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Research about Wasatch Front

Source-linked reports with geographic coverage including Wasatch Front.

17 recordsLinked to original sources
USGS2026

The Great Salt Lake (Utah, USA) acoustic and sedimentary archive of Wasatch Front earthquakes

As the largest low-relief basin in the western United States, the Great Salt Lake offers an opportunity to explore acoustic and sedimentary archives of earthquake ruptures in a shallow terminal basin. Here, we use subbottom compressed high intensity radiated pulse (Chirp) profiles and sedimentary cores to address questions related to how Great Salt Lake sediments respond to surface rupture and earthquake shaking and whether the lake is sensitive to both Great Salt Lake fault (GSLF) and Wasatch fault zone (WFZ) earthquakes. Chirp profiles reveal laterally continuous seismic stratigraphy with vertically displaced strata, onlap surfaces, and growth stratigraphy produced by GSLF surface ruptures. We identify and date two ruptures on the Fremont Island section and three on the Antelope Island section; temporal overlap of these ruptures supports synchronous rupture of both sections. Combined with previous data, our results yield a record of four Holocene surface-rupturing (M W 6.9−7.3) earthquakes on the GSLF with a mean recurrence of ∼3.2 k.y. Sediment cores include ≤41-cm-thick, massive, homogeneous to normally graded disturbance beds that interrupt laminated bioclastic sediment. Disturbance bed correlations yield four lacustrine earthquake deposits since ca. 1.7 ka; the youngest possibly records the most recent GSLF surface rupture whereas older deposits were likely produced by WFZ earthquakes. Modeled historical earthquakes yield a Great Salt Lake sediment disturbance shaking threshold of MMI ∼VI, controlled in part by the lake-bottom expression of the GSLF scarp. Our integration of primary (fault-related) and secondary (shaking-related) earthquake evidence improves our understanding of sediment disturbance processes and the archival potential of low-relief lake basins.

Utah↗
USGS2022

Industrial particulate pollution and historical land use contribute metals of concern to dust deposited in neighborhoods along the Wasatch Front, UT, USA

The Salt Lake Valley, UT, USA, is proximal to the desiccating Great Salt Lake (GSL). Prior work has found that this lakebed/playa contributes metals-laden dust to snow in the Wasatch and Uinta Mountains. Dust and industrial particulate pollution are also delivered to communities along the Wasatch Front, but their sources, compositions, and fluxes are poorly characterized. In this study, we analyzed the dust deposited in 18 passive samplers positioned near the GSL, in cities in and near the Salt Lake Valley for total dust flux, the <63 µm dust fraction, 87 Sr/ 86 Sr, and trace element geochemistry. We compared spatial patterns in metal flux and abundance with community-level socioeconomic metrics. We observed the highest dust fluxes at sites near the GSL playa. Within the urban corridor, 87 Sr/ 86 Sr and trace element relative abundances suggest that most of the dust to which people are regularly exposed may be fugitive dust from local soil materials. The trace metal content of dust deposited along the Wasatch Front exceeded Environmental Protection Agency screening levels and exhibited enrichment relative to both the upper continental crust and the dust collected adjacent to GSL. Sources of metals to dust deposited along the Wasatch Front may include industrial activities like mining, oil refining, as well as past historical pesticide and herbicide applications. Arsenic and vanadium indicated a statistically significant positive correlation with income, whereas lead, thallium, and nickel exhibited higher concentrations in the least wealthy and least white neighborhoods.

Wasatch Front↗
USGS2021

Seismic wave propagation and basin amplification in the Wasatch Front, Utah

Ground‐motion analysis of more than 3000 records from 59 earthquakes, including records from the March 2020 M w "> M w 5.7 Magna earthquake sequence, was carried out to investigate site response and basin amplification in the Wasatch Front, Utah. We compare ground motions with the Bayless and Abrahamson (2019 ; hereafter, BA18) ground‐motion model (GMM) for Fourier amplitude spectra, which was developed on crustal earthquake records from California and other tectonically active regions. The Wasatch Front records show a significantly different near‐source rate of distance attenuation than the BA18 model, which we attribute to differences in (apparent) geometric attenuation. Near‐source residuals show a period dependence of this effect, with greater attenuation at shorter periods ( ⁠ T &lt; 0.5 &#x2009;&#x2009; s "> T < 0.5 s ) and a correlation between period and the distance over which the discrepancy manifests ( ⁠ &#x223C; 20 &#x2013; 50 &#x2009;&#x2009; km "> ∼ 20 – 50 km ⁠ ). We adjusted the recorded ground motions for these regional path effects and solved for station site terms using linear mixed‐effects regressions, with groupings for events and stations. We analyzed basin amplification by comparing the site terms with the basin geometry and basin depths from two seismic‐velocity models for the region. Sites over the deeper parts of the sedimentary basins are amplified by factors of 3–10, relative to sites with thin sedimentary cover, with greater amplification at longer periods ( ⁠ T &#x2273; 1 &#x2009;&#x2009; s "> T ≳ 1 s ). Average ground‐motion variability increases with period, and long‐period variability exhibits a slight increase at the basin edges. These results indicate regional seismic wave propagation effects requiring further study, and potentially a regionalized GMM, as well as highlight basin amplification complexities that may be incorporated into seismic hazard assessments.

Utah↗
USGS2011

Long-period earthquake simulations in the Wasatch Front, UT: misfit characterization and ground motion estimates

In this research we characterize the goodness-of-fit between observed and synthetic seismograms from three small magnitude (M3.6-4.5) earthquakes in the region using the Wasatch Front community velocity model (WCVM) in order to determine the ability of the WCVM to predict earthquake ground motions for scenario earthquake modeling efforts. We employ the goodness-of-fit algorithms and criteria of Olsen and Mayhew (2010). In focusing comparisons on the ground motion parameters that are of greatest importance in engineering seismology, we find that the synthetic seismograms calculated using the WCVM produce a fair fit to the observed ground motion records up to a frequency of 0.5 Hz for two of the modeled earthquakes and up to 0.1 Hz for one of the earthquakes. In addition to the reference seismic material model (WCVM), we carry out earthquake simulations using material models with perturbations to the regional seismic model and with perturbations to the deep sedimentary basins. Simple perturbations to the regional seismic velocity model and to the seismic velocities of the sedimentary basin result in small improvements in the observed misfit but do not indicate a significantly improved material model. Unresolved differences between the observed and synthetic seismograms are likely due to un-modeled heterogeneities and incorrect basin geometries in the WCVM. These differences suggest that ground motion prediction accuracy from deterministic modeling varies across the region and further efforts to improve the WCVM are needed.

Utah↗
USGS2000

Assessment of regional earthquake hazards and risk along the Wasatch Front, Utah

This report--the second of two volumes--represents an ongoing effort by the U.S. Geological Survey to transfer accurate Earth science information about earthquake hazards along Utah's Wasatch Front to researchers, public officials, design professionals, land-use planners, and emergency managers in an effort to mitigate the effects of these hazards. This volume contains eight chapters on ground-shaking hazards and aspects of loss estimation.

Utah↗
USGS1990

Assessment of regional earthquake hazards and risk along the Wasatch Front, Utah; Volume IV

Translation and transfer of complex scientific and engineering studies to nontechnical users are necessary for their use in reducing earthquake hazards in Utah. Three elements are needed for effective translation: likelihood of occurrence, location, and severity of potential hazards. Several examples of translated information for Utah are described and illustrated. Three elements are needed for effective transfer to nontechnical users: delivery, assistance, and encouragement. Numerous examples of transfer techniques in Utah are described and illustrated. The importance of evaluating and revising earthquake-hazard reduction programs and their components is emphasized. Over thirty evaluations of various natural-hazard reduction programs and techniques are introduced. This report was prepared for research managers, funding sources, and evaluators of the Utah earthquake-hazard reduction program who are concerned about effectiveness. It provides an overview of the Utah program for those researchers, engineers, planners, and decisionmakers --public and private -- who are committed to reducing human casualties, property damage, and interruptions of socioeconomic systems.

Utah↗
USGS1988

Ground-water resources of the central Wasatch Front area, Utah

This is one of a series of map reports compiled by the USGS and UGS describing the geology and related natural resources and hazards of the densely populated Wasatch Front of Utah. This report defines in a non-technical format the occurrence, availability, and quality of ground water in the central Wasatch Front area and guides readers to sources of more detailed information about the resource.

Utah↗
USGS1988

Ground-water resources of the southern Wasatch Front area, Utah

This is one of a series of map reports compiled by the USGS and UGS describing the geology and related natural resources and hazards of the densely populated Wasatch Front of Utah. This report defines in a non-technical format the occurrence, availability, and quality of ground water in the southern Wasatch Front area and guides readers to sources of more detailed information about the resource.

Utah↗
USGS1985

Ground water in Utah's densely populated Wasatch Front area - The challenge and the choices

Utah's Wasatch Front area comprises about 4,000 square miles in the north-central part of the State. I n 1980, the area had a population of more than 1.1 million, or about 77 percent of Utah's total population. It contains several large cities, including Salt Lake City, Ogden, and Provo, and is commonly called Utah's urban corridor. Most of the water supply for the Wasatch Front area comes from streams that originate in the Wasatch Range and nearby Uinta Mountains; however, ground water has played an important role in the economic growth of the area. The principal source of ground water is the unconsolidated fill (sedimentary deposits) in the valleys of the Wasatch Front area northern Juab, Utah, Goshen, and Salt Lake Valleys; the East Shore area (a valley area east of the Great Salt Lake), and the Bear River Bay area. Maximum saturated thickness of the fill in the principal ground-water reservoirs in these valleys exceeds 6,000 feet, and the estimated volume of water that can be withdrawn from just the upper 100 feet of the saturated fill is about 8 million acre-feet. In most places the water is fresh, containing less than 1,000 milligrams per liter of dissolved solids; in much of the Bear River Bay area and most of Goshen Valley (and locally in the other valleys), the water is slightly to moderately saline, with 1,000 to 10,000 milligrams per liter of dissolved solids. The principal ground-water reservoirs receive recharge at an annual rate that is estimated to exceed 1 million acre-feet chiefly as seepage from consolidated rocks in the adjacent mountains from canals, ditches, and irrigated land, directly from precipitation, and from streams. Discharge during 1980 (which was chiefly from springs, seepage to streams, evapotranspiration, and withdrawal by wells) was estimated to be about 1.1 million acre-feet. Withdrawal from wells, which began within a few years after the arrival of the Mormon pioneers in the Salt Lake Valley in 1847, and had increased to about 320,000 acre-feet during 1979. Additional withdrawals from wells may cause water levels to decline, possibly leading to such problems as conflicts among water-right owners, increased pumping costs, land subsidence, and deterioration of ground-water quality. Some of these problems cannot be avoided if the principal ground-water reservoirs are to be fully used; however, management practices such as artificial ground-water recharge in intensivelypumped areas may help to alleviate those problems.

Utah↗
USGS1984

Floods of May to June 1983 along the northern Wasatch Front, Salt Lake City to North Ogden, Utah

Determinations of peak discharge for floods of May to June 1983 were made for 11 streams along the northern Wasatch Front from Salt Lake City to North Ogden. At nine of the streams, the floods during the spring of 1983 equaled or exceeded the 100-year flood. The peak discharge at Stone Creek was 40 times the maximum previously known flood, and the peak discharges at the other sites ranged from slightly greater to about five times that previously known. In addition to the outstanding peak discharges, streamflow at the 11 sites commonly remains high for days, weeks, or even a month. The floods resulted from retention of an abnormally large snowpack until rain combined with above normal temperature caused rapid melting. The peak discharges and continued high flows damaged homes, highways, and drainage canals.

Utah↗
USGS1984

Floods of May to June, 1983, along the northern Wasatch Front, Salt Lake City to North Ogden, Utah

Determinations of peak discharge for floods of May to June 1983 were made for 11 streams along the northern Wasatch Front from Salt Lake City to North Ogden. At nine of the streams, the floods during the spring of 1983 equaled or exceeded the 100-year flood. The peak discharge at Stone Creek was 40 times the maximum previously known flood, and the peak discharges at the other sites ranged from slightly greater to about five times that previously known. In addition to the outstanding peak discharges, streamflow at the 11 sites commonly remains high for days, weeks, or even a month. The floods resulted from retention of an abnormally large snowpack until rain combined with above normal temperature caused rapid melting. The peak discharges and continued high flows damaged homes, highways, and drainage canals.

Utah↗
USGS1974

Seismicity and earthquake hazards of the Wasatch Front, Utah

The impressive topographic break at the base of the Wasatch Range immediately east of Salt Lake City, Utah, marks the location where Mormon colonizer Brigham Young said in 1847. "This is the place" Actually, "the place" is termed the Wasatch Front because the Wasatch Range to the east, which rises to heights of 3,600 m, fronts the valleys to the west. The densely settled Wasatch Front area has about 900,000 people, 80 percent of Utah's total population. This population is centered around Salt Lake City, a rapidly growing industrial and tourist center.

Utah↗