A Summary of Geologic Structures Databases: Including Potential Sources for Data in the Rocky Mountain GEON Test Bed.

Nathan Toké

10/07/03

Ramon Arrowsmith

3/20/04

The Following is a preliminary summary of the databases and data sources I have found which contain information about geologic structures related to GEON. The following summary table is accompanied by short text reports about each of the data sources I evaluated. Much of the information in these reports is provided by the data sources themselves. Please refer to their websites for more information.

Table 1: Summary of geologic structures data sources

Source Name	Web Address	Geographical Area Covered	Type of Map/Database	Attributes provided	Comments
Utah Geological Survey	http://geology.utah.gov/maps/geohazmap/index.htm	Utah	HTML Image Mapper version 3.1	Name, ID #, structural synopsis, date of compilation, compilers/affiliation, location: states/counties, province, geologic setting, sections, comments including slip rate/rupture history/etc, fault length, and average strike	The database form is unclear (flat-file?), no direct download link, map is visible online, the data is well referenced
*SCEC Community Fault Model	http://structure.harvard.edu/cfma/#Design_Specifications	Southern California	In Progress (Mapserver and Postgresql)	Name, ID #, fault type, slip rate, uncertainties, quality of representation, and key references	In progress, 3D, downloadable database, well referenced
Colorado Geological Survey	http://geosurvey.state.co.us/pubs/ceno/index.htm#mapserver	Colorado	Microsoft Access and Map Server	Name, ID, structure type, structure age, comments, synopsis, compiler, detailed studies, location, structure dimensions, geologic setting, reliability, sense of motion, structural orientation, geomorphic expression, age of faulted deposits, recent activity, recurrence interval, slip rate, and references	Database, well referenced, directly downloadable from the website.
USGS Seismic mapping project	http://geohazards.cr.usgs.gov/eq/html/faults2002.html	Entire Western US	Excel	name, slip rate, maximum magnitude, recurrence intervals, fault type, fault length, fault zone width, location, orientation	Not well referenced, only flat-file, no map, downloadable
USGS Open-File Report 95-690	http://wrgis.wr.usgs.gov/open-file/of95-690/	Idaho	Shape file for GIS	fault length, type, and an ID number	Flat file, not many attributes, not well referenced, downloadable
*USGS Open-file Report 03-135	http://geopubs.wr.usgs.gov/open-file/of03-135/OFR03-135.txt	California, Nevada, Utah	In Progress (Microsoft Access, Arc Info)	name, type, orientation, location, confidence, and a short description of the structures	In Progress, will be downloadable, well referenced, database
SW GEONET	http://cordillera.la.asu.edu/website/Geoinformatics/viewer.htm	Arizona, New Mexico	Shape file	fault length, fault ID, orientation, slip direction, slip rate, and most recent exposure	Referenced, data is accessible, flat-file
UGSG Active fault database	http://gldims.cr.usgs.gov/qfault/viewer.htm	US	Shapefile	Fault name, number, age category, slip rate, sense of slip, dip direction, url	ARCIMS selection and downloadable. This is probably the most important database.

Examples

The Utah Geological Survey (http://www.ugs.state.ut.us/) has a digital quaternary fault and fold map available online.

Figure 1: The digital UGS quaternary fault and fold map interface http://geology.utah.gov/maps/geohazmap/qfaults/imagemap2/index.html

The interface’s author is listed as Neil Storey. It was created using HTML Image Mapper version 3.1. The interface includes zoom features and individual fault information. Selecting a fault or fold name from the drop down list will zoom the map to this feature. Clicking on one of the features displayed on the map will cause the interface to display the following information:

Number	2351d
Name	Wasatch fault zone - Brigham City section
Most Recent Event	Latest Quaternary (<15,000 years)
Slip Rate	0.2 - 1 mm/yr
Database Link	Read Text

Clicking the “Read Text” link causes the interface to display detailed information about the structure in the following text format:

2351, WASATCH FAULT ZONE

Jump to:

Clarkston || Collinston || Brigham || Weber || Salt Lake || Provo || Nephi || Levan || Fayette || References

Structure number: 2351.

Comments:

Structure name: Wasatch fault zone (WFZ).

Comments:

Synopsis: The WFZ is one of the longest and most tectonically active normal faults in North America. The fault zone shows abundant evidence of recurrent Holocene surface faulting and has been the subject of detailed studies for over three decades (for example, Schwartz and Coppersmith, 1984; Machette and others, 1991, 1992). Half of the estimated 50 to 120 post-Bonneville surface-faulting earthquakes in the Wasatch Front region have been on the WFZ (Hecker, 1993).

Date of compilation: 8/01.

Compiler and affiliation: Bill D. Black, Mike Hylland, and Greg N. McDonald (Utah Geological Survey), and Suzanne Hecker (U.S. Geological Survey).

State: Utah, Idaho.

County: Box Elder, Weber, Davis, Salt Lake, Utah, and Juab; Oneida.

1° x 2° sheet: Brigham City, Ogden, Salt Lake City, and Price.

Province: Basin and Range.

Geologic setting: Generally north-trending range-bounding normal fault along the western side of the Malad Range (Clarkston Mountain), Wellsville Mountains, Wasatch Range, and San Pitch Mountains. The WFZ marks the eastern boundary of the Basin and Range in northern Utah. Allluvial-fan sediment and deposits of Pleistocene Lake Bonneville dominate the surficial geology along the fault zone. The Wasatch Range is several kilometers higher than valleys to the west and is the result of repeated fault movement in Cenozoic time.

Number of sections: 10.

Comments: The WFZ is divided into 10 discrete, independent sections, totaling 343 kilometers in length. The sections are thought to represent segments (Schwartz and Coppersmith, 1984; Machette and others, 1991). The southern eight sections are wholly in Utah; the Clarkston section straddles Idaho and Utah, and the northernmost (Malad City) section is in Idaho. The chronology of surface-faulting earthquakes on the fault is one of the better dated in the world and includes 16 earthquakes since 5.6 ka, with an average repeat time of 350 years (McCalpin and Nishenko, 1996). Four of the central five sections (2351E-H) ruptured between 600 and 1,250 years ago; the remaining section (Brigham City, 2351d) has not ruptured in the past 2,125 years (McCalpin and Forman, 1994: McCalpin and Nishenko, 1996). Slip rates of 1‑2 millimeters/year are typical for the central sections during Holocene time. In contrast, late Quaternary (<150-250 ka) slip rates on these sections are about 0.1‑0.3 millimeters/year, an order of magnitude lower than the Holocene rates. This suggests a causal relation between increased slip rates and isostatic rebound/crustal relaxation following deep lake cycles such as Bonneville (Machette and others, 1986, 1992). Based on comparisons with historical surface fault ruptures in the region, the central fault sections may produce up to magnitude (M_s) 7.5-7.7 earthquakes. McCalpin and Nishenko (1996) suggest the probability for a surface-faulting earthquake somewhere on the fault is 13 and 25 percent in the next 50 and 100 years, respectively.

Length: End to end (km): 308

Cumulative trace (km): 566

Average strike (azimuth): N6^oW

The Utah Geological Survey’s quaternary fault and fold map for Utah contains detailed structural information about fault/structure type, slip rates, and structure activity however; the information is not displayed in a mainstream database format. The map was created using HTML Image Mapper 3.1. The data appears to be in flat-file format and does not appear to be directly downloadable from this website. The information is referenced and reliable, perhaps this data is obtainable from the UGS directly.

SCEC Community Fault Model:

The Unified Structural Representation Focus Area of SCEC is developing a new, community-based 3D model of active faults in southern California designed for use in fault systems analysis, seismic hazards assessment, and the SCEC Community Velocity Model. The Community Fault Model will be available via a WWW-interface that will be based on Mapserver and Postgresql. Contributors and users will be able to access released versions of the model, or to create their own models via the web-interface and database.

http://structure.harvard.edu/cfma/#Design_Specifications

The model represents a list of "preferred" representations that are extracted from a relational database, which will be searchable by users via a web-interface. The database contains a unique naming and numbering system for each fault (based on the CGS system), as well as various attributes including the fault type, slip rate (from CGS and SCFAD), uncertainties, quality of representation, and key references. Most faults have distinct interpolated and extrapolated segments, and many have alternative representations.

Colorado Geological Survey (http://geosurvey.state.co.us/) maintains a late Cenozoic fault and fold database and Internet map server.

http://geosurvey.state.co.us/pubs/ceno/index.htm#mapserver

The map server displays a map of color-coded structures within Colorado. This interactive map allows quick identification of structures by displaying a pop-up information box (called a map tip) containing the name, identification, and age of the structure, when resting a cursor over any of the faults.

The map server contains several ways to learn about a fault or fold from the Microsoft Access database. The database contains a variety of information about each structure, such as length, sense of movement, geomorphic expression, age of faulted deposits and references. To see a report from the database, simply double-click the mouse on the structure in the map frame, or click once on the structure to select it and click the "Selection Results" button in the bottom frame. You can also select a structure from the dropdown menus in the bottom frame and click the "Report" button. The report you see using any option lists all the information contained in the Access database

The information contained within the Colorado Geological Survey’s fault and fold database is well referenced and is easily downloadable from their website. Below is an example of a fault attribute output from the database:

Northern Sangre de Cristo Fault - Crestone Section

Alpha ID: NSCFa

Structure type: Sectioned fault

Section type: Quaternary fault

Structure name: Northern Sangre de Cristo Fault - Crestone Section

Comments: The Sangre de Cristo Fault zone borders the east side of San Luis Basin from near Poncha Pass, Colorado, to near Taos, New Mexico. This fault zone has been subdivided into two discrete faults for this compilation; the Northern Sangre de Cristo Fault and the Southern Sangre de Cristo Fault. Most of the Southern Sangre de Cristo Fault lies within New Mexico. The Northern Sangre de Cristo Fault is further subdivided into four sections: the Crestone section; the Zapata section; the Blanca section; and the San Luis section. This description focuses on the Crestone section, which extends from near Poncha Pass on the north to the Great Sand Dunes National Monument on the south.

Previous structure identifiers:

Comments: Fault 131 in Witkind (1976); fault 116 in Kirkham and Rogers (1981); fault 3 of Colman (1985); fault 2321a in the U.S. Geological Survey Quaternary fault and fold database; fault Q69a in Widmann and others (1998).

Synopsis:

The Northern Sangre de Cristo Fault is a west-dipping normal fault that is the structural boundary between the Sangre de Cristo Range / Culebra Range on the east, and the San Luis Basin on the west. The Crestone section of the fault is marked by several discontinuous, prominent, west-facing scarps and striking triangular faceted spurs on the mountain front. Holocene fan alluvium are the youngest deposits offset by the fault. McCalpin (1981a; 1982) and Colman and others (1985) profiled several scarps on this section, and three trenches were excavated by McCalpin (1981a; 1982).

Compiler and affiliation:
Robert M. Kirkham, Colorado Geological Survey

Revised by:

Date of revisions:

Date of compilation:  06/22/1998

State:  Colorado

County:  Saguache

1°x2° Sheet:  Pueblo, Trinidad

Province:  Southern Rocky Mountains

	Overall Structure	Section
Cumulative length (km):	204.72	78.75

End to end length (km):	163.58	79.01

Average Strike:	N19W	N30W

Number of traces:	78	38

Township and Range: Costilla County -

Geologic setting:

The Northern Sangre de Cristo Fault is a major down-to-west normal fault within the Rio Grande Rift. It forms the eastern boundary of the east-tilted half-graben of San Luis Basin. The deepest part of San Luis Basin lies adjacent to the Northern Sangre de Cristo Fault (Gaca and Karig, 1965). Estimates of the maximum thickness of synorogenic basin fill in that part of San Luis Basin have widely ranged. Gaca and Karig (1965) suggested a maximum thickness of about 9.7 km; Huntley (1976a; 1976b) reported it at about 5 km; Stoughton (1977) at 6,000 m; and Kluth and Schaftenaar (1994) at 6.4 km. Estimates of the amount of vertical displacement on the Northern Sangre de Cristo Fault also vary widely. Recently Kluth and Schaftenaar (1994) suggested the Northern Sangre de Cristo Fault has approximately 9.2 km of vertical separation.

Reliability of location: Good

Comments: All or parts of this section were mapped by Wychgram (1972; scale 1:24,000), McCalpin (1982; scale 1:50,000), Colman and others (1985; scale 1:125,000), Tweto and others (1976; scale 1:250,000), Scott and others (1978; scale 1:250,000), Scott and Taylor (1986; scale 1:250,000), Widmann and others (1998; scale 1:250,000 and 1:500,000), Witkind (1976; scale 1:500,000), Kirkham and Rogers (1981; scale 1:500,000), and Colman (1985; scale 1:1,000,000). The trace used for this compilation is from Colman and others (1985).

Sense of movement: N

Comments:

Dip: 60°W

Comments: The dip of the Crestone section of the Northern Sangre de Cristo Fault is debatable. Scott (1970) suggested it is near vertical. Tweto (1979a), Burroughs (1981), and Brister and Gries (1994) described it as a high-angle fault, a value supported by trench exposures mapped by McCalpin (1981a; 1982). Based on seismic reflection and gravity data, Kluth and Schaftenaar (1994) concluded the fault dip is about 60°, the value used herein. Morel and Watkins (1997), using seismic reflection and drill hole data, reported it is a low-angle detachment fault that flattens to subhorizontal in Precambrian rocks.

Dip direction:

Geomorphic expression:

A series of discontinuous, prominent, west-facing scarps are developed in late Quaternary deposits along the Crestone section of this fault. The mountain front is marked by striking triangular faceted spurs (Kirkham and Rogers, 1981; McCalpin, 1982).

Age of faulted deposits:

Scarps associated with the Crestone section cut pre-Bull Lake, Bull Lake, Pinedale, and Holocene fan alluvium in several areas along the fault (Kirkham and Rogers, 1981; McCalpin, 1981a; 1982).

Detailed studies:

McCalpin (1981a; 1982) and Colman and others (1985) profiled several scarps on the Crestone section. Three trenches were also excavated across this section by McCalpin (1981; 1982) and are herein labeled trenches NSCFa-1 to NSCFa-3. Trench NSCFa-1 was excavated at Major Creek, and trenches NSCFa-2 and NSCFa-3 were excavated at Willow Creek.

NSCFa-1: This trench crossed the fault at Major Creek and displayed evidence of two fault movements that were constrained in time by two carbon-14-dates.

NSCFa-2: This trench was excavated in Holocene fan alluvium near Willow Creek and contained evidence of one fault rupture with 2.3 m of displacement.

NSCFa-3: This trench was excavated in Bull Lake alluvium near Willow Creek and exposed evidence of perhaps three rupture events.

Timing of most recent paleoevent: (1) Holocene and post glacial (<15ka)

Comments: Trenching investigations at Major Creek (McCalpin, 1981a; 1982) indicated the latest rupture occurred shortly before 7.66 ± 0.12 ka and that a second movement occurred before 10.1 ± 0.11 ka.

Recurrence interval: 5.0-11.7 ka

Comments: McCalpin (1981a; 1982) suggested the part of the Crestone section south of the Major Creek / Kerber Creek Fault zone has a recurrence interval of 5.0 to 11.7 ka during post-early Pinedale time, whereas the part north of this fault zone has a slower uplift rate and longer recurrence interval. He reported that the recurrence interval appears to be longer during Pinedale to Bull Lake time and during pre-Bull Lake time.

Slip rate: (D) <0.2 mm/yr

Comments: McCalpin (1981a; 1982) reported an average slip rate of 44 mm in 1 ka (0.044 mm/yr) for the Willow Creek area.

Earthquake notes:

References:

Brister, B.S., and Gries, R.R., 1994, Tertiary stratigraphy and tectonic development of the Alamosa Basin (northern San Luis Basin), Rio Grande Rift, south-central Colorado, 'in' Keller, G.R., and Cather, S.M., eds., Basins of the Rio Grande Rift: Structure, stratigraphy and tectonic setting: Geological Society of America Special Publication 291, p. 39-58.

Burroughs, R.L., 1981, A summary of the geology of the San Luis Basin, Colorado-New Mexico, with emphasis on the geothermal potential for the Monte Vista graben: Colorado Geological Survey Special Publication 17, 30 p.

Colman, S.M., 1985, Map showing tectonic features of late Cenozoic origin in Colorado: U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Geologic Investigations Map I-1566.

Colman, S.M., McCalpin, James, Ostenaa, D.A., and Kirkham, R.M., 1985, Map showing upper Cenozoic rocks and deposits and Quaternary faults, Rio Grande Rift, south-central Colorado: U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Geologic Investigations Map I-1594.

Gaca, J.R., and Karig, D.E., 1965, Gravity survey in the San Luis Valley area, Colorado: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report.

Huntley, David, 1976a, Groundwater recharge to the aquifers of the northern San Luis Valley, Colorado: Golden, Colorado, Colorado School of Mines, Ph.D. dissertation T-1864, 298 p.

Huntley, David, 1976b, Ground water recharge to aquifers of northern San Luis Valley, Colorado--a remote sensing investigation: Colorado School of Mines Remote Sensing Report, v. 76-3, 247 p.

Kirkham, R.M., and Rogers, W.P., 1981, Earthquake potential in Colorado: Colorado Geological Survey Bulletin 43, 171 p.

Kluth, C.F., and Schaftenaar, C.H., 1994, Depth and geometry of the northern Rio Grande Rift in the San Luis Basin, south-central Colorado, 'in' Keller, G.R., and Cather, S.M., eds., Basins of the Rio Grande Rift - Structure, stratigraphy and tectonic setting: Geological Society of America Special Paper 291, p. 27-37.

McCalpin, James, 1981a, Quaternary geology and neotectonics of the west flank of the northern Sangre de Cristo Mountains, south-central Colorado: Golden, Colorado, Colorado School of Mines, Ph. D. dissertation.

McCalpin, J.P., 1982, Quaternary geology and neotectonics of the west flank of the northern Sangre de Cristo Mountains, south-central Colorado: Colorado School of Mines Quarterly, v. 77, no. 3, 97 p.

Morel, J., and Watkins, T., 1997, More data point to potential in S. Colorado sub-basin: Oil and Gas Journal, v. 95, no. 35, p. 78-80.

Scott, G.R., 1970, Quaternary faulting and potential earthquakes in east-central Colorado, in Geological Survey research 1970, chapter C: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 700-C, p. C11-C18.

Scott, G.R., and Taylor, R.B., 1986, Map showing late Eocene surface, Oligocene-Miocene paleovalleys, and Tertiary deposits in the Pueblo, Denver, and Greeley 1° x 2° quadrangles, Colorado: U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Geologic Investigations Map I-1626.

Scott, G.R., Taylor, R.B., Epis, R.C., and Wobus, R.A., 1978, Geologic map of the Pueblo 1° x 2° quadrangle, south-central Colorado

The USGS sponsors the National Seismic Hazard Mapping Project. The project’s website features seismic hazard maps. Pertinent to our project, they maintain fault parameters for the Rocky Mountain States. These parameters include name, slip rate, maximum magnitude, recurrence intervals, fault type, fault length, fault zone width, location, orientation, and several other parameters that are abbreviated unclearly. http://geohazards.cr.usgs.gov/eq/html/faults2002.html

The fault parameters are downloadable in excel format, however; it is unclear what all of the parameters mean or what units they are in. I am sure that this problem can be resolved by contacting the USGS researchers. Also, it seems likely that these researchers maintain a database for these faults since they have developed seismic hazard maps from this data. I think that we should be able to obtain this data set in a more appropriate form than is displayed on the website, hopefully in database form with references and a map.

The USGS also publishes reports such as the following

Open-File Report 95-690 http://wrgis.wr.usgs.gov/open-file/of95-690/

This website has digital representations of the Idaho state geologic map and state fault map for download. The files can be imported from .e00 format into ArcMap. The attribute table includes fault length, type, and an ID number. I assume that more information could be obtained about each fault’s attributes by using the fault ID and contacting the authors, Bruce R. Johnson and Gary L. Raines, who published this data in 1996.

Another USGS Open-File Report 03-135, filed in 2003 discusses a geologic database for digital geology of California, Nevada, and Utah - an application of the North American Data Model

http://geopubs.wr.usgs.gov/open-file/of03-135/OFR03-135.txt

This report was filed by David R. Bedford1, Steve Ludington1, Constance M. Nutt2, Paul A. Stone1, David M. Miller1, Robert J. Miller1, David L. Wagner3, and George J. Saucedo3. The following is their introduction:

INTRODUCTION

               The USGS is creating an integrated national database for digital state geologic maps that includes stratigraphic, age, and lithologic information. The majority of the conterminous 48 states have digital geologic base maps available, often at scales of 1:500,000. This product is a prototype, and is intended to demonstrate the types of derivative maps that will be possible with the national integrated database. This database permits the creation of a number of types of maps via simple or sophisticated queries, maps that may be useful in a number of areas, including mineral-resource assessment, environmental assessment, and regional tectonic evolution.

               This database is distributed with three main parts: Microsoft Access 2000

database containing geologic map attribute data, an Arc/Info (Environmental Systems

Research Institute, Redlands, California) Export format file containing points representing designation of stratigraphic regions for the Geologic Map of Utah, and an

ArcView 3.2 (Environmental Systems Research Institute, Redlands, California) project

containing scripts and dialogs for performing a series of generalization and mineral

resource queries.

               The report goes on to discuss the details of the database that will include geologic structures. The database will identify structures by name, type, orientation, location, confidence, and a short description of the structures. It is unclear if the structure description will include things such as fault slip rate, history, etc. The culmination of this project will provide another source of data usable for the GEON project.

SWGEONET – Provides a flat-file interactive map for Arizona and New Mexico. The attributes listed are fault length, fault ID, orientation, slip direction, slip rate, and most recent exposure. http://cordillera.la.asu.edu/website/Geoinformatics/viewer.htm

Clearly some of the above data sources provide superior information when compared to the others. The Colorado Geological Survey’s database appears very desirable because of its accessibility, reliability, queriability, and detailed nature. Other data sources seem less informative and will likely be more difficult to make useful for GEON. Clearly there is more structural data available than what is summarized here. Dr. Machette of the USGS has led a project to compile databases for all the active faults in the western hemisphere. Once completed and available this project will provide active fault data for all of GEON. This data will be well referenced and in database format: http://www.sclilp.org/projects/pro_ii-2.htm .

Some useful sites for the comparison of database format are the Canadian and British Geological Surveys:

http://www.nrcan.gc.ca/gsc/data_e.html

http://www.bgs.ac.uk/geoindex/index.htm

I have not had the chance to review their structural databases as of yet, but they are useful comparisons and may provide insights for what GEON might look for when compiling data and information for its structural databases.