2008 Reno earthquakes

Earthquake swarm in Nevada, United States May 2025 January 2023 The 2008 Reno earthquakes, also known as the Mogul-Somersett earthquake sequence, occurred in and near the western Reno, Nevada, suburbs of Mogul and Somersett. The earthquake swarm began in February 2008, but the first significant quake of the series occurred on April 15, 2008, registering a 3.6 magnitude. On April 24, 2008, two quakes in the same area registered 4.1 and 4.2. On April 25, 2008, the largest earthquake occurred, registering at magnitude 4.9 and causing damage in the immediate area around the epicenter, including destroying 200 feet of a wooden flume supplying water from the Highland Ditch, also known as the Highland Ditch flume. The flume carried up to 50 e6USgal m3 a day from the Highland Ditch to Reno's Chalk Bluff Water Treatment Facility and another 5 e6USgal m3 to area irrigation users. In addition to these significant quakes, hundreds of smaller events have also occurred in the same area. This swarm is significant because no known dominant fault has been responsible for the earthquake swarm occurring in the region. It is also highly unusual because the quakes have, for the most part, been limited to a three-mile area. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) estimates that over 620 earthquakes have occurred in the general three mile vicinity since the swarm has been monitored. Seismologists with the USGS as well as the Nevada Seismological Laboratory expressed concern that the increasing magnitude of the felt quakes may indicate that a larger earthquake was imminent. As yet, they have not identified the particular tectonics involved with these earthquakes. However, they have stated categorically that volcanic activity is not involved.http://www.seismo.unr.edu/feature/2008/mogul.html Special Earthquake Report Nevada Seismological Laboratory 2008-05-10 https://web.archive.org/web/20080509055039/http://www.seismo.unr.edu/feature/2008/mogul.html 9 May 2008 live The last strong earthquake (M6.1) in the Reno area in occurred on April 24, 1914, and the state's most powerful quake to date was the M7.4 1915 Pleasant Valley earthquake south of Winnemucca. Griffith Martin Reno urged to prepare for worse as earthquakes continue Associated Press 2008-04-26 https://www.usatoday.com/news/topstories/2008-04-26-3812784782_x.htm 2008-10-11 References Additional reading Exceptional Ground Motions Recorded during the 26 April 2008 Mw 5.0 Earthquake in Mogul, Nevada http://www.bssaonline.org/content/99/6/3475.abstract J. G. Anderson John G. Anderson I. Tibuleac A. Anooshehpoor G. Biasi K. Smith D. von Seggern 2009 Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America Seismological Society of America 99 6 3475–3486 10.1785/0120080352 2009BuSSA..99.3475A subscription External links Nevada Earthquake Information – United States Geological Survey Mogul-Somersett Earthquake Sequence; West Reno, Nevada – Nevada Seismological Laboratory Pumps to feed water plant – Nevada Division of Environmental Protection News Exceptional Ground Motions from the April 26, 2008 Mogul Nevada Mw 5.0 Earthquake Recorded by PASSCAL Rapid Array Mobilization Program (RAMP) Stations – IRIS Consortium 39.529 -119.918 type:event_globe:earth_region:US-NV title Reno earthquakes Reno earthquakes Category:Earthquakes in Nevada Reno earthquakes Reno earthquakes Category:Earthquake clusters, swarms, and sequences