Hazard News: A clearer view of earthquake risk: New maps reveal active faults in central Utah

Hazard News: A Clearer View of Earthquake Hazards: New Maps Reveal Active Faults in Central Utah By Adam I. Hiscock, and Tyler R. Knudsen, and Rachel N. Adam

Map showing the central Utah region with new faults mapped as part of this study, along with major earthquakes in the region, counties, towns, and major roads. The inset map to the right shows the boundaries of the study area and the geological provinces that include Utah. Shaded relief base maps generated from ESRI, USGS, and NOAA elevation data.

Utah is earthquake country! Although the bulk of active fault mapping conducted by the Utah Geological Survey (UGS) has focused on the Wasatch Front and northern Utah, new high-resolution elevation data has allowed us to map active faults (rifts that have torn up the Earth's surface in the past 2.6 million years) in more rural, but still rapidly growing, areas of the state. Several important and active fault zones pass through the geographic core of Utah. Central Utah spans the transition zone between the actively expanding Basin and Range Province to the west and the settled Colorado Plateau Province to the east. The region is home to growing communities, major transportation routes, critical infrastructure, and has a history of strong earthquakes. In fact, two of Utah's largest historical earthquakes, the 1901 magnitude 6.6 Tushar Mountains earthquake and the 1921 magnitude 6.0 Elsinore earthquake, were widely felt in the region, with damage reported throughout the Sevier Valley.

Recognizing the risk of earthquakes in one of Utah's fastest-growing rural areas, UGS embarked on a project to remap active zone faults capable of producing powerful earthquakes. This project covers parts of six counties—Garfield, Juab, Millard, Butte, Sunpete, and Sevier—and provides an important update to our understanding of faults and earthquake hazards in the central Utah region. Our work provides the foundational knowledge needed to build more resilient communities and protect the infrastructure that connects our state, ensuring a safer future for all Utahns. Additional funding from the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program made this work possible.

Many faults in this area have been previously identified and mapped by geologists. However, determining their precise locations and true extent has been difficult. Previous researchers relied on aerial photographs and field work, making it unlikely to detect subtle fault slopes (“slopes”) — the step-like features that form on the landscape created by large earthquakes — especially if the slopes are small or covered in dense vegetation such as junipers and sagebrush.

Enter Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) data. This powerful tool allows UGS geologists to digitally “see” vegetation and expose the bare ground beneath, revealing small or eroded faults that were previously difficult to map. Using this data, active faults in the area were accurately remapped. Compared to previous fault mapping, our new maps show greater detail and complexity of faults in the central Utah region.

As part of this new designation, UGS geologists have established special recommended study areas for surface fault rupture around each mapped fault trace. These areas are advisory areas where UGS recommends a detailed site-specific investigation by a geologist prior to new development. These recommendations help ensure safer and smarter community growth, and provide essential guidance for city and county planners to create and implement geohazard ordinances.

All data from this project, including the final report, detailed fault maps, and special study areas for surface fault rupture, are available to the public through the Utah Geology Hazards Portal (https://maps.geology.utah.gov/hazards) as well as in the GIS Geodatabase along with a detailed report. These resources allow homeowners, developers, and local officials access to the latest information to make informed decisions.

Map showing comparison of old (left) versus new (right) fault traces mapped at the Annabella Graben near Richfield, Utah. Shaded relief base maps generated from ESRI, USGS, and NOAA elevation data.

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