Earthquake Faults and Folds in the USA This feature layer, utilizing data from the U.S. Geological Survey"s (USGS) Earthquake Hazards Program (EHP), displays known faults and folds in the U.S. This layer, per USGS, "contains information on faults and associated folds in the United States that demonstrate geological evidence of coseismic surface deformation in large earthquakes during the past 1.6 million years (Myr)." Central Virginia Fault Area Data downloaded: April 2025Data source: FaultsData modification: noneFor more information: Earthquake HazardsFor feedback please contact: ArcGIScomNationalMaps@esri.comNote: the map is designed to be displayed at a "States scale", in order to showcase the contents more efficiently. U.S. Geological Survey Per USGS, "The USGS provides science about the natural hazards that threaten lives and livelihoods; the water, energy, minerals, and other natural resources we rely on; the health of our ecosystems and environment; and the impacts of climate and land-use change."

Data presented here include a shapefile that combines fault data for the United States and Canada (Chorlton, 2007; Reed and others, 2005; Styron and Pagani, 2020) and a shapefile of faults for Australia (Chorlton, 2007; Raymond and others, 2012; Styron and Pagani, 2020). These two shapefiles were used as an evidential layer to evaluate the mineral prospectivity for sediment-hosted Pb-Zn deposits (Lawley and others, 2022). References Chorlton, L.B., 2007, Generalized geology of the world: Bedrock domains and major faults in GIS format: a small-scale world geology map with an extended geological attribute database: Geological Survey of Canada Open File 5529, https://doi.org/10.4095/223767. Lawley, C.J.M., McCafferty, A.E., Graham, G.E., Huston, D.L., Kelley, K.D., Czarnota, K., Paradis, S., Peter, J.M., Hayward, N., Barlow, M., Emsbo, P., Coyan, J., San Juan, C.A., and Gadd, M.G., 2022, Data-driven prospectivity modelling of sediment-hosted Zn-Pb mineral systems and their critical raw materials: Ore Geology Reviews, v. 141, no. 104635, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oregeorev.2021.104635. Raymond, O.L., Liu, S., Gallagher, R., Zhang, W., and Highet, L.M., 2012, Surface Geology of Australia 1:1 million scale dataset 2012 edition: Geoscience Australia, http://pid.geoscience.gov.au/dataset/ga/74619. Reed, J.C., Jr., Wheeler, J.O., Tucholke, B.E., Stettner, W.R., and Soller, D.R., 2005, Decade of North American Geology Geologic Map of North America - Perspectives and explanation: Geological Society of America, v. 1, https://doi.org/10.1130/DNAG-CSMS-v1. Styron, R., and Pagani, M., 2020, The GEM global active faults database: Earthquake Spectra, v. 36, p. 160-180, https://doi.org/10.1177/8755293020944182.

Geospatial data about United States Fault Lines. Export to CAD, GIS, PDF, CSV and access via API.

ArcGIS Online web map that is used in the U.S. Quaternary Faults Web Application This web map is not intended to be viewed or used alone

This dataset provides a detailed (1:10,000) digital map of fault and fold traces in Alaska, USA based on features identified in the freely available ArcticDEM 3.0. The fault traces represented in this dataset either revise the location and accuracy of known active faults or folds archived in the USGS Quaternary Fault and Fold Database, or represent the surface traces of active structures not previously recognized.

These mapped faults are modified from Plate 2, Principal structural features, Gulf of Mexico Basin (compiled by T.E. Ewing and R.F. Lopez) in Volume J, The Geology of North America (1991); Plate 2, Geologic map of the U.S. Appalachians showing the Laurentian margin and the Taconic orogen (compiled by D.R. Rankin, A.A. Drake, and N.M. Ratcliffe) in Volume F-2, The Geology of North America (1989); and Plate 9, Tectonic map of the Ouachita orogen (compiled by W.A. Thomas) in Volume F-2, The Geology of North America (1989). This dataset contains basic data and interpretations developed and compiled by the U.S. Geological Survey's Framework Studies and Assessment of the Gulf Coast Project. Other major sources of data include publicly available information from state agencies as well as publications of the U.S. Geological Survey and other scientific organizations. In cases where company proprietary data were used to produce various derivatives such as contour surfaces, the source is cited but the data are not displayed.

A comprehensive map of Quaternary faults has been generated for offshore of California. The Quaternary fault map includes mapped geometries and attribute information for offshore fault systems located in California State and Federal waters. The polyline shapefile has been compiled from previously published mapping where relatively dense, high-resolution marine geophysical data exist. The data are also available in kml format and are accompanied by a pdf containing citations for the compiled source data. In the last decade, a number of new marine geophysical datasets collected by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the Ocean Exploration Trust, and other organizations has led to substantially improved high-resolution mapping of the seafloor in areas including California's mainland State waters and the southern California continental borderland. Data include comprehensive multibeam bathymetry, seismic-reflection, and marine magnetic data in numerous offshore areas. Most of these data have been processed, merged, and released by the USGS in maps, data releases, and journal publications in support of the California Seafloor Mapping Program and the U.S. West Coast and Alaska Marine Geohazards Project. Improved data coverage has allowed researchers to better map offshore faults in areas previously unmapped or covered only by low-resolution data. Additionally, subsurface imaging and seafloor sampling has led to better understanding of fault kinematics and recency of deformation, which are critical for accurately assessing California's seismic and coastal hazards.

This part of DS 781 presents data for faults for the geologic and geomorphic map of the Offshore of Pacifica map area, California. The vector data file is included in "Faults_OffshorePacifica.zip," which is accessible from https://pubs.usgs.gov/ds/781/OffshorePacifica/data_catalog_OffshorePacifica.html. These data accompany the pamphlet and map sheets of Edwards, B.D., Phillips, E.L., Dartnell, P., Greene, H.G., Bretz, C.K., Kvitek, R.G., Hartwell, S.R., Johnson, S.Y., Cochrane, G.R., Dieter, B.E., Sliter, R.W., Ross, S.L., Golden, N.E., Watt, J.T., Chin, J.L., Erdey, M.D., Krigsman, L.M., Manson, M.W., and Endris, C.A. (S.A. Cochran and B.D. Edwards, eds.), 2014, California State Waters Map Series—Offshore of Pacifica, California: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2014–1260, pamphlet 38 p., 10 sheets, scale 1:24,000, https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr20141260. Faults in the Offshore of Pacifica map area are identified on seismic-reflection data based on abrupt truncation or warping of reflections and (or) juxtaposition of reflection panels with different seismic parameters such as reflection presence, amplitude, frequency, geometry, continuity, and vertical sequence. Faults were primarily mapped by interpretation of seismic reflection profile data from USGS field activities S-15-10-NC and F-2-07-NC. The seismic reflection profiles were collected between 2007 and 2010.

This feature layer, utilizing data from the U.S. Geological Survey's (USGS) Earthquake Hazards Program (EHP), displays known faults and folds in the U.S. The EHP contains information about Quaternary faults and folds for the conterminous U.S. It contains locations and information on faults and associated folds that are believed to be sources of significant earthquakes (those of magnitude 6.0 or greater) during the past 1.6 million years.Fault: A fracture or zone of fractures in the Earth's crust, along which the blocks of crust have moved relative to one another; an earthquake is the result of such a movement. Fold: Curves or bends in rock layers.The database is intended to be an archive of historical (less than 150 years) and ancient earthquake sources. These data are intended for geographic display and analysis at large regional areas.Earthquake Faults and FoldsData currency: see Earthquake Hazards > FaultsData source: Earthquake Hazards > FaultsData modification: noneFor more information: Earthquake HazardsFor feedback please contact: ArcGIScomNationalMaps@esri.comNote: the map is designed to be displayed at a "States scale", in order to showcase the contents more efficiently.Thumbnail source image courtesy of: Doc SearlsOther Federal User Community content and data that may interest youDepartment of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey

This digital data set consists of faults for the High Plains aquifer in the central United States. The High Plains aquifer extends from south of 32 degrees to almost 44 degrees north latitude and from 96 degrees 30 minutes to 106 degrees west longitude. The outcrop area covers 174,000 square miles and is present in Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, and Wyoming.

This digital data set was created by digitizing the faults from a 1:1,000,000-scale base map created by the U.S. Geological Survey High Plains Regional Aquifer-System Analysis (RASA) project (Gutentag, E.D., Heimes, F.J., Krothe, N.C., Luckey, R.R., and Weeks, J.B., 1984, Geohydrology of the High Plains aquifer in parts of Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, and Wyoming: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1400-B, 63 p.) The data are not intended for use at scales larger than 1:1,000,000.

This data set is a series of polylines denoting fault lines mapped in USGS Publication MF-1790, "Geologic Map of the Late Cenozoic Deposits of the Sacramento Valley and Northern Sierran Foothills, California" (Helley and Harwood,1985). This data set was created by scanning the five- original sheets from USGS Publication MF-1790 (Helley and Harwood, 1985), the five sheets were georeferenced individually and the geologic information was digitized using AutoCAD 2006. The accuracy of the digitized lines was deemed to be within acceptable error tolerances, with the digitized lines accurately matching the original drafted lines in USGS Publication MF-1790 (Helley and Harwood, 1985). In general, the width of the contact lines on the paper copy, accounting for scale, ranged up to about 20 meters (66 feet). During the original digitization, minor topological mistakes (such as identical rock units on both sides of a lithologic contact or unclosed polygons) and omissions (such as unidentified lithologic units) were applied according to the best available knowledge. Comparisons were made between the original mylar and colorized field sheets (as available), in addition to the Geologic Map of the Battle Creek Fault Zone, Northern Sacramento Valley, California (USGS Map MF-1298, 1981), the Geologic Map of the Chico Monocline and Northeastern Part of the Sacramento Valley, California (USGS Miscellaneous Investigations Series Map I-1238, 1981), and the Geologic Map of the Red Bluff 30' X 60' Quadrangle, California (USGS Geologic Investigation Series Map I-2542, 1995). The correlation and description of geologic units were excerpted from USGS Publication MF-1790m (Helley and Harwood, 1985).

These data have been prepared with a degree of detail appropriate for viewing at a scale of 1:7,500,000. Because of the degree of generalization required (generalization based on compilation scale), the data are intended primarily for display and for regional and national analysis, rather than for more detailed analysis in specific areas. No responsibility is assumed by the U.S. Geological Survey in the use of these data.

This database contains information on faults and associated folds in the United States that are believed to be sources of M>6 earthquakes during the Quaternary (the past 1,600,000 years). Maps of these geologic structures are linked to detailed descriptions and references. Used to supplement faults mapped on the USGS 2007 Geologic Map of the State of Hawaii. Reference: U.S. Geological Survey, 2006, Quaternary fault and fold database for the United States, accessed 2015, from USGS web site: http//earthquakes.usgs.gov/regional/qfaults/.

This data set is a compilation of faults mapped by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) and published in USGS bulletin series 1028 (1956-1971). These bulletins are the last published attempt at mapping structure and stratigraphy of the Aleutians on an island-by-island basis. Only faults that manifest themselves on land were included in the USGS reports. Faults were transcribed from the...

A digital version of the Geologic Map of the United States, originally published at a scale of 1:2,500,000 (King and Beikman, 1974b). It excludes Alaska and Hawaii.

Source: http://tin.er.usgs.gov/geology/us/

This part of DS 781 presents fault data for the geologic and geomorphic map of the Monterey Canyon and Vicinity map area, California. The vector data file is included in "Faults_MontereyCanyon.zip," which is accessible from http://pubs.usgs.gov/ds/781/MontereyCanyon/data_catalog_MontereyCanyon.html. These data accompany the pamphlet and map sheets of Dartnell, P., Maier, K.L., Erdey, M.D., Dieter, B.E., Golden, N.E., Johnson, S.Y., Hartwell, S.R., Cochrane, G.R., Ritchie, A.C., Finlayson, D.P., Kvitek, R.G., Sliter, R.W., Greene, H.G., Davenport, C.W., Endris, C.A., and Krigsman, L.M. (P. Dartnell and S.A. Cochran, eds.), 2016, California State Waters Map Series—Monterey Canyon and Vicinity, California: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2016–1072, 48 p., 10 sheets, scale 1:24,000, https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr20161072. Faults in the Monterey Canyon and Vicinity map area are identified on seismic-reflection data based on abrupt truncation or warping of reflections and (or) juxtaposition of reflection panels with different seismic parameters such as reflection presence, amplitude, frequency, geometry, continuity, and vertical sequence. Faults were primarily mapped by interpretation of seismic reflection profile data from USGS field activities S–N1–09–MB and S–6–11–MB. The seismic reflection profiles were collected in 2009 and 2011.

This database contains information on faults and associated folds in the United States that are believed to be sources of M>6 earthquakes during the Quaternary (the past 1,600,000 years). Maps of these geologic structures are linked to detailed descriptions and references. Used to supplement faults mapped on the USGS 2007 Geologic Map of the State of Hawaii. Reference: U.S. Geological Survey, 2006, Quaternary fault and fold database for the United States, accessed 2015, from USGS web site: http//earthquakes.usgs.gov/regional/qfaults/. Link to the USGS's Quaternary Fault and Fold Database for the United States as part of the Earthquake Hazards Program

This data set contains the Alquist-Priolo Earthquake Fault Zones as shown on the Official Alquist-Priolo Earthquake Fault Zones Maps. The dataset is comprised of polygons that form regulatory zone boundaries (Alquist-Priolo Earthquake Fault Zones). These features delineate areas where surface fault rupture previously has occurred, or where local topographic, geological, and geotechnical conditions indicate a potential for permanent ground displacements such that mitigation by avoidance as stated in Public Resources Code Section 2621.5 would be required.

Steve Ludington Barry C. Moring Robert J. Miller Kathryn S. Flynn Melanie J. Hopkins Gordon A. Haxel 2005 Preliminary integrated databases for the United States - Western States: California, Nevada, Arizona, and Washington Version 1.0 vector digital data U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report OFR 2005-1305 Reston, Virginia, USA U.S. Geological Survey Original source of this data was the Arizona Geological Survey. http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2005/1305 These digital maps are a reformulation of previously published maps, primarily maps of states. The reformulation gives all the maps the same structure and format, allowing them to be combined into regional maps. The associated data tables have information about age and lithology of the map units, also in a standard format. Provide digital maps and databases that, because of their common structure and format, allow creation of regional maps that depict age and lithology of map units.

The data is provided in decimal degrees and in Lambert Conformal Conic projection. The data is provided in both coverage and shapefile format, and includes supplemental attribute tables. No attempt was made to reconcile differences in mapping across state boundaries. 2005 publication date Complete None planned -115.692550 -108.394050 37.506613 30.723759 none geology lithology geologic age maps none USA Arizona No warranty, expressed or implied, is made regarding the accuracy or utility of this data for general or scientific purposes, nor shall the act of distribution constitute any such warranty. The U.S. Geological Survey shall not be held liable for improper or incorrect use of this data. Original source of this data was the Arizona Geological Survey. This database is not meant to be used at scales appreciably larger or smaller than the original scale. Any printed material utilizing these databases shall clearly indicate their source. If modifications to the data are made, this should be clearly indicated and described in print. Users specifically agree not to misrepresent these data, nor to imply that any changes they have made were approved by the U.S. Geological Survey. This database has been approved for release and publication by the Director of the U.S. Geological Survey. Although the database has been subjected to review and is substantially complete, the U.S. Geological Survey reserves the right to revise the data pursuant to further analysis and review. The database is released on the condition that neither the U.S. Geological Survey or the United States Government may be held liable for any damages resulting from its authorized or unauthorized use.

Source: http://tin.er.usgs.gov/geology/state/state.php?state=AZ

This part of DS 781 presents data for faults for the geologic and geomorphic map of the Offshore San Francisco map area, California. The vector data file is included in "Faults_OffshoreSanFrancisco.zip," which is accessible from https://pubs.usgs.gov/ds/781/OffshoreSanFrancisco/data_catalog_OffshoreSanFrancisco.html. These data accompany the pamphlet and map sheets of Cochrane, G.R., Johnson, S.Y., Dartnell, P., Greene, H.G., Erdey, M.D., Golden, N.E., Hartwell, S.R., Endris, C.A., Manson, M.W., Sliter, R.W., Kvitek, R.G., Watt, J.T., Ross, S.L., and Bruns, T.R. (G.R. Cochrane and S.A. Cochran, eds.), 2015, California State Waters Map Series—Offshore of San Francisco, California (ver. 1.1, June 2015): U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2015–1068, pamphlet 39 p., 10 sheets, scale 1:24,000, https://dx.doi.org/10.3133/ofr20151068. Faults in the Offshore of San Francisco map area are identified on seismic-reflection data based on abrupt truncation or warping of reflections and (or) juxtaposition of reflection panels with different seismic parameters such as reflection presence, amplitude, frequency, geometry, continuity, and vertical sequence. Faults were primarily mapped by interpretation of seismic reflection profile data (see field activities S-15-10-NC and F-2-07-NC). The seismic reflection profiles were collected between 2007 and 2010.