Kansas Earthquake Risk: Causes, Monitoring, and Mitigation Strategies

KANSAS (KSNT) – Geologists are putting their expertise to the test by studying hidden threats that lie beneath the feet of thousands of Kansas residents. While Kansas may not be the first state to come to mind when discussing earthquakes, these geological occurrences sometimes make themselves known through slight tremors or even more violent shakes in certain parts of the state. But should everyday Kansans be concerned about these earthquakes? The Kansas Geological Survey (KGS) is an organization dedicated to understanding what is happening beneath the ground. 27 News reached out to Shelby L. Peterie, a research geophysicist at the KGS, to learn more about how earthquakes are impacting the lives of Kansas residents and where some of the strongest earthquakes have been recorded in the Sunflower State. Peterie explained that while most earthquakes in Kansas are small and overlooked, those with a magnitude of 3 or higher can be felt locally. "Events of this size occur about once a month on average in recent years," he said. "Prior to 2013, earthquakes of this size occurred once every 2-3 years on average." Most earthquakes in Kansas happen near geologic structures with known faults, which are fractures or zones of fractures between two pieces of rock that can cause an earthquake when they shift underground, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). Peterie noted that the Central Kansas Uplift in central Kansas and the Nemaha Ridge in eastern Kansas have the most seismic activity. In recent years, earthquakes have also been recorded in Saline and neighboring counties along the Midcontinent Geophysical Anomaly. In 2013 and 2014, KGS staff recorded an earthquake outbreak in south-central Kansas with each one registering at a magnitude of 3 or higher. The largest earthquake in recent memory occurred on Nov. 12, 2014, when a magnitude 4.9 earthquake was recorded in Sumner County. This uptick in seismic activity was concerning as prior to 2013, earthquakes of this strength were seen only once every two or three years. Peterie said that saltwater disposal wells in north-central Oklahoma created increased pressure underground, leading to increased earthquake activity along existing faults. The KGS later worked with the Kansas Corporation Commission (KCC) and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) to create the Seismic Action Plan to keep tabs on the increased seismic activity. Since 2014, the occurrence of earthquakes in Kansas has decreased. Despite elevated seismic activity in recent years, the USGS classifies the earthquake hazard/risk in Kansas as low. In more than 150 years of earthquake reporting, even the largest earthquake in Kansas (the M 5.2 Wamego earthquake in 1867) resulted in only moderate damage. Kansans shouldn't be too worried about earthquakes as the KGS has a statewide earthquake monitoring network with 30 earthquake stations across the state detecting earthquakes in real-time. Monitoring and research at the KGS along with partnerships with other agencies and industries will ensure that any changes in seismic activity will be quickly identified and effectively addressed to minimize the impacts of induced seismicity.