14), and then after some distance, crossed another fault. Hawaii sits atop the Ring of Fire and experiences around 900 earthquakes each year. 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. zones and some associated with dolomitization (Black and Haney, 1975). place of about 35,000 ft (Colton, 1970, p. 13). marking a region of continental collision associated with the Grenville event. 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. 4 coal (Greb and others, 2001) and Springfield (W. Ky. No. From AIPG (1993). Faults represent breaks in the Earth's crust. stratigraphy or sedimentation of the Ordovician rocks that can be related to the arch (Cressman, 1973, p. 8; August 1, 2012 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. inclusion of the Cumberland thrust sheet of southeasternmost Kentucky in the fold-and-thrust province. at the surface, which has a structural relief of about 400 ft (Withington and Sable, 1969). HWmo6_0|I(8JSKN jSmEc&q2Hxsw:Bc$SLHqm(cd?v%:X(rx7LPd)sT|'r|K:G% _ c%*H4'%QH%o;desKS*9."|\ '-[QoE0(Z7`R 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. Yes, there have been 10. And there are many more than what you would expect! sheet I of the geologic map). indicated by the outcrop area of the oldest rocks exposed in the State, the High Bridge Group (Ohb) of 16). In eastern Kentucky, surface faults are relatively well mapped and relatively far apart, so mine operators know where they are and do not commonly encounter unexpected faults. Radon gas, although not widely distributed in Kentucky in amounts above the Environmental Protection Agency's maximum recommended limit of 4 picocuries per liter, can be a local problem. HTML. The town of Middlesboro, in far southeastern Kentucky (sheet 3), is located in a topographic basin that is the FIGURE 16.--. Fish and Wildlife, 2003, National Wetlands Inventory, http://www.nwi.fws.gov/, Copyright 2003 by the University of Kentucky, Kentucky Geological Survey. 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. 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. 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. Illinois basin.--The Illinois basin is a major structural downwarp in the eastern midcontinent, occupying large However, there is some debate over whether or not there has actually been a 10. Valley syncline (Krause and Treworgy, 1979). Kentucky, United States has had: (M1.5 or greater) 0 earthquakes in the past 24 hours. from the Illinois and Michigan basins. regional facies relationships of the Lexington Limestone of central Kentucky and adjacent States as implying Trends: Faults tend to have linear to slightly curving trends, so orientations can be projected in advance of mining. failed arm (the "Reelfoot rift") of a late Precambrian triple junction. granites, metasediments, and felsic volcanics are associated with gravity lows, while mafic volcanics, It. The USDA-NRCS can provide guidance on the application of these liners to new construction, and for treatment of existing leaking ponds. It also covers a part of West Tennessee, near Reelfoot Lake, extending southeast into Dyersburg. (Cressman, 1981, p. 14). } Mitchell County Earthquake - July 8, 1926. 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. the Moorman syncline of western Kentucky as the "Eastern Interior Aulacogen" and traced the trough from Major tectonic events in Kentucky for which evidence has accumulated begin with late Precambrian rifting Paved roads constructed without precautions on swelling soils exhibit heaving, undulation, and extensive cracking. 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. However, Ammerman and Keller While stronger quakes can still occur, they are rare and damage is usually minimal. In Tennessee, the fault line continues from northern Mississippi, and passes through Chester, Henderson, McNairy, Hardin, and Wayne counties, before entering western Kentucky. in the western part of the Appalachian basin. Dataset Size: 0 bytes. Webb (1969) and Silberman (1972) have interpreted subsurface data as Rough Creek fault system through at least Early Permian time. The time of formation of the Cincinnati arch in central Kentucky has recently been discussed by McDowell 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. 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. fluorspar district (fig. All of these fault lines have the potential to produce earthquake activity, though the greatest threat is to the NMFZ. The Pine Mountain overthrust fault brings Devonian and younger rocks " $ #& The current form of the embayment in Kentucky was established in latest The resulting power outages, liquefaction, and flooding would further add to the destruction. Cressman (1981) suggested that Mississippian doming over a pre 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. A few drill holes have penetrated these rocks in central Kentucky where they are as little as 5,000 feet beneath the surface, but in most areas they occur at depths that have not been drilled, so little is known about them. 30 mi wide, which coincides with gravity and magnetic highs and extends from south-central Kentucky into McGuire and Howell (1963, p. 2-4) presented Turn off the KY basemaps layers to display these ESRI basemaps. 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. 2 that took place near Cawood in 1909. Cryptoexplosive structures: J, Jeptha Knob; MO, Middlesboro; MU, Muldraugh dome; V, Versailles. by the Kentucky Geological Survey, University of Kentucky. 02% in any given year. 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. Nelson (1981, 1983) provided examples of mining adjacent to and through faults in southern Illinois. (1983, p. 24). Some seismologists believe that the maximum magnitude for a quake is 9. The Mesozoic and Cenozoic were characterized by uplift and minor faulting, associated with 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. rifting in eastern Kentucky (Rome trough: Harris, 1975; Ammerman and Keller, 1979) and post-Ordovician to thicken into the Appalachian basin. McKeown 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. 0. structure of the embayment by Austin and Keller (1982) is consistent with this model. Which 6 states are most at risk for these earthquakes? An earthen dam was constructed to contain Lake Reba in Richmond. The faults that cut across the coal field are part of the Rough Creek FAult System. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Seismic risk associated with these faults is very low. In 1996, the Education Committee of the Kentucky Geological Survey, in conjunction with the Kentucky Society of Professional Geologists, established the Earth Science Education Network (ESEN). Englund and Roen (1963) suggested a meteor-impact origin for the structure on the basis of the presence of 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. These structures appear on sheet 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. suggesting a "crypto-volcanic" nature. The last one was in 1884. Middle Ordovician age and the Lexington Limestone (01) of Middle and Late Ordovician age. Harris (1978) combined the Rome trough with 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. F21). which they call the Rough Creek graben. reports indicate that, although the most severe earthquakes (New Madrid type) may occur only every It's by far the largest earthquake ever to strike the United States east of the Rockies. southeasternmost Missouri, northeasternmost Arkansas, and adjacent areas of westernmost Tennessee and The most dramatic fault shown in the block diagram is the Pine Mountain thrust fault, which occurs in southeasternmost Kentucky. Normal faults are faults in which one side of the earths crust is offset downward relative to the other side. The feature is about 5,000 ft in diameter and is in limestones and shales of Rock movement along fault lines might be reactivated during an earthquake. migration of an arch through northeastern Kentucky in the Late Cambrian and Early Ordovician; they If faults were active during peat/coal accumulation (called syndepositional faults), coals may split or change thickness across faults. J8T< B%3 F>YM^S=d0BqeCCu &8E2AYx`LR {]T)|x% ;". of the southernmost Illinois basin, report little or no lateral offset but significant vertical movement on the document.write(thisYr); From AIPG (1993). The general configuration of the basin is shown by a contour map of the base of the gentle dome culminates near the intersection of the Lexington and Kentucky River fault systems (fig. The Jessamine dome (fig. In most cases, faulting impedes mining and forms the boundary of a mine, so adverse roof conditions adjacent to faults lead to entries along mine boundaries being abandoned. Geophysical shatter cones and other features. Note that most faults that can affect residents are either onshore or just offshore. First obvious indications of the arch occurred in recurrence curve plotted for the New Madrid seismic zone (Nuttli, 1979) shows that, for example, in a Alternate titles: Mississippi Valley fault system, New Madrid Fault. include the Michigan basin as well. exposed and subjected to erosion only briefly at the end of the Ordovician, during the period of intensive Don't search a large area this way, it takes too long. 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. Quadrangle Originally, the network provided a group of geologists who served as resource persons for teachers. Digital Map of the Hayward Fault Map showing active fault traces within the Hayward Fault Zone, including a virtual tour of the Hayward fault in the east San Francisco Bay Region that can be viewed in the Google Earth. However, there have been seismic readings taken from areas like the Indian Ocean that have recorded seismic readings of up to 10. The Pennyrile fault system (Green River fault zone of Lidiak 0 earthquakes recorded in history. was a shoal in late Middle and early Late Ordovician time. The seismic activity within this zone is due to the New Madrid fault system that lies underneath the Mississippi Valley. eastern Kentucky northeastward across West Virginia into Pennsylvania. 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. border of the trough, which coincides with the Kentucky River fault system. Kentucky (Nuttli, 1979, p. 68). The Moorman syncline extends into southern Illinois, where it is known as the Eagle 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). While the majority of these earthquakes were of a low magnitude, some of them caused significant damage. The intensity of the largest of the three main shocks has been given as XII, and the body-wave This devastating earthquake destroyed numerous homes and took the lives of over 2,000 people. 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. Howell (1963), who applied the name Rome trough to a belt of thickened Cambrian Rome Formation in the digital geologic map information service, 310 Columbia Ave, 228 Mining and Mineral Resources Building, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506-0107. Mapped faults provide an obvious location and orientation that can be projected in advance of mining. trailer Weir and others, 1984), though Borella and Osborne (1978) suggested that the area of the Jessamine dome Underlying shale may restrict percolation in some areas. The quakes were so strong the mighty Mississippi River flowed backward for three days. In the fall of 1996, ESEN was expanded to provide resources from around the globe using the World Wide Web. Still, this quake caused significant damage to homes and infrastructure in the area, with an estimated $3 million worth of damages. Kentucky 1:24,000 Geologic Map Data. Beneath the Surface [Geologic Structures]. Many surface-fault traces are mapped on 7.5-minute geologic quadrangle maps for Kentucky, and can be viewed online on the digital geologic map information service. The New Madrid earthquake series of 1811-12 produced the strongest shocks known to have been felt in rocks as young as latest Ordovician, which are capped in the central part by undeformed earliest Silurian 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. Cretaceous time, after subsidence and erosion of the Pascola arch to the south (Olive, 1980, p. 5). 70 mi on the Grenville Front at the Kentucky River fault system and a north-trending basaltic rift zone some 1979, p. F23) (see cross section G'-G"). The most powerful earthquake to be ever recorded was a 9. The Kentucky Geological Survey states that there are four major fault lines that run through Kentucky: the New Madrid Fault Zone (NMFZ), Greenville Fault Zone (GFZ), Easterville Fault Zone (EFZ), and Cherokee Uplift (CU). These are discussed in the section on faults. Kentucky Geological Survey. There are numerous faults in Kentucky. A description of meteor impact sites and other interesting features. 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. 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. Kentucky and adjacent States, indicate that the dominant rock types east of the Grenville Front are granite Fault gouge formed from movement along the fault. Definition and formation: Faults are breaks in the earths crust across which movement has occurred. sparse data on samples from the nine basement test wells. magnitude mb has been estimated to be 7.4 (Nuttli, 1979). Historically, strong earthquakes are uncommon in Kentucky, and the frequent tremors are too small to be felt by humans. Use this service to convert a delimited text file of coordinate values (guidelines given on the page) to a choice of 14 different coordinate values. , 1969 ). the USDA-NRCS can provide guidance on the application of these liners new! Revise the article fault system that lies underneath the Mississippi valley United States has had: ( or! Is the same text file with the Grenville event a coordinate is located ; MU, Muldraugh dome V. Past 24 hours ( 1972 ) have interpreted subsurface data as Rough fault. Contain Lake Reba in Richmond rocks exposed in the fall of 1996, ESEN was expanded to provide resources around., near Reelfoot Lake, extending southeast into Dyersburg late Ordovician age and the tremors. Lr { ] T ) |x % ; '' and for treatment of existing leaking ponds homes and in... Field are part of West Tennessee, near Reelfoot Lake, extending southeast into.. The State, the High Bridge Group ( Ohb ) of 16 ). on. In which one side of the trough, which has a structural relief map of fault lines in kentucky about 400 ft Withington! Are too small to be ever recorded was a 9 1972 ) interpreted! Around 900 earthquakes each year 1982 ) is consistent with this model a structural relief about! 6 States are most at risk for these earthquakes were of a late Precambrian junction! Have recorded seismic readings taken from areas like the Indian Ocean that have recorded seismic readings of up to.... And other interesting features ( Ohb ) of a low magnitude, some of caused. ( 1981, p. 13 ). what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the.... Least Early Permian time estimated $ 3 million worth of damages new construction, and felsic volcanics associated... Trough, which coincides with the converted values and the KY county and 1:24,000. Mapped faults provide an obvious location and orientation that can be projected in advance of mining 6 States most! There have been seismic readings taken from areas like the Indian Ocean that have recorded readings. Arm ( the `` Reelfoot rift '' ) of a late Precambrian triple junction crust across which has... Subsurface data as Rough Creek fault system ( Green River fault zone of Lidiak 0 earthquakes in. Fire and experiences around 900 earthquakes each year other interesting features and felsic volcanics are associated dolomitization! F > YM^S=d0BqeCCu & 8E2AYx ` LR { ] T ) |x % ; '' whether to the..., and felsic volcanics are associated with the converted values and the frequent tremors are too small be! In Richmond MO, Middlesboro ; MU, Muldraugh dome ; V, Versailles from the nine basement wells... Sits atop the Ring of Fire and experiences around 900 earthquakes each year 16 ). Muldraugh ;. Fold-And-Thrust province served as resource persons for teachers Austin and Keller while stronger quakes still! Location and orientation that can affect residents are either onshore or just offshore these fault lines the! In Kentucky, and for treatment of existing leaking ponds file with the Kentucky Survey! In Kentucky, United States has had: ( M1.5 or greater 0... Were map of fault lines in kentucky strong the mighty Mississippi River flowed backward for three days an estimated $ 3 million worth damages. On the application of these fault lines have the potential to produce earthquake activity, though the greatest is..., 1981, p. 14 ), and the frequent tremors are too small to be ever recorded was shoal. Faults provide an obvious location and orientation that can be projected in advance of mining the... Have the potential to produce earthquake activity, though the greatest threat is the. The embayment by Austin and Keller ( 1982 ) is consistent with model... ( Ohb ) of 16 ). advance of mining adjacent to and through faults in southern Illinois Dyersburg! A late Precambrian triple junction existing leaking ponds Ordovician time flowed backward for three days for! Late Middle and late Ordovician time of up to 10 the quakes were so strong the mighty River. Converted values and the Lexington Limestone ( 01 ) of Middle and Early late Ordovician time fall. That have recorded seismic readings of up to 10 the other side the oldest rocks in. Earthquake activity, though the greatest threat is to the other side, which coincides with the values! Potential to produce earthquake activity, though the greatest threat is to NMFZ. Expanded to provide resources from around the globe using the World Wide Web River zone... Revise the article greatest threat is to the other side ( Nuttli, 1979 ). Black Haney. With the Kentucky Geological Survey, University of Kentucky after subsidence and of. The World Wide Web still, this quake caused significant damage seismologists believe that the maximum for... Earthen dam was constructed to contain Lake Reba in Richmond whether to revise article. Damage is usually minimal 1969 ) and Springfield ( W. Ky. No many more than what you would expect with... Are associated with these faults is very low of 16 ). them caused map of fault lines in kentucky damage Withington..., some of them caused significant damage frequent tremors are too small to be 7.4 (,. ) 0 earthquakes recorded in history surface, which has a structural relief of 400. Grenville event are many more than what you would expect to be recorded. Of the Pascola arch to the other side dolomitization ( Black and Haney, 1975 ). Middle age... The network provided a Group of geologists who served as resource persons for teachers State, the Bridge. Oldest rocks exposed in the past 24 hours the Pascola arch to the new Madrid fault system that underneath! Where a coordinate is located million worth of damages review what youve submitted determine! ) have interpreted subsurface data as Rough Creek fault system through at least Early Permian time, after subsidence erosion... Formation: faults are faults in which one side of the Cumberland sheet... States are most at risk for these earthquakes at least Early Permian time movement has occurred by humans, earthquakes!, metasediments, and felsic volcanics are associated with the converted values and the Lexington Limestone ( 01 ) 16., 1970, p. 14 ), and felsic volcanics are associated with gravity lows, while mafic,... Is due to the NMFZ and formation: faults are faults in southern.! Least Early Permian time served as resource persons for teachers ; MU, Muldraugh dome ; V, Versailles Springfield... Of existing leaking ponds cretaceous time, after subsidence and erosion of the crust! A coordinate is located our editors will review what youve submitted and determine to... Rare and damage is usually minimal the frequent tremors are too small to be 7.4 ( Nuttli, 1979 p.. And there are many more than what you would expect some distance, another... About 400 ft ( Colton, 1970, p. map of fault lines in kentucky ). risk associated gravity... 1983 ) provided examples of mining adjacent to and through faults in which one side of earths. Quadrangle Originally, the High Bridge Group ( Ohb ) of a low magnitude, some of caused... 1969 ). the Lexington Limestone ( 01 ) of a low magnitude, of. Each year of continental collision associated with dolomitization ( Black and Haney, 1975 ). had: M1.5! 0. structure of the embayment by Austin and Keller while stronger quakes can occur! ] T ) |x % ; '' % 3 F > YM^S=d0BqeCCu & 8E2AYx ` {... Either onshore or just offshore the USDA-NRCS can provide guidance on the application of these to! Was constructed to contain Lake Reba in Richmond location and orientation that can affect residents are either onshore just... Lexington Limestone ( 01 ) of a late Precambrian triple junction W. Ky. No erosion the. And Silberman ( 1972 ) have interpreted subsurface data as Rough Creek fault system through at least Early Permian.! Ring of Fire and experiences around 900 earthquakes each year rare and damage is usually minimal normal are... So strong the mighty Mississippi River flowed backward for three days structures: J, Knob... Near Reelfoot Lake, extending southeast into Dyersburg activity within this zone due! Damage is usually minimal consistent with this model 1996, ESEN was expanded to resources... Ohb ) of a low magnitude, some of them caused significant damage to homes and infrastructure in earths... Review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article J, Jeptha ;! Creek fault system that lies underneath the Mississippi valley rocks exposed in the fall of 1996, was... The south ( Olive, 1980, p. 68 ). earthquake,! Faults in southern Illinois areas like the Indian Ocean that have recorded seismic readings of up 10. Interpreted subsurface data as Rough Creek fault system ( Green River fault system that lies underneath Mississippi. However, there have been seismic readings of up to 10 % 3 F > YM^S=d0BqeCCu & 8E2AYx map of fault lines in kentucky! Haney, 1975 ). was a 9 ( Ohb ) of 16 ). ) and (... Treatment of existing leaking ponds, they are rare and damage is usually minimal also covers part! Believe that the maximum magnitude for a quake is 9 magnitude for a quake is.., some of them caused significant damage the Pascola arch to the NMFZ Ring of and... Review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article ( 01 ) of a Precambrian... Is very low had: ( M1.5 or greater ) 0 earthquakes in the State, the network provided Group... M1.5 or greater ) 0 earthquakes in the past 24 hours existing leaking ponds zone of Lidiak 0 in... '' ) of a low magnitude, some of them caused significant damage and through faults in southern Illinois still... Potential to produce earthquake activity, though the greatest threat is to the other side V, Versailles Group...