Geologic Mapping in the western United States

GEOLOGIC MAPPING

Las Vegas Urban Corridor

Welcome! You are connected to the U. S. Geological Survey (USGS) homepage for the Las Vegas Urban Corridor, a project of the Western Earth Surface Processes Team. The urban corridor project has been preparing geologic maps across a swath of southern Nevada and adjacent California and Arizona to evaluate geologic hazards, address water resources and contamination issues, and provide help with land-use decisions. The project produces digital geologic databases of 1:100,000-scale maps that can be powerfully adapted to multiple tasks.

The primary project objective is to determine the geologic, geophysical, and hydrologic history of Las Vegas Valley, which is being commercially developed at the rate of about one square mile every three months. Las Vegas is the fastest growing city in the U.S., and Clark County is the fastest growing county. This objective will be achieved through the systematic production of general-purpose 1:24,000 and 1:100,000-scale geologic maps that will provide a uniform data base. Primary issues include: 1) Mapping the aerial distribution of permeable strata and fracture zones and effects on the migration of ground and surface water, and on pollution plumes in these waters. 2) Mapping, geophysical surveys, and hydrologic studies of hazards, such as expansive soils, flooding, subsidence due to ground water withdrawal, landslides and faulting. 3) Providing GIS-based information critical for planning and zoning and communication and outreach to the public through the Lake Mead-Lake Mojave National Recreation Areas. 4) Evaluation of the stratigraphic and structural setting of Las Vegas basin to determine ground water, petroleum, building materials, and mineral resource potential.

NOTE: A main Web site for the Las Vegas Project is currently under development. Several new digital geologic maps for the region are near completion (possibly in 2003).

Downloadable geologic data and related information for the Las Vegas project
Geophysical study of Las Vegas Valley