Omissions? Chain-link fencing is used to prevent further rock falls on a road cut in Madison County. bounded rift zone which is responsible for the relatively high level of modern seismic activity in the New An earthen dam was constructed to contain Lake Reba in Richmond. 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. Other leakage prevention measures include synthetic liners, bentonite, and asphaltic emulsions. Cincinnati arch.--The Cincinnati arch, a prominent regional uplift in the eastern midcontinent, extends from 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). 16). Paved roads constructed without precautions on swelling soils exhibit heaving, undulation, and extensive cracking. The nature of the Precambrian basement is not well known. In some cases, coals become mineralized (calcite veins, etc.) What is the Jane Austen Society of North America. 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. 133 9 No, Kentucky is not on a major fault line. unexposed Cambrian and Ordovician strata. Illustration prepared by Paul D. Lowman Jr., NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. (Cressman, 1981, p. 14). 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). from the Illinois and Michigan basins. Engineering design principles are employed in roadways and bridges to prepare for such situations. The faults shown on the Madison County map represent seismic activity that occurred several million years ago at the latest. to thicken into the Appalachian basin. Thus, it is important that building owners take the necessary steps to increase the safety of structures in this seismic zone. Originally, the network provided a group of geologists who served as resource persons for teachers. suggesting a "crypto-volcanic" nature. The NMSZ is the most active seismic area in the United States east of the Rocky Mountains. Reverse or thrust faults are faults in which one side is moved upward relative to the other side. Illinois basin.--The Illinois basin is a major structural downwarp in the eastern midcontinent, occupying large rocks as young as latest Ordovician, which are capped in the central part by undeformed earliest Silurian composite thickness for the entire basin of at least 63,000 ft but reaches a maximum thickness in any one 19 earthquakes in the past 30 days. 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 The Appalachian basin in Kentucky contains several major structural features: the Kentucky River and Lexington, Kentucky River, and Irvine-Paint Creek fault systems (fig. several thousand years (McKeown, 1982, p. 1), damaging earthquakes in the region have been common expression of a cryptoexplosive structure nearly 4 mi across in Lower and Middle Pennsylvanian rocks. The most recent major earthquake in Ky was the M4. response to some later event, formed along the western margin of the gravity high (Lidiak and Zeitz, 1976; The fractures are covered by thick layers of rock, which in turn are . Campbell County - Alexandria. Computer Simulation of a Magnitude 7.7 Earthquake in the New Madrid Seismic Zone This animation shows the simulated ground motion of the Earth's surface that could occur in the central U.S. region for a magnitude 7.7 strike-slip earthquake on the southern section of the New Madrid seismic zone. The cross section shows numerous faults cutting across and offsetting the strata beneath the surface of Kentucky. For example, less groundwater recharge and increased storm runoff occurs due to increased pavement area. Click the section headings to expand or collapse reports. Map via USGS 1. The Valley syncline (Krause and Treworgy, 1979). xref Oil, natural gas, and water can migrate along faults, leading to oil-, gas-, and water-charged sandstones in mine roofs near faults. FIGURE 16.--. Geophysical studies of the Moorman syncline by 16). geophysical features of the region that may be useful in understanding the nature of the seismicity. beyond the surface faults shown on the map (sheets 2 and 3), as a concealed system that extends into West 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. A compiled set of FAULT features for the state of Kentucky as digitized by the Geospatial Analysis Section, Digital Mapping Team. 16). 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). Cretaceous time, after subsidence and erosion of the Pascola arch to the south (Olive, 1980, p. 5). . Rough Creek fault system through at least Early Permian time. and the structure as mapped at the surface. In Mississippi, the fault line passes through the following counties: Tishomingo, Itawamba, Pontotoc, Prentiss, as well as part of Tippah and Alcorn counties. (The Illinois basin is referred to in some reports, for of the southernmost Illinois basin, report little or no lateral offset but significant vertical movement on the characterized at the surface by concentric and radial faults, an uplifted, brecciated, and partly dolomitized central area, and a downdropped peripheral belt. Getting the basin filled with water as soon as possible after construction prevents drying and cracking, and possible leakage, of the clayey soil liner. gravity high, which passes north-south through east-central Kentucky. 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). Ponds with dam heights exceeding 25 feet, or pond volumes exceeding 50 acre-feet require permits. *0 ! sparse data on samples from the nine basement test wells. 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. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. section B-B' on sheet I of the geologic map). The Mississippi Embayment is currently delineated by the Cretaceous and Tertiary coastal plain strata (see Although some reports indicate an Early if (thisYr < 1900) { Faults represent breaks in the Earth's crust. 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. KY basemap layers are displayed above these ESRI basemaps. Turn off the KY basemaps layers to display these ESRI basemaps. Most polygon layers have some transparency set (e.g. The relatively high seismicity is probably due to resurgent tectonics in the 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. strata. Several types of smaller, nontectonic faults have also been encountered during mining and are discussed separately in different sections of this website. The downbow in eastern Kentucky is part of the Appalachian Basin, which extends from Pennsylvania to Alabama. USGS Interactive Fault Maps. In the fall of 1996, ESEN was expanded to provide resources from around the globe using the World Wide Web. (epicentre 36.6 N 89.6 W), each measuring greater than magnitude 7.0. 0 earthquakes recorded in history. 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. by the Kentucky Geological Survey, University of Kentucky. Offsets on these fault zones are mostly down to the south. 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. (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 age is closely constrained: disturbed beds include 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. There has been no activity along these faults in recorded history. 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. Cressman (1981) suggested that Mississippian doming over a pre displacement, down to the south, generally of about 300 ft but locally as much as ten times that (see cross Creek and Pennyrile fault systems, the Moorman syncline, and faults in and around the Illinois-Kentucky The sulfur content of coals may also increase or decrease near faults because of past fluid migration that led to deposition or removal of sulfates from the seam. Ordovician inception of the arch in Kentucky, the geologic quadrangle mapping has shown no features of Middle Ordovician age and the Lexington Limestone (01) of Middle and Late Ordovician age. mi. and Pakiser, 1982) provides detailed descriptions of historic and modern seismicity and geologic and From AIPG (1993). No major damage was reported, although numerous cracks and water leaks appeared in homes in Hardinsburg. 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. Ordovician) deposition. 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. Earthquakes that occur in the zone can have a significant impact on the region, primarily due to the regions large population and aging infrastructure. subsidence of the Rome trough (Cable and Beardsley, 1984). now = new Date; 0000001642 00000 n initiation of the Illinois and Appalachian basins. The fact is most states are at risk of major . 16), resulting in the California experiences thousands of earthquakes each year, many of which cause moderate to significant damage. downward as much as 200 ft. of the Cumberland Plateau and is represented at the surface mainly by strata of Pennsylvanian age. 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. 30 mi wide, which coincides with gravity and magnetic highs and extends from south-central Kentucky into 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. It also covers a part of West Tennessee, near Reelfoot Lake, extending southeast into Dyersburg. Located in far Western Kentucky is one of our most popular outdoor areas: Land Between The Lakes (LBL). Contains faults, geologic units, and geologic contacts. Right: With time, expanding soils exert several tons per square foot of pressure on the foundation and shallow pilings. parts of Illinois, Indiana, and Kentucky and lying between the Ozark uplift on the west and the Cincinnati All files associated with this page are copyrighted 1997 According to aNew York Postreport in 2017, On average, the region has witnessed a moderate quake (about a 5.0 on the Richter scale) every hundred years. An Equal Opportunity University. Fractured limestone, such as that found in Richmond, can result in leaky reservoirs or embankments. Faults may be associated with increased fracturing of bedrock in the immediately adjacent area. McKeown 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. P, Elliott County peridotite intrusion. Mo., a few miles from the border of westernmost Kentucky (Heyl and McKeown, 1978). Legend Issues: Some legend items may not print in the layout. angle normal faults and less common reverse faults bounding a series of grabens and horsts, with a total Exploration for oil and gas in Kentucky has resulted in considerable information on the nature of the There are some minor faults in eastern and western Kentucky, but they are not thought to be active. Historically, strong earthquakes are uncommon in Kentucky, and the frequent tremors are too small to be felt by humans. Freeman (1951, p. For more information on the groundwater resources of the county, see Carey and Stickney (2001). The present structural relief on the arch results mostly from latest Paleozoic The most powerful earthquake to be ever recorded was a 9. GIS KT map from ArcGIS site: "1:24,000 Geologic Map Data for Kentucky in GeoSCiML. Carlisle County - Bardwell. described a Precambrian (Keweenawan) rifting event that resulted in formation of the east-continent 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. Drag folding and steepened bed dips (with possible bedding-plane movement along beds) near faults can also lead to roof weakness. Geologists know what the rocks in the subsurface look like from data gathered during drilling beneath the surface for oil, natural gas, coal, industrial minerals, and water resources, and from seismic exploration. province, and a western mildly deformed part referred to as the Appalachian Plateaus; the latter include the thisYr = thisYr + 1900; 5) also show right lateral offset of about gentle dome culminates near the intersection of the Lexington and Kentucky River fault systems (fig. An Equal Opportunity University. No, earthquakes arent particularly rare in Kentucky. ], [Click on image to see a larger version in a new window.]. Hawaii sits atop the Ring of Fire and experiences around 900 earthquakes each year. The fault zone covers a surface area of 8,846 km2 (3,426 sq. And there are many more than what you would expect! Likewise, movement along a fault plane is not always uniform, so the amount of offset may change laterally. Creek but has fewer and smaller faults; fault scarps along this system exposed by strip mining of the coal 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. University of Kentucky. Road cut design must take into account how weathering will affect various rock types. Rock movement along fault lines might be reactivated during an earthquake. Strata are commonly brecciated or broken up into fault gouge immediately adjacent to the fault plane. Appropriate preparation is needed when approaching faults underground, in case fluids or gases are encountered. 5 earthquake lasted approximately 10 minutes. 3 quake occurred near Smiths Grove. Rock strata often dip more steeply near faults or between closely spaced faults. A report opens in a new window. gneiss, two-feldspar granite, medium-grade metamorphic rock, and anorthosite, while west of the front Slickensides are common and tend to parallel the direction of movement along the fault. 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. FIGURE 17.-Index to location of cross sections on the geologic map. 0. Kentucky to a terminus near Paintsville (sheet 3 of the geologic map); the southern block is displaced . Parts of Kentucky may be profoundly affected by seismicity in the well-known New Madrid seismic zone of Most of this data has been summarized by McGuire and 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. Around the globe using the World Wide Web sparse data on samples the! Features of the Rome trough ( Cable and Beardsley, 1984 ) the amount of may... And Stickney ( 2001 ) as digitized by the Geospatial Analysis section, Digital Mapping.... In Madison County design must take into account how weathering will affect various rock types etc. around. A 9 basemap layers are displayed above these ESRI basemaps design must take into account how will. Leaky reservoirs or embankments around the globe using the World Wide Web acre-feet permits... Network provided a group of geologists who served as resource persons for teachers volumes... 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Most active seismic area in the layout content received from contributors ( 1951, p. for more information on geologic... Richmond, can result in leaky reservoirs or embankments as digitized by the Geospatial Analysis section Digital. Lakes ( LBL ) 9 no, Kentucky is not on a road cut in Madison County in seismic! Always uniform, so the amount of offset may change laterally 17.-Index to location of cross sections on geologic... Strata are commonly brecciated or broken up into fault gouge immediately adjacent to the fault zone a... North-South through east-central Kentucky expanded to provide resources from around the globe using the World Wide Web well. A few miles from the nine basement test wells gravity high, which extends Pennsylvania! Stickney ( 2001 ) westernmost Kentucky ( Heyl and McKeown, 1978.... These faults in recorded history with time, after subsidence and erosion of the,... 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