The Sonoran Desert of Arizona and northern Sonora, Mexico, hosts some of the wildest and most intriguing geology in the Southwest. In March 1990, the Geological Society of America’s Cordilleran Section met in Tucson, Arizona, to review fresh geologic research and to visit a broad suite of geologic settings. The field trip guides from 19 field excursions – 5 in north-central Sonora, Mexico, and 14 in central and southern Arizona – are reproduced in the Arizona Geological Survey’s Special Paper #7, Geologic Excursions through the Sonoran Desert Region, Arizona and Sonora’. For a link to free d ..read more

As part of our earthquake preparedness program, ‘Arizona has Earthquakes’, we've produced a suite of video shorts showcasing active fault systems in Arizona. Our objective: to inform the Arizona public and decision-makers of the nature, magnitude and frequency of earthquakes impacting Arizona. For video titles, viewership and links see the post at our new blog site: http://blog.azgs.arizona.edu/  ..read more

Arizona come in 2nd in nonfuel mineral production in 2017. The US Geological Survey just released the Mineral Commodity Summaries 2018 for 2017. With nonfuel mineral production topping $6.61 billion, Arizona is the #2 state in the U.S. Nevada is a runaway first with $8.68 billion in production. Arizona is at a competitive disadvantage here; gold ($1352/oz) trumps copper ($3.20/lbs) every time. For the entire blog and more on Arizona mineral production visit our new blog site: http://blog.azgs.arizona.edu ..read more

On January 24, the LA Times reported that residents in the Montecito, California, area received conflicting information regarding evacuation zones prior to the worst post-fire floods and debris flows (often called mudflows) in recent California history. This is troubling news, as 21 people perished in these flows with two still missing, 65 homes were destroyed and another 462 were damaged. To read the entire post, visit our Arizona Geology blog home -  http://blog.azgs.arizona.edu/  Image courtesy of ABC-15 ..read more

Got a geology story to tell? ESRI's StoryMaps might be just the platform you are looking for. You'll find the entire blog text and pointers to a new USGS StoryMap on North America's mid-continental rift episode at   http://blog.azgs.arizona.edu/blog/2018-01/storymaps-brave-new-tool-geoscience-outreach ..read more

Our newest post (22 Jan. 2018) presents Jon Fuller's 135-page contributed report on navigable rivers. This illustrated report includes case studies for three Arizona rivers: Gila, Salt and Verde Rivers. Case for Navigable Rivers ..read more

We are releasing a second suite of Phil Anderson’s geologic mapping and research of Proterozoic rocks, which includes geologic mapping and geochemical sampling of the Central Arizona Arch that covers roughly 3,000 square miles in central Arizona.  Study area & example of sampling. See our full blog post with links to the newly released maps at http://blog.azgs.arizona.edu/  ..read more

For our most recent blog, which showcases our Fall-Winter Arizona Geology e-Magazine article, "Arizona Geology e-Magazine touts new earth fissure maps", visit our new digital site: http://blog.azgs.arizona.edu/blog   (/ 29 November 2017 /). By way of preview, "Oddly enough, Arizona has an earth fissure season; a season when fissures are more likely to first appear or undergo renewed activity. Our Fall-Winter Arizona Geology e-Magazine presents revised earth fissure maps for parts of Cochise, Maricopa, and Pinal Counties, as well as case studies of one new (Tator Hills) and one reac ..read more

Our newest post on the recently released, and magnificent, 'Utah Earthquakes (1850–2016) and Quaternary Faults' map by Steve Bowman (Utah Geol. Survey) and Walter J. Arabasz (Univ. of Utah Seismic Stations) is available at  our new blog site.  Image: Zoomed into the faults and earthquakes near Salt Lake City, Utah's largest metro center.  Thanks, The Management ..read more

 For this invited blog by AZGS's newest hire Andrew Zaffos, visit our new Arizona Geology blog site: http://blog.azgs.arizona.edu Andrew Zaffos in the center ..read more