Setting research goals and planning for the next generation
of earthquake-hazards maps for the Wasatch Front, Utah.

BRPEWG Recommendations
   to USGS NSHM Program (pdf)
Results of 2009 meetings:
Quaternary Fault (pdf)
Ground-Shaking (pdf)
Liquefaction (pdf)
Utah Priorities for 2010 USGS
   NEHRP RFP (pdf)
Members List (pdf)

In 2003, the UGS and U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) established four multi-disciplinary earthquake working groups to coordinate earthquake research in Utah.

The Utah Quaternary Fault Parameters Working Group developed a consensus among paleoseismologists working in Utah regarding earthquake timing, slip rates, and recurrence intervals for Utah faults, and prioritized faults for future study.

The Ground Shaking, Liquefaction, and Earthquake-Induced Landslide Working Groups set research goals and defined multi-year plans to develop the next generation of earthquake hazards maps for the Wasatch Front, Utah.

Since 2003, these working groups have met each year to revise research priorities and update plans. The 2009 meetings of the Ground Shaking, Liquefaction, and Quaternary Fault Parameters Working Groups were held in Salt Lake City February 10-11. The Earthquake-Induced Landslide Working Group has been inactive since 2005.

Working group members include geologists, engineers, seismologists, and geophysicists from Utah State University, Brigham Young University, University of Utah, UGS, USGS, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, and various consulting companies and other government agencies.

The process is funded through a cooperative agreement between the UGS and USGS National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP).

A summary of recommended priorities for 2010 research developed at the 2009 working group meetings is included below. The results of individual 2009 working group meetings and a list of 2009 working group members are also included.

• Utah Priorities for the 2010 USGS NEHRP RFP (pdf)
• Quaternary Fault Parameters 2009 Meeting Results (pdf)
• Ground Shaking 2009 Meeting Results (pdf)
• Liquefaction 2009 Meeting Results (pdf)
• 2009 Members List (pdf)

In 2006, the Basin and Range Province Earthquake Working Group (BRPEWG) of the Western States Seismic Policy Council (WSSPC) met to discuss seismic-hazard issues in the Basin and Range Province and related USGS National Seismic Hazard Mapping (NSHM) project issues. These recommendations were published as UGS Open-File Report 477:

• BRPEWG Recommendations to USGS NSHM Program (pdf)

Paleoseismic studies that developed out of the Quaternary Fault Parameters Working Group meetings and published by the UGS are found in the Paleoseismology of Utah Series.