How large an earthquake can Wasatch Fault Zone produce?

The maximum magnitude potential compiled for Wasatch Fault Zone is M7.5. That figure comes from the length and width of the fault area that could rupture at once, calibrated against its historical and paleoseismic record. It is an upper bound on what the structure can do, not a forecast of the next event.

Is Wasatch Fault Zone overdue for an earthquake?

No fault is ever 'overdue' in the way the phrase suggests. Recurrence intervals are averages over a handful of past ruptures, not a schedule: the interval between two events on the same fault routinely varies by a factor of two or more. The elapsed time shown on this page is exactly that — how long it has been — and not a probability that a rupture is imminent.

How is the seismicity on this page selected?

Every earthquake listed sits within 25 km of the mapped trace of Wasatch Fault Zone, measured as the distance to the nearest fault segment rather than to a bounding box. Events on a neighbouring structure therefore do not appear here, even when they are geographically close. The slip rate of 1–2 mm/yr and the rupture history are compiled from the published literature.

All fault systems

Normal (extensional)

Wasatch Fault Zone

Utah, United States

Length: 370 km
Mₘₐₓ potential: M7.5
Slip rate: 1–2 mm/yr
Recurrence interval: ~1,300 years

Locking depth

12–15 km

The depth range over which the fault is locked and accumulating elastic strain. Below it the rock creeps aseismically; above it, strain is released in earthquakes.

Live seismicity within 25 km of the trace (last 30 days)

Loading seismicity along this fault trace…

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Verified scientific, operational, and emergency protocols

Wasatch Fault Zone is a normal (extensional) system running roughly 370 km through Utah, United States. The kinematics describe how the two sides move relative to each other, which governs both the shaking a rupture produces and whether it can displace the sea floor.