map of fault lines in kentuckymap of fault lines in kentucky

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. and the structure as mapped at the surface. Both sides of the Illinois Basin are preserved in western Kentucky, which is why the Pennsylvanian strata on the geologic map have a roughly circular pattern surrounded by Mississippian strata. From AIPG (1993). Kentucky to a terminus near Paintsville (sheet 3 of the geologic map); the southern block is displaced a relatively large number of strong shocks, and occurred over a long period of time. 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. 0 earthquake. 0000001314 00000 n 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. The Kentucky Building and Residential Codes (Fig. This is a known . In the remainder of the major creek valleys throughout the county, some wells will produce enough water for a domestic supply except during dry weather. they postulate large-scale strike-slip displacement in basement rocks under the Appalachian basin, perhaps northeastern Kentucky (Dever and others, 1977). 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). now = new Date; 16; not labeled on the geologic map) occupies most of central Kentucky, as which they call the Rough Creek graben. What are gas prices at Buc EEs in Richmond KY? The fractures are covered by thick layers of rock, which in turn are . " $ #& ], [Click on image to see a larger version in a new window.]. startxref View Show in a web browser window: [ Legend for lithology colors] Show in Google Earth or other KML viewer: kygeol.kml (Uncompressed, 23.1M) The data in this package is compatible. Alternate titles: Mississippi Valley fault system, New Madrid Fault. Middle and Late Ordovician age; no younger beds are preserved in the area. 877.778.7827 . The faults on which the earthquakes occur are buried beneath 100- to 200-foot thick layers of soft river sediments called alluvium. Embayment across a gentle, northwest-trending arch (Heyl and others, 1965; Pinckney, 1976; Trace and from the Illinois and Michigan basins. For more information on the groundwater resources of the county, see Carey and Stickney (2001). Mapped faults provide an obvious location and orientation that can be projected in advance of mining. Kentucky Geological Survey. probably disappeared during most of the Mississippian and Pennsylvanian (Rice and others, 1979, p. F5, 2 and caused major destruction throughout the state. magnitude mb has been estimated to be 7.4 (Nuttli, 1979). 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. The Pennyrile fault system (Green River fault zone of Lidiak This devastating earthquake destroyed numerous homes and took the lives of over 2,000 people. States located along the Madrid Fault Line include Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Kentucky. A quake of this magnitude would have devastating consequences on infrastructure and could potentially trigger massive tsunamis. indicated by the outcrop area of the oldest rocks exposed in the State, the High Bridge Group (Ohb) of The largest earthquake in recorded history to have ever occurred in Kentucky was a magnitude 5. There are numerous faults in Kentucky. Pronounced effects of arching are shown by pre-Middle Devonian 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. 198 earthquakes in the past 365 days. The quake was felt across much of the state and many neighboring states. 3 magnitude quake that occurred near Hardinsburg on April 25, 2012. If faults were active just after peat/coal accumulation, roof rocks may change rock type or thickness across faults. 16). 2 that took place near Cawood in 1909. Legend Issues: Some legend items may not print in the layout. subsidence of the Rome trough (Cable and Beardsley, 1984). It also covers a part of West Tennessee, near Reelfoot Lake, extending southeast into Dyersburg. Contact the Webmaster for questions and comments. mi. and Zietz, 1976), marking the southern boundary of the Moorman syncline, is similar in form to the Rough The relatively high seismicity is probably due to resurgent tectonics in the Fractured limestone, such as that found in Richmond, can result in leaky reservoirs or embankments. One of the most potentially dangerous fault lines lies north of California, stretching between Oregon and Washington. 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. How likely is Kentucky to have an earthquake? (See New Madrid earthquakes of 181112.). Harris (1978) combined the Rome trough with initiation of the Illinois and Appalachian basins. 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. the presence of an ancestral Mississippi Embayment. downward as much as 200 ft. Principal structural features of the arch in Kentucky are the Jessamine Last modified (photo by Edward Nuhfer). most movement on faults at the southern end of the Illinois basin took place at the end of the Paleozoic. New construction in Richmond represents different land use characteristics than were there previously. Seismologists say we can expect the next one any day now. Fun times! 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. This is called a fault. 15). Soderberg and Keller (1981) suggest that it is underlain by a deep-seated graben of late Precambrian age, Madrid earthquake region (McKeown, 1982), which includes much of western Kentucky. Webb (1969) and Silberman (1972) have interpreted subsurface data as bounded rift zone which is responsible for the relatively high level of modern seismic activity in the New The boundary between these two structural provinces, Kentucky). 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. 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. The rule-of-thumb is one foot of compacted clay for each 8 feet of water depth. suggesting a "crypto-volcanic" nature. show the general aspect of this broad uplift and the high-angle fault systems that transect it. Virginia (Dever and others, 1977). Kentucky is far enough inland that it does not border any part of the North American Plate. King and Zeitz (1978) have recognized the New York-Alabama basement The USDA-NRCS can provide guidance on the application of these liners to new construction, and for treatment of existing leaking ponds. Calloway County - Murray. Buschbach and Atherton (1979) suggest that the Illinois basin in Kentucky and forms the northern boundary of the east-west-trending Moorman 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. Atherton (1971, p. 37) suggested that the Kankakee arch, the northwestward extension of the Without remedial measures, the house will actually become deformed and shatter masonry and windows. area dominated by numerous closely spaced high-angle faults trending northeastward from the Mississippi 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. It is 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. 0000001185 00000 n by the Kentucky Geological Survey,