Significant Earthquakes and Faults
Fault Name Index
Sierra Nevada Fault Zone
Type of Fault: normal
Length: at least 240 km (length of zone);
surface traces are somewhat discontinuous, broken
Nearby Communities: Bishop, Big Pine, Dunmovin, Inyokern
Most Recent Surface Rupture: Holocene in part; varies greatly along trace
Slip Rate: less than 1 mm/yr (?)
Interval Between Major Ruptures: unknown
Probable Magnitudes: MW6.0 - 7.1 (?);
unlikely that very long, continuous ruptures occur, given present-day appearance of surface trace
Independence Fault
Type of Fault: normal
Length: 40 km
Nearby Communities: Independence, Lone Pine
Most Recent Surface Rupture: Holocene in part; otherwise, Late Quaternary
Slip Rate: between 0.1 and 1 mm/yr (?)
Interval Between Major Ruptures: unknown
Probable Magnitudes: MW6.0 - 7.2
Other Notes: Responsible for the impressive east face of the High Sierra near Mt. Whitney.
This fault is featured on the following map:
Basin and Range Fault Map
