Earthquake probabilities for the Wasatch front region in Utah, Idaho, and Wyoming
In a letter to The Salt Lake Daily Tribune in September 1883, U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) geologist G.K. Gilbert warned local residents about the implications of observable fault scarps along the western base of the Wasatch Range. The scarps were evidence that large surface-rupturing earthquakes had occurred in the past and more would likely occur in the future. The main actor in this drama is the 350-km-long Wasatch fault zone (WFZ), which extends from central Utah to southernmost Idaho. The modern Wasatch Front urban corridor, which follows the valleys on the WFZ’s hanging wall between Brigham City and Nephi, is home to nearly 80% of Utah’s population of 3 million. Adding to this circumstance of “lots of eggs in one basket,” more than 75% of Utah’s economy is concentrated along the Wasatch Front in Utah’s four largest counties, literally astride the five central and most active segments of the WFZ.
Citation Information
Publication Year | 2016 |
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Title | Earthquake probabilities for the Wasatch front region in Utah, Idaho, and Wyoming |
Authors | Ivan G. Wong, William R. Lund, Christopher DuRoss, Patricia Thomas, Walter Arabasz, Anthony J. Crone, Michael D. Hylland, Nicolas Luco, Susan S. Olig, James C. Pechmann, Stephen Personius, Mark D. Petersen, David P. Schwartz, Robert B. Smith, Steve Rowman |
Publication Type | Report |
Publication Subtype | Other Government Series |
Index ID | 70162226 |
Record Source | USGS Publications Warehouse |
USGS Organization | Geologic Hazards Science Center |