NBMG Special Publication 36

The 21 February 2008 Mw 6.0 Wells, Nevada Earthquake

A compendium of earthquake-related investigations prepared by the University of Nevada, Reno


Edited by Craig M. dePolo and Daphne D. LaPointe

2011

Wells, Nevada

 

Contents

 

All sections of the report are available below in .pdf format unless otherwise noted.

 

Front Cover, Title Page and Contents

I. Summary
a. Summary of the 2008 Wells, Nevada Earthquake Documentation Volume
by Craig M. dePolo1, Kenneth D. Smith2, and Christopher D. Henry1
1Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology and 2Nevada Seismological Laboratory, University of Nevada, Reno


II. Introduction
a. An Introduction to the February 21, 2008, Mw 6.0 Wells Nevada Earthquake and the Earthquake Documentation Volume
by Craig M. dePolo, Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology, University of Nevada, Reno

b. Seismicity and Seismic Hazard of Northeastern Nevada
by John G. Anderson, Nevada Seismological Laboratory, University of Nevada, Reno

c. Wells Earthquake Relief Fund Video (.wmv)
by Layla Walz, Wells Rural Electric Company


III. Geologic and Geophysical Setting
a. The Regional Structural Setting of the 2008 Wells Earthquake and Town Creek Flat Basin–Implications for the Wells Earthquake Fault and Adjacent Structures
by Christopher D. Henry1 and Joseph P. Colgan2
1Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology, University of Nevada, Reno and 2U.S. Geological Survey, Menlo Park, CA

b. Bedrock Geology of the Ranges Bounding the Wells Earthquake of February 21, 2008
by Charles H. Thorman1 and William E. Brooks2
1U.S. Geological Survey Emeritus, Denver, CO and 2U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA

c. Quaternary Faults in the 2008 Wells Earthquake Area
by Alan R. Ramelli and Craig M. dePolo, Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology, University of Nevada, Reno

d. Geophysical Setting of the February 21, 2008 Mw 6.0 Wells Earthquake, Nevada, Implications for Earthquake Hazards
by Ponce, D.A., Watt, J.T., and Bouligand, C., U.S. Geological Survey, Menlo Park, CA

e. Shallow Shear-Wave Velocities Based on Refraction Microtremor Measurements in Areas Damaged by the 2008 Mw 6.0 Wells, Nevada Earthquake
by Jim O’Donnell1, Aasha Pancha2, and Craig M. dePolo3
1Boulder City, Nevada, 2Optim SDS, Reno, NV and 3Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology, University of Nevada, Reno


IV. Seismic and Infrasound Studies
a. Preliminary Analysis of the Mw 6.0 Wells, Nevada, Earthquake Sequence
by Kenneth Smith1, Jim Pechmann2, Mark Meremonte3 and Kristine Pankow2
1Nevada Seismological Laboratory, University of Nevada Reno, 2University of Utah Seismograph Stations, Salt Lake City, UT and 3U.S. Geological Survey, Golden, CO

b. Preliminary Finite-Source Study of the February 21, 2008 Wells, Nevada Earthquake
by Douglas S. Dreger, Sean R. Ford, and Isabelle Ryder, Berkeley Seismological Laboratory

c. Empirical Green’s Function Analysis of the Wells, Nevada, Earthquake Source
by Mendoza, C.1 and Hartzell S.2
1Centro de Geociencias, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico and 2U.S. Geological Survey, Denver, CO

d. Ground Motions from the 2008 Wells, Nevada Earthquake Sequence and Implications for Seismic Hazard
by Mark Petersen1, Kris Pankow2, Glenn Biasi3, Mark Meremonte1, Stephen Harmsen1, Charles Mueller1
and Yuehua Zeng1
1U. S. Geological Survey, Golden, CO, 2University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT and 3University of Nevada, Reno

e. Infrasonic Observations from the February 21, 2008 Wells Earthquake
by Relu Burlacu1, Stephen Arrowsmith2, Chris Hayward3, Brian Stump3
1University of Utah Seismograph Stations, 2Las Alamos National Laboratory and 3Department of Geological Sciences, Southern Methodist University


V. Geodetic and State-of-Stress Studies
a. Global Positioning System Constraints on Crustal Deformation Before and During the 21 February 2008 Wells, Nevada M 6.0 Earthquake
by William C. Hammond1, Geoffrey Blewitt1, Corné Kreemer1, Jessica R. Murray-Moraleda2 and Jerry L. Svarc2
1Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology, University of Nevada, Reno and 2U.S. Geological Survey, Menlo Park, California

b. Coulomb Stress Analysis of the 21 February 2008 Mw = 6.0 Wells, Nevada, Earthquake
by Volkan Sevilgen, U. S. Geological Survey, Menlo Park, CA


VI. Earthquake Damage and Effects
a. Modified Mercalli Intensity Maps for the February 21, 2008 Wells, Nevada Earthquake
by Craig M. dePolo and Bret Pecoraro, Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology, University of Nevada, Reno

b. Building Damage from the 2008 Wells, Nevada Earthquake
by Craig M. dePolo, Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology, University of Nevada, Reno

c. Damage to Residential Houses from the 2008 Wells, Nevada Earthquake
by Craig M. dePolo, Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology, University of Nevada, Reno

d. Wells High School Analysis and Reconstruction Following the February 21, 2008 Earthquake
by Thomas E. Trabert, M.S., P.E., Trabert Engineering, Reno, NV

e. 2008 Wells, Nevada Earthquake: Effects on Utility Systems
by Craig M. dePolo1 and Mike Ericksen2
1Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology, University of Nevada, Reno and 2Wells Propane, Inc.

f. Wells, Nevada M6.0 Earthquake Impact on the Nevada Department of Transportation
by Michael E. Murphy, Nevada Department of Transportation, District III, Elko, NV

g. Effects on Geothermal Features Following the February 21, 2008 Wells, Nevada Earthquake
by Chris Sladek, Department of Geological Sciences, University of Nevada, Reno, Nevada


VII. Response to the Earthquake, Community Impacts, and Disaster Recovery
a. The Emergency Response to the 2008 Wells, Nevada Earthquake Disaster
by Craig M. dePolo1 and Dale Lotspeich2
1Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology, University of Nevada, Reno and 2Elko County Sheriff’s Department

b. Loss-Estimation Modeling Based on the 2008 Wells, Nevada Earthquake
by Jonathan G. Price, Ronald H. Hess, Gary L. Johnson, Craig M. dePolo, and Jordan T. Hastings
Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology, University of Nevada, Reno

c. Immediate Scientific Response to the 2008 Wells, Nevada, Earthquake
by DuRoss, C.B.1, dePolo, C.M.2, Koehler, R.D.4, Bowman, S.D.1, McDonald, G.N.1 and Shaw, L.M.3
1Utah Geological Survey, 2Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology, University of Nevada, Reno, 3Northern Arizona University; formerly Utah Geological Survey and 4University of Nevada, Reno

d. The Impact of the 2008 Wells, Nevada Earthquake on the City of Wells: Post-Earthquake Lessons for Rural Community Governments
by Craig M. dePolo1 and Jolene Supp2
1Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology, University of Nevada, Reno and 2City of Wells

e. The Recovery of Wells, Nevada from the 2008 Earthquake Disaster
by Craig M dePolo, Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology, University of Nevada, Reno


VIII. Lessons Learned
a. Lessons Learned from the February 21, 2008 Wells, Nevada Earthquake
by Nevada Earthquake Safety Council with contributions and support from Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology, Nevada Seismological Laboratory, Nevada Division of Emergency Management, Federal Emergency Management Agency, U.S. Geological Survey and City of Wells


Appendices
Appendix A. Plate 1. Geologic Map of the Wells Area, Elko County, Nevada [dowload GIS data]
Compiled by Christopher D. Henry1 and Charles H. Thorman2
1Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology and 2U.S. Geological Survey Emeritus, Denver, CO

Appendix B. Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar Map of the 2008 Wells Earthquake
by John W. Bell, Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology, University of Nevada, Reno

Appendix C. Photograph Gallery

Appendix D. Objects that were Thrown, Toppled or Slid by the 2008 Wells, Earthquake
by Craig M. dePolo, Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology, University of Nevada, Reno

Appendix E. Preliminary Earthquake Simulations for the 21 February 2008 Wells Earthquake
by John Louie, Nevada Seismological Laboratory, University of Nevada, Reno

Apple version (PowerPoint includes .mov files)

Windows version (PowerPoint includes .avi files)

Appendix F. Wells Nevada earthquake–A 6.0 magnitude earthquake strikes the northeastern edge of the Basin and Range
by Corné Kreemer, Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology, University of Nevada, Reno

 

Suggested Citations

Online version:
dePolo, C.M., and LaPointe, D.D., editors, 2011, The 21 February 2008 Mw 6.0 Wells, Nevada earthquake—a compendium of earthquake-related investigations prepared by the University of Nevada, Reno (online version): Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology Special Publication 36.
DVD version:
dePolo, C.M., and LaPointe, D.D., editors, 2011, The 21 February 2008 Mw 6.0 Wells, Nevada earthquake—a compendium of earthquake-related investigations prepared by the University of Nevada, Reno (DVD version): Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology Special Publication 36.
Paper version:
dePolo, C.M., and LaPointe, D.D., editors, 2011, The 21 February 2008 Mw 6.0 Wells, Nevada earthquake—a compendium of earthquake-related investigations prepared by the University of Nevada, Reno (paper version, includes links to appendices which are only available online): Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology Special Publication 36.