1915 Pleasant Valley earthquake
Encyclopedia
The 1915 Pleasant Valley earthquake occurred in Pleasant Valley
, in north-central Nevada
, on October 3, 1915. It is currently the strongest earthquake
ever recorded in the state.
s. It produced four scarps, with a total length of 59 kilometres (36.7 mi), and re-ruptured Holocene
scarps located at the bottom of the base of the mountain blocks. Among the scarps, the average vertical displacement among the affected areas was 2 metres (6.6 ft), and the maximum displacement was 5.8 metres (19 ft).
houses, collapsed several mine tunnels, and cracked concrete mine foundations. Winnemucca
experienced damage to adobe buildings as well, and several multistory brick buildings lost coping
and upper wall parts. Many chimneys were destroyed if they were above roof lines. Water tanks were knocked over in Battle Mountain
, Kodiak, Lovelock
, and Parran. Several ranches reported damage, all by the southern end of Pleasant Valley. More adobe houses were knocked down by the shaking; a masonry chicken house and a hog pen were destroyed; and houses were displaced from their foundations.
The earthquake had several aftershock
s, which disturbed a significant amount of land in Northern Nevada.
Pleasant Valley, Nevada
Pleasant Valley is a very small, unincorporated community in Washoe County, Nevada, United States. The ZIP Code for Pleasant Valley is 89511. The community is part of the Reno–Sparks Metropolitan Statistical Area, and US Route 395 runs through it, and acts as a divider between the eastern and...
, in north-central Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
, on October 3, 1915. It is currently the strongest earthquake
Earthquake
An earthquake is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth's crust that creates seismic waves. The seismicity, seismism or seismic activity of an area refers to the frequency, type and size of earthquakes experienced over a period of time...
ever recorded in the state.
Geography
The rupture originated along an unnamed fault somewhere in the eastern side of Pleasant Valley, in north-central Nevada. The epicentral region was almost uninhabited, so there was little property damage considering the magnitude of the quake. The earthquake remains as one of the best examples ever for evidence of creating spectacular fault scarpFault scarp
A fault scarp is the topographic expression of faulting attributed to the displacement of the land surface by movement along faults. They are exhibited either by differential movement and subsequent erosion along an old inactive geologic fault , or by a movement on a recent active fault...
s. It produced four scarps, with a total length of 59 kilometres (36.7 mi), and re-ruptured Holocene
Holocene
The Holocene is a geological epoch which began at the end of the Pleistocene and continues to the present. The Holocene is part of the Quaternary period. Its name comes from the Greek words and , meaning "entirely recent"...
scarps located at the bottom of the base of the mountain blocks. Among the scarps, the average vertical displacement among the affected areas was 2 metres (6.6 ft), and the maximum displacement was 5.8 metres (19 ft).
Damage
The earthquake's damage was confined, only recorded within 80 kilometers of the epicenter. Damage in Kennedy destroyed two adobeAdobe
Adobe is a natural building material made from sand, clay, water, and some kind of fibrous or organic material , which the builders shape into bricks using frames and dry in the sun. Adobe buildings are similar to cob and mudbrick buildings. Adobe structures are extremely durable, and account for...
houses, collapsed several mine tunnels, and cracked concrete mine foundations. Winnemucca
Winnemucca, Nevada
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 7,174 people, 2,736 households, and 1,824 families residing in the city. The population density was 867.5 people per square mile . There were 3,280 housing units at an average density of 396.6 per square mile...
experienced damage to adobe buildings as well, and several multistory brick buildings lost coping
Coping (architecture)
Coping , consists of the capping or covering of a wall.A splayed or wedge coping slopes in a single direction; a saddle coping slopes to either side of a central high point....
and upper wall parts. Many chimneys were destroyed if they were above roof lines. Water tanks were knocked over in Battle Mountain
Battle Mountain, Nevada
Battle Mountain is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Lander County, Nevada, United States. The population was 2,871 at the 2000 census. Though it has no legal status as a municipality, it still functions as the county seat of Lander County...
, Kodiak, Lovelock
Lovelock, Nevada
Lovelock is a city in western Nevada that is the county seat of Pershing County, the location of a prison, and the namesake of the area's Cold War gunnery range...
, and Parran. Several ranches reported damage, all by the southern end of Pleasant Valley. More adobe houses were knocked down by the shaking; a masonry chicken house and a hog pen were destroyed; and houses were displaced from their foundations.
The earthquake had several aftershock
Aftershock
An aftershock is a smaller earthquake that occurs after a previous large earthquake, in the same area of the main shock. If an aftershock is larger than the main shock, the aftershock is redesignated as the main shock and the original main shock is redesignated as a foreshock...
s, which disturbed a significant amount of land in Northern Nevada.