![]() NV Seismological Laboratory Nevada is one of the most seismically active states in the country, ranking third after California and Alaska. To blame are the state's many faults, found at the base of almost every mountain range. The basin and range topography of the Great Basin is caused by movement along these faults. As these mountain ranges continue to grow through fault-block activity, earthquakes continue to occur. What is a Fault? Earthquake Activity While earthquakes don't occur at any regular interval, historically the frequency of an earthquake of magnitude 6 or higher has been one every 10 years, and for magnitude 7 or higher, one every 27 years. ![]() NV Seismological Laboratory You can find maps of both recent and historic earthquake activity in Nevada at the U.S. Geological Survey's website. |
Last updated: February 28, 2015