|
 to view pdf files. |
|
What's
New
New
Publications || News Releases ||
Energy Calendar || New
Web Pages
Recent Landslides || Field Reviews Rare meteorite, found in Utah, now on display at UGS It is the size of a bowling ball but heavier, tumbled from space, and is believed to be about 4.5 billion years old. Now, the Gunlock Meteorite is on display at the Natural Resources Map & Bookstore, 1594 West North Temple, in Salt Lake City. The Gunlock Meteorite is only one of 18 known meteorite finds in Utah and one of 1,512 officially named meteorites in the U.S., making it an extremely rare and valuable find. Meteorites are valuable because they are among the only specimens we have on Earth from asteroids, comets, and other planets in the solar system. Read more about the meteorite. Utah Geothermal Working Group Meeting Utah's geothermal energy potential will be closely examined at an upcoming geothermal workshop. The Utah Geological Survey's State Energy Program (SEP), Southern Utah University's Department of Physical Sciences, and the U.S. Department of Energy's Geopowering the West are hosting the workshop at the Southern Utah University in Cedar City, Utah, on April 22nd and 23rd. "Geothermal energy has great potential in Utah," says Jason Berry of the SEP "and it provides clean and reliable energy that can be very cost-effective, which is important to Utahns." New map of the Levan & Fayette segments of the Wasatch fault The Utah Geological Survey (UGS) recently released Map 229, “Surficial Geologic Map of the Levan and Fayette Segments of the Wasatch Fault Zone, Juab and Sanpete Counties, Utah.” The Wasatch fault is Utah’s longest and most geologically active fault, extending more than 200 miles from southeastern Idaho to central Utah. The fault is subdivided into 10 segments; each segment ruptures independently and is a separate source of large earthquakes. The Levan and Fayette segments, extending from Nephi to Fayette, comprise the southern 35 miles of the fault. Continue reading. New report about the Sevier fault in southwestern Utah The Utah Geological Survey (UGS) recently released Special Study 122, "Paleoseismic Reconnaissance of the Sevier Fault, Kane and Garfield Counties, Utah." The Sevier fault trends north-south through southwestern Utah and northern Arizona, extending from just north of Panguitch, Utah to south of the Grand Canyon in Arizona. Approximately 67 miles of the 155-mile-long fault are in Utah. The report shows that while the level of activity is relatively lower along the southern part of the fault, it becomes higher at the fault’s northern end near Panguitch and Bryce Canyon National Park, which receives tens of thousands of visitors every year. Grants Awarded for Energy Conservation in Public Facilities The Utah Geological Survey's State Energy Program has recently awarded grants to improve the energy efficiency of public buildings. Applications were evaluated according to their feasibility, cost effectiveness, overall energy savings, and geographic considerations to include the entire State. Fillmore library to receive something of mammoth proportion The tusk of a mammoth that lived along the shores of Lake Bonneville more than 10,000 years ago will be unveiled at the Fillmore Library on Wednesday, February 27, 2008. Wind Energy: Program Helps Utahns Measure Wind Resource Landowners, schools, farmers and other property owners throughout Utah now have an opportunity to see if they have the potential for wind power development on their land. The Utah Geological Survey’s State Energy Program will loan out wind-measuring devices, called anemometers, to public or private entities who would like to know if they have strong enough wind for energy development at no cost to the participant. New Landslide Susceptibility Map of Utah A new digital map is now available which shows areas of Utah that are vulnerable to landslides. The Utah Geological Survey (UGS) map is a statewide landslide susceptibility map at 1:500,000 scale. "Landslides have caused significant economic loss in Utah and the exposure to landslide hazards increases as development continues to expand into landslide-prone areas," said Richard Giraud, UGS Senior Geologist. "The map is at a statewide scale and designed for general planning to determine areas where landslide hazards may exist and more detailed landslide-hazard studies are needed for planning and development." Continue reading. New Geologic Map of the Spanish Fork 7.5’ Quadrangle The Utah Geological Survey’s newest geologic map available to the public is the Spanish Fork quadrangle, which includes the cities of Payson, Salem, Spanish Fork, and Woodland Hills. The map identifies the rocks and sediments in this rapidly developing suburban area south of Provo in southeastern Utah Valley. Governor's Geologic Hazards Working Group Landslides in 2005 and 2006 that damaged houses in approved, permitted subdivisions highlighted a need to evaluate the land-use-regulation process in Utah and identify possible improvements to prevent future losses. To perform this evaluation, Utah Governor Jon M. Huntsman, Jr. approved establishing the Geologic Hazards Working Group (GHWG), chaired by the Utah Geological Survey, to develop recommendations to improve the subdivision-approval process in geologic-hazards areas, identify responsible parties and resources needed, and determine how state agencies, including the UGS, can help. Additional information. May 1, 2008 |