Examples of Active Faults in the Western United States: a Field Guide
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UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Examples of Active Faults in the Western United States: A Field Guide By Robert C. Bucknam and Kathleen M. Haller Open-File Report 89-528 Prepared in cooperation with the International Geological Correlation Program Project 206 ~ A Worldwide Comparison of the Characteristics of Major Active Faults Co-organizers: Robert C. Bucknam, U.S. Geological Survey, U.S A. Ding Guoyu, State Seismological Bureau, PRC Zhang Yuming, State Seismological Bureau, PRC This report is preliminary and has not been reviewed for conformity with U.S. Geological Survey editorial standards and stratigraphic nomenclature. Denver, Colorado 1989 CONTENTS INTRODUCTION..................................................................................................... 1 DAY 1--SANBRUNO TO PASO ROBLES, CALIFORNIA............................................ 2 Summary..................................................................................................... 2 Tectonic Setting of the San Andreas Fault.......................................................... 2 Historical Surface Faulting on the Central San AndreasFault................................ 5 San Francisco Earthquake of 1906.................................................................... 6 Segment 1A San Bruno to San Jose (43 Miles).................................................. 8 Stop l.l«San Andreas Rift................................................................. 9 Segment IB-San Jose to Hollister (43 Miles).................................................... 10 Stop 1.2»Calaveras Fault at Hollister................................................... 12 Segment IC-Hollister to Peachtree Valley (62 Miles).......................................... 12 Terraces of Tres Pinos Creek and the San Benito River............................. 13 Stop 1.3-Pinnacles Overlook, Bear Valley-San Benito Area...................... 14 Pleistocene Drainage from San Joaquin Valley........................................ 15 Segment ID-Peachtree Valley to Parkfield (42 Miles).......................................... 15 Stop 1.4«San Andreas Fault at Mustang Ridge....................................... 15 Stop 1.5~Coalinga Mineral Springs County Park (Lunch Stop)................. 17 Stop 1.6-Cholame Valley Overlook..................................................... 17 Segment lE--Parkfield to Paso Robles (40 Miles)............................................... 17 Stop 1.7-Parkfield Earthquake-Prediction Site at Car Hill......................... 18 Gold Hill......................................................................................... 19 Cholame Valley "Pull-apart Basin"....................................................... 20 Stop 1.8-Cholame Valley Fault-Creep Site........................................... 21 DAY 2--PASO ROBLES TO PALMDALE, CALIFORNIA............................................. 23 Summary..................................................................................................... 23 Segment 2A~Paso Robles to the Northern Carrizo Plain (61 miles)........................ 23 Stop 2.1--Southern Cholame Valley..................................................... 23 Segment 2B Northern Carrizo Plain to Maricopa (43 miles)................................. 26 Stop 2.2-Offset Stream Channels, Wallace Creek................................... 26 Stop 2.3--1857 Earthquake Geomorphic Features, Panorama Hills.............. 28 Stop 2.4-Offset Gullies, Southern Carrizo Plain..................................... 28 Stop 2.5--Sag Pond, Southern Carrizo Plain........................................... 29 Segment 2C--Maricopa to Palmdale (100 miles).................................................. 29 DAY 3--PALMDALE TO MAMMOTH LAKES, CALIFORNIA...................................... 32 Summary..................................................................................................... 32 GarlockFault................................................................................... 32 Segment 3A--Palmdale to Garlock (69 miles)..................................................... 33 Stop 3.1--Garlock Fault at Koehn Lake................................................. 35 Stop 3.2-Mesquite Fan at Garlock....................................................... 36 Stop 3.3»GolerDepression................................................................. 36 Segment SB-Intersection of Randsburg Road and California Highway 14 toOlancha(70Miles).............................................................................. 39 The Sierra Nevada.............................................................................. 40 Glacial Chronology of the Sierra Nevada................................................ 42 Segment 3C-Olancha to Bishop (82 Miles)....................................................... 45 Owens Valley Earthquake.................................................................... 46 Stop 3.4-Lone Pine Visitors Center (Lunch Stop).................................. 48 Stop 3.5-Lone Pine Fault.................................................................. 49 Stop 3.6--Fish Springs Fault............................................................... 53 Segment 3D-Bishop to Mammoth Lakes (35 Miles)........................................... 55 Stop 3.7-Overlook of Long Valley Caldera............................................ 57 DAY 4-MAMMOTH LAKES LOOP........................................................................... 60 Summary..................................................................................................... 60 Recent Seismic Activity in Long Valley Caldera................................................. 60 Segment 4~Mammoth Lakes Loop (36 Miles).................................................... 62 Stop 4.1~Hilton Creek Fault at McGee Creek........................................ 63 Stop 4.2-Eastern Extension of Hilton Creek Fault in Long Valley Caldera.................................................................... 65 Stop 4.3-Hot Creek Gorge................................................................. 65 Stop 4.4-Western Extension of Hilton Creek Fault in Caldera............................... 66 DAYS-MAMMOTH LAKES, CALIFORNIA, TO FALLON, NEVADA.......................... 67 Summary..................................................................................................... 67 Segment 5A-Mammoth Lakes to Conway Summit (51 Miles).............................. 67 Inyo-Mono Volcanic Chain................................................................. 68 Stop 5.1-North and South Inyo Craters................................................. 70 Stop 5.2-Panum Crater...................................................................... 73 11 Stop 5.3-Mono Lake and Tufa Reserve................................................. 74 Segment 5B--Conway Summit to Walker (47 Miles)........................................... 76 Stop 5.4--West Walker River Fault (Lunch Stop).................................... 77 Segment 5C-Walker to Carson City (55 Miles).................................................. 78 Stop 5.5--Genoa Fault........................................................................ 81 Segment 5D-Carson City to Fallon (65 Miles).................................................. 82 Stop 5.6-Sixmile Canyon Scarps........................................................ 83 DAY 6--FALLONTOWINNEMUCCA,NEVADA........................................................ 86 Summary..................................................................................................... 86 The Basin and Range...................................................................................... 86 Central Nevada Seismic Belt............................................................................ 87 Segment 6A-Fallon to Dixie Valley Road (39 miles).......................................... 88 Dixie Valley-Fairview Peak Earthquakes of 1954..................................... 89 Stop 6.1-Fairview Peak Earthquake Fault Scarps.................................... 90 Segment 6B--U.S. Highway 50 to Northern Dixie Valley (53 miles)....................... 90 Stop 6.2--Piedmont Fault Scarps, Willow Canyon Area........................... 91 Stop 6.3--1954 Fault Scarp, Willow Canyon Area, Dixie Valley................ 92 Stop 6.4~Faulted Sequence of Terrace Creek, Dixie Valley........................ 94 Stop 6.5~Bedrock Exposure of Range-Front Fault, Northern Okie Valley.................................................................. 96 Segment 6C-Northern Okie Valley to Winnemucca (93 miles)............................. 97 Sou Hills......................................................................................... 97 1915 Pleasant Valley Earthquake.......................................................... 97 Stop 6.6--1915 Pleasant Valley Earthquake Fault Scarp, GolcondaCanyon........................................................................ 99 DAY 7-WINNEMUCCA, NEVADA TO SALT LAKE CITY UTAH................................ 100 Summary..................................................................................................... 100 Paleozoic Orogenic Belts of Central Nevada........................................................ 100 Segment 7A-Wmnemucca to Elko, Nevada (125 miles)....................................... 101 Temporal Distribution of Late Quaternary Faulting in Central Nevada......... 102 Segment 7B~Elko, Nevada, to Salt Lake City, Utah (227 miles)...........................