Utah Geological Survey

SCIENTISTS DISCOVER EVIDENCE OF MAJOR QUAKES ALONG WEST VALLEY FAULT ZONE

ksl.com

Scientists have discovered evidence of four big earthquakes that rocked the Salt Lake Valley long before pioneers arrived — and they’re not on the well-known Wasatch Fault on the East Bench.

Geologists are getting their first good look at the West Valley Fault zone, just west of the Salt Lake International Airport. They’ve wanted to dig trenches in the area for years.

“We suspected that there had been numerous earthquakes in this region,” said Chris DuRoss of the Utah Geological Survey.

The West Valley Fault zone is actually comprised of a dozen different fractures. They lie roughly between Redwood Road and 5600 West from about 1700 North to 4800 South. But since at least the 1980s the area on the margins of the Great Salt Lake has been too soggy to dig.

Over the last decade the shrinking lake receded several miles from the fault zone, and the water table has dropped. Now that the Utah Geological Survey has been able to dig three trenches, the water table is visible 10 feet below the surface.

Recently geologists had their first look underground, and it confirms their suspicions. The horizontal layers of sediment show clear signs of being broken by fault movements. It’s clear evidence of four big earthquakes in the last 15,000 years.

READ MORE

RELATED ARTICLES
sltrib.com
deseretnews.com

Utah Geological Survey

DISCOVERY OF DINO SKULLS IN GRAND-STAIRCASE WILL HAVE 'HUGE IMPACT'

sltrib.com

The skulls of Utah’s prehistoric lizards keep rolling out of the country’s largest national monument with the two newest ones so unusual that when unveiled this week, their discovery will have a global impact.

That was the message during last week’s lecture from paleontologist Scott Sampson, author, research curator for the Utah Museum of Natural History and host of the children’s science program “Dinosaur Train” on PBS.

Although the names of the new species of horned dinosaurs will not be announced until Wednesday at the museum in Salt Lake City, Sampson said their significance lies in helping scientists determine that horned dinosaurs living at the same time in different areas of the continent evolved differently.

“It [the discovery] will have a huge impact,” Sampson said last week at a public lecture at the Kanab visitor center of the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument.

His findings will be published Wednesday in PLoS, an online scientific journal.

One complete skull made from pieces of several skulls will be unveiled, along with a replica of the other.

READ MORE

ADDITIONAL  INFORMATION

Utah Geological Survey

TIRED OF THE NARROWS? HIKE PARUNUWEAP CANYON

spectrum.com
by Tyler Knudsen (of the UGS)

The one complaint I have with hiking the infamous Zion Narrows
are the multitudes of people you’re forced to share your adventure with.
But Zion National Park is a big piece of country, and I’ve discovered that
with a little homework you can find less-crowded alternatives to Zion’s
most popular hikes.

It turns out that the Narrows of the North Fork of the Virgin River is not the only vertical-walled canyon confining a sizeable perennial river in the region. Guidebooks describe the narrows of the East Fork of the Virgin, known as Parunuweap Canyon, near the park’s southeast corner, as “reminiscent of Zion Narrows,” “remote” and “seldom visited.” This sounded sublime and I couldn’t wait to explore its depths, but guidebooks also describe the hike as either a one-way route necessitating a car shuttle or a long out-and-back, neither of which are appealing to me.

I love the simplicity of loop hikes. Car shuttles are a hassle, and why see the same thing twice unless you absolutely have to?

READ MORE

Utah Geological Survey

CANYONS, PARK CITY DISTRICTS GET FEDERAL FUNDS TO GO GREEN

deseretnews.com

Two Utah school districts have received federal stimulus money to make energy-efficient improvements to their buildings, and several more recipients will likely be announced in the weeks and months to come.

The grants and loans were awarded through the Utah State Energy Program — a section of the Utah Geological Survey — which allocated $5 million for green school improvements.

“I feel very fortunate that our grant was accepted and we were able to move forward so quickly,” said Christopher Eppler, energy specialist for Canyons.

The district wrapped up work last weekend on switching out lights and light fixtures in the classrooms and hallways of Alta High. Canyons, the first of the awarded districts to complete a project, has two other projects in the works with plans to replace the lights at Jordan High and make improvements to Eastmont Middle School next summer. In addition to being more efficient while running, the classroom lights have motion sensors and turn off automatically when people leave the room.

Districts statewide submitted applications to the Utah State Energy Program in March. Applications for the Formula Grants were reviewed by a committee consisting of members of the Utah Geological Survey, the State Office of Education and former staff of the State Energy Program, among others. Districts could choose to accept grant money or take grant money coupled with a zero-interest loan. Both Canyons and Park City opted to take the grant/loan combination.

“We had an outstanding response,” said William Chatwin, energy-efficiency coordinator for the State Energy Program. Seventeen of the state’s 41 districts submitted applications, proposing a total of 71 projects. The State Energy Program has awarded about 10 districts funding to implement more than 35 energy-efficient projects, though most of them aren’t finalized.

READ MORE

USEP web site

Utah Geological Survey

UTAH RANKED NO.3 NATIONALLY FOR MINERALS PRODUCTION

deseretnews.com

On the same day a group of lawmakers was pressed about the need to increase “mineral literacy” in Utah, a new report showed the state now ranks No. 3 in the nation for the value of non-fuel minerals produced in 2009.

Overall, Utah’s contribution was logged at 7 percent of the total value of the country’s production, according to a report issued Wednesday by the Utah Geological Survey.

It is the first time, Utah geologists believe, that the state has been able to edge out rival California, which has historically come in third behind Arizona and Nevada because of its production of industrial minerals for the construction industry.

“Because of the recession, California fell from three to four, and we moved up to three,” said Ken Krahulec, senior geologist with the Utah Geological Survey. “I would not be surprised if this was the first time ever. Historically, we are in the top 10, but I think four is as high as we have been before.”

READ MORE

Utah Geological Survey

UTAHNS WARMING TO SOLAR ENERGY SYSTEMS

sltrib.com

nvironmentalists long have dreamed of a time when the massive coal-fired plants that generate much of the nation’s electricity will fall idle, replaced by small, nonpolluting power production on individual homes and businesses.

For a slowing growing number of Utahns that dream no longer seems so far-fetched.

When Doug Shipley of Intermountain Wind & Solar opens the power bill for his 2,400 square-foot home in Farmington, most of the time it shows he hasn’t taken any energy off of the state’s power grid during the month.

Instead, the 24 solar panels on his property — installed at a cost of approximately $24,000 — produce all the electricity his family needs.

READ MORE

Utah Geological Survey

IRON COUNTY POSTPONES VOTE ON GEOLOGIC ORDINANCE

sltrib.com

The Iron County Commission was poised to vote Monday on a geologic hazard ordinance that has been in the making for about six months when Commissioner Lois Bulloch threw a wrench in the works.

Bulloch recommended that an independent group review the proposed ordinance and make recommendations.

“I’ve heard a lot of consternation over this issue and had input in letters and calls and am just not comfortable moving forward,” said Bulloch. “Sorry to drop this bomb.”

Bulloch suggested that a committee with representatives of the county’s six municipalities, a city attorney and engineers look at the ordinance line by line and make specific changes.

“This way we won’t be accused of not listening,” said Bulloch.

Bill Lund, a geologist with the Utah Geological Survey, told commissioners a review by new eyes is a good idea and recommended including an official of a city or county in Utah that has already dealt with a similar ordinance.

READ MORE

Utah Geological Survey

COAL MOSTLY POWERS ELECTRICITY-HUNGRY UTAH

deseretnews.com

When some people think of electricity, it conjures up the image of Founding Father Ben Franklin flying a kite in the rain.

In today’s world, harnessing electricity is as easy as plugging into a wall outlet in a home or apartment — and you don’t have the danger of being hurt by a lightning bolt.

But where does that power come from?

According to students in Kim Rees’ fifth-grade class at the Waterford School in Sandy, the sources vary.

“It comes from the Lake Powell generators,” student Sean Frommelt said. “(The water) turns the big generators.”

“(Turbines) go around really, really fast, which creates electricity,” 11-year old Zach Abrams explained.

Natilyn Gunnell noted that electricity comes from the sun using solar panels. Hunter Sullivan said the wind is also a source of energy generation.

Not bad for a class of 10- and 11-year-olds.

READ MORE

Utah Geological Survey

THE SLIDE DIVIDE

spectrum.com

A discussion that initially started out over a battle of water rights for a few individuals on Cedar Mountain as escalated to an issue t h a t could affect all of Iron County and its taxpayers.

While the county has put a six-month land use restriction  on residents of the $39 million Cedar Highland subdivision located on Cedar Mountain, developers are worried the restriction to build is affecting property values for homes in the area. Declining values in a multimillion dollar subdivision add up quickly and translate into the county having to make up the tax revenue elsewhere. That cost could fall on all property owners in Iron County.

Iron County is taking action on what could be a multi-million dollar landslide problem, but it might have come nearly 30 years too late, said Utah Geological Survey senior scientist Bill Lund. He said the county made a decision 30 years ago, in his opinion, based on “insufficient information.”

With more than 70 homes now above Cedar City in the Cedar Highlands area, Lund said he is holding his breath to see what will happen to the stability of the land in the area.  The homes have septic tanks, which have u n d e r g r o u n d water seepage, which lubricates the plates beneath the ground, Lund explained. On top of that, roads and paths that cut into the mountain also disrupt the stability of the area. Lund, who has more than 31 years of geological experience, said all of the infrastructure being built without a study becomes a cause for concern because changes on one lot can affect another.

READ MORE
Spectrum_7-25

Utah Geological Survey

UTAH UNVEILS ASSESSMENT AND REBATE PROGRAM

Desnews.com

The state of Utah unveiled on Monday a program that will provide energy audits and cash rebates for retrofits.

Known as Utah Home Performance with Energy Star, the federally funded program will last two years. It is one of the many energy-related projects paid for by stimulus funds, said Jason Berry, Utah State Energy Program manager who oversees Utah Home Performance. The program could continue past two years and be passed on to utility companies if it proves successful, he said.

Read more