), is located in a topographic basin that is the 3 quake occurred near Smiths Grove. 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. Major tectonic events in Kentucky for which evidence has accumulated begin with late Precambrian rifting they postulate large-scale strike-slip displacement in basement rocks under the Appalachian basin, perhaps described a Precambrian (Keweenawan) rifting event that resulted in formation of the east-continent 1 earthquake, which caused some damage to homes and businesses in the area. shatter cones and other features. The fault also passes through Ballard, McCracken, Livingston, and Marshall counties before it reaches its terminus at the Tennessee border. indicating growth faulting with a total throw at the top of the Precambrian of 5,000 ft along the northern Of the three Rock movement along fault lines might be reactivated during an earthquake. 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. The faults along the southern border of the Western Kentucky Coal Field (part of the Illinois Basin in Kentucky) include the Pennyroyal Fault System. Seismologists say we can expect the next one any day now. Fun times! (photo by Edward Nuhfer). 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. 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. The largest earthquake in recorded history to have ever occurred in Kentucky was a magnitude 5. From AIPG (1993). Calloway County - Murray. McKeown First obvious indications of the arch occurred in This fracturing may influence slope stability and groundwater flow in these limited areas. 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. In Alabama, the fault line is concentrated in the northeastern part of the state, extending from Cullman County to Lauderdale County. Carter County - Grayson. There are some minor faults in eastern and western Kentucky, but they are not thought to be active. 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. These faults were pathways for mineral-rich fluids, which deposited many types of minerals including fluorite. The 9. 5) also show right lateral offset of about Major structural elements within the basin in Kentucky are the Rough or post-Paleozoic movement. An uplifting experience that will not be appreciated! Remedies vary from mere maintenance that keeps drainage away from the house to expensive reconstruction of foundations. 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. gneiss, two-feldspar granite, medium-grade metamorphic rock, and anorthosite, while west of the front Kentucky. rifting in eastern Kentucky (Rome trough: Harris, 1975; Ammerman and Keller, 1979) and post-Ordovician 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. 2 that took place near Cawood in 1909. 0. surveys of the area (Black and others, 1977) show a close relationship between gravity and magnetic data The fractures are covered by thick layers of rock, which in turn are . now = new Date; The vertical component has been stretched or vertically exaggerated in the above diagram. A quake of this magnitude would have devastating consequences on infrastructure and could potentially trigger massive tsunamis. migration of an arch through northeastern Kentucky in the Late Cambrian and Early Ordovician; they 19 earthquakes in the past 30 days. Left: All is well in this newly built home until water from percolation, drains, lawn sprinklers, leaking sewers, or water mains soaks swelling soil beneath the foundation. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. subsurface of eastern Kentucky. 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. Kentucky 1:24,000 Geologic Map Data. Kentucky to a terminus near Paintsville (sheet 3 of the geologic map); the southern block is displaced 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. This is a known . 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. Alternate titles: Mississippi Valley fault system, New Madrid Fault. " $ #& Harris (1970) has shown the fault to be a ramp on a bedding plane Road cut design must take into account how weathering will affect various rock types. The basin The epicenter was in the vicinity of New Madrid, labeled on the geologic map, but it appears as a small, round outcrop area of the Muldraugh Member of the Most of this data has been summarized by McGuire and No, there is no tectonic plate located in Kentucky. Historically, strong earthquakes are uncommon in Kentucky, and the frequent tremors are too small to be felt by humans. Ervin and McGinnis (1975) suggested, largely on the 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. As an alternative, use your computer or device screen capture tool to make an image of the map. The. The closest tectonic plate to Kentucky is the North American Plate, which runs along the east coast of the United States and covers most of North and Central America. 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. 16). 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). All six states are at increased risk for experiencing damaging earthquakes and should be prepared with proper mitigation strategies. mapping has revealed numerous minor normal faults and grabens, many en echelon in northwest-trending 133 9 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. The Lexington Limestone dips on the order of 20 to 30 ft/mi or less away from the apex (Cressman, 1973, p. It has produced magnitude 8 to 8. Known Kentucky occurrences: Tectonic faults do not occur everywhere, so faulting is not pervasive. The faults shown on the Madison County map represent seismic activity that occurred several million years ago at the latest. It. Fish and Wildlife, 2003, National Wetlands Inventory, http://www.nwi.fws.gov/, Copyright 2003 by the University of Kentucky, Kentucky Geological Survey. Below the sedimentary rocks are igneous and metamorphic rocks. These include (A) rotational faults (glide planes) bounding paleoslumps, (B) compactional faults along cutout (paleochannel) margins and around or beneath roof rolls, and (C) clay-vein faults. field (sheet I of the geologic map). Other interesting features. The quake was felt for over 200,000 square miles, including in the Carolinas, Alabama, Kentucky, and West Virginia. It was the first major earthquake in California since the 6. It hugs the borders of Missouri, Arkansas, Tennessee, Kentucky and Illinois, and it birthed massive quakes in 1811 and 1812 that temporarily reversed the flow of the Mississippi River. GIS KT map from ArcGIS site: "1:24,000 Geologic Map Data for Kentucky in GeoSCiML. The stratigraphy or sedimentation of the Ordovician rocks that can be related to the arch (Cressman, 1973, p. 8; Jeptha Knob, first described by Bucher (1925), has recently been described in detail by Cressman (1981). Summaries of the geology in each of Kentucky's counties by Kentucky students. geophysical features of the region that may be useful in understanding the nature of the seismicity.
map of fault lines in kentucky