Check out this bit of information we’ve got up on our website on the North Salt Lake landslide at Parkway Drive!
Tag Archive for: UGS
Silver Island Mountains, Box Elder County, Utah
Photographer: Gregg Beukelman; © 2013
Chemical weathering produces pits and holes in the surface of Jurassic-age quartz monzonite at Crater Island, in the northeast part of the Basin and Range Province. The “island” of rock rises from the barren, salt-covered plains of the Great Salt Lake Desert east of the distant Pilot Range.
The Springhill landslide site has been turned into the new Springhill Geologic Park by the City of North Salt Lake. 
In 2012, the city was awarded a matching-fund Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Pre-Disaster Mitigation Grant to buy and demolish homes and turn the landslide site into an open-space park.
The Utah Geological Survey provided landslide activity data for the grant application including the collection of location data from 32 monitoring points on a monthly basis from May 5, 2011 until August 1, 2011, and mapping of geomorphic landslide features indicating ground deformation.
The new park was created after 12 homes were demolished and grading had leveled the lots, roadways were removed, and a drainage system was constructed to collect surface and spring water for transport to existing storm drains.
The Utah Geological Survey will continue monitoring landslide activity, but less frequently (based on landslide conditions) than in the past.
Read more about the Springhill landside HERE.
Time for another round of “Spot the Rock”! You might think these photos seem faded or have altered colors, but that’s actually the mineral’s appearance at this site! Can you tell us what mineral is pictured?
For those that know the answer, take the super “Spot the Rock” challenge and tell us the one place in Utah this mineral is found, or what causes the texture in some of the pieces (shown in the close-up photo).
Like us on FACEBOOK or follow us on TWITTER to participate!
UPDATE: Answer revealed!
How many of you knew what mineral was shown in last week’s “Spot the Rock”, or where the spectacular purple mineral is located? It looks like we only had one correct guess—it is fluorite! However, fluorite in this area can also be found in various shades of white, blue, green, buff, yellow, and reddish-brown, dependent upon the presence of various trace elements.The fluorite pictured is located at Bell Hill mine, at the south end of Spor Mountain, Thomas Range, Juab County, Utah.
The textures seen in the close-up picture are fossil corals.
Ore from the Bell Hill mine only contains trace amount Beryllium (0.004% to 0.002%) and no visible bertrandite (bertrandite is a beryllium bearing mineral found at the Brush Wellman mine about a mile to the west).
If you haven’t heard yet, our latest Calendar of Utah Geology is out and on the shelves. Check out this press release for more information! The calendars are on sale for $4.95 each or $4.25 for orders of 10 or more at the Utah Natural Resources Map & Bookstore, 1594 West North Temple in Salt Lake City. Buy it online HERE.
The photos are taken by staff members who are often on assignment in some of the most intriguing areas of the state.
kcsg.com
The Utah Geological Survey (UGS) is now selling the 9th edition of its popular calendar.
Navajo Sandstone cliffs, Kolob Canyons, Zion National Park, Washington County, Utah
Photographer: Adam Hiscock; © 2013
September is National Preparedness month, so it’s a good opportunity to review your plans and supplies! Check out this great read from Deseret News about things you can do around your home for earthquake-resistant upgrades.
deseretnews.com
Did you know that in Utah there are little earthquakes all the time? Actually, according to earthquaketrack.com, Utah experienced 16 earthquakes last month and 495 last year.
You can also look at our publication, Homebuyer’s Guide to Earthquake Hazards in Utah, for more information on earthquakes and your home. See it HERE.
San Marin Hotel following the 2008 M 6.0 Wells, Nevada earthquake.
For those interested in seismic hazards, the Utah Geological Survey and Western States Seismic Policy Council will convene the Basin and Range Province Seismic Hazard Summit III on January 12 – 17, 2015, at the Utah Department of Natural Resources. The purpose of this conference is to bring together geologists, seismologists, geodesists, engineers, emergency managers, and policy makers to present and discuss the latest earthquake-hazards research, and to evaluate research implications for hazard reduction and public policy in the Basin and Range Province.
The conference will also include a short course on how to conduct a successful paleoseismic investigation, a field trip along the Salt Lake City segment of the Wasatch fault, a poster session, and a digital proceedings volume. The proceedings volume will contain abstracts and PowerPoint presentations from conference speakers and contributed papers and posters on Basin and Range seismic-hazard research or public policy.
It is our intent with this meeting to get as many consultants, other practitioners, and students involved. The conference can be used for continuing education credits for professional licensing.
More information is available on the UGS website http://geology.utah.gov/ghp/
Current Issue Contents:
• The Uinta Mountains: A Tale of Two Geographies
• In Memoriam: Lehi F. Hintze
• Students Fill the GIS Gap
• The 2014 Crawford Award
• GeoSights: Roosevelt Hot Springs Geothermal Area, Beaver County
• New Publications
• Teacher’s Corner
• Core Center News
• Glad You Asked: What are keeper potholes & how are they formed?
We can’t get enough of that jaw-dropping Utah geology—here’s another gorgeous photo to help kick off your Wednesday.
Zion National Park, Washington County, Utah
Photographer: Tyler Knudsen; © 2013
Fall foliage adorns the already colorful walls of Jurassic-age Navajo Sandstone in the Zion Narrows. The North Fork of the Virgin River has cut the 1000-foot-deep Narrows in a relatively short span of geologic time (about 1 to 2 million years).
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE UTAH GEOLOGICAL SURVEY
The Utah Geological Survey (UGS) is a division of the Utah Department of Natural Resources. Several specialized programs comprise the UGS: Data Management, Energy & Minerals, Geologic Hazards, Geologic Information & Outreach, Geologic Mapping, Groundwater & Wetlands, and Paleontology.
QUICK LINKS
CONTACT INFORMATION
1594 West North Temple, Suite 3110
Salt Lake City, Utah 84116
801-537-3300 (phone)
801-537-3400 (fax)
Mailing Address:
PO BOX 146100
Salt Lake City, Utah 84114
HOURS
Monday through Friday,
8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
