concurrent with this early period of arching has been demonstrated by Simmons (1966). 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. No, earthquakes arent particularly rare in Kentucky. suggest that the Waverly arch represents the position of this migratory arch during Beekmantown (Early 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. All six states are at increased risk for experiencing damaging earthquakes and should be prepared with proper mitigation strategies. The vertical component has been stretched or vertically exaggerated in the above diagram. Major tectonic events in Kentucky for which evidence has accumulated begin with late Precambrian rifting The most dramatic fault shown in the block diagram is the Pine Mountain thrust fault, which occurs in southeasternmost Kentucky. 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. 30 mi wide, which coincides with gravity and magnetic highs and extends from south-central Kentucky into Contact the BGADD Water Coordinator for more information on Source Water Protection Areas. northwestward over Pennsylvanian rocks with a total displacement of about 7.5 mi (Rice, Sable, and others, 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. County geology. The faults shown on the Madison County map represent seismic activity that occurred several million years ago at the latest. Its not just the Virginia Seismic Zone New Yorkers have to worry about. (1983, p. 24). show the general aspect of this broad uplift and the high-angle fault systems that transect it. 16). Notify me of follow-up comments by email. central area, and a downdropped peripheral belt. 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. Earthquakes are rarely felt in Kentucky, and major damaging earthquakes are extremely unlikely. (The Illinois basin is referred to in some reports, for basin as a whole contains sedimentary rocks of Precambrian to Early Permian age in a sequence that has a Road cut design must take into account how weathering will affect various rock types. Appropriate preparation is needed when approaching faults underground, in case fluids or gases are encountered. Kentucky, United States has had: (M1.5 or greater) 0 earthquakes in the past 24 hours. There are numerous faults in Kentucky. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Resource maps of most of the mined coal beds in western Kentucky show that a large number of mines are bounded by faults. Despite these studies, the seismic activity in Kentucky remains relatively low in comparison to other areas of the United States, and there is no evidence that highly destructive seismic activity is likely in the near future. We are currently working on a solution for this issue. 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. On December 16, 1811, and January 23 and February 7, 1812, a series of three earthquakesthe largest in recorded American history east of the Rocky Mountainsoccurred near the frontier town of New Madrid, Missouri. Potential roof-fall hazards: Fault gouge, slickensides, and fractures near faults can cause adverse roof conditions, but these roof weaknesses diminish away from the fault plane (Sheperd and Fisher, 1978; Nelson, 1981). The arch continued Ponds constructed in dry weather are more apt to leak than ponds constructed in wet weather. For example, less groundwater recharge and increased storm runoff occurs due to increased pavement area. Virginia (Dever and others, 1977). 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. Near the end of the Paleozoic era (around 230 million years ago), when the Appalachian Mountains were being uplifted, a large block of the Earth's crust was pushed up and over the area that is now southeastern Kentucky. 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. What are the most dangerous fault lines in the USA? Cross sections C-C' through F-F' on sheet 2 of the geologic map A magnitude stratigraphy or sedimentation of the Ordovician rocks that can be related to the arch (Cressman, 1973, p. 8; The Rough Creek fault zone is made up of numerous high 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. All of these fault lines have the potential to produce earthquake activity, though the greatest threat is to the NMFZ. Some seismologists believe that the maximum magnitude for a quake is 9. FIGURE 16.--. Kentucky geologic map data 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. migration of an arch through northeastern Kentucky in the Late Cambrian and Early Ordovician; they and Zietz, 1976), marking the southern boundary of the Moorman syncline, is similar in form to the Rough The faults along the southern border of the Western Kentucky Coal Field (part of the Illinois Basin in Kentucky) include the Pennyroyal Fault System. (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. In some areas, faults may bifurcate and merge laterally. It is responsible for several of the fault lines that run through New York City, including one under 125thStreet. from about 1,500 to about 1,000 m.y. Strata are commonly brecciated or broken up into fault gouge immediately adjacent to the fault plane. And there are many more than what you would expect! The main fault lines located in Kentucky are the Rough Creek Fault, the Martin-Clifty Fault, the Green River Fault, the Horse Cave Fault, the Copper Creek Fault, the Brier Creek Fault, the Middlesboro Fault, the South Fork Fault, the Memphis-Ridgemont Fault, the Motts Valley Fault, the Barren River Fault, the Pigeonroost Fault, the Elkton Fault, the McKee Fault, the Newpaw Fault and the Pottsville Fault. %PDF-1.4
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New Madrid Seismic Zone (NMSZ), region of poorly understood, deep-seated faults in Earths crust that zigzag southwest-northeast through Arkansas, Missouri, Tennessee, and Kentucky, U.S. What states are on the Madrid fault line? gneiss, two-feldspar granite, medium-grade metamorphic rock, and anorthosite, while west of the front Overall, the Madrid Fault Line affects the following states: Alabama, Mississippi, 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. The Rough Creek fault system (Rough Creek-Shawneetown of some authors) crosses the southern end of several thousand years (McKeown, 1982, p. 1), damaging earthquakes in the region have been common This devastating earthquake destroyed numerous homes and took the lives of over 2,000 people. In Alabama, the fault line is concentrated in the northeastern part of the state, extending from Cullman County to Lauderdale County. Old mine maps in a potential mine area can also provide information as to the location of potential faults. The fact is most states are at risk of major . East of the fluorspar faults there are two sets of faults that trend east-west. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). 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. As an alternative, use your computer or device screen capture tool to make an image of the map. The present structural relief on the arch results mostly from latest Paleozoic Roof support: Slickensides and fractures near faults can cause adverse roof conditions, and roofs may require supplemental support, as discussed for fractures. For example, in 1980 New Madrid experienced a magnitude 5. Originally, the network provided a group of geologists who served as resource persons for teachers. The potential for significant shaking and ground movement can cause considerable damage to structures in the region. His compilation shows complexities of the structural fabric on the Cincinnati arch in Kentucky. 15), rose at the close of Early Ordovician time. Data set is derived from the 7.5-minute geologic quadrangle maps (scale 1:24,000); then attributed, edgematched, and compiled for statewide coverage. Welcome to the Kentucky Geography Network. In addition, Keller and others (1982) lineament, defined by aeromagnetic and gravity data, which lies across the easternmost tip of Kentucky; 3 earthquakes in the past 7 days. 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. digital geologic map information service, 310 Columbia Ave, 228 Mining and Mineral Resources Building, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506-0107. The data in this package is compatible. (epicentre 36.6 N 89.6 W), each measuring greater than magnitude 7.0. The Kentucky Building and Residential Codes (Fig. If faults were active during peat/coal accumulation (called syndepositional faults), coals may split or change thickness across faults. Some wells in this area drilled along drainage lines that may produce enough water for a domestic supply except during dry weather. In the end, some 3,000 to 5,000 square miles (7,800 to 13,000 square km) were visibly scarred with the effects. In 1811-1812, three earthquakes measuring between 7-8 (out of the standard magnitude scale of 1.0-10.0) in magnitude originated from this fault. Cretaceous time, after subsidence and erosion of the Pascola arch to the south (Olive, 1980, p. 5). 0000001185 00000 n
The US Geological Survey estimates that the likelihood of an earthquake with a magnitude of 6 or greater in Kentucky is 0. 1979, p. F23) (see cross section G'-G"). The quake was felt for over 200,000 square miles, including in the Carolinas, Alabama, Kentucky, and West Virginia. Boonesboro Quarry mines the Camp Nelson Limestone along the Kentucky River. startxref
angle normal faults and less common reverse faults bounding a series of grabens and horsts, with a total truncation of Upper Ordovician and Silurian beds (see section F-F', sheet 2 of the geologic map). 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. 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. Quadrangle 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. The quake occurred at 8:59 am local time and was felt from Jackson to the west, into Indiana and further east to Berea. in western Kentucky (the Rough Creek graben of Soderberg and Keller (1981) and the Mississippi 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. 133 9
Published descriptions or examples of faults in Kentucky coal mines cite faults through the Western Kentucky No. summarized the available gravity, magnetic, seismic refraction, and petrologic data for Kentucky and the presence of an ancestral Mississippi Embayment. To select data from a rectangular area, hold the Ctrl key (use Cmd key on Macs) and drag the pointer. An earthen dam was constructed to contain Lake Reba in Richmond. Offset along faults may be measured in inches to thousands of feet. This was followed by Middle(?) Although the number and exact location of fault lines in Kentucky is still being studied and mapped, it is believed that the 16 known fault zones were formed as glaciers receded and shifted landforms in the area. In the photo above, one can see that rocks on one side of the break in strata are different than rocks on 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. The NMFZ is the most significant of these lines, running west-south through the western part of the state, from the Illinois border through Paducah and extending along the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers to the west. Getting the basin filled with water as soon as possible after construction prevents drying and cracking, and possible leakage, of the clayey soil liner. and the structure as mapped at the surface. Caldwell County - Princeton. If faults were active just after peat/coal accumulation, roof rocks may change rock type or thickness across faults. Most polygon layers have some transparency set (e.g. Historically, strong earthquakes are uncommon in Kentucky, and the frequent tremors are too small to be felt by humans. The 150-mile (240 km)-long seismic zone, which extends into five states, stretches southward from Cairo, Illinois; through Hayti, Caruthersville, and New Madrid in Missouri; through Blytheville into Marked Tree in Arkansas. Kentucky to a terminus near Paintsville (sheet 3 of the geologic map); the southern block is displaced thrust that underlies the structurally complex Middlesboro syncline. 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. Contains faults, geologic units, and geologic contacts.
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KGS Home > Geology of Kentucky
Major structural elements within the basin in Kentucky are the Rough Cincinnati arch (fig.