Two New Fault Lines—Just What We Need

Since Seattle isn't criss-crossed with enough fault lines already, the U.S. Geological Survey's new seismic hazard maps include two new fault lines in Western Washington. One of the new faults is located between Bellingham and the Canadian border, and the other runs east of Port Angeles. The study also found that a fault located South of Whidbey Island is longer than previously thought.

The new fault close to the Canadian border has been named the Boulder Creek fault. Geologists believe the fault has the capacity to cause a magnitude 6.8 earthquake. The other newly discovered fault has been named the Lake Creek-Boundary Creek fault; it is located along the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Olympic National Park. Geologists believe this fault is capable of causing a 7.4 magnitude quake. Despite their recent mapping, geologists believe the fault lines have both been active for thousands of years. None of this makes us feel any better about the "big one," driving on the viaduct, or the infallibility of the Space Needle.

What exactly does a seismic button do? Photo Courtesy of Flickr Contributor trochee