In This Issue

CALIFORNIA
GEOLOGY LOMA PRIETA DATA ARCHIVE PROJECT
THE HONEYDEW EARTHQUAKE
30
31
SOURCES OF NORTH COAST SEISMICITY 40
A PUBLICATION OF THE EXCERPTS FROM THE SACRAMENTO BEE, 1892 54
DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION
THE CAPE MENDOCINO EARTHQUAKES, 1992 56
DIVISION OF MINES AND GEOLOGY
TEACHER FEATURE 58
Slate 01 California PETE WILSON NEW MINING BOARD MEMBERS 60
Governor
BOOK REVIEWS 61
The Resources Agency DOUGLAS P. WHEELER CORRECTIONS FOR DECEMBER AND
Secretary for Resources JANUARY/FEBRUARY ISSUES 62
Department of Conservallon EDWARD G. HEIDIG
DMG OPEN·FILE REPORT RELEASE 63
Director PUBLICATIONS REQUEST 63
UNIVERSITY OF NEVADA SHORT COURSE SCHEDULE 63
DiviSIOn of Mines & Geology JAMES F. DAVIS
State Geologist CALIFORNIA GEOLOGY SUBSCRIPTION FORM 64
DIVISION OF MINES AND GEOLOGY MOVES 64
CALIFORNIA GEOLOGY

Assistant Technical Editor: Elise Mattison

Assistanl Edilor: Lena Tabilio
Graphics and Design: Peggy Walker LOMA PRIETA DATA ARCHIVE PROJECT

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CALIFORNIA GEOLOGY (ISSN 0026 4555) Is published The Loma Prieta earthquake was the fir t major earthquake in the
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Cover photo: Aerial view of Cape Mendocino, looking south.

MARCH/APRIL 19921V0lume 45/Number 2
CGEOA 45 (2) 29-64 (1992) Photo by Burl Amundson.

30 CALIFORNIA GEOLOGY MARCH/APRIL 1992

 T o E QU
Augus 7 99
ROBERT C. cPHERSO d LORI A 0 GLER. GeologlS S
H bo Slate UOIV 51
rcata. C lilomls

en on Elk Atdge aboul

I TRODUCTIO

Idfac.e I • III II • !lie"" <>"

CALIFORNIA G 0 OGY MARCH APR I 199' 31

 44
This report ummarizes surface phenomena
observed during the 2 weeks following the earth·
quake (Photo 1). pre ents an i oseismal map
con tructed from field data and individual survey
response • and proposes a simple fault model for
the earthquake.

GEOLOGIC SEITING

The Honeydew earthquake occurred about 15

mile (25 km) southeast of Cape Mendocino in the
vicinity of the Mendocino triple junction (Kel ey and
Carver. 1988; Clarke, 1992). the region where the OREGON
Gorda. Pacific. and North American plates meet 42 l - - - - - U l - - - - - L - - - ' : ' - O Y - - - - - T - t ·CA-L-IFOR-NI-A
(Figure 2). orth of the triple junction. coa tal tec- ily
tonics are dominated by the convergence of the
Gorda and orth American pia es along the
Cascadia subduction zone. To the south, tectonics
are controlled by the San Andreas fault system and
he right-lateral transform motion of the orth 41
American and Pacific plates (Kelsey and Carver.
1988). The Mendocino fault, extending due west of
Cape Mendocino. forms the boundary between
these two tectonic regimes.

orthwest of the Mendocino triple junction, the

40 I-------II- ~---...:..---=-,.-___,,__
southern end of the Cascadia subduction zone bends
eastward and comes onshore in the vicinity of the llgU'\ 17. 199J
Petrolia Shear Zone (Clarke. 1992). The boundary 12:29 pm Ms = 6.2
between the Gorda and Pacific plates, the
Mendocino fault. can be followed eastward along
1'\C1FIC PI, \Tf.
I
"I '"! ,
lun 'Hit
the base of the Gorda Escarpment offshore to about I i I i i
1240 45' longitude. but landward its location be- 39 L..- L.. '" L-. I zn 'on L..~nn KI'l,IfI'lcl",
..L..J-l---

comes less certain. Seismicity trends of shallow
earthquakes (McPherson. 1989; Oppenheimer and
Magee, 991) suggest that he Mendocino fault fol-
lows the Mattole River Canyon and eventually joins
the Cooskie hear Zone as proposed by Clarke
(1992). Therefore, two of the three plate bound-
aries that form the triple junction come onshor
near two previously recognized on-land shear zones.
the Cooskie and Petrolia hear zones.
The boundary between the Pacific and North American
plates is a broad zone of faults parallel to and east of the San
Andreas fault (Kelsey and Carver, 1988: Eaton. 1989). The
surface rupture of the San Andreas faul during the 1906
earthquake can be traced from south of San Jose northward to
P . Arena (Law on. 1908). From PI. Arena. the San Andreas
fault is thought to run offshore to just south of PI. Delgada
(Griscom, 1973: McCulloch. 19 9). North of Pt. Delgada. the
an Andreas fault is not well defined. but may run parallel and
close to the coastline. curving westward to join the Mendocino
fault (McCulloch. 1989). or across land outheast of PI.
Delgada, eventually joining the Mattole shear zone
(Mclaughlin and others. 1988).
The Mendocino triple junction, because it can ists of poorly
delineated plate boundaries, i not a single point but rather a
region bounded on the northeast by the Petrolia hear zone.
128 12T 126 124 123
125'
Figure 1. Location map of large earthquakes in the north coastal California
area during July and August 199 t . Times are Pacific Day1ight Time.
Epicenter locations and magnitudes from the National Earthquake Informa-
tion System (NElS), 1991.
on the outh by the Cooskie shear zone, and on the west by
the coastline (Figure 2). The epicenter of the Honeydew earth-
quake i within this region. and therefore must be considered a
triple junction event.
The rocks of the King Range Terrane. with peaks reaching
over 4.000 feet (1,200 m), are within a few miles of the coa t.
south of the Mendocino triple junction. Mclaughlin and olhers
(1982) have uggested that the King Range Terrane was
abducted (thrust) onto northern California along a southwest-
dipping reverse fault as recently a 2 million year ago. Sub e-
quent folding and uplift are recorded by marine terraces along
the coa t (laJoie and others, 1982: Mclaughlin and others.
19 3: Merrits and Bull, 1989) and fluvial terraces to the east
near Garberville (Bickner, F.. Humboldt State University.
Arcata. California. oral communication. 992). tudies u ing
fission tracks (Dumitru. 1991) and stream profile (Merrits
and Vincent. 19 9) corroborate the late Holocene history of
rapid uplift in the region.

32 CALIFORNIA GEOLOGY MARCH/APRIL 1992

O' 15' 11-1 In the 2 weeks following the earthquake. we
r---------.~--......,--.,..--~_~_..--r--...,..----.., 30'
\ .... ~ .
'
conducted field investigation of the effects of trong
motion in the remote epicentral area. We were
............... interested in studying thi earthquake because its
" . \:, ~_. epicenter was on land and shallow. Beginning 2
,, , , ~
day after the earthquake. we mapped surface fea-
, ,, tures and damaged tructures on 7-l/2-minute
, quadrangle . primarily along roads. Residents were
interviewed and many invited us to look at features
on their property. The region covered by the most
detailed field mapping i shown in Figure 3.

There are several ob tacles to the study of earth-

quake effects in remote areas. There i a tradition of
self reliance and many residents have strong feeling
about their privacy and tre passing. During the early
stages of the field study, one of u was rudely
IS' alerted by gun hots fired overhead. We found it
essential to respect the local population. to explain
what we were doing and why. and to let the word-
of-mouth network spread the information about our
tudy, A local radio station continually reported our
progres , thu involving the residents and keeping
their interest high. Mo t people were very coopera-
tive and consequently we have a network to rely on
after future earthquakes 2 •

During field tudies. it became clear that the

amount of damage and the peak intensity were
(r higher than initial estimates. The Humboldt County
Office of Emergency Services (DES) has two volun-
0
Ii
0
i I
5
ii
5
I
10
I~
(
teers (in Petrolia and Shelter Cove) to cover about
965 square miles (2,500 km2) of very rugged terrain
and poor road . The DES estimated county road
-10· and bridge damage at 45,000 to 75,000, and
Figure 2. Simplified geologic sketch map of the epicentral region of the private property damage at $50.000 (Mike
Honeydew earthquake (after McLaughlin and others. in press; Clarke. McGuire. Humboldt County DES. 1992. oral com-
1992). Towns: P = Petrolia; H = Honeydew; SC = Shelter Cove. Geologic
features: KRT = King Range Terrane; PSZ = Petrolia shear zone; munication). We estimate the private sector damage
CKSZ =Cooskie shear zone; RF = Russ Fault; MF = Mendocino fault; to be several time higher than the DES estimate
CSZ = Cascadia subduction zone boundary. Geographic features: because many re ident did not report damage to
CM = Cape Mendocino; PG = Punta Gorda; PD = Point Delgada; uninsured structure .
CP = Cooskie Peak; KP = King Peak. Stars mark the epicenters of the
January 16, 1990, August 17, 1991. and March 7, 1992 earthquakes. The The ational Earthquake Information Service
region of oriented surface cracks and the projected surface posItion of the
(NElS) a signed a peak inten ity of VII to the Honey-
fault plane are also shown. The brown rectangle is enlarged in Figure 3.
dew area, ba d on postmaster survey re pon e ( EI .
1991). However, effect ob erved during field work and
interview with residents convinced us that this intensity esti-
THE AUGUST 17th
mate was too low. To clarify the peak inten itie and regional
HONEYDEW EARTHQUAKE
inten ity distribution, we found it necessary to change the Modi-
The Honeydew earthquake wa felt as far away as San fied Mercalli scale to account for the lack of ma onry tructure
Francisco, 185 miles (300 km) to the outh. It produced and large tructures of any kind in the epicentral area. We put
strong ground-shaking (intensity IV or greater) over an area of together an intensity questionnaire more suitable to a rural area
nearly 3. 60 square miles (10,000 km 2). Residents of the epi- and surveyed more than 300 north coa t residents.
central area reported 6 to 10 seconds of violent ground mo-
tion that was trong enough to cau e ome people to fall to Damage
the ground. Debris was shaken from both live and dead trees.
Structural damage was concentrated in a 3-mile (5-km)
Rockfalls were common and landslides were reactivated over a
radiu zone centered near the town of Honeydew. Houses inad-
large region. As the shaking ub ided. dense dust cloud rose.
equately attached 0 foundations, and mobile homes on pos
giving some observers the impression of a major forest fire.
prompting several calls to the California Division of ore try 2 Th,s nelwork enabled lIS 10 construCI a pr Ilmlnary ISOselsmal map Within 2 weeks of the
(Photo 1). area's damaging March 7. 1992 avanl

CALIFORNIA GEOLOGY MARCH/APRIL 1992 33

 Honeydew and Petrolia areas have been affected by at least 14
intensity VI or greater events and five intensity VII events in the
( past 40 years. Chimneys have been reported damaged in the
, Petrolia area 16 times since the late 1800s (see Dengler and
others, this issue). As a precaution, many residents have re-
L
/ placed their masonry chimneys with metal stovepipe, which
withstands ground shaking much more effectively.

Roadbed slumping resulted in tensional cracks that cut

Mattole Road in several places on a 3-mile (5-km) stretch just
west of Honeydew. Similar failures occurred southeast of
Honeydew along 2 miles (3 km) of Wilder Ridge Road. The et-
tling caused 3-inch- (7- to 8-cm-) high escarpments to form
across the approaches to Bear Trap and Honeydew Creek
bridges. A landslide on the north side of Honeydew Creek
Bridge covered Wilder Ridge Road with over 600 cubic yards
.~
(460 m~) of debris, blocking traffic the day of the earthquake.
IllIlI/I'; ") South of the landslide, numerous tensional cracks and slumping
RUll
features were obvious for 3.7 miles (6 km) along Wilder Ridge
Road.

Oriented Surface Cracks

A linear zone of surface cracks was observed along Wilder

. .-..;
----
"'" " ..~.
o 1 Mile
Ridge Road about 4 miles (6 km) south of Honeydew. Individual
cracks were typically 30 to 65 feet (10 to 20 m) long. They
/,-". "1 I .' occurred along the ridge and on the ridge flanks (Figure 3).
: ( o 2 Km
t / \.
\
Wilder Ridge
Road
)
Figure 3. Simplified field map of the epicentral region. Mapped sur-
face effects: LS = reactivated landslides; DB =displaced boulders;
SB = sandblows; OC = oriented cracks. Viewpoints of photos 2-7
in this article are also marked.

and cinder block foundations had the most damage. We inter-

viewed, or received survey responses from, 53 residents in the
Honeydew, Wilder Ridge Panther Gap, and Petrolia areas. Of
these, 33 reported structural damage, some as far away as
Ettersburg, about 10 miles (16 km) to the southeast. At least a
dozen structures in the Panther Gap, Wilder Ridge nd Hon-
eydew areas were jarred from their foundations, resulting in
considerable structural damage. One mobile home, resting on
cinder blocks, had been strapped to the ground with taut
cables but was damaged when the cinder blocks disintegrated.
Well constructed homes with shear bracing and proper bolting
suffered little or no structural damage. In the region of stron-
gest shaking, nearly all unattached objects were thrown from
shelves and table tops.

Photo 2. Oriented tensional crack along Wilder Ridge Road, 4

Al least 15 chimneys were down or damaged in the
miles (6.4 km) south of Honeydew. Crack orientation is approxI-
Petrolia-Honeydew area. lncidence of chimney damage was mately N 30 W, with the downslope side having moved up
Q

lower, however, than one might have expected from observa- forming an east-facing scarp. Photos by Robert C. McPherson
tions of damage by previous earthquakes. Residents of the unless otherwise noled.

34 CALIFORNIA GEOLOGY MARCH/APRil 1992

Cracks in this zone generally exhibited a northwest trend with
both left- and right-stepping patterns. The cracks along the
ridge showed 1/2 to 2 inches (1 to 5 em) of extension and
had in some cases, a smaJlleft-lateral component of less than
1/2 inch (1 em) (Photo 2). Several of the cracks continued
growing after the earthquake.
The cracks were mapped in a narrow zone for 3.7 miles
(6 km) along a northwest trend, as far north as the Mattole
River (Figure 3). To the northwest they crossed Honeydew
Creek (Photo 3), where they were associated with displaced
boulders. North of Honeydew Creek, the cracks crossed Smith
Etter Road on Bear Trap Ridge, disrupted Bear Trap Creek
then cut across Burrell and Mattole roads. The northernmost
cracks cut a young fluvial terrace in the Upper North Fork of
the Mattole River. Cracks were obscured in places by large
landslides, but could always be found by sighting northwest
across each Iide.
than smaller ones were dislodged. Several boulders were
nipped, with some displaced 10 inches (25 em). Similarly, logs
near the cracks in the streambed were displaced and rotated
to the west. Disrupted boulders were also found near tensional
cracks in Bear Trap Creek. the next drainage to the northwest.
The narrowness of the zone of disrupted stream-channel boul-
ders suggested that strong ground-motions had been focused in
this region.
Water Flow Changes
After the earthquake, which occurred during the driest time
of the 6 h year of drought, most of the residents in the epicen-
tral area noted an increase in flow in the Mattole River and
in many streams. The Mattole River flow increased steadily
from 28 cubic feet (0.8 m 3 ) per second prior to the earthquake
to 82 cubic feet (2.3 m 3) per second in the 6 days follOWing
the earthquake (Figure 4). The only precipitation during this
period was a small storm on August 26. The earthquake-in-
duced flow. after reaching a peak, waned to pre-earthquake
levels in about 60 days.

Many residents also reported changes in their well levels and

spring . Most repor ed increased flows after the earthquake.
The community of Briceland, whose water system was nearly
dry prior to the earthquake enjoyed a copious supply for sev-
eral weeks after the temblor (Peter Ryce, Briceland water sys-
tem. oral communication, 1992). A few residents noticed de-
creased flows, and one reported that the location of one spring
changed entirely. Another landowner's reliable cold spring,
over 500 feet (150 m) above the Mattole River became "river
water warm one half hour prior to the quake."

Liquefaction

Liquefaction of loosely consolidated water-laden sediments

can result in surface ejection of water and sand along tensional
cracks. This type of surface response to vibration occurred in

120
~
small
"0
c
0
(.)
100
Y"O~
(])
(f) 80
Qj
a.
0)
(])
u..
60 : \
'--
(.)
:0 •

-
Photo 3. Northwest oriented tensional crack crossing the bed of ::I
40 ~
Honeydew Creek. This crack was associated with displaced
boulders (see Photos 4 and 5).
<-)
..... ~
AuguSI 17th earthquake
20
o 20 40 60 80 100
Displaced Boulders Days: 1 = August 1. 1991
Figure 4. Matlole River hydrograph for August - October 1991.
Disrupted streambed cobbles along the cracks across Hon- GaugIng station is near the mouth of the Mattole River to the
eydew Creek were the clearest indicators of strong molion. southwest of Petrolia. Pre-earthquake flow averaged about 30
Cobble and boulde up to 3 feet (1 m) in diameter, 50 to 115 cubic feet (0.8 m3 ) per second. During the 6 days following the
feet (15 Lo 35 m) from the cracks. were thrown from their August 17 earthquake, flow increased to 82 cubic feet (2.3 m3 ) per
second and stabilized for 4 days. A small storm on the 26th of
positions. The e cobbles. which before the event had been im- August produced a small storm peak. The flow gradually returned
bedded a few inches (several centimeters), showed primarily 10 pre-earthquake levels in about 60 days (U.S. Geological
westward displacements (Photos 4 and 5). More I rge boulder Survey. unpublished data, 1991).

CALIFORNIA GEOLOGY MARCH/APRIL 1992 35


Photo 4. Displaced stream cobble in Honeydew Creek, This
cobble has been displaced 10 the west.
the Mattole River and Honeydew Creek channels where. mo-
ments after the shaking subsided, the water became turbid.
This initial muddying was caused by liquefaction of the riverbed
sediments. not from land sliding into the stream from the sur-
rounding hills (although landslides provided a subsequent mud-
dying of the flow). Sand and turbid water were ejected from
tensional cracks along the dry sections of the river channel.
Some vents were marked by a group of cobbles surrounded
by fine sand. with a periphery of finer. brown-stained material
(Photo 6).
Intensity Survey
An isoseismal map (Figure 5) of the Honeydew earthquake
was constructed from more than 300 written sUlVeys. tele-
phone intelViews, and field reconnaissance. The map shows a
somewhat elongated area of intensity VIll shaking. trending
north-northwest. The western boundary of the zone is uncer-
tain because it coincides with the edge of the King Range
National ConselVation Area. an unpopulated. roodless region
for which we have no detailed information on ground shaking.
The boundary between intensities V and VI is uncertain be-
cause of a similar lack of data.
The VlIlzone encompasses the region of mapped surface
cracking. Within this zone. more than 50 percent of the survey
respondents reported some structural damage, Our decision to
assign an VI11 value was also supported by the statements of
several residents who described this event as stronger than any
other they had experienced in their 40 or more years in the
area. The size of the intensity Vlll zone is comparable to the
one mapped for the magnitude 5.9 Whittier Narrows earth-
quake of October 2. 1987. The Whittier Narrows earthquake
also had a similar depth and focal mechanism and its intensity
VIII zone is likewise located up-dip Irom the hypocenter
(Hauksson and others. 1988).
36 CALIFORNIA GEOLOGY
Figure 5 also shows regions of mapped broken tr""'_~. rock-
fall. landslides. and reported changes in water flow described
above. The arrows on the map show the direction of ground
motion inferred from the motion of objects during the earth-
quake. The single-pointed arrows denote directions detennined
from hea\oY ob;ect displacement (Photo 7). For example. if a
wood stove was found west of its usual place. the arrow points
east because the ground and foundation under the stationary
stove moved east. The double-pointed arrows show the direc-
tion that hanging or shelved objects moved. The intensity Vlll
zone shows a consistent pattern of ground-east motion. Else-
where the pallern is less clear. Both north-south and east-west
motions were reported in the Petrolia and Point Delgada areas.
Motion near Garberville was predominantly north-south,
RelATION OF FAULTING
AND SURFACE PHENOMENA
The most striking feature of the Honeydew earthquake was
the concentration of structural damage. landslides. gravity
slumping. rockfalls. and sandblows in a narrow zone 6 miles
(10 km) east of the epicenter (Photo 6), Within this zone. ten-
sional cracks lonned along a narrow northlA'€st trend. and were
followed lor approximately 4 miles (6 km). The first motions
recorded by seismographs suggest that slip occurred at deplh
along a northwest-trending reverse fault. having either a north-
east or southwest dip of 45 degrees (Oppenheimer and Magee.
1991). Since the area has soulhwest-dipping reverse faults
(Mclaughlin and others. 1988). the southwest dip is the more
plausible.
The pattern of strong ground-motion effects can be ex-
plained in two ways. Both explanations involve reverse slip on
a fault that does not reach the surface. The concentration of
effects near Honeydew may be due to the focusing 01 strong
Photo 5. Displaced stream cobble in Honeydew Creek. The base
of this cobble had been imbedded in the streambed before being
displaced to the west.
MARCHIAPRlll992
 LEGEND
1'F ops
IF Floc.· 'a s
LS Lands
W

dHeCllon at mohon ~nl rred

II l,om Iulnglnll OOJ (;1 and
Ilems oil lIh I• •
.... 11

~ EAOFNWTR
Ep,conler
5 Intensity
NDING
52(3) li,sl numbor "V(!Iilge Inl nSlly TENsrONA CRACKS
(numberl numb r of observallon
.....POCFNT'ER

,
\

I
, ci'mic I
Int<:n,ity I
E.limatc'
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
o

Figure 5. Isoseismal
map 01 the August 17
earthquake.

Photo 6. Sandblow
In bed of Mattole
River, near junctIon
wl1h Bundle PraJrie
Creek. length of
I IS blo is 3 leel
1m).

CALIFOR IA GEOLOGY ARCH APRIL 1992 37

 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Photo 7 Displaced concrete ~d In vlclnaty of Honeyd w Lid has mov

tan .

1 11.) Thl e planation. h \ ver, does theast of

not e i1y explain the narrown of the
zon of disruption, nor does It pr vid a
mech nt m for the cracks which cro
two ridg and two tr m channel in
the vicinity of Bear Trap r k.

A more pi u ibl scenario 1 that as

th hp propag ted up-dip, it c used the
block find cont ining Coo ki P
to udd nly move up nd to the ea t.
motion con !stent with Ihe region u lift
history. Th no e of the h nging wall
fail in a tension I mann r producing the
northwest-tr nding tensional era (Fig-
ur ). In this mod I, the proj Ii n of Wheth r Ih b
the f It would int cl the surfac I du I focusing, n

GL ARY
Fission tracks: The palhs 0 radiation damage made by nuclear particles In a mineral
or glass by the sponlaneous fission of uranaum 238 Impurities FiSSion tracks h ve
been used to determine ages from 20 years 10 1 4 X 109 years.

Sandblow: A sand deposilleft by Ihe ejection of sand and waler during vibration·
IndUCed compaction of salurated sedlm nts.

MagnitUde: The measure ot the strength of an earthqu ke, or the strain en rgy
released by il. usually express d by the RIChter magmtude seal Each whole number
step of magnilude on Ihe scale represents a I n-Iold Increase In lh size of lh waves
on a seismogram and about a 31 fold Increase In nergy rei ase Magnatudes
det rmlned within about 400 miles (600 km) of an eptcenter are local magnitudes.
Surface-wave and body·wave magmtud s are measur d from seismograms recorded
farther away Energy m natudes are d t rmlned from f ull dimenSions, dl placem nt
and rlgldlly These four magnitudes are usually Similar for Ih same ev nt

38 CALIFORNIA GEOLOGY MARCH/APRIL 1992


Raben McPhe:non was the chief
_,ooIogost ro. !he H _ Bay
Setsmic ~ a 16·~ array
operated by TERA Cofporaoon as
part 01 a set5ITUC safety study for the
t-Unboktt Nuclear POWI!I" Plant He
cunently 'ectures at Hlmtddt State
lJnMrsIty. Arcata and \IoOfks <b an
Indepedmt c::omUtan1
Lori Dengler is a gedogy prof~
50f at Humbokb State Uniwrsrty,
Arcata For 7 years she ~ been
rewaretllf'lg histone seisnuclty of
Califot'TUa's north coast ar~ She
has lM)fked W1lh ernergcnc:y planning
personnel and educators in commu
rnry and State earthquake awareness
and preparedness programs and now
dire:b a regional cenler for CAl.HP
«Mfornia E.vthquake Educaoon
Project) Appkabon o f _
~ 10 the study of near
mace processes rs an 0f190l"9
~interesL
REFERENCES
CiiIfk.e 5 and Garver, G,. 1992. Latll Halo
oene IeCtOnICS and paleoseismcty, soulh·
em cascadia sutxtucuon zone Soence.
y 2S5.p 188·192.
Clarlole. S H" Jr.• 1992. GeolOgy ot the Ee.
Rrvilf basin and adl3Cenl region
Implicalions lor Iale C8fleZOIC lectonics
01 !he Cascadia Subdl)(:tlOf'l zone and
Mendocino Iriple JUnction Amertean Asso·
Claoon of Petroleum GeologIsts Bulletin.
y 76. No 2, p, 199224
Outrutru, T A 1991 Map- Quaternary uplift
akIng the northernmost San Andreas lault,
KJnrg Range. north""estem CaIItomIa
Geo6ogy, y 19. P 526-29
Eliron. J, 1989, Dense ~ke
netWOtk study 01 nor1hem CaIiforna. WI
~. J.J , ediIor. Obsetvatoty s.s.
moIogy An~ S~on
Ihe 0C:caSI0n 0I1h8 c.......
01 the
lIrwerSJly 01 caifom,a at ~ SelS
mographlc Slaaons lJnIverWy 01 CaWot
rwa Pr--. 8erMiey and Loa AngeIia
P 1&224
GM. L5 . \Jt'IftIarTIT1e. R.A.. and
FIomanowIC:z. B . 1991. Source pili'iIm-
ews and I\.Iptld c::haradensbCS 01 the
Gotdi. biI5In earthquakes a"d Ihw 1eC'
tonIC tmpfIcabollS labstract) EOS. Trans
IIdIon$ 01 !he Amencan Geophysad
Unon. y 72. p. 312
CALIFORNIA GEOlOGY
Gnsc:om, A., 1973. Tec&onICI at the JUf'IdICln
at San Andreas fault and the t.-ldocilO
hacture zone tmm grIlYlty and rnagne1JC
data. In KovadI. R L and NtK. A.. ed·
IOrS. PUX:eeCiilgS 01 the CCII'lteJ-ence on
~ picA:*ms allhe San ArOeas
btl* system ~ ~ PublIca·
bOf'IS In the ~ ... sc.1C*. v 13.
p,383-390
Han. E. W 9yrant. WA Wik C J ;n:I
Treman. JA. 1990. Theuan:h b lauI
rupwre and sogl"'lCe 01 ndgetop b-
StnS. santa Cruz Mour&aIns. c.JdofTu.
WI McNun. S R and Sydnor. R H , edi
lOtS, The Lorna Pneta (Satu Cruz Moun·
tans). Cailonu ur1hquake 01 17 oao-
bef. 1989 caJifomll o.v.s.on 01 Mines
and Geology Speoal Put*:atJon 104.
• 0:>94
Hauksson. E Jooes. L M o.v.s. T L
Hutton. LK , Bfady, A B Reasenberg
PR.. MIchael. AJ, y~. R F..
WIliaTts. P, A6ag0f, G. Slower, C w,
aer.. A.L. Shaka A.K Elheledge. E
PorceIa. R L. Bute. C G. Johnsaon.
M.JS and ~ E., 1988. The
1987 WhIU.- Na-rows e..thquake.,
1helos~~.... Caii·
Jcwna Soence, y 239. p 1409--1412
Kelsey, H..... and carv.. GA, 1988 Lae
Neogefle and Ouasematy -.:1oliCS ll$lIOo
CliJUld vrmh 1he NorChwatd QfOWIh oI1he
san AIOeas laul. nor1hem CaitorrA
JoumaI of ~ Resean:h. y 93.
P 4797-4819
KJng, G C P. and VrtaFI'lZI. C 1981. Acbve
Iolding ., !he Algenan ~ 0110
Odober 1980 Nalure. y 292. P 22·26
LaJcwe, K.R , samaWopcki, A M and Ota.
Y, 1982, Emergent Holocene manne tar
races al Venlura and Cape MendoCIno.
CaJilorOl3 - IndlCalors 01 high tectonIC
uphft rate (abstract] GeologICal SocIety 01
Ameoca, Cordilleran Section. Abstracts
With Programs. OJ 14, P 178
Lawson, A.C.. 1908, The CaJ,lornla Earth·
quake ot AprIl 18, 1906 Carnegie InSI]
Me. WashIngton 0 C McCulloch, 0 S •
1989. EvotutJon ot the oNshore central
Californa MargIn, WI W'nterar. E L,
Hussong, 0 M. and Dec:kef. R W ,
eciIofs. The Geo6ogy 01 North Amenca.
VoUne N. The edem Puc ocean
anc:l Hawaw Gedo<r a' Sooery of
Amenca. p .t39-469
~. R J lGng 5 Poore. R
Udlongal. K.. WId EMtner E
1982. Post-nw:da MIocene m:::re&Ion
01 Franoscan roc:to.s, nor1hillll5tem c.,
Icln'lIL GeoIcI9CaI Sooety of AfMnaI
BuIetII'l Y 93. P 595-605
Mc:I..augI*l. R l&Jole. K . Sotg D
Mom5on. S. and Wale J 1983. Tee·
tone: upift 01 • nwdcIe WIICOf'ISln mame
pladorm near the Merdoono 1np6e~.
bOn, CaiIomIa Geotogy. Y 11, P J5.39
Md.augtiin. RJ , Skter. W V Clartl.e Jr
5.H McCtAoch. 0 S F~. N 0
MARCH APFlIL 1992
and tngebretson. DC 1988, I~
of OI"IIhote and otfst'oe swetufe tor klca
kln and C8nezolr; evoIutJon 01 the
Melldoci 10 u--. ,n:;tJOn (absnc1) (;eo.
klgIcaI Sooety 01 Amenca Absnas WI1tl
Plogtan•. Y 20. P A382.
t.Id.aJghIIn. RJ. Sliter, W V F~
N0 Hatbet. W P and Mc:C&ax:h. 0 5
In preD. P&aIe mobOn recorded by
~Wfanesol1he
Franascan CornpIeJ: ., the YIIClnlfY 0I1he
Melldoa1lO ~ P"ICbDn: U.S GeokIgiiC8I
S&ney 8I.rIeWI. ., pn!SS,
Mr::laJgt*I. R, Sorg. D. Morton, JL
Theodore. T Meyer, C, Deetaux. M ,
1985. paragenes.s and tee:sonc SlgnIh
cance of base and precIOUS mecaI OCC\K
rences along the san Andreas faut as
POInI Oelgada, Caitomia EconornlC
GeokIgy, Y BO. P 344-59
McPt1erson. A.C., 1989. 5elSmQty and
Focal MechanIsms near Cape
MerldociIO, Nor1t1em caiforrwa 1974
1964 unpubist1ed Maslet's the$Js
Humboldt State lIrwersIfy. Atcata
c.otomoa 75.
McPherson. R C . Dengler. LA. and
Opper.:.n..D 1991. E.. deilCeol
~ 1KIOI'1ICS" the King
Range, caik:lrnIa_ The 19911b1leJdew
ear1I'1quake l8b6tracII. EOS, TrallUCllOllS
01 the Amencan GeophyscaI Unon.
w 72. P 315
MemIs. O. and BuI. W B_ 1989 Ird8rprellng
Qualemary upttl1 rates at the Melldocll'lO
mpte jUl"ICbOn northern CaWomla. from
upldted mame terraces. Geology. .., 17.
P 1020-24
MerrilS. O. and Vincent, KR 1969, Geo-
mortlhc response 01 coastal streams to
lOw, Intermediate. and high rates of Uplltt.
MendocIno tnple junc11011 regIOn, northern
CaJlforr1la GeologICal SoCIety 01 Arnenca
Bulletin, Y 101. p. 1373-1388,
Nabelell., J., 1991, Paramelers ot Gorda
plate eanhquakes 01 July and August.
1991 labstract] E05, TransaClJons oI1he
American GeopIlyscal Urnon. Y 72,
P 312
NallONll Earthquake IrrIormabon 5etY1cI
(NEtS). 1991. Preimnary determtn8llOl'1
at epcenletS U,S GcM!mment Pnnbng
Oftice, Wastw1g1on. D C
Oppell• •lTlel. DH. ar.:I Magee M E_. The
1991 M6 0 I kile~dew. caworn.a ear1h'
quake r8bArw::t1 EOS, Tralllsac1lOllS 01
1he Amancan Geophyscaf Unon. v 72.
P 311
PonlI.D.J WfIIIts,RE. 1991.0lt·Fd
gnx.n:I rupuns In the santa Cruz Moun-
.... caitomla RIdge- Top spreDng YS
1eCb1IC . .tensIon ~ the LCWNI ~
NIthqu:aQ BuIe1w1 0I1he 5eI:sI.dogicaf
SoCIety 01 Nneoca. Y 81. P 140-1510
Smdh. 5 W McPheo'son. RC. and $evely,
N I 1981, 8ntakup at the Gotdi. Plate
labstradl Elirthquake Noles. OJ 52. P 42 'I(
"
 Sources of North Coast Seismicity
L. DENGLER, G. CARVER AND A. McPHERSON. Geologists
Humboldt State UOIverSlty. Arcata. California

A---------l-------
A I
,\ III ( I ) I
A .
\_~~ _----'-~l
A ;' i
INTRODUCTIO A (
A ; OIl£C.o ')

T he vicinity of pe Mendocino i -
one of Califomi . most sei mlC lIy
clive areas (Real nd th r , 19 2,
RTH mlu
PL,. 10,
T ppozada and oth • 19 ) The
M ndocino triple jun i n I lh g ologi- ----- --'-r------ L -----\
I· ·I
cally dyn mic area wh r lh t end of
the endocino fault m th uth end

I· ·I
of th dia subduction lone nd th A
north m xt n i n of the n An r
f uI d fine the bound rie
I· ·I
I V"
faull. Th
between th rda. Pacific. and orth 0 III" I ·"'- , ·I
American tectOnl pI t (Figure 1).
oastaJ Humboldt ounty has been PA 'II'I
affected by earthquak on the San I
Andrea fault system. on th M ndocino
full. nd in both the rd nd orth
0 100
I
I.
I I I
Am ri n plates. At lea t f th D 1 2llO I
earthqu k that have occurred mce the
mid-1800 have produced d mag
\--....:
.
rrab! 1). Rent tudies mdi t thallh '~
Cascadia ubduction zone puts north m
coo tal California t ri k also 0 leaton \.
and Hartzell. 1 7). Although the sub
duction zone has not g n rated great (
.
I'
hi tone earthquak . palo' mic evi·
dence suggests that it' th urce of '(
I rg rthquakes in th rent prehi -
tori pa (Clarke and Carver. I 2)
Figure 1 S,mplihed map of northwestern California regional tectOniCS To the soulh 01
GEOLOGY A 0 TECTONIC SETTING the Mendocino tnple JunctIon (MTJ). the San Andreas tault system (SAF) is the transform
(stnke-shp) boundary between the Paclhc and North Amencan plates. North of Cape
Th pr nt I lion of the Mendocino (CM) Ih Juan de Fuca and Gorda plates are converging WIth the North
endocino tripl junction i estimated American pial along th Cascadia Subducllon zone West of Cape M ndocino. the
to be about 15 mile (25 kIn) south Mendocino fault (MF) IS the transform boundary between the Pacllic plate and the Gorda
plate. White arrows d nole plate motion relallve to North Amenca; black arrows denote
of Cape Mendocino ( I rke. 1992; relative plate mOllon at pi t boundaries. Th Inset IS a simplified cross seclton 01 the
Mclaughlin and oth . in pr ). South southern Gorda plate being subdueted beneath th North American plate In northern
of the triple junction, th n Andrea Callfomla

40 CALIFORNIA G OlOGY MARCH/APRIL 1992

TABLE. ,. NORTH COAST HISTORIC EARTHQUAKE.S OF MAGNITUDE ~ 5.5 AND/OR INTENSITY~ VI.

,"",von Dale M MMI La!. eN Long. CW Reference

Eureka area (wharf sank 4 'eet. or 12 m) 1012311853 (5.7) VII 40.80 124.20 Toppazada and others, 1981
Eureka (affected llow 01 streams, milk thrown Irom pans) 312011855 VI Townley and Allen, 1939
Eu""'" 6/14/1657 VI Townley and Allen, 1939
Humboldl Bay (damage to plaster and chimneys) 1111311860 (5.7) VII 40.80 124.20 Toppazada and oth8fS, 1981
Eureka (damaged brick houses, fissure near
Fort Humboldt) 1011/1865 (5.4-5.7) VII·VIII '"'.80 124.20 Toppazada and others, 1981
Petrolia (chimneys damaged in RohnefVille and Petrolia)
Crescent City (damaged most buildings In
31211871 (5.9) Vltl
'"'.'"' 124.20 Toppazada and others, 1981

Crescent City, landslides) 11/23/1873 (6.7) VIII 42.00 124.00 Toppazada and others, 1981
Southeasl of Eureka 9/3011875 (5.8) VII 40.70 124.00 Toppazada and others, 1981
West of Briceland (knocked down all chimneys
In Petrolia) 51911878 (5.8) VIII 40.10 124.00 Toppazada and others, 1981
North 01 Hoopa 112811884 (5.7) V 41.10 123.60 Toppazada and others, 1981
Petrol,a (chimneys down in Ferndale and Petrolia) 712611890 (6.0) VII 40.33 12425 Toppazada and others, 1981
Near Miranda (chimneys down in southern
Humbold1 County) 9130f1894 (5.&5.8) VII '"'.30123.70 Toppazada and others, 1981
OIIshore Arcata (damaged mif1ln Eureka) 4/1611899 (6.4) V, 41,00 124.40 Toppazada and others. 1981
OIIshore Eureka 121911903 V-VI 40.80 124.20 Woodward Clyde, 1980
'san Francisco (ruplure began near San Francisco 4f1811906 6.3 X, 37.70 122.50 Real and others, 1982
and extended north possibly to Shelter Cove, VII-IX In southern Humboldt Co. and Humboldt Bay region
damage throughout Humboldt Bay region
'McKinleyvllle (chimneys lell in Ferndale) 4/2311906 VII 41.00 124.00 Real and others, 1982
OIIshore Eureka 8111f1907 V, '"'.80 12420 Toppazada and othef}l, 1978
'Eureka (chImneys lell) 8118/1908 5." VII 40.83 124.17 Simila,198O
'Petrolia (damaged chimneys) 511811909 VIII 40.25 124.17 Simila,198O
'West of Scotia (much damage In Rohnervitle
& Upper Manole)
OIIshore Petrolia
10/29/1909
311911910
'6.4 VlIf
V
'"'.58
40.83
124.17
124.17
Simila, 1980
Boll and Miller, 1975
OIIshore Cape Mendocino 6.2-6.5 41.00 126.00 Bolt and Mlller, 1975
'West 0' Ferndale
OIIshore Arcata
1213"'915
71511916
7/1511918
'.5
6.0·6.5
"'
V,
V,
40.58
41.00
124.25
125.00
Bolt and Miller, 1975
Bolt and Mitrer, 1975
Eureka (chimneys 'eU)
Offshore Cape Mendocino
9fl5/1919
lf26J1922 6."
V,
, 40.80
41.00
124.20
126.00
Simila, 1980
Real and others, 1982
-Ollshore 37 miles (60 km) west 01 Arcata (felt In
San Jose, California, and Oregon and Nevada) 1131/1922 7.3-7.6 V, 40.87 125.35 Smith and Knapp. 1980
'OI1sl1ore Cape Mendocino (buildings damaged
in Petrolia area)
OIIsl1ora. west of Orick
112211923
6J4f1925
6.5-7.3
6."
,,..
VIII '"'.30
41.50
124.50
125.00
Smith and Knapp. 1980
Bolt and Miller, 1975
80 miles (13O km) wes! of Eureka 1211011926 6." 40_75 126.00 Boll. and Miller, 1975
'OIIshore of Arcata (chimneys lell, landslides) 8/2011927 5." VIII 41.00 124.60 Bolt and Miller, 1975
'Eureka (chimneys leU) 912311930 5.0-5.5 VII '"'.80 124.20 Bolt and Millar, 1975
OIIshore Cape Mendocino 12111/1930 5." V, 40.08 124.50 Bolt and Miller, 1975
OIIshore Cape Mendocino 3/10/1931 56 V 40.00 t25.00 Rea! and others. 1982
OIIshore Cape Mendocino 8/2311931 5.3 VI ,",.20 125.60 Real and others, t982
OIIshore Eureka (chimneys damaged)
112 miles (1 80 km) west 01 Cape MendOCIno
91911931
31211932
5.8
5.6
V,
,.. '"'.80
40.20
125.00
127.00
Real and others, t982
Woodward Clyde. t980
'Near Arcata (one death, much damage 10 Eureka)
56 miles (90 km) west 01 Trinidad
61611932
71611934
5.9-6.4
6.5
VUI
,.. 40.87
41.25
124.02
125.42
Smith and Knapp. 1980
Smith and Knapp, 1980
Offshore Cape Mendocino 11211935 5.8 V ,",.25 125.25 Real and others. 1982

'"'...
93 miles (150 km) west 01 Cape Mendocino 6J3f1936 5.8 V 40.16 126.45 Woodward Clyde. 1980
OfIshore Cape Mendodno (slight damage) 21611937 5.7·5.8 V 125.25 Collman & von Hake. 1973
'Southeast 01 Cape Mendocino (slight damage
in Femdale) 911111938 5.5 V, '"'.00 124.00 Real and others, 1982
'OIIshore Cape Mendocino (chimney damage) 11119/1940 5.5 V-VI 40.75 124.90 Bef1(eley Seism. Stn.
Near Shaner Cove 12/2011940 5.5 V, '"'.00 124.00 Real and others. 1982
'OfIshore nor1hwest 01 cape Mendocino 21911941 6.4-6.6 V, 40.70 125.40 Real and others, 1982
OfIshore Cape Mendocino 511311941 6." V 40.30 126.40 Berkeley Seism. Stn.
'OIIshore nor1hwesl 01 Cape Mendocino
(cl1imneys damaged) 101311941 6.' VII '"'.54 125.00 Smith and Knapp, 1980

Dal.l from _ _ _ _ _ _ _ used .. makII F.gwe 5 map

•
~I
Ro::ttIer _ _ (1ftIgn\Ucles in . ._ _ ... _lllClJ
Mo:6!ied MetcaI: ~ Mo<liI*:l ~ ~ _ _ 1fom IIIis II1UOY

CALIFORNIA GEOLOGY MARCH/APRIL 1992

"
TABLE' (continued). NORTH COAST HISTORIC EARTHOUAKES OF MAGNITUDE 2 5.5 AND/OR INTENSITY 2 VI.
location Dale M MMI La\. oN Ilong. oW Reference
Offshofe Cape Mendocino 5119/1945 62 V 40.60 126.40 Coffman & von Hake, 1973
'Offshore Cape Mendocino (damage in Ferndale
and Capetown) 1211811946 4.7 VI 40.30 124.60 Woodward Clyde, 1980
Offshore Cape Mendocino 313011947 46 VI 40.38 124.68 Woodward Clyde, 1980
Offshore Cape Mendocino 5/2711947 5.2 VI 40.40 124.70 Woodward Clyde, 1980
'Offshore Cape Mendocino 912311947 5.6 VII 40.40 125.20 Coffman & von Hake, 1973
93 miles (1SO km) west 01 Orick 3124/1949 5.' II-III 41.30 126.00 Real and others, 1982
'Otfshofe Cape Mendocino 1I14119SO 4.6 VI 40.22 124.42 Woodward Clyde. 1980
'PetroUa 3/1011951 4.1 VI 40.30 124.30 Wooctwatd Clyde, 1980
'Otlshore Cape Mendocino 10 miles (16 km) west of
Petrolia 101BJ1951 5.8-6.0 VII 40.35 124.60 Smith and Knapp, 1980
'Near Scotia (minor damage) 11/1411951 4.' VI 40.43 124.05 Woodward Clyde, 1980
12 miles (20 km) southwest 01 Petrolia (chimneys lell,
foundation damage) 912211952 5.2·5.4 VII 40.20 124.42 Real and others, 1982
Otlshore Cape Mendocino 1112511954 6.1-6.3 V 40.48 125.46 Smith and Knapp, 1980
12 miles (20 km) northeast 01 Arcala ($2,100,000
damage, one dealh) 12121/1954 6.5·6.6 VtII 40.85 123.96 TERA. 1977
Offshore nonhwest 01 Cape MendOCIno (slight
damage in Ferndale) 10/1111956 6.0 V 40.67 125.77 Real and others.. 1982
'Near Petrolia 5/2411958 48-4.9 VI 40.30 124.02 Berkeley 5eism. Stn.
Otlshore, 56 miles (90 kmJ west of Tnmdad 7( 2311959 5.8 IV 41.13 125.30 Real and others, 1982
'Offshore Arcata (plaster leU at Eureka City HaU) 61511960 5.7 VI 40.87 124.50 Smilh and Knapp, 1980
Otlshore Cape Mendocino (telt in san Francisco
and southern Oregon) 81911960 6.0·6.2 V 40.32 127.07 Berkeley Seism. Stn.
Offshore 11 miles (18 km) wes1 01 Cape Mendocino
(triggered landslide) 4J6f1961 5.0·5.5 VI 40.49 124.81 Smith and Knapp, 1980
'Oflshore Crescent City (slight damage) 8123/1962 5.6 VI 41.84 124.39 Nowroozi, 1973
Offshore I'lOf1hweSt of Arcata (sllghl damaoe) 9(411962 4.9·5.0 VI 41.01 124.21 Nowroozi, 1973
·c:>tlshoi"e 12 miles (20 km) west 01 PetroNa
(slight damage) 1211011967 5.6·5.8 VI 40.56 124.58 smith and Knapp, 1980
'Offshore Cape Mendocino 612611968 5.5-5,9 VII 40.29 124.67 Nowroozi. 1973
'Near Petrolia (slight damage in Pelrolla) ar9I1973 4.9-5.0 VI 4035 124.30 Smith and Knapp, 1980
'Forluna 61711975 5.2-5.7 VII 40.51 124.27 Smith and Knapp, 1980
Offshore 93 miles (150 kml not1hweSI of Eureka 11/2611976 6.' IV 41.30 125.70 Berkeley Selsm. Stn.
'Offshore 16 miles (25 km) west ot Arcata (pipes
and Windows broken In Eureka) 21311979 5.2 VI·VlI 40.92 124.42 Berkeley Seism. Stn.
'30 miles (48 km) west of Trinidad (bridge collapsed,
Sill injured, $1,750,000 damage) 111811980 6.9-74 VII 41.12 124.67 Berkeley 5eism. SIn.
Offshore Cape Mendocino 8124(1983 5.5 V 40.38 124.83 Berkeley 5eism. Stn.
Oflshore 155 miles (250 km) west of Eureka (Ielt from
san Francisco to Oregon) 911011984 6.6 V 40.50 126.83 NElS
•Just offshore Cape Mendocino (two evenlS in
1 minute, slight damage) 11121/1986 5.1.5.1 VI 40.37 124.44 Berkeley 5eism. Stn.
'Just offshore Cape Mendocino (damage and
rockslides in Peltolia) 7131/1987 5.5 VII 40.42 124.41 NElS
Near Honeydew (caused damage In Honeydew and
Petrolia) 1/1611990 5.' VII' . 40.23 124.14 Berkeley Seism. Stn,
Offshore 50 miles (80 km) wesl·norlhwest of Crescent
Cny 7/1311991 6.7·6.9 V 42.14 125.61 NElS
Oflshore 62 miles (100 km) west 01 Crescent City 811611991 5.9·6.3 V 41.73 125.39 NElS
Near Honeydew (chimney, loundation damage.
landslides, well changes) 811711991 6.0·6.2 VIII"' 40.21 124.28 NElS
Offshore 62 miles (100 km) west of Crescent City 8117/1991 6.9-7.1 V 41.61 125.51 NElS
South ol Petrolia (foundation damage, landslides) 317/1992 5.3-5.6 VW' 40.23 124.29 Berkeley Seism. Stn.
3 miles (5 km) north of Petrolia (preliminary estimate- 4/2511992 7.0 ~VIIt" 40.37 124.31 NElS
S48 mUlion in damage, 356 injuries, lSunami, coastal
uplif1, liquefaction, landslides)
20 miles (33 km) west·northwest 01 Petrolia (fire 412611992 6.0 VII" 40.44 124.58 NElS
destroyed SCotia Shopping Center)
15 miles (25 km) west 01 Petrolia (additional damage) 412611992 6.5 VII·VIII" 40.40 124.56 NElS

~~~,"pwen~ale-.....dl ' [MI;I ~om __ ~ _8 US<IClIO make Fogu.-e S IMll

""," MoOd.., MeoeeIi -..y " _ MercaIlI '"*'"Y _ l e d bom .... SWdJ

42 CALIFORNIA GEOLOGY MARCHMPRIL 1992

fault syslem foons the lransform (strike-
slip) boundary between lhe Pacific and
North American plates. lne Pacific plale
is moving north relative to the North
Amerkan plate. resulting in strain accu'
mulation and episodic ruptures such as
the 1906 San Francisco earthquake.
Allhough the nalure of the northern ter-
mination of the San Andreas fault is un-
clear. there is agreement that it does not
extend beyond Cape Mendocino (Smith
and Knapp. 1980: UsowskJ and
Prescott. 1989: Mclaughlin and others.
in press: Clarke. 1992).
TIle Cascadia subduclion zone. north
of lhe triple junction. is the convergent
boundary between the Gorda and North
American plates (Atwater, 1970:
Engebretson and others. 1985). A sche-
malic section across the southern portion
of lhe Gorda plate and the subduction
zone is shown in Agure 1. Subsurface
earthquake locations trace the subdueled
portion of the Gorda plate (Smith and
Knapp. 1980: McPherson 1989a;
Waller. 1986). The Gorda plate dips easl
beneath the North American plate at an
angle of 10 to 15 degrees (Smith and
Knapp. 1980: McPherson, 1989a).
The Mendocino fault extends due west
from Cape Mendocino. forming the
transfonn boundary between the Gorda
and Pacific plates. This fault appears to
be nearly vertical and motion is primarily
Tight-lateral strike-slip (McPherson.
1989a; Eaton 1989: Wilson, 1986;
Jachens and Griscom. 1983). However,
reverse movement has been recorded in
earthquakes in the compressional zone
close to the triple junction (Nowroozi.
1973: Simila. 1980; McPherson, 1989a).
The occurrence of earthquakes within
the Gorda plate indicates internal defor~
malion. Faulted sediments on the sea
, , •, ,
,I •
"
' - thruslfault
CI:.m Beao:.:h
X axis of synctine
floor, and aftershock sequences of recent
earthquakes show a pattern of left-lateral
strike-slip faulting within the offshore
portion of the Gorda plate (Silver. 1971:
Smith and olhers. 1981; McPherson.
1989a: Eaton, 1989). The faulls trend
northeast to east~northeast and reflect a
clockwise rotation of the southern por·
lion of the plate (McPherson, 1989a:
Eaton. 1989). The pattern of deforma-
tion has been interpreted as a response
10 north-south compression created by
the northward movement of the Pacific
plate and the southeast motion of the
Juan de Fuca plate (Spence. 1989:
McPherson, 1989a).

About 60 miles (100 km) east of the MRF

~ axis 01 antICline
coaslal margin. al a depth of 25 to 30
miles (40 to 50 km). the dip steepens to
30-45 degrees (McPherson and others,
1981; Cockerham. 1984: Walter.
1986). The deepest earthquakes (50
miles or 80 km below lhe surface) associ-
N
ated vAth the subducted plate are east of
Redding (Walter. 1986). The active vol-
canos of the Cascade range are about 30
miles (50 km) farther east where the sub-
dueted plate has likely reached depths of
t
over 60 miles (100 km).

The collision betlAleen the North

American and Gorda plates has de-
fonned the leading edge of the North
American plate (Carver, 1987). as seen
by north-northwest trending folds and , ...~
thrust faults onshore and offshore (Aek!
and others. 1980: Clarke and Carver,
1992). At least nine major thrusts and as
many folds defonn the young sediments
along California's north coast (Carver.
1987) (Agure 2). Offsets of the Falor
Formation (Manning and Ogle, 1950) C,'"
McndlX;1l1O
along several of these faults indicate dis-
placement of half a mile (a kilometer) or
Figure 2. Sketch map oltaults and folds in the viciOlly ot Humboldt Bay.
more within the last million years MRFZ _ Mad River tault zone: MKF • McKinleyville fault; MRF • Mad River !aull:
(Carver, 1987). lSF _ llltte Salmon !aull. Aher Clarke and Carver. 1992.

CALIFORNIA GEOLOGY MARCH/APRIL 1992

 HISTORIC SEISMICITY
Pattern 01 Earthquakes
Tabk 1 summarizes regional historic
ea~kes. flO( Including aftershocks.
WIth R)(:hter magniludes" of 5.5 or
larger. and/or Modified Merca1li intensi·
1M5 (MMl) of Vl or IargeT MMI values
are a measure of the degree of damage
at a particular IocaIIOl1 and are based on
peT5OI'\aI ac:counlS and damage reports_
1he Modlf.ed Mercalh IntenSity Scale
(VJood and Neumann, 1931; CAUFOR-
IA GEOLOGY, 1991) ranges from I
(generally not fehlto XII {total damage
wilh viSibie ground surface wavesl. 1he
threshold of damage is typK::aIIy Vl -
characterized by faUing or displaced
objects and some plaster and chimney
damage. 1he intensity recorded at a par'
ticular site is affected by the magnitude
of the earthquake. type of faulting. dis-
lanCe of the site from the epicenter. and
the local geology. For example. north
coast communities wiD often sustain
more ground shaking and a higher MMI
value from smaller earthquakes centered
near them than from large distant off
shore earthquakes,
Intensities listed in Table 1 are the
peak values reported and most have
been transcribed from published earth-
quake catalogs (Coffman and von Hake,
1973; the University of California IU.C.J
Seismographic Stations at Berkeley Bul-
letins; the National Earthquake Informa-
tion Service Detennination of Prelimi-
nary Epicenters; and Woodward·Clyde.
1980). Intensities for earthquakes
marked with a double asterisk ("") have
been estimated using our examinatlon of
personal reports and the newspapers
The Humboldt Times. The Humboldt
Standard. The Arcata Union. The Del
Norte Triplicate. and the Susie Baker
FoundaHon Papers (Fountain. 1%7).
"Magn!lude .. t h f . - . 01 rt. ~ 01 ...
~ . or thf ....., enerw'-'-' by II, ..,-
. . e<~ by thf Roc:hMr ~ ~ [ad,
"*'ole IU'I'lber * p 01 ......... on Ihf ~ .epre
'Ift1ls " wn-6oId _ lro Ihf .,plitude 01 thf
_01"1" _.iO!I_.. ..nd.toA ,,3t 'ok! ~
.. energy ~ ~deler--nwllld~
. . . 400 milD (600 ""'" 01 ... ~ ... Iggol
~. s.rirra _..m llollor- ~
1Udn... meB.nlI from W&'IOgi_.1I recordod "'"
Ilwr......, Entow~... dele"." &om
-
I.Iull d""••Olls... cftstMoe"... ..nd r,.IIy n -
"-~~"",,,,"'blhf_
CALIFORNIA GEOLOGY
For early events, it is likely that reports
were not received from all areas and the
intensity value listed is smaller than the
true maximum. Also, we have found thai
It is not easy to differentiate among
MMls VII. VIII. and IX In o;parsely settled
rural areas with Vt100dframe buiklings
Because of the lack of large structures,
masonry construction. buned pipe lines.
and othet" MMI ~indicators.· II IS po5SIbk
that peak mtenslty estimates for ~
earthquakes are inaccurate by one or
two intenSity Ievels_
Epicenter Iocat)ons ~sted in Table I
are from the refen~nces in the last col
WTIn. A range of magmtudes giYen for a
Single event reflects different reportmg
sources and/or different methods of
measuring magnitude. Toppozada and
others (198 I) detertnllled epicenter Ioca
lionS for pre--l900 events from the pat
tern of reports of earthquakes feit, and
suggest there may be misklcatlOf\s of 60
miles (1 ()() km) or more, To cstlJl'l3le
magnitudes, they compared the pallems
of old felt evenlS to those of more recent
ones with known magnitudes. Although
location errors of early events are likely
large. the record of damaging events af
ter 1850 is probably fairly comp&etc The
north coast area has had a widespread
dlstribuhon of small Jogging and fishing
tOUlllS throughout the last century and
two to five nev.rspapers have been in
print at aU times since 1850 (foppozada
and others, 1981). Offshore events that
\l.'ere not widely fclt may not have been
reported. but it is unlikely that earth-
quakes causing significant damage have
been missed.
In 1932 the U.c. Seismographic 5ta
tions at Berkeley installed the first north
coast seismograph in Ferndale_ (The
Bosch-Omori seismograph, although
no k>nger used by U.C. Berkeley, is still
operating and on display at the Ferndale
Museum,) Many of the even~ prior to
1932 were recorded by the Berkeley
and/or Mt Hanulton stations of the
early Berkeley nelwork (established in
1887). Because these stations are so far
south. insttument-delermined ep;center
locations priOr to the eswblishment of
the FemdaIe station may have uocertam
lIeS of 60 miles ( 1()() Ian) or more
(Urhammer, RA, 1991, Uc. Berkeley.
peT5OI'\aI communicatlOl1)_ Event location
imprc:llJetf gradually throughout the
MARCH APRIL 1992
middle part of the century as morc In-
struments were installed. U.c. Berkeley
established the Arcata station in 1948
and the FkkJe Hill statoo (aboul 12
miles or 20 km eaS! of Eurekal in 1968
Because of the thin distnbuhon of sta
tlOOS and the complexities of local geoI
ogy, It is likely that locatiOns of even on-
shore or near-shore earthquakes
occumng as recently as the late 19505
may be in error by as much as 30 miles
(SO kmllKnapp. 1982)
In mid-1974. a IfHtation anay of
seismographs was inscaBed in the north
c~ regJOn and operated by TERA Cor
poralJOn as part of a seismic safety srudy
for Pacific Gas and Electric Company's
Humboldt Bay nuclear p()',~I'er plant
tTERA CorporatJon. 1975; Woodward-
Clyde, 1980; McPherson and others.
1981. McPherson. 1989al_ Earthquakes
recorded dunng the arrayOs 12-year op-
eratIOn are the best located of the his
lone dald set After the network was db
banded. two of the stations were
donated to the Berkeley network and are
part of the U_c. Seismographic S1atlOOS,
In response to the damaging November
1980 earthquake. the U.S. Geological
Survey established a network of
telemetered instruments in the region.
which conllnue to operate (Eaton.
1989). Recent onshore and near-off
shorc epicenters are likely to be accu
rately located, but locating evenls far off
shore continues to be a problem duc to
the region's lack of ocean·botlom seis-
mographs.
Smith and Knapp (1980) published a
number of relocations of the older earth
quakes. lhey used the Joinl Epkentcr
Detennination technique. comparing the
seismk traces 01 a well-located recent
event (recorded by new and old seismic
stations) 10 older events and slmulta-
neousty solving for a set of epicenter lo-
caliOns. origin times. and slation correc·
tions of the older events relative 10 the
recent event 1llese relocated epk:enters
probably represent an impr~ estimate
01 the true Iocalion of the earthquake
source.
Epicenters of the best-located histone
earthquakes (those after 1960. and
South and Knapp's rekx:ations) are
shown in PlgUTe 3. 1he mapnty are
scattered throughout the southeastern

12r JZ6'
• 1991
• MAGNITUDE> 7
•
•
MAGNITUDE 6-7
MAGNITUDE < 6 .,99,
.,99,
41.5
N zone. Prior to this earthquake. research-
1976 • .,934
\ 1922
•
o '0 20_
I ,', " land. British Columbia during the last
o 10 20 3 Q K _
-'0.5 • ,984 1954.
1-.~-M;;;;o;;;;;;;;-;;;;;;;;----~~~t-:::::s;.,
1960
Mendocino F3Uh
Figure 3. EJ)tCenlers and dales of best located north coast historic earthquakes of magnitude
~5 and/or intensity 2:VL
portion of the Gorda plate and along the
Mendocino fault. For earthquakes in the
southern portion of Ihe Gorda plate
(such as 1941. 1954. 1961. and 1984
in F"lgure 3). it is difficult to establish their
sources as the Mendocino fault or the
Gorda plate. due to the imprecision in
location methods. However. most off-
shore earthquakes are clearly intraplate
events. Aftershock data and fault plane
solutions suggest that the Gorda plate
earthquakes result from movement along
northeast trending left-lateral stnke-slip
faults (rERA Corporation. 1977: Smith
and others. 1981. McPherson. 1989a).
Mendocino fault earthquakes show pre-
dominantly right-lateral slip parallel to
the trend of the fault. but there have
been a few reverse-slip events in the
vicinity of Cape Mendocino (Bolt and
others. 1968: Simila and others. 1975;
McPherson. 1989a).
The epicenters of only eight earth-
quakes shown in Figure 3 fall within the
onshore portion of the map. The Janu-
ary 1990. August 1991. and March 7.
1992 earthquakes were centered in the
CALIFORNIA GEOLOGY
124
125
ORI·,(;(I....
1962
-;r
• IIH
'OKI~
fOI'f\~
1980 •
1987
1986
immediate vicinity of the triple junction
(see McPherson and Dengler this issue).
The April 25. 1992 M,," 7.0 earth-
quake was located just north of the Au-
gust 17th event and is discussed in more
detail below. Of the onshore earth-
quakes north of the triple junction. only
the December 1954 earthquake is
thought to be shallow enough to have
occurred in the overriding North Ameri·
can plate (Tobin and Sykes. 1968;
TERA Corporation. 1977; Smith and
Knapp. 1980; Knapp. 1982). Hamilton
(1975) suggested that this earthquake
was associaled with a fault in the Mad
Ri~r fault zone. although lack of docu-
mented surface rupture and uncertainty
about the type of faulting involved make
it impoSSible to confinn. The 14-mile
(23-km) depth of the June 1975 earth-
quake (considered accurate to Within 0.6
mile [1 kml [TERA Corporation. 1977:
Knapp. 19821) is clearly within the por-
tion of the Gorda plate thaI has been
sllbducted beneath the North American
plate. Over 80 percent of well· located
microearthquakes recorded by lhe
Humboldt Bay seismic netVJOrk between
MARCH APRIL 1992
1974 and 1984 occurred at Gorda plate
depths (McPherson. 1989a). strongly
suggesting Ihat the Gorda plate is the
main source for both onshore and off-
shore historic seismicity.
The April 25. 1992 Cape Mendocino
earlhquake is the only historic damaging
event which may ha~ resulted from
thrusting along the Cascadia subduction
ers had found no conc1usi~ evidence
within Ihe historic record to suggest that
such an event had occurred anywhere
along the subduction zone boundary
from Cape Mendocino to Vancouver [s-
150 years (Heaton and Kanamori.
1984; Heaton and Hartzell. 1987).
Preliminary data suggest that the Cape
Mendocino earthquake was the result of
re~rse slip along a shallow northeast
dipping. northwest striking plane which
coinckles with the estimated location
of the subduction zone boundary
(Oppenheimer and others. 1992;
Oppenheimer. 1992, U.5.G.5.. Menlo
Park. personal communication). This
earthquake produced a tsunami re-
corded at tide stations in California, Or-
egon. and Washington (NOAA. 1992.
personal communication) and prelimi-
nary investigations support coastal uplift
from near Cape Mendocino 10 near the
mouth of the Mattole River. This earth-
quake lends strong support to the
seismogenic nature of the subduction
zone; however it was a much smaller
earthquake than the main portion of
the locked zone Is thought capable of
producing (Clarke and Carver. 1992).
1906 san Francisco Eanhquake
The 1906 San Francisco earthquake
deserves special attention because it
caused the greatest damage in history of
the north coast region and because the
fault rupture was south of Cape
Mendocino. Rupture extended from
south of the San Francisco Bay area
northward along the coast perhaps as
far as Point Delgada near Shelter Cove
(Lawson. 1908; Prentice. 1989).
Lawson (1908) noted surface rupture
(interpreted as fault displacement) in
Shelter Co~. duration of strong ground-
mollon in excess of 40 seconds through-
out the Humboldt Bay region. and ex-
tensi~ damage 10 communities in the
'5

9
7
~5
•
£ 3
1 ,
"'SO '860 1870 '860
Figure 4. Frequency of hlstonc earthquakes prodUCing peak Modified MercaJIi IntenSitIes ~ VI in Humboldl and/or Del Norte counlles.
Humboldt Bay area and in southern
Humboldt County. The MMls were at
least VIII in Briceland. Eureka. and
Fortuna and may have reached IX in
rr
Petrolia and Ferndale oppozada and
Parke. 1982). In Ferndale, not a chim-
ney remained standing and brick build-
ings were badly damaged. Liquefaction
features were observed in the Eel River
Valley and around Humboldt Bay,
Since the middle 180Ds. the north
coast region has experienced at least 60
earthquakes with peak MMls of VI. 28
intensity VIis. 11 intensity Vilis (the epi-
centra! area intensity of the 1989 Lorna
Prieta earthquake) and possibly. one IX
(Agure 4). Intensity VII or greater events
have recurred on the average of every 5
years. with 13 years being the longest
intetval between these events. The re-
currence of MMI VI or greater events
has averaged 2-1/2 years, Most of
these events likely originated within the
Gorda plate or along the Mendocino
fault,
Agure 5 is a composite intensity
map of the north coast area since
1900. The map was constructed from
the MMI data for the 34 earthquakes
marked by single asterisks in Table 1.
For each olthese earthquakes. commu-
nities reporting VIs or greater were
marked on a map anclthe resulting pat~
tern was contoured according to the
number of times an area had experi-
enced this level of intensity. Not surpris-
ingly. communities in the coastal region
near Cape Mendocino from Eureka to
south of Petrolia have been damaged
far more frequently than the rest of
Humboldt or Del Norte County. The
frequency decreases in roughly a radial
pattern away from Cape Mendocino.
. CALIFORNIA GEOLOGY
san Fr,lIll;:lsc;Q
earlnquake
,
1890 '900 1910
.
1920
""
1930 19"
The northern part of Humboldt County
and all of Del Norte County have rarely
be€n affected by earthquakes since
1900.
PALEOSEISMICITY
The historic earthquake record in the
north coast region covers fewer than
150 years. These recorded earthquakes
have occurred mainly offshore and few.
if any. are associated with mapped
faults. However. the youthful character-
istics of the faults mapped within the
North American plate and recognition of
Ihe potential of the Cascadia subduction
rone require looking beyond the brief
historic record and using paleoseis-
mologic evidence to assess the seismic
potential of these sources.
North AmerICan Plate Faults
Several studies have focused on a sys-
tem of northwest trending thrust faults
that intersect the north coast and extend
offshore (WoOOward-CIyde. 1980;
Carver. 1987: Carver and Burke. 1988;
Kelsey and Carver. 1988; Clarke and
Carver. 1992; Pigure 2), Siudies of sedi-
ments exposed in trenches dug across
fault traces suggest that these faults have
generated many seismic events dUring
the paSt 10.000 years (Carver and
Burke. 1988; Clarke and Carver. 1992).
The three most studied faults are the
lillie Salmon in the southern Humboldt
Bay area. and the McKinleyville and Mad
River of the Mad River fault zone north
of Arcata (Figure 2),
The Little Salmon fault has been the
most active fault in the region during the
Holocene. INith a minimum of three
events In the last 2.000 years. about
300.800. and 1.700 years ago (Carver
MARCH APRIL 1992
1950 1960 1970 1980 '990
and Burke. 1988), Each of these earth-
quakes resulted in more than 16 feet
IS m) of slip along the fault. Based on
lhe measured slip. the minimum size of
these earthquakes is estimated to have
be€n between magnitudes 7.6 and 7.8.
larger than any historic north coast
earthquake (Clarke and Carver. 1992).
The evidence of recent activity has led
to the designation of special studies
zones for the Little Salmon fault and
several segments in the Mad River fault
zone. in accordance with the Alquist-
Priolo Geologic Hazard Zones Act of
1972 (Hart, 1988).
Cascadia SubductIon Zone
Heaton and Kanamori (1984) drew
national attention to the seismic poten-
tial of the Cascadia subduction zone by
noting similarities with other seismically
active subduction zones. Since then a
number of paleoselsmicity studies
(Alwater, 1987: Grant and olhers.
1989: Peterson and Darienzo. 1989;
Adams. 1990: Clarke and Carver.
1992) and recent geodetic data
(Lisowski and Prescott. 1989: Savage
and Lisowski. 1991) have strengthened
arguments that very large earthquakes
have occurred along this zone. and are
likely to recur_ The onshore system of
folds and thrust faults in the Humboldt
Bay region clearly pins similar struc-
tures offshore (Clarke and Carver.
1992) and is likely the southernmost
manifestation of the subduction zone_ In
similar convergent boundary settings
there is litde evidence that thrust faulls
like these move independently of their
associated subduction zones (Heaton
and Hartzell. 1987). The emerging
chronology of slip events on the Little
Salmon fault is similar to the timing of
 125 00' 12430' \24 00' 12330'
,------L--------'----,,=-...L---T -,:--'------, "00'

./
Ga"'luct \'./
Happy
POINT ST G1':OH(;I,
{ Camp

UI~L
1\ORn:
(
Number ollJmes localJOn has
e~perienced Modified Mercalh COL'NTY
inlensity greater lhan or equal (, ,
to VI since 1900. SISKIYOU
COl.I:\·IY
\
• 15-23 41 30'
"-"-', \
10·14 (
3-9
,---_
,
..
Orlean... )
D 0,3
Orick
(
,',·tTHleA·S POINT
Big Lagoon
,.j
!"'"
,

TNI.VIIMD 1I1.AI)
'triqidad '\,
/
,
".,
McKin1c.ly\ill
..r-...../:
N \ Blue\ •
Lake ~u"mOLJ)T',

I
ka \ \OUNTY:
, \ I
. TRINITY
I \ 'I COUNTY
I ,
n\it 1e !
CAI'I::' MENDOc/.vO
aI i 40'30'

I,
I I
I I
1

I
o
o
I , I

10
10

20
20 Miles
I •
30
I
40 Kilometers GartJrville
II
I:
L --,- r-:====::....c....".... .
POINT I)f.I.GADA I
- -''''-..L_----'....,._ _---' ... .,
FIgure 5 Cumulative frequency 01 groond shakillg ill north coast oommUIli\leS. Commumties within the dar\(ast area have experi·
enced alleast 15 earthquakes with ground shaking equlvalenllo or larger than VI on the Modified Mercalli scale. Dala used to
compile this map are from 34 earthquakes since 1900. denoted by smgle aSlefisks ill Table 1. n

CALIFORNIA GEOLOGY MARCH/APRIL 1992

sudden submergence events in Humboldt
Bay and uplift events along Clam Beach
south of Trinidad (Vick. 1988; Clarke
and Carver, 1992). This suggests that
slip measured on the thrust faults in the
region renects movement on the
Cascadia subduction zone.
There is no consensus as to whether Oregon border. corresponding to an earth-
the Cascadia subduction zone ruptures in quake of about magnitude 8.5 (Clarke and
segments or as a single giant event from Carver. 1992). II a rupture of the entire
Cape Mendocino to Vancouver Island zone occurred. the energy released couk!
(Rogers. 1988). A rupture of the southern be comparable to that of the 1960 Chil-
portion 01 the zone could extend from ean or 1964 Alaskan earthquake (energy
Cape Mendocino to just nonh of the magnitudes of 9.6 and 9.2 respectively).

TABLE 2. POTENTIAL SOURCE AREAS OF DAMAGING EARTHQUAKES.

NAME LOCATION MAGNITUDES PEAK RECURRENCE

AND STYLE OF OF DAMAGING INTENSITIES
FAULTING EARTHQUAKES

Gorda plate primarily oflshore: 5to 7,5 VII to VIII 5.5 years for mtensi\leS 2:VI1
strike-slip laulling (historic) (historic) (combined Mendocino fault
Example: 11/8/80 and Gorda plale sources)
(surface wave
magnitude 7.2)

SpaCial notes: accounts lor mal0rlty Of historic seismIcity. most probabte source of damaga
m the near futule; pflmary Impact to coas/at communities 01 Humboldt Coumy

MendOCinO oflshore west of 5107.5? VII to VIII 5.5 years. tor intensities
fault Cape Mendocino: (historic) (historic) ;>:VII (combined Mendocino
primarily strike-slip faull and Gorda plate
faulting sources)
Example: June 25.
1968 (local
magnitude 5.9)
Special notas: second most common soulce of historic ealthquakes. prlmarlty Impaclmg
communities near Cape Mendocino and lhasa In tha Eel R,vel Valley and Humboldt Bay areas

San Andreas onshore and near- 5.0 \0 8.3 VII to IX 01 1906 San Andreas-type
transform system shore, south of triple (historic) (historic) In earthquakes 200-400 yeals
junction: primarily strike-slip southern
Example: Aprit 18. Humboidt
1906 (magnitude 8.3) County

Special notes: tess probable bur pOlentlally more damaging than Gorda ptate or Mendocmo
tault earthquakes: primary impact in southern Humboldt County and Humbotdt Bay aleas

North American onshore and shallow: 6.5 to 8+ ;>:IX for thrust for thrust events. hundreds
plate primarily thrust-faulting (expected) events of years
(expected)
no historic large
thrust earthquakes
Spec,at notes: tess probabta in near lurure than Gorda plate or Mendocmo fault earthquakes; much greater impact: pOSSible tsunam,

Cascadia subduction onshore am:! offshore: 7.0? (historic) in Humboldt and 300 to 500 years
zone rupture length 125 miles southern segment- 8.5 and Del Norte
(200 km) or more: whole zone - 9to 9.5 counties: ;>:X
thrust·faulting (expected) (expected)
no historic great subduc-
tion zone earthquakes.
April 25. 1992 M .. 7.0 may
have involved slip at the
southern end of the zone.
Speaal notes: less probabie in near luture than Gorda plate or Menoocmo lautl eaf/hquakes. most damagmg 01
all potentiat sources: hkely ro genelilta a tsunamI

MARCH/APRIL 1992
" CALIFORNIA GEOLOGY
'2. 127 126 125 '2' '23
r---~---_-"':~--,---':""=","""",~-:-PT~-'-~""
I
GOtda Ptale
I
I
Mendocino Fault I
.' II
.:.~:~.:::'::::- San Andreas Transfonn Sysle
'- I
North Amencan Ie I
~,---~-=--+----l---f\.--+--...,-j---ir----l"
cascadia SubductIOn ZOne 1
I
I
I
,,
I
OREGON
YI~c-i.;.;:7~~~-j"
CALIFORNIA
j I
r ~c~nl Citr\
)
I
,I
I
M-~...,Ir---;"

0
I
,
100 200
I 300 '00 , 500
I
, ,
600 .....

0 200 <00 600 800 1000 KIlometers

CALIFORNIA GEOlOGY MARCH'APRIL 1992 .

the t\lJO largest earthquakes of m<Xiem
times (Heaton and Hartzell. 1987).
Comparison 01 buried marsh slraUgra-
phy in Washington (Atwater. 1987).
Oregon (Peterson and Darienzo. 1989).
and northern California (\lick. 1988:
Clarke and Carver. 1992) shows that
these coastal areas exhibit paleoseismic
evidence for a major earthquake occur-
ring at the same time within the uncer-
tainties 01 14C dating (10 to about 100
years). This suggests either a single
mega-event (magnitude 9 or larger) or
several smaller events (magnitude 8.5)
within decades.
POTENTIAL SOURCE AREAS Of
DAMAGING EARTHQUAKES
We recognize five distinct but related
sources of earthquakes that pose seismk::
risks for the coastal areas of northern
California (fable 2: Plgure 6).
Gorda Plate Earthquakes
These earthquakes result from strike-
slip faulting within the Gorda plate
(Smith and Knapp. 1980; Smith and
others. 1981: Wilson. 1989; McPherson
198%). Although these faulls may ex-
tend inland beneath the North American
plate. they do not reach its surface.
Epicenters are usually offshore, although
perhaps 10 percent are within the sub-
ducted portion of the Gorda plate.
The majority of damaging earthquakes
recorded in the Humboldt Bay region
are this type.
The earthquake of January 1922 (sur-
face wave magnitude 7.6) is the largest
historic earthquake in California's north
coast region (fERA Corporation, 1977).
The MMI-J11 region extended from San
Francisco to Eugene. Oregon and into
northU1e5tern Nevada. TERA Corpora-
tion (1977) staff assumed the earthquake
was along the Mendocino fault. believing
it to be the only fault in the area capable
of producing a SO-mile (BO-km) or longer
rupture. However. it is now recognized
that faults within the Gorda plate are
capable of producing large earthquakes
and, consKiering Smith and Knapp's
(1980) location of the 1922 earthquake,
it is more likely that it was a Gorda plate
earthquake.
The average recurrence from the
combined Gorda plate and Mendocino
CALIFORNIA GEOLOGY
fault sources is 2.7 years for earthquakes
producing peak MMls of VI or greater.
and 5.5 years for VII or greater. The
November 8. 1980 earthquake (surface
wave magnitude 7.2) is the best-docu-
mented earthquake 01 this type
(Kilbourne and Saucedo, 1981; Smith
and others, 1981; TERA Corporation.
1982, Woodwaro-Clyde. 1982,
McPherson, 1989a). Rupture began
about 30 miles (SO km) west of Trinidad
and extended 90 miles (150 km) to the
soutrn.vest. The peak MMI was estimated
to be VII in the vicinity of FtekJs L..arx:Iing
(Woodwaro-Clyde. 19811. Six people
VJere seriously injured. five by the col-
lapse of a portion of the Highway 10 1
overpass atlOompkins Hill. 1here were
many damaged chimneys and founda-
tions throughout the Humboldt Bay area.
IJquefaction effects were observed near
Big Lagoon and Centerville Beach.
Although future damaging events
are likely to be similar in size and effects
to those in the past, we believe an earth-
quake with an epkenter wilhin the
subducted portion of the Gorda plate
onshore could produce stronger shaking
and intensities as high as IX on the MMI
scale. Coastal communities in the Cape
Mendocino to Humboldt Bay area are
most likely to be affected, although
the recent large events offshore of the
Oregon-California border (July 13,
August 16 and 17, 1991) suggest risk
as far north as the Oregon border.
Mendocino Fault Earthquakes
These earthquakes are the resul1 of
the relative plate motion between the
Pacific and Gorda plates and are the
second most common source of historic
damaging earthquakes. The 1923,
1941, 1951. 1952, and 1968 earth-
quakes may have been generated by this
source and all produced peak intensities
of VII or more in the Petrolia area. How-
ever. because of location uncertainties, it
is difficult to distinguish Mendocino fault
earthquakes from those within the south-
ern part of the Gorda plate. PrOXimity of
epicenters to the fault is not sufficient to
clearly identify them as Mendocino fault
events. The June 1987 earthquake lies
very close to the mapped trace of the
Mendocino fault, yet aftershocks (&llletin
of the University of California Seismo-
graphk:: Stations) and the focal mecha-
nism. or fault orientation determination
MARCH/APAlll992
(National Earthquake Information Cen-
ter), clearly identify it as a Gorda plate
event.
Only the June 1968 (local magnitude
5.9) earthquake is dearly identified by
aftershocks and first-motion data
(Nowroozi, 1973) as a Mendocino fault
event. The epicenter was about 25 miles
(40 km) U1e5t of Cape Mendocino. The
earthquake broke windows, damaged
chimneys and foundations. dislodged
plaster, and knocked merchandise and
dishes from shelves in communities near
Cape Mendocino. Large ground cracks
and minor Iandslkles were observed near
the Mattole River (Coffman and von
Hake. 1973). The impacts of future
events are likely to be similar to those of
earthquakes within the southernmost
Gorda plate. primarily affecting commu-
nities near Cape Mendocino and those
located on thick sediments in the Eel
River Valley and the southern Humboldt
Bay area.
san Andreas Transform
System Earthquakes
These earthquakes are the result of
motion between the North American
and Pacific plates. The transform system
includes a number of northwest trending
faults from just offshore to east of
Garberville (Kelsey and Carver, 1988).
Fault motion is predominantly right-lat-
eral strike-slip although thrust/reverse
events such as the 1991 Honeydew
earthquake (Oppenheimer and Magee,
1991; McPherson and others, 1992)
may be a part of this system.
The only major historic plate-bound-
ary earthquake on the northern segment
of this system was the April 1906, mag·
nitlKle-8.3 earthquake which probably
produced the strongest ground shaking
known to occur in Humboldt County
(Lawson. 1908). Recent sl1Xlies of the
1906 rupture segment suggest a recur-
rence interval 01 200 to 400 years
(Prentice, 1989). A repeat of the 1906
rupture is not as likely in the near future
as ruptures within the Gorda plate or
along the Mendocino fault, but coukl
cause greater damage and severely im-
pact communities in southern Humboldt
County, in the Eel River basin. and near
Humboldt Bay.
 The 1991 HOfle!,.dew earthquake
involved reverse motion along a north-
\I.'e$! trending fault at the north end of
thiS system (Oppenheimer and Magee.
1991: McPherson and others. 1991).
The relationship among this fault. the
San Andreas fault and other strike-slip
faults in the transform system is not
dear We believe this earthquake reflects
compression near the termination of the
San Andreas system and may be a part
of this syslem. The Honeydew earth-
quake produced peak intensities of VlJI.
a 3.6-mile-long (6-km-long) zone of sur-
face cracking. widespread changes in
groundwater flow, and accelerations
high enough to dislodge and flip slream
boulders (McPherson and others, 1992).
Recurrence of this event, and the seis-
mic potential of other faults in the trans-
form system are not known.
North Amencan
Plate Earthquakes
The potential sources of these earth-
quakes are thrust faults WIthin the North
American plate north of the triple junc-
tion. Epicenters IAIOUId be onshore and
at depths of fewer than 12 miles (20
km). Primary evidence for this source
area is the zone of Holocene nonhwest-
trending thrust faults extending from
south of Bridgeville to north of Big
Lagoon and offshore to north of the
Oregon border. There are no verified
historic examples of large thrust earth-
quakes along any of these faults.
Evidence does not indicate whether
offsets observed on these faults repre-
sent intraplate events restricted to the
North American plate or ruptures of
the Cascadia subduction zone. Only
one damaging event. the December 21.
1954. magnitude-6.5 earthquake,
appears to have been located within the
overriding North American plate. How-
ever. the absence of documented surface
rupture and the lack of infonnation
about the earthquake source make it
diffk:ult to associate the 1954 event with
any of the mapped faults in the epicen-
tral region. This earthquake caused one
death. much structural damage. and
numerous landslkies and rockfalls. and it
temporarily reversed water flow in the
Mad River tTERA Corporation, 1977).
Recurrence of events like the 1954
earthquake cannot be estimated with
the present data.
CALIFORNIA GEOLOGY
Paleoseismic CVJdence suggests that
several large thrust earthquakes occurred
in the Holocene (Carver and Burke,
1988) with recurrence intervals on
the order of hundreds of years. If the
observed offsets are the result of slip
within the North American plate inde-
pendent of the subduction zone. magni·
tudes of 7.5 to 8 or greater are sug-
gested (Clarke and Carver. 1992). This
size earthquake onshore could cause sur-
face ground rupture and would produce
stronger ground shaking than any events
in the ISO-year historic record. Move-
ment along an offshore portion of one of
these faults might trigger a local tsunami.
Cascadia Subduclion Zone
"Great" Earthquakes
These earthquakes 'NOU1d be caused
by movement along all or part of the
Cascadia sulxluction zone between the
Gorda and/or Juan de Fuca plates and
the North American plate. Rupture of
the southern portion of the zone might
extend from Cape Mendocino to north
of the Oregon border; rupture of the
"-hole zone coold extend to Vancouver
Island. These earthquakes would have
magnitudes of at least 8.5. and could
produce strong ground-motion lasting a
minute or more. cause coastal uplift and
subsidence of several feet. and generate
large local tsunamis affecting coastal ar-
eas of northern California. Oregon. and
Washington. Distant tsunamis might also
be generated, with the potential to affect
other coastal regions of California and
large areas of the Pacific basin. Events
of this magnitude are rich in long-period
ground motion (Heaton and Hartzell.
1987) and have the potential to damage
large structures hundreds of miles away.
particularly when local soil and geologic
oondiHons amplify the ground motion.
PaJeoseismic ev\dence suggests the
last such earthquake occurred about
300 years ago and the recurrence inter-
val of Cascadia subduction zone earth-
quakes is 300 to 500 years (Clarke and
Carver, 19921. There is less probability
of such an earthquake within the near
future than of ruptures within either the
Gorda plate or on the Mendocino fault.
However. the increasing weight of scien-
tific evidence supporting the recurrence
of such earthquakes. and the enormity
of their effects make emergency plan-
ning and mitigation efforts essential at
county, stale, and nalional levels.
MARCHIAPAllt992
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The predecessor of this paper was a
section of the Humboldt State University
Emergency Plan compiled by Kevin O'Dea
Sandra Potter compiled much of the
intensity data for histolic earthquakes
and constructed the composite isoseismal
map (F"tgure 5). She received support
from CALEEP (California Earthquake
Education Project) and National Sdence
Foundation Grant #8950 114 for under-
graduate faculty teaching enhancement.
Comments by Bud Burke and Tom Lisle
on various stages of this manuscript were
very helpful.
Preliminary information on the April
25. 1992 Cape Mendocino earthquake
was provided by the U.S.G.S. in Mento
Park, the California Division of Mines and
Geology's Strong Motion Instrumentation
Program (SMIP), the University of Califor-
nia at Berkeley Seismographic StatK>ns.
NElS. and NOAA. Special thanks to Dave
Oppenheimer. Bob Urhammer. Greg
Anderson, Sam Clarke, Thomas Dunklin,
Dave Valentine, and Mike McGuire.
Lori Dengler is a geology professor at
Humboldt Slate Uniwr.;ity, Arcata For 7
years she has been researching historic: sets·
micity 01 California's north coost area She
has worked WIth emergency planning per-
sonnel and educators in community and
Stale earthquake awareness and prepared-
ness programs and now directs a regional
cenler for CALEEP (California Earthquake
Education Project). Application of geophysi-
cal techniques to the study of near-surface
processes is an ongoing research interest.
Gary Carver is a geology professor at
Ilumboldt State University. Arcata. He has
been studying the fauhing. uplift. and defor-
mation hislOfY of Quaternary deposits in
~tem Califorma, southwestern
<h"egon. and IIlO5l recently. Alaska. Gary
and tus students have focused theIr research
on paleoseismic evidence of great earth-
(JJ8kes along the Cascadia subduction zone,
0theT research interests include the glacial
strallgraphy of the southern Ctsc.<tde Range
and adjacent giadated mcullalos in north-
ern Y1ifomia and southern Oregon.
Robert McPherson was the chiel setS·
mologist lor the Hlnlboldt Bay Setsmic
Network. a 16-station array operated by
TERA CorporatIOn as part 01 a seismic
safety study for the Humboldt Nuclear
P~r Plant. He culTently lectures at
Humboldt Slate University. Arcata and
works as an Independent roosultant.
"
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Wood, H.O.• and Neumann, F., 1931. Mod-
lied Mercalli Intensrty ScaJe 01 1931:
BullelJn of the SetsmotogICal Society 01
Amenca, v 21, p. 2n-283.
Woodward·CIyde Consultants. 1980. EvaJua·
bon of the potenlJal for resolving the ge0-
logie and seISITIiC ISSUes at the HumbOldt
Bay Power Plant Unit No.3: Woodward-
Clyde Consultants. Walnut Creek. calilor-
nia. Appendix 0, 145 p.: catalogue 1,
71 p.; and Catalogoe 2.10 p.
Woodward-Clyde Consultants. 1981. Report
on the Tnnldad olfshore earthquake of 8
November 1980: Woodward-Clyde Con-
sultants. Walnut Creek, California.
Woodward-elyde Consultants, 1982, Evalua-
tion ot the selsmlCrty data associaled
wllh the November 1980 Trinidad offshore
earthquake lor the Humbold1 Bay Power
Plan! Unit No.3: Woodward-Clyde
Consultants, Walnut Creek., Califomia.'X
"
 '--~-

h 0 nee
II lIor pip
'" v r 1 To n
.::~' . CBlllfU
y Ja.rre<1
..,n.",.
.
•

-
 ApriIlllO:2la!he oanlilrVAl of Vac:awtle-
W...... ~".Th&M _lrom
.. AflII 21 Ind 22, 1892 edllions of fie
Saa.,... 8M. Allprn.d WI'fl ~
01 . . S'O.'.....S..li!a2 eoun..,t11

....
,. ~ s..lbwy. c.:mr.. s.e-

-
•

,
 The Cape Mendocino Earthquakes
April 25-26, 1992

During the preparation of this issue of CAUFORNlA

GEOLOGY three large earthquakes rocked the Cape
Mendocino area. Humboldt County. California. 1lley were
felt throughout much of northern California and in southern
Oregon. Peak intensities \lJ€fC at least VIII (Lori Dengler.
Humboldt State University. I4IIillen communication).
There were at least 144 aftershocks of magnitude 3 or
greater within a month of the magnitude 7 event (Rick
McKenzie. UniveTSity of California. Berkeley. oral communica-
tion).
The earthquakes triggered numerous landslides. damaged
roads and bridges. and caused lNidespread liquefaction in the
Eel River Valley. Structural damage was concentrated in
Ferndale. Fortuna. Petrolia. Rio Del. and Scotia. President
Bush declared Humboldt County a major disaster area.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
(NOAA) reported a 3-looc- (l-m-) high tsunami. an earthquake-
generated sea wave. at Crescent Oty. The tsunami measured
about 0.6 feel (18 em) 211 Point Arena. California and about
0.3 feel (9 em) in Hawaii.
The April 25 event occurred along a northeast-dipping
reverse fault very close to the postulated location of the
Cascadia sutxluction zone. Thus. this may be the first historic
earthquake along lhe Cascadia subduction zone. However.
the area is geologkally complex so the rupture could have
occurred along anyone of the other thrust faults in the area.
The April 26 earthquakes struck along a northwest-striking
right-lateral strike-slip fault in the Gorda plate (Lori Dengler,
Humboldt State University. written communication), No sur-
face rupture has been discovered,
This sequence of earthquakes occurred in one of
California's most geologically complex and seismically active
areas (see Sources 0/ North Coast Seismicity, this issue, for a
description of the tectonics and an overview of the seismic his·
tory). The region's largest historic earthquake (magnitude 7.2)
occurred in 1923. More recently. a magnitude 6.0 event struck
about 13 miles (21 km) southeast of Cape Mendocino (see The The front door was at the top at the slairs before this Ferndale
Honeydew Earthquake: August 17, 1991. this issue). house was shaken all lIs foundation. Photo by Kevin BaylISS.

Prelimmary /ocalJOns and magrnllJdes defermmed by the U.S. GeologIcal SOCIety and the UmverSity 01 Gallforrua al Berkeley.

Dale Time ON. Lal. W. Long. Depth M, M,

4125192 11 :06:04 PDT 40.37 124.31 15km 7.0 6.4

4126192 00:41 :40 PDT 40.44 124.58 18km 6.0 6.2

4126/92 04:18:26 PDT 40.40 124.56 2' km 6.5 6.4

. CALIFORNIA GEOLOGY MARCH,APRlll992

 ·" '"
-.-'.,....,.--------J.------n----'------.-------,c'---~"OO'
McKinleyville

Arcata

HUMBOLDT
CAPE COUNTY
MENDOCINO
<0'"
MS.\ "--. TRINITY

. .~ *MS.
COUNTY
Bridge\ iJle
FAULT ~

'"" >,
20-. SAN ANDREAS
Garbero. illc
FAULT

LocaliOl'l map of the Apnl 1992 MenOoclno area earthquakes

.-

Sandblows adjacent to !he Salt Rrver near Port

Humboldt County roads. wt'llch serve rural communitIeS near the epcenters,
Wefe damaged and blcx:ked at numerous IocalJons by debris slides However.
mamtenance crews were able 10 clear one lane on mosl 01 theSe roads wllhln
2 Of 3 hours 01 the earthquake. These roads cracked due to settlement 01
roadway embankmenls. but none 01 the cracks were large enough to block
lrallic. PholO by Oscar Huber.
Kenyon prOVIde evidence olliquelacoon of saturated
sand layers beneath younger deposrts 01 Silt and
day. dunng the ApnI25·26, 1992 earthquake
sequence. Water and sand squirted 10 the surface
through fissures ,n the slllicLay layer. and left small
craters of fine gray coheslonless sand on the surface
The craters In thiS photo are about 12 ,ncheS (30 em)
In diameter. Port Kenyon 1$ about 1.5 miles (2.4 km)
northwest 01 Ferndale. alld the Sail River is a
tnbutary to the Eel River. Similar sandblows were
observed near the lower reaches of the Eel and
Mallole fivers. Photo by Oscar Huber.

CALIFORNIA GEOLOGY MARCHIAPRll1992

"
c'---- ~_=_ =_ea.=.: .c: :. : .h=_=_e=. .: r=_ _F=_ e_=_a.=.: .t=. .: u.:. : r_ =e
EARTH SCIENCE RESOURCES FOR TEACHERS 1992
This listing includes nonprofit sources
of precollege earth science reference
and instructional materials. When
requesting free material. use school
stationery.
AMERICAN GEOLOGICAL
INSTITUTE. National eenler for Earth
Science Education, 4220 King Street,
Alexandria, VA 22302. (703) 379-
2480.
Contact ACI Publications Cenler.
P.O. Box 205. Annapolis Junction, MD
20701. or telephone (301) 953-1744,
to delennine shipping and handling
charges and volume discounts. Orders
must be prepaid. Virginia residcnts add
4.5% lax. Prices are subject to change
without notice.
Aduenlures in Geology. Teacher
workbook employs cooperative learning
strategies to help upper-elementary and
middle-school students become active
science learners. Includes nine upbeat
activities. $6.95.
AGI Doto Sheets. 3rd Ed. Ideal for
quick reference on nearly 100 topics
from rocks, minerals, earthquakes, and
volcanoes to time scales and informa-
tion sources. $34.95.
AGl/NSTA Earth Science &omina-
tlon. This multiple-choice exam. devel·
oped by a ;Oint AGI/National Science
Teachers Association (NSTA) task force.
can be used by secondary school teach-
ers to evaluate their science curriculum
and their students' success. Order forms
and additional information are available
from AGI and NSTA.
Careers in the GeoscIences. The fuJl-
color fokl-out describes what geoscien-
tists do and where they work, future job
prospects, salary figures, and where to
find more information. Obtain a free
copy from the National Center for Earth
Science Education, ACI. For bulk or-
ders. contact the AGI Publications Cen-
ter at (30 I) 953-1744.
Diclfonary of GeologIcal Terms.
3rd Ed. 8.000 terms and definitions
that cover the core vocabulary of the
earth sciences without technical jargon.
$12.00.
58
Earth Science Con/em Guidelines
Grades K-12. The report. developed by
teachers and scientists. is a set of ques-
lions to guide the inclusion of earth sci-
ence information into the K-12 curricu-
lum. The questions are organized by
area: Solid Earth. Water, Air, Ice, Ufe,
and Earth in Space; and by grade level:
K·3, 3·6. 6-9. and 9-12. Correspond-
ing key ideas and teachers' suggestions
are given for each area and grade \evel.
$15.00.
Earth Science Education for the
21st Century: A Planning Guide.
Developed by educators. administrators.
and scientists, this report provides deci-
sion makers with a planning tool for
expanding ear1h science programs.
$10.00.
The Making of a Continent.
Companion Guide 10 the Popular
PBS Series. Explains the events and
forces that shaped the natural history
of North America. $16.95.
MInerals Foundations of Society.
2nd Ed. Provides a nontechnical over-
view of nonfuel minerals: their signifi-
cance and origin. and the complexities
of making them available. $11.95.
A Study in TIme, TVJO-Color beauti-
fully illustrated poster depicts geologic
time as a spiral leading from 4.5 billion
years ago. through each major period.
10 the present. IT' x 22". $4.00.
Why Scientists Believe in ElJOlu·
tion. Pamphlet that explains why scien-
tisls believe lhat the complex organisms
of today evolved from simpler and more
primitive ancestors. Single copies are
free from the National Center for
Earth Sdence Education. AGI. For bulk
orders. contact the AGI Publications
Center.
AMERICAN ASSOCIATION
FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF
SCIENCE. 1333 H Street, N.W. Wash-
ington, D.C. 20005, (202)326·6620.
Science Books for a Lifetime of Read-
ing. An annotated reading list for pre·
school through adult. Free. Science
Books and Films. 9 issues/year.
$35.oo/year. Provides critical reviews
of printed, audiovisual, and electronic
CALIFORNIA GEOLOGY MARCH/APRIL 1992
)
resources for use in science. technology.
and mathematics education.
AMERICAN GROUND WATER
TRUST. 6375 Riverside Drive. Dublin.
OH 43017. (614) 761-2215. Ground
Waler Education in America's Schools.
A 4 I-page catalog of resource materials
for elementary and secondary education
professionals describes 80 different re'
source packages for classroom instruction
about ground water and related environ-
mental concepts. Single copies are free to
educational organizations. Requests must
include a 9" x 12" addressed envelope
and $2.00 postage.
AMERICAN MINING CONGRESS.
1920 N Street. N'w. Washington, D.C.
20036-1662. {2021 861·7525. Whol
Mining Means to Americans. A colorful
16·page booklet that conveys the impact
mining has on civilization's growth and
mining's importance in everyday lire.
Other topics include preserving the envi-
ronment and resource conservation
through recycling. For 50 or more cop·
ies. $0.75 each. For fewer than SO.
$1.00 each,
ASSOClATION FOR WOMEN
GEOSCIENTISTS. Geology Depart·
ment. Macalester College, 1600 Grand
Avenue, 51. Paul, MN 55105-1899.
Career Profiles is a 22-page booklet that
shows the types of careers available in
the earth sciences. Profiles the careers of
20 women geoscientists. Free.
FEDERAL EMERGENCY MAN-
AGEMENT AGENCY. Earthquake Pro-
gram. 500 C Street, S.W. Washington,
D.C. 20472. Attn: Marilyn MacCabe.
(202) 646-2812. Earthquakes; A
Teacher's Package for K-6. This six-unit
book, developed by the National Science
Teachers Association with a grant from
FEMA. is a complete earthquake
multidiscipline curriculum containing ac-
tivities. lesson plans. line masters. and
background information. One free copy
per school while supplies last. Additional
copies may be purchased from NSTA at
$15.00 a copy.
GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF
AMERICA. 3300 Penrose Place, P.O.
Box 9140, Boulder. CO 80301, (303)
447·2020. (BOO) 472-1988. Numerous
 Teacher Feature
continued••.
geological publications and other materi-
als. Publications Catalog. Free. Future
Employment Opportunities in the Geo·
logica/ Sciences. Free. The Earth Has A
HistOTY. Twenty-minute program intro-
duces the concept of geologic time by
"walking the viewer through time~ in the
Rocky Mountain Front Range near Boul-
der, Colorado. VHS cassette $25.00.
15% discount for schools and institutions
when purchasing the video. For pur-
chases under $25.00, add $3.00 for
shipping and handling.
NATIONAL ACADEMY PRESS.
P.O. Box 285, Washington, D.C.
20055. (202) 334-3313. (8001624-
6242. Science for Children: Resources
for Teachers. A 176-page guide 100uI4
standing hands-on, inquiry-based materi-
als for elementary science leaching pre-
pared by the National Science Resources
Center. $9.95.
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF
GEOLOGY TEACHERS. P.O. Box
5443. Bellingham, WA 98227-5443,
(203) 676-3587. NAGr sponsors
regional meeting with field trips and
workshops: annual meetings held in con-
junction with the Geological Society of
America, membership: $25.00. Journal
of Geological Educalion (five issues
yearly with membership). A source of
infonnation. ideas. and reviews for high
school and college teachers.
NATIONAL EARTH SCIENCE
TEACHERS ASSOCIATION. Science
DepartmentlJ14, Lansing Community
College. 430 N. Capitol Avenue, lan-
sing, Ml48901. NESTA membership:
1 year. $10.00; 2 years,$19.00; and 3
years, $27.00. lncludes a quarterly publi-
cation, The Earth Scientist. Slide sets
are available for upper elementary
through introductory college levels. Wide
variety of subjects: modest prices. Write
for free brochure.
NATIONAL ENERGY FOUNDA-
TION_ 5160 Wiley Post Way, Suite 200
Salt Lake City. VT 84116. (801) 539-
1406. Resources lor Education lists
posters. teacher guides, glossaries. lesson
plans. and kits to help teach all aspects
of energy usage. Free.
CALIFORNIA GEOLOGY
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC SOCI-
ETY. Educational Services, P.O. Box
98019, Washington. D.C. 20090-8019,
(800) 368-2728. Teacher's guides for
grades 4-] 2. Film and Video Catalog
and Educational Services Catalog.
Free.
NATIONAL SCIENCE TEACHERS
ASSOCIATION. 1742 Conne<::ticut
Avenue, N.w. Washington, D.C. 20009,
(202) 328-5800. NSTA produces a wide
variety of publications. Membership,
$50.00/year; includes subscription to
Science and Children for the elemen-
tary school teacher; or Science $cope
for the middle school/junior high school
teacher; or The Science Teacher for the
high school teacher. Produces Science
Education Suppliers. Over ] 00 pages
of suppliers' names, addresses, and
telephone numbers for materials in all
sciences. Free to NSTA members.
Nonmembers may purchase copies.
NATIONAL WILDUFE FEDERA-
TION. 8925 Leesburg Pike, Vienna,
VA 22184, (703) 790-4233. MagaZines,
posters, and citizen action guides pro-
mote protection of the global environ-
ment. Write for list of available materials.
Produces Nature &ope, a series of ac-
tivity guides dealing with many natural
science lopics. Some lilies of interest in~
clude Digging Into Dinosaurs; Geology;
the Active Earth; Astronomy Aduen·
tures; and Wild About Weather. Materi-
als include background infonnation.
activities. master worksheets to duplicate
for students. and additional sources of
information. Write (or a free brochure.
NORTH AMERICAN ASSOCIA-
TION FOR ENVIRONMENTAL EDU·
CATION. P.O. Box 400, Troy,OH
45373, (513) 339-6835. The Elemen-
tary and Secondary Education Section of
NAAEE focuses on educational research,
teacher training, and ways to incorporate
environmental education into the lonnal
school setting. Environmental Commu-
nicator provides information about new
materials and programs.
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EN-
ERGY. Office of Communications, Of-
fice of Fossil Energy, 1000 Indepen-
dence Avenue, S.W. Washington, D.C.
20585. (202) 586-6660. Dinosaurs and
Power Plants. a 16-page illustrated bro-
chure designed (or students in grades
MARCH/APRIL 1992
5-8, relates in everyday language the
story of mining and drilling lor coal, gas.
and oil: environmental concerns; and
modes of transportation. Free.
U.s. ENVIRONMENTAL PRO·
TECTION AGENCY_ Public Informa-
tion Center, 401 M Street. S.W. Wash-
ington, D.C. 20460. (202) 260-7751.
Earth Notes, a 16-page publication that
provides a forum for the exchange of
ideas in elementary-level environmental
education. 4 issues/year. Free. Also, free
materials on various topics including
Citizen's Guide to Radon; Guide on
Indoor Air Quality; and educational
materials on drinking water, the ozone.
and carbon monoxide. Write for a list of
publications. EPA Journal, 6 issues/
year. $1O.00/year. Write for a sample
copy and subscription infonnation.
u.S. GEOLOGICAl SURVEY.
Books and Open-File Reports Section,
Box 25425, Denver, CO 80225, (303)
236-7476. Color photographs (35 mm
slides) showing examples of structural
damage and surficial effects of the M7.1
October 17, 1989, Loma Prieta Califor-
nia earthquake, U.S.G.S. Open-Rle
Report 89-687, $73.25. Send check
or money order payable to: Department
of the Interior, U.5.G.S.
U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
Geologic Inquiries Group. 907 National
Center, Reston, VA 22092. (703) 648~
4383. Teacher's Packet of Geology
Materials and Selected Packet 0/
Geologic Teaching Aids. Assorted
pamphlets and information sheets. Also
includes infonnation for ordering topo-
graphic and geologic maps. Requests
must specify grade level and be on
school stationery. Free.
U.S. GOVERNMENf PRINTING
OFFICE. Superintendent of Documents,
Washington, D.C. 20402, (202) 783-
3238. More than 15,000 inexpensive
books, pamphlets, posters. periodicals,
subscription services, and other govern-
ment publications are available. Subject
Bibliography Index. which lists more
than 200 subject bibliographies that
give descriptions. prices. and ordering
instructions. Free. 'X
Informa~on for lhis hShng was provided by lhe
Amencan GeoIog,callnSlI1Ule. NalionaJ Center
r tor Eanh SCIenoa Educalion.
59
 MINING BOARD

THREE APPOINTED TO THE STATE MINING AND GEOLOGY BOARD

The sweanng in 01 Krauss and Mann by Depal1menl of Conservation DIrector Edward H61dig In
Sacramento. Thlbadeau was sworn in at a separate ceremony. Each mlnll"lg board poSition has a term
and IS defined by law \0 cover a specific expertise.

Ray Krauss. chairman of the Association Permitting
and Regulatory Subcommittee. Association member Julie
Mann. and Lee Thibadeau. Mayor of San Marcos have
been appointed by Governor Wilson to the nine-member
Slate Mining and Geology Board.
The finn produces naturally colored rock for roofing and
landscaping. As part of the mining board. Mann fills the
position for mineral resource conservation. development.
and use. She was recently honored in Sacramento as the
61st Assembly District's 'Woman of the Year."

Ray Krauss is environmental manager of Homestake Lee Thibadeau is general manager of the Asphalt Divi-
Mining Company's McLaughlin mine. He will be serving sion at Enron Oil Trading and Transportation Company.
on the board for the second time. He completed a 3·year For almost 30 years. he has been employed in the oil
term several years ago. Krauss is filling the board posi- and transportation business. He is serving his third term
tion concerned with mine waste management. hydrol- as Mayor of San Marcos in San Diego County.
ogy. and rock chemistry. Thibadeau is a specialist in local government with focus
on urban planning, and fills the board position in
Julie Mann. vice president of Brubaker-Mann Inc. of that capacity.
Barstow. has been with the company for 14 years.

60 CALIFORNIA GEOLOGY MARCH APRil 1992

 Book Reviews
Earthquakes
NATIONAL CLEARINGHOUSE FOR
LOMA PRIETA EARTHQUAKE INFOR·
MATIONCATALOG,APRIL 1991.
By NI$EE/Loma Prieta Clearinghouse
Pro,iect. 1991. Earthquake Engineering
Research Center, 1301 South 46th Streel,
Richmond. CA 94804·4698. 167 p.
$5.00. soft cover.
This catalog supersedes the October
1990 edition. It provides a descriptive list
of 570 newspaper and periodical ankles.
papers in conference proceedings. maps.
slides. videos. technkal reports. and strong-
motion data generated as a result of the
October 17. 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake
Access informahon is included. Section
lilies are: General topics and conference
proceedings: Selected topics in seismology:
Engineering seismology; Strong-molion
seismometry: Dynamics of soils. rocks, and
foundations: Dynamics of structures: Earth-
quake-resistant design and construction;
Earthquake damage: and Earthquakes as
natura! disasters. Indexes are by author.
title. subject. and format. v
NATIONAL CLEARINGHOUSE FOR
LOMA PRIETA EARTHQUAKE INFOR-
MATION CATALOG. OVEMBER 199L
A Supplemenl to the April 1991 Catalog.
By NISEEILoma Plieta Clearinghouse
Project. 1991 EaJ1hquake Engineering
Research Center. 1301 South 46th Street,
Richmond. CA 94804-4698. 131 p,
$5.00. soft cover.
This catalog lists 440 new citations
including recently completed work, ab-
stracts of National Science Foundation
research projects In progress. and contribu-
tions to the clearinghouse received after
April 1991. This supplement has the same
topics and lormat as the April 1991 edition
described above.·...
ATIONAL CLEARINGHOUSE FOR
LOMA PRIETA EARlHQUAKE I FOR-
MATION CATALOG, APRIL 1992. By
NI5EE1Loma Prieta Clearinghouse Projed.
1991. EaJ1hquake Engineering Research
Center. 1301 South 46th Street, Rich-
mond, CA 94804-4698. 55 p. $5,00, soft
cover. A set of three editions (April 1991,
November 1991. and April 1992) is
$10.00 ($20.00 outside the U.S.).
This catalog lists 142 new citations on
the I...om<l Prieta eaJ1hquake. The topics and
format are the same as those of the April
and ovember 1991 editions described
""",,"y
CALIFORNjA GEOLOGY
REBUIUJING AFTER EARm·
QUAKES, LESSONS FROM PlAN·
NERS, 1991. William Spangle and
Associates. Inc.. 3240 Alpine Rood,
POl1ola Valley, CA 94028-7592. 80 p.
$18.00, soh cover,
Planners must be prepared to deal
with problems and responsibilities in the
high-pressure atmosphere following an
earthquake. This book is a record of the
International Symposium on Rebuilding
after Earthquakes, hekl at Stanford
University in August 1990. The publish-
ers' intent is to describe to planners some
of the realit;es of post-earthquake plan-
ning and encourage them 10 prepare lor
extraordinary demands. This book pre-
sents lessons on physical rebuilding, plan-
ning for rebuilding, and pre-earthquake
steps to prepare for rebuilding, a field
trip, discussions. and concluding com-
ments. There are also summaries of pre-
sentations by individuals who planned the
rebuilding after six large foreign earth·
quakes and three recent. ffiOOerate Cali-
fornia earthquakes. The foreign earth-
quakes were: Skopje. Yugoslavia, 1963;
Managua. Nicaragua, 1972; Friuh, Italy.
1976; EJ Asnam, Algeria. 1980; Mexico
City. Mexko, 1985; and Armenia. Soviet
Union. 1988. The California earthquakes
were; Coalinga, 1983; Whittier. 1987;
and Loma Prieta, 1989. A time line cre-
ated by lhe presenlers during the sympo-
sium is also discussed. The time line indi-
cales dates. milestones, and completion
dates for six rebuilding activities: clear-
ance, rehousing. restoration of infrastruc-
ture, business recovery, replacement of
public facilities, and planning. The report
is complemenled by black and white
photographs....
TIiE QUAKES OF ·92. By Richard
Cowen. Janice Cooper. and Rkhard
Cooper. Seismk Press, 2223 Bulle
Place, Davis, CA 95616.95 p. $12.95.
soft cover,
In April 1892, two large earthquakes
and a series of aftershocks struck the
southwest Sacramento Valley, affecting
most of Solano and Yolo counties.
AI/hough the eArthquakes caused consid·
UARCH APRil 1992
erable damage to most of the commer-
cial buildings in Vacaville, Winters. and
Dixon. and left up to a quarter of the
townspeople homeless. this frightenIng
episode in local history has all but been
forgolten.
At the time, lhe residents were deler-
mined to put the catastrophe behind
them. They quickly patched up or rebuilt
the major buildings, largely ignoring the
evidence that unreinforced brick build·
ings often fall during earthquakes. 1heir
handiwork can still be seen on the main
streets of Vacaville. Dixon. and Winters,
Because newspapers emphasized the
recovery, not the damage. the quakes
of '92 became a norH?\>enl.
The Quakes 0/ '92 provides an
account of these earthquakes, the stron·
gest to strike the Sacramento Valley in
historical times. The authors examine
the accounts of locals and newspaper
reporters regarding the earthquakes
and the lumultuous aftermath.
A weD·iIIustrated, nontechnical discus-
sion shO\IJ5 that the geological conditions
which produced the '92 quakes still exist.
The authors explain hovJ wlnerable
the Vacaville-Winlers area is. and hovJ
another large earthquake would be more
devastating now because of the dense
populalion. They project the eflect of
an earthquake on the basis of the 1892
events and on comparisons with the
Coalinga (1983) and the Loma Prieta
(1989) earlhquakes. Useful advice for
planning that will help minimize damage
from future earthquakes is included.
A self-guided tour of the 1892 eal1h·
quake zone is included for those ":ho
wish to see the geological selling and
damaged buildings.
The authors. geologists Richard
Cowen and Janice Cooper. and historian
Richard Cooper used newspapers,
photographs, and letters of the period
10 capture lhe historical perspective.
Combining history and geology, The
Quakes 0/ '92 tells a fascinaling story of
yesterday. today. and tomorrow. Review
by G.L. Pridmore. "It
"
CORRECTION: December 1991 issue
Page 278. Figure 2. The red arrow Indicates the correct direction of flow of ICe south
lhrough Tioga Pass and easl dOwn lee VinlrlQ Canyon.

o~
. ;~~,~~;;--------

CORRECTIONS: January/February 1992 issue

1. The seismic interpretation in Figure 9 on page 11 should be as shown below:

sw Ward Valley Turtle mountains Chemehuevi Valley

NE

2. Photo 6 on page 8 was taken by Eric Frosl.

3. The Garlock fault IS not pan of the San Andreas fault zone as shown in the map on page 1801 the Teacher Feature.

CALIfORNIA GEOLOGY MARCH/APRIL 1992

( Open-File Report Release)
MINES AND MINERAL DEPOSITS
OF THE CAUFORNIA DESERT. DMG
University of Nevada, Reno
OFR 91-18. By M.A. Silva and J.$. Rapp. Mackay School of Mines
1991. $7.00. Short Course Schedule Fall 1992

More than a billion dollars worth of valu- Mining Engineering PE August 17-22. 1992 $175/450/950
able mineral products are recovered each 1 day/3 day/6 day course
year from the Ca~fomia desert region. Volcanic Geology & Mineral Seplember21·26,1992 $1.150
Borates. rare-earth elements, saline com- Deposits
pounds, gypsum. and specialty clays are
among the area's most important industrial Elementary Geostalistics October 5-9, 1992 $775
commodities. In addition, each year hard-
rock mines of the desert region proouce Geosta!istics Applied to Oclober 10-12, 1992 $495
about $200 million worth 01 gold. silver, Real DATA
and other metals. The Division of Mines For more information contact:
and Geology (DMGl continually receives Connie Rehard
requests 10 provide mine data on the Division 01 Continuing Education
Calilom'a desert region. DMG OFR 91-18 University 01 Nevada, Renol048
Reno. NV 89557
provides thai information. (702) 784-4046

DMG OFR 91-18 is a preliminary mme

and mineral prospect location map at a scale I------------------------~---
of 1:750.000(1 inchcqualsabout 12 DIVISION OF MINES AND GEOLOGY "V'
miles). The 4.382 mines and mineral pros' Publications Request Fonn A
pects shown on lhe map \Were compiled by Numbet of COpies.
DMG and the U.S. Bureau 01 Mines
(USBM). Most of these prospects and mines SPECIAL REPORTS
were identified and documented by field _ _ SAI03 Trace elements iflthe Plumas copper bell. Plumas COunty. 1971. . S5.00
geologists. The map s~ 1.632 industrial SA 140 SluclKts 0I11Ie San Andreas faull zone in northern CaUfornia. 1980 $7.00
SRl54A SuppIemeoI: A catalog of Slrong motloo accelerograph records
mineral mines and prospects and 2,750 rec:oYefed by the oItioe 01 strong mo1lOrl sfudies dunng 1982. 1982. ..• .. •.•• $5.00
metal mines and prospects. InfonTlation on
hundreds of additional older mines and PRELIMINARY REPORTS
prospects exists. however proper location PR16 GaoIogy lor planning on the Sonoma COumy coast between the Russian
descriptions are lacking so they cannol be and Gualala fivers, Ca~omia. 1972 ... $5.00
depicted on this preliminary map. This __ PR20 Geology for planning on the Sonoma COumy coast between the Russian
RiV(lf and Estero Americano. Callforrlla. 1973. . $6.00
map shows the extent 10 which the mineral
resources have been prospected and devel- MAP SHEETS
oped. Individual mineral properties are _ _ MS9 Geology 01 the Kelseyville 1151 quadrangle, lake, Manoocino, and
not identified by name and the map is not Sonoma munlies, Calilornla (scale; 1:62.5(0). 1968. . $5.00
designed lor field use. For further informa- MS I 0 Geology 01 the lakeport [IS') quadrangle. Lake Counly, CaI~ornia
tion about localities or operation, conlact (scale: 1:62.5(0). 1967. . $5.00
the Division of Mines and Geology at _ _ MSI2 Geology 01 tile southeasl quaf1er of the Tfinlly Lake [151 quadrangle.
Tnnlly COunty, Calitomla (scale: 1:24.000). 1969 $5.00
(916) 445-5716. MS26 OtIshore surficial geology 01 Ca~omia (scale: 1:500,000).
(Folded only). 1975.. .. $9.00
DMG OFR 91-18 is available for refer- _ _ MS31 Geology or fhe Willow Creek [7.51 quadrangle, Humboldl and Tnnily
munlies. California (scale: 1:62.500). 1978... .. $7.00
ence and purchase at aU three DMG offices. _ _ MS43 TOlal1ield magnetic anomaly map Cascade Range [Lassen. Modoc.
In addition. the Sacramento office offers Plumas, Shasta. Siskiyou. and Tehama munlies), nonllern California
prepaid mail order sales. (scale: 1:250,000). 1987. . S5.00

Sacramento Geologic Information and
Publications Office
801 K Street, MS 14-33
Sacramento. CA 95814-3532
(916) 445-5716
San Francisco Bay Area Regional Office
1145 Marll,et Streel. 3rd Floor
San Francisco, CA 94103
(415) 557-1500
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~_Lisf 01 AyaHable Public3lions ...... ............... Free
AMOUNT ENClOSED (Price includes postage and sales tax) $, _
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AND GEOlOGY. Send order 10: DIVISION OF MINES AND GEOlOGY, P. O. Box 2980, Sacramento.
Cahtorria 95812-2980.
NAME _

STREET _
los Angeles Regional Office
107 South Broadway, Room 1065 CITY STATE ZlP' _
los Angeles, CA 90012-4402
(213) fi2O.-3560 x
L _

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