mi. However, there is some debate over whether or not there has actually been a 10. The general configuration of the basin is shown by a contour map of the base of the Natural gas piplines (30-inch mains) are laid across a new subdivision in Kingston, Madison County. 2 and caused major destruction throughout the state. More Pennsylvanian strata are preserved south of these faults than north of the faults. Creek and Pennyrile fault systems, the Moorman syncline, and faults in and around the Illinois-Kentucky Historically, strong earthquakes are uncommon in Kentucky, and the frequent tremors are too small to be felt by humans. *0 ! The feature is about 5,000 ft in diameter and is in limestones and shales of Its not just the Virginia Seismic Zone New Yorkers have to worry about. The arch thus separates the Appalachian basin In seismic exploration, energy waves are directed into the ground and are reflected by the different grouping of rocks back up to the surface and recorded. the Moorman syncline of western Kentucky as the "Eastern Interior Aulacogen" and traced the trough from Across a span of millions of years, this gradual, periodic movement can result in thousands of feet of offset along a fault. The fault system runs from the Mississippi Delta, through Arkansas, Tennessee, Mississippi, and Kentucky. The exact cause for the rise in seismic activity is unclear, but some scientists speculate that it could be related to natural phenomena, underground activities such as energy or mineral extraction, or even human-induced activities. In areas overlying limestone, septic system leaks can occur through fractures in the limestone, contaminating groundwater. Therefore, the term "Illinois basin" is used herein to avoid confusion.) Keller and others (1982, p. 218), on the basis of In addition to the physical destruction, an earthquake of this magnitude would also cause a great deal of emotional and psychological distress. Most of the movement along Kentucky's faults occurred in the distant past. The 9. What states are on the Madrid fault line? The rule-of-thumb is one foot of compacted clay for each 8 feet of water depth. rocks as young as latest Ordovician, which are capped in the central part by undeformed earliest Silurian 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. 16). Ordovician inception of the arch in Kentucky, the geologic quadrangle mapping has shown no features of Thus, it is still unknown whether or not there has ever been a 10. Bullitt County - Shepherdsville. Kentucky is one of the top ten limestone producers in the country. 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. Mapped faults provide an obvious location and orientation that can be projected in advance of mining. reports indicate that, although the most severe earthquakes (New Madrid type) may occur only every But while Americans are aware of the San Andreas fault and the seismic activity in California, which has wreaked havoc in San Francisco and Los Angeles, there are other, lesser-known fault lines in the United States that fly dangerously under the radar. Fractures in limestone are enhanced by slightly acidic rainwater to produce sinkhole collapses, which are infilled with soil from the surface. %PDF-1.4
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The origin of the Jeptha Knob structure is uncertain, but meteoroid impact seems most likely It is a domal structure, about 2 mi in diameter and unfaulted Parts of Kentucky may be profoundly affected by seismicity in the well-known New Madrid seismic zone of Engineering design principles are employed in roadways and bridges to prepare for such situations. No major damage was reported, although numerous cracks and water leaks appeared in homes in Hardinsburg. For example, in 1980 New Madrid experienced a magnitude 5. Prior site planning that takes geology into account is always preferable to dealing with problems after a structure is built. McGuire and Howell (1963, p. 2-4) presented 16). concurrent with this early period of arching has been demonstrated by Simmons (1966). startxref
3 magnitude quake that occurred near Hardinsburg on April 25, 2012. upwarping in the Early to Middle Devonian, and again during formation of the regional Mississippian Click the map to show data near to the point you clicked. The ground shaking that would result could cause buildings to collapse, gas pipelines to rupture, and transportation routes to be blocked. Harris (1978) combined the Rome trough with Solid lines indicate fault traces. Below the sedimentary rocks are igneous and metamorphic rocks. Road cut design must take into account how weathering will affect various rock types. Rough Creek fault system through at least Early Permian time. by a brecciated center within a belt of concentric faults. Definition and formation: Faults are breaks in the earths crust across which movement has occurred. most movement on faults at the southern end of the Illinois basin took place at the end of the Paleozoic. Rock excavation is often required to sufficiently bury these pipelines. Kentucky, United States has had: (M1.5 or greater) 0 earthquakes in the past 24 hours. Earthquakes that occur in the zone can have a significant impact on the region, primarily due to the regions large population and aging infrastructure. sheet I of the geologic map). Webb (1969) and Silberman (1972) have interpreted subsurface data as Boonesboro Quarry mines the Camp Nelson Limestone along the Kentucky River. 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. initiation of the Illinois and Appalachian basins. Calloway County - Murray. The quake was felt for over 200,000 square miles, including in the Carolinas, Alabama, Kentucky, and West Virginia. southeasternmost Missouri, northeasternmost Arkansas, and adjacent areas of westernmost Tennessee and NEXT||PREVIOUS||TABLE OF CONTENTS. Normal faults are faults in which one side of the earths crust is offset downward relative to the other side. 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. Ervin and McGinnis (1975) suggested, largely on the shatter cones and other features. expression of a cryptoexplosive structure nearly 4 mi across in Lower and Middle Pennsylvanian rocks. subsurface of eastern Kentucky. Two fault zones split from the Lexington Fault Zone eastward into the Eastern Kentucky Coal Field (part of the Appalachian Basin). Underlying shale may restrict percolation in some areas. 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. syncline (fig. The (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. beyond the surface faults shown on the map (sheets 2 and 3), as a concealed system that extends into West These fault lines are all part of the larger New Madrid Seismic Zone, a region spanning 7 states and known for its earthquake activity. Branches of the fault extend into Arkansas, Missouri, Tennessee, and Kentucky. Embayment) and in central Kentucky (Keller and others, 1982). The Kentucky River fault system has been extended eastward, thisYr = now.getYear();
The Pennyrile fault system (Green River fault zone of Lidiak 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. (Photo by Paul Howell). 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. Discontinuities and obstacles:Where a fault intersects a mined coal seam, the coal seam will be offset, generally causing an abrupt end to the seam into rock on the other side of the fault plane. The Irvine-Paint Creek fault system extends eastward from central magnitude mb has been estimated to be 7.4 (Nuttli, 1979). bounded rift zone which is responsible for the relatively high level of modern seismic activity in the New Rock strata often dip more steeply near faults or between closely spaced faults. The nature of the Precambrian basement is not well known. 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. 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. 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. View Show in a web browser window: [ Legend for lithology colors] Show in Google Earth or other KML viewer: kygeol.kml (Uncompressed, 23.1M) 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 Rough Creek fault system (Rough Creek-Shawneetown of some authors) crosses the southern end of The potential for significant shaking and ground movement can cause considerable damage to structures in the region. Located in far Western Kentucky is one of our most popular outdoor areas: Land Between The Lakes (LBL). New construction in Richmond represents different land use characteristics than were there previously. 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. 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It also covers a part of West Tennessee, near Reelfoot Lake, extending southeast into Dyersburg. Thousands of milder aftershocks occurred daily for more than a year. stratigraphy or sedimentation of the Ordovician rocks that can be related to the arch (Cressman, 1973, p. 8; 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. All six states are at increased risk for experiencing damaging earthquakes and should be prepared with proper mitigation strategies. It is also known as the Waynesville earthquake, although the epicenter was closer to Skyland. of the southernmost Illinois basin, report little or no lateral offset but significant vertical movement on the This earthquake caused about 2,000 deaths and left about 1. Don't search a large area this way, it takes too long. 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. The New Madrid earthquake series of 1811-12 produced the strongest shocks known to have been felt in Six states that are most at risk for earthquakes are Alaska, California, Hawaii, Washington, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. Breckinridge County - Hardinsburg. Geophysical studies of the Moorman syncline by Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. A recent seismic study of the crustal The Moorman syncline extends into southern Illinois, where it is known as the Eagle digital geologic map information service, 310 Columbia Ave, 228 Mining and Mineral Resources Building, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506-0107. There are no active plate tectonic movements in this area at the present time, and as such, there are no active fault lines. 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. (Photographs by Paul Howell, USDA-NRCS. Harris (1970) has shown the fault to be a ramp on a bedding plane Thus, it is important that building owners take the necessary steps to increase the safety of structures in this seismic zone. The seismic activity within this zone is due to the New Madrid fault system that lies underneath the Mississippi Valley. Major tectonic events in Kentucky for which evidence has accumulated begin with late Precambrian rifting Cable and Beardsley (1984) have traced the westward 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. In the fall of 1996, ESEN was expanded to provide resources from around the globe using the World Wide Web. 8). amphibolites, and mafic granulites are found in the vicinity of highs. One of the most potentially dangerous fault lines lies north of California, stretching between Oregon and Washington. The northernmost is called the Kentucky River Fault Zone, and the other is called the Irvine-Paint Creek Fault Zone. Faults represent breaks in the Earth's crust. Resource maps of most of the mined coal beds in western Kentucky show that a large number of mines are bounded by faults. Cressman (1981) suggested that Mississippian doming over a pre gneiss, two-feldspar granite, medium-grade metamorphic rock, and anorthosite, while west of the front USGS The USGS has a faults website that includes an interactive fault map that allows users to views a map. Nelson (1981, 1983) provided examples of mining adjacent to and through faults in southern Illinois. the geologic map layers are set at 20% transparent by default). gentle dome culminates near the intersection of the Lexington and Kentucky River fault systems (fig. What are gas prices at Buc EEs in Richmond KY?