Dataset Size: 0 bytes. 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. 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. Major tectonic events in Kentucky for which evidence has accumulated begin with late Precambrian rifting major structural features, and tectonic history, including age of deformation where known. 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. 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. Nelson (1981, 1983) provided examples of mining adjacent to and through faults in southern Illinois. Faults may be associated with increased fracturing of bedrock in the immediately adjacent area. expression of a cryptoexplosive structure nearly 4 mi across in Lower and Middle Pennsylvanian rocks. 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. The Kentucky River fault system has been extended eastward, We've received your submission. Thanks for contacting us. show the general aspect of this broad uplift and the high-angle fault systems that transect it. From AIPG (1993). # / ) ) 0 $! Known Kentucky occurrences: Tectonic faults do not occur everywhere, so faulting is not pervasive. USGS Interactive Fault Maps. Mo., a few miles from the border of westernmost Kentucky (Heyl and McKeown, 1978). Exploration for oil and gas in Kentucky has resulted in considerable information on the nature of the Geologists in Kentucky keep a careful eye on the New Madrid area, in hopes that they can develop methods for predicting future quakes. For information on obtaining Kentucky Geological Survey maps and publications call: Public Information Center 859.257.3896. Contains faults, geologic units, and geologic contacts. Carlisle County - Bardwell. Geophysical studies by Soderberg and This earthquake caused about 2,000 deaths and left about 1. In addition, Keller and others (1982) surveys of the area (Black and others, 1977) show a close relationship between gravity and magnetic data Buschbach and Atherton (1979) suggest that concurrent with this early period of arching has been demonstrated by Simmons (1966). extensive denudation. A compacted clay liner, or artificial liner, may prevent pond failure. This print tool currently honors the default opacity/transparency of each layer (if you change the opacity of a layer, the updated rendering will NOT be printed). stratigraphy or sedimentation of the Ordovician rocks that can be related to the arch (Cressman, 1973, p. 8; This is called a fault. The faults shown on the Madison County map represent seismic activity that occurred several million years ago at the latest. 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. Embayment across a gentle, northwest-trending arch (Heyl and others, 1965; Pinckney, 1976; Trace and Fractures in limestone are enhanced by slightly acidic rainwater to produce sinkhole collapses, which are infilled with soil from the surface. 0. The intensity of the largest of the three main shocks has been given as XII, and the body-wave Below the sedimentary rocks are igneous and metamorphic rocks. 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. Yes, there have been 10. of the Cumberland Plateau and is represented at the surface mainly by strata of Pennsylvanian age. Amos, 1984). (1983, p. 24). Rock movement along fault lines might be reactivated during an earthquake. Thankfully, there were only minor reported injuries and no deaths associated with the quake. 1 magnitude earthquake occurred in the state of California on July 5, 2019. 3) were developed from a complicated process that started with a group of engineers, seismologists, and others using the national seismic hazard maps developed by the U.S. Geological Survey and engineering science. suggest that the Waverly arch represents the position of this migratory arch during Beekmantown (Early 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. 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. The quakes were so strong the mighty Mississippi River flowed backward for three days. In western Kentucky, however, faulting is common. 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. 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. been described by Black (1964). Ervin and McGinnis (1975) suggested, largely on the In the block diagram, one can see that the faults continue beneath the Tertiary strata. labeled on the geologic map, but it appears as a small, round outcrop area of the Muldraugh Member of the to thicken into the Appalachian basin. No, earthquakes arent particularly rare in Kentucky. <]/Prev 1512027>> or post-Paleozoic movement. Kentucky to a terminus near Paintsville (sheet 3 of the geologic map); the southern block is displaced 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. 16), resulting in the 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. . 877.778.7827 (toll free). Cressman (1981) suggested that Mississippian doming over a pre Normal faults are faults in which one side of the earths crust is offset downward relative to the other side. A fault line is a place in the earth where two plates move against each other which causes movements in the Earths crust. Lexington, Kentucky River, and Irvine-Paint Creek fault systems (fig. The threat is so great, the BBC even did a nifty video on the potential MegaQuake threat. Most of the movement along Kentucky's faults occurred in the distant past. thisYr = now.getYear(); 38) reported wells penetrating brecciated Knox dolomites and cherts below coherent Silurian dolomite, View the KGS World Wide Web site at: www.uky.edu/kgs. The KyGeoNet is the Geospatial Data Clearinghouse for the Commonwealth of Kentucky. shatter cones and other features. In the end, some 3,000 to 5,000 square miles (7,800 to 13,000 square km) were visibly scarred with the effects. A report opens in a new window. geophysical features of the region that may be useful in understanding the nature of the seismicity. . States located along the Madrid Fault Line include Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Kentucky. 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. 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 Englund and Roen (1963) suggested a meteor-impact origin for the structure on the basis of the presence of Welcome to the Kentucky Geography Network. Thousands of earthquakes have been recorded in this region since 1974. Because movement of the earths crust has occurred along the fault plane, rocks in the roof and floor may be highly fractured and sheared near the fault, which can weaken roof strata along the fault, leading to potential roof falls. Stresses exerted by swelling soils have caused this block wall surrounding a condominium complex (not in Madison County) to tilt and break. northeastern Kentucky (Dever and others, 1977). 8). This is a dramatic example of an angular unconformity, where layers of underlying strata dip in a different direction than the strata above them. Engineering design principles are employed in roadways and bridges to prepare for such situations. The. Contact the Kentucky Division of Water, 14 Reilly Road, Frankfort, KY 40601, telephone: 502-564-3410. thisYr = thisYr + 1900; No major damage was reported, although numerous cracks and water leaks appeared in homes in Hardinsburg. Across a span of millions of years, this gradual, periodic movement can result in thousands of feet of offset along a fault. (photo by Edward Nuhfer), Homes constructed in areas of steep slopes can cause earth movements if not properly planned, as shown in the photographs above and below. The Mississippi Embayment is currently delineated by the Cretaceous and Tertiary coastal plain strata (see Freeman (1951, p. Thousands of milder aftershocks occurred daily for more than a year. to be a positive feature in Devonian time, but its influence on sedimentation in Kentucky waned and Several types of smaller, nontectonic faults have also been encountered during mining and are discussed separately in different sections of this website. However, there is some debate over whether or not there has actually been a 10. The age is closely constrained: disturbed beds include Ordovician) deposition. One of the largest earthquakes in North American history happened just west of Hickman, Kentucky, on the Missouri side of the Mississippi River. California experiences thousands of earthquakes each year, many of which cause moderate to significant damage. It is sparse data on samples from the nine basement test wells. In Tennessee, the fault line continues from northern Mississippi, and passes through Chester, Henderson, McNairy, Hardin, and Wayne counties, before entering western Kentucky. 11) and continue mining. We are currently working on a solution for this issue. Right: With time, expanding soils exert several tons per square foot of pressure on the foundation and shallow pilings. Prior site planning that takes geology into account is always preferable to dealing with problems after a structure is built. 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 fault zone covers a surface area of 8,846 km2 (3,426 sq. This map shows the major fault lines in the US! 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. Cretaceous time, after subsidence and erosion of the Pascola arch to the south (Olive, 1980, p. 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. A recent seismic study of the crustal Kentucky and adjacent States, indicate that the dominant rock types east of the Grenville Front are granite 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. While the majority of these earthquakes were of a low magnitude, some of them caused significant damage. Cumberland Plateau of Kentucky and Tennessee. Ponds with dam heights exceeding 25 feet, or pond volumes exceeding 50 acre-feet require permits. Data set is derived from the 7.5-minute geologic quadrangle maps (scale 1:24,000); then attributed, edgematched, and compiled for statewide coverage. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. In some areas, faults may bifurcate and merge laterally. 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). 0000000016 00000 n place of about 35,000 ft (Colton, 1970, p. 13). marking a region of continental collision associated with the Grenville event. been reactivated in the late Paleozoic and possibly Mesozoic. Rock excavation may be required in areas with shallow soil (excavation was not required here). Cambrian-Lower Ordovician Knox Group in eastern Kentucky was significantly affected by continuing Fault gouge formed from movement along the fault. The downbow in eastern Kentucky is part of the Appalachian Basin, which extends from Pennsylvania to Alabama. Fault gouge is commonly mineralized. From AIPG (1993). 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 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. a relatively large number of strong shocks, and occurred over a long period of time. Creek and Pennyrile fault systems, the Moorman syncline, and faults in and around the Illinois-Kentucky Kentucky. 0 earthquakes recorded in history. It also covers a part of West Tennessee, near Reelfoot Lake, extending southeast into Dyersburg. 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. The potential for significant shaking and ground movement can cause considerable damage to structures in the region. In Kentucky, the fault line passes through the western part of the state, extending from the city of Paducah to the states border with Tennessee. 2 that took place near Cawood in 1909. The quake was felt across much of the state and many neighboring states. basis of geophysical data, that the present embayment stems from the late Mesozoic reactivation of the McKeown zones and some associated with dolomitization (Black and Haney, 1975). Click the section headings to expand or collapse reports. from the geologic quadrangle mapping. 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 Other leakage prevention measures include synthetic liners, bentonite, and asphaltic emulsions. Kentucky (Nuttli, 1979, p. 68). The USDA-NRCS can provide guidance on the application of these liners to new construction, and for treatment of existing leaking ponds. sheet I of the geologic map). A magnitude 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. described a Precambrian (Keweenawan) rifting event that resulted in formation of the east-continent 8, with anything past that not being measureable or happening at all. Offsets on these fault zones are mostly down to the south. There has been no activity along these faults in recorded history. Old mine maps in a potential mine area can also provide information as to the location of potential faults. Pronounced effects of arching are shown by pre-Middle Devonian 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. Weir and others, 1984), though Borella and Osborne (1978) suggested that the area of the Jessamine dome A quake of this magnitude would have devastating consequences on infrastructure and could potentially trigger massive tsunamis. Rough Creek fault system through at least Early Permian time. However, there have been seismic readings taken from areas like the Indian Ocean that have recorded seismic readings of up to 10. It is a domal structure, about 2 mi in diameter and unfaulted The boundary between these two structural provinces, 0 earthquake. startxref River fault system largely predate Pennsylvanian deposition and are thus not readily apparent on the the Illinois basin in Kentucky and forms the northern boundary of the east-west-trending Moorman Therefore, the term "Illinois basin" is used herein to avoid confusion.) 14), and then after some distance, crossed another fault. Paved roads constructed without precautions on swelling soils exhibit heaving, undulation, and extensive cracking. The NMSZ is the most active seismic area in the United States east of the Rocky Mountains. Throughout the county ground water is hard or very hard and may contain salt or hydrogen sulfide, especially at depths greater than 100 feet. Pennsylvanian system compiled by Coskren and Rice (1979) from data derived from drilling records and 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. In Mississippi, the fault line passes through the following counties: Tishomingo, Itawamba, Pontotoc, Prentiss, as well as part of Tippah and Alcorn counties. The quake occurred at 8:59 am local time and was felt from Jackson to the west, into Indiana and further east to Berea. Yes, Kentucky is in a seismic zone. beyond the surface faults shown on the map (sheets 2 and 3), as a concealed system that extends into West gneiss, two-feldspar granite, medium-grade metamorphic rock, and anorthosite, while west of the front and Kankakee arches on the north and east (fig. Output includes the KY county and KY 1:24,000 quadrangle where the coordinate is located and links to map views. northwestward over Pennsylvanian rocks with a total displacement of about 7.5 mi (Rice, Sable, and others, Popular Kentucky Earth Science Publications. 30 mi wide, which coincides with gravity and magnetic highs and extends from south-central Kentucky into Most polygon layers have some transparency set (e.g. Faults are common geologic structures across Kentucky, and have been mapped in many of the Commonwealth's counties. The Kentucky Building and Residential Codes (Fig. According to the United States Geological Survey, since 1776 there have been around 235 earthquakes that have caused some level of damage in Kentucky. 4 magnitude quake that occurred near the same location on July 4, 2019. More Pennsylvanian strata are preserved south of these faults than north of the faults. In addition to the physical destruction, an earthquake of this magnitude would also cause a great deal of emotional and psychological distress. 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. structure, about midway between Louisville and Lexington (sheet 2), is 14,000 ft in diameter. Map showing Quaternary faults in the western U.S. and Pacific Ocean. Kentucky is one of the top ten limestone producers in the country. Drag folding and steepened bed dips (with possible bedding-plane movement along beds) near faults can also lead to roof weakness. Chain-link fencing is used to prevent further rock falls on a road cut in Madison County.