Arizona Geologic Survey Releases Earth Fissure Maps

Search GeoPrac

Site Sponsors

Most Popular

Even More News and Blog Posts!

New on GeoPrac.net, the Other News and Blogs page has had a major facelift. To supplement our regular GeoNews and Articles, we aggregate news feeds and blog entries from all over the web into one easy to browse source. Check it out!

Become an Author

GeoPrac.net is a community site, we are only as good as the content our members contribute!

Whether it's a one time contribution, or a monthly or quarterly article, please consider becoming an author!

Subscribe by Email

Subscribe to GeoPrac.net Headlines by Email. Powered by FeedBurner.com, Don't forget to follow instructions to verify your subscription!

RSS Feeds

To subscribe to GeoPrac.net headlines, use one of the buttons below. Or view other available feeds or read more about RSS.

Subscribe

New Downloads

Svalbard Global Seed Vault (KML)
(Google Earth Files)
file icon

North Shore Connector Project KMZ file
(Google Earth Files)
file icon

Embankment Dams in Earth Fissure Risk Zones-a Regulator's Dilemma
(General)

Top 5 Downloads

Home

GeoNews

Browse by Category

Geologic Hazards

Arizona Geologic Survey Releases Earth Fissure Maps

Written by Randy Post

Thursday, 24 April 2008

Yesterday the Arizona Geologic Survey (AZGS) released the first two of their 1:12,000 series earth fissure maps to the general public. The mapping program, perhaps the first of its kind in the country, came about after an earth fissures opened up in 2005 near Queen Creek, AZ, southeast of metropolitan Phoenix received much media attention. As a result, the Arizona Legislature passed House Bill 2639 of the 2006 Legislative Session that tasked the AZGS with mapping earth fissures and providing the data to the State Land Department for eventual delivery to property owners in Arizona. More after the break. (At left, the Apache Junction study area map, AZGS)

In 2006 the AZGS released their 1:200,000 scale “Planning Maps” which were intended to give government agencies and property owners a broad overview of areas known to have earth fissures while the AZGS was still working on the more detailed mapping. These planning maps also outlined the 23 study areas that were to be mapped in more detail. These areas were prioritized based on the likelihood of development in the shortest timeframe. Needless to say, it is difficult to map an earth fissure once a developer has bladed over it…at least until it reactivates.

The “Study Area Maps” as they are called are mapped at 1:12,000 scale (1-in = 1,000 ft) and are made available in an online, interactive format at the Arizona State Land Department. I was not a big fan of their interface, so you may want to visit the AZGS’ Earth Fissure Center to download the PDF versions of the maps as well, or if you have GIS capabilities, you can download the GIS data directly.