Santa Maria

Lompoc

Santa

Barbara

Oxnard

Los Angeles

Long

Beach

Channel Islands

San

Diego

El

Centro

Indio

Riverside

Lancaster

GARLOCK FAULT ZONE

SAN GABRIEL 

SAN ANDREAS FAULT ZONE

WHITTIER FAULT

NEWPORT–INGLEWOOD

SAN JACINTO FAULT ZONE

SUPERSTITION HILLS FAULT

IMPERIAL FAULT ZONE

BRAWLEY SEISMIC ZONE

SAN ANDREAS FAULT ZONE

ROSE CANYON FAULT ZONE

VALLEY 

HELENDALE FAULT

PALOS VERDES FAULT ZONE

SANTA CRUZ-SANTA CATALINA RIDGE FAULT Z ONE

SAN CLEMENTE FAULT ZONE

SAN DIEGO TROUGH 

SIMI-SANTA ROSA FAULT ZONE

MALIBU COAST FAULT SANTA MONICA FAULT

ELSINORE FAULT ZONE

SAN JACINTO FAULT ZONE

EMERSON LAKE FAULT

CALICO FAULT

MANIX FAULT

WHITE WOLF FAULT

S

FAULT ZONE

AN MADRE F AULT ZONE

CUCAMONGA FAULT

FAULT ZONE

FAULT ZONE

JOHNSON 

LAVIC

LAKE

FA

U

LT

MISSION CREEK FAULT

BANNING FAULT ZONE

FAULT ZONE

FAULT

RAYMOND HOLLYWOOD FAULT 

SAN CAYETNO FAULT

 MISSION RIDGE–RED MOUNTAIN FAULT ZO NE

SANTA YNEZ FAULT ZONE

OAK RIDGE FAULT

SIERRA MADRE

 FAULT ZONE

1 2

3

4

5 8

9

12

18

14

15

6

13

17

16

23

24

10

11 20

21

22

19

7

EXPLANATION

1.5–2.0

2.1–3.0

3.1–4.0

4.1–5.0

5.1–6.0

6.1–7.0

MAGNITUDE (RICHTER)

EARTHQUAKES BATHYMETRY

Active in last 700,000 years

Active prior to 700,000 years ago

FAULTS—Dashed where approximately located; dotted where inferred

Sea level

3,650 Meters

Number refers to earthquake number in table 14

MAGNITUDE 5.5 AND GREATER EARTHQUAKES

Time Latitude Longitude Depth Magnitude

(Universal Time Coordinated) (N.) (W.) (km) (Richter scale)

1 San Fernando 9-Feb-71 14:00:42 34.4160 –118.3700 8.95 6.60

2 San Fernando 9-Feb-71 14:01:12 34.4160 –118.3700 6.00 5.80

3 San Fernando 9-Feb-71 14:02:45 34.4160 –118.3700 6.00 5.80

4 Imperial Valley 16-Oct-79 6:58:43 32.9987 –115.5575 14.19 5.80

5 Westmorland 26-Apr-81 12:09:28 33.0955 –115.6245 18.81 5.75

6 North Palm Springs 8-Jul-86 9:20:45 33.9990 –116.6080 10.35 5.65

7 Whittier Narrows 1-Oct-87 14:42:20 34.0610 –118.0790 9.53 5.90

8 Elmore Ranch fault 24-Nov-87 1:54:15 33.0900 –115.7920 10.81 6.20

9 Superstition Hills 24-Nov-87 13:15:57 33.0150 –115.8520 11.18 6.60

10 Upland 28-Feb-90 23:43:37 34.1440 –117.6970 4.49 5.51

11 Sierra Madre 28-Jun-91 14:43:55 34.2700 –117.9930 9.15 5.80

12 Joshua Tree 23-Apr-92 4:50:23 33.9600 –116.3170 12.33 6.10

13 Landers 28-Jun-92 11:57:34 34.2000 –116.4370 0.97 7.30

14 Landers 28-Jun-92 12:00:45 34.1310 –116.4080 0.01 5.77

15 Landers 28-Jun-92 12:01:16 34.1200 –116.3230 6.00 5.70

16 Big Bear 28-Jun-92 14:43:22 34.1620 –116.8520 11.06 5.53

17 Big Bear 28-Jun-92 15:05:31 34.2030 –116.8270 5.38 6.30

18 Landers 29-Jun-92 14:08:37 34.1050 –116.4030 10.35 5.69

19 Mojave 11-Jul-92 18:14:16 35.2100 –118.0670 10.67 5.67

20 Northridge 17-Jan-94 12:30:55 34.2130 –118.5370 18.40 6.70

21 Northridge 17-Jan-94 12:31:58 34.2750 –118.4930 6.00 5.89

22 Simi Valley 17-Jan-94 23:33:31 34.3260 –118.6980 9.83 5.58

23 Hector Mine 16-Oct-99 9:46:44 34.5940 –116.2710 0.02 7.10

24 Hector Mine 16-Oct-99 9:59:35 34.6782 –116.2895 15.28 5.77

Earthquake No. Locality Date

35°0'0"N

35°0'0"N

34°0'0"N

34°0'0"N

33°0'0"N

33°0'0"N

116°0'0"W

116°0'0"W

117°0'0"W

117°0'0"W

118°0'0"W

118°0'0"W

119°0'0"W

119°0'0"W

120°0'0"W

120°0'0"W

NORTH AMERICAN HORIZONTAL DATUM OF 1983

NATIONAL GEODETIC VERTICAL DATUM OF 1929

SCALE 1:450 000

10 5 0 10 20 30 40MILES

10 5 0 10 20 30 40 KILOMETERS

12,500 6,250 0 12,500 5,000 37,500 50,000 METERS

1

U.S. Geological Survey, Western Geographic Science Center, Menlo Park, California

2

U.S. Geological Survey, Earthquake Science Center, Menlo Park, California

Santa Maria

Lompoc

Santa

Barbara

Oxnard

Los Angeles

Long

Beach

Channel Islands

San

Diego

El

Centro

Indio

Riverside

Lancaster

35°0'0"N 34°0'0"N 33°0'0"N

120°0'0"W 119°0'0"W 118°0'0"W 117°0'0"W 116°0'0"W

U.S. Department of the Interior

U.S. Geological Survey

Scientific Investigations Map 3222

Any use of trade, product, or firm names in this publication is for descriptive purposes only 

and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government

For sale by U.S. Geological Survey, Information Services, Box 25286, Federal Center, 

Denver, CO 80225, 1–888–ASK–USGS

Digital files available at http://pubs.usgs.gov/sim/3222/

Suggested citation: Sleeter, B.M., Calzia, J.P., and Walter, S.R., 2012, Earthquakes and 

Faults in Southern California (1970-2010): U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations 

Map 3222, scale 1:450,000 [http://pubs.usgs.gov/sim/3222/].

APPROXIMATE MEAN

DECLINATION, 2012

MAGNETIC NORTH

TRUE NORTH

12.5°

Printed on recycled paper

Earthquakes and Faults in Southern California (1970–2010)

By

Benjamin M. Sleeter,1 James P. Calzia,1 and Stephen R. Walter2

2012

CALIF.

MAP LOCATION

Bathymetry from California Department of Fish and Game, Marine Region, Coastal Bathymetry Project, last 

accessed November 15, 2010, at http://www.dfg.ca.gov/marine/gis/bathymetry.asp

Elevation data from U.S. Geological Survey National Elevation Database (1 arc-second); sun illumination from the 

northwest (315°) at 60° above horizon

Landsat satellite image from fourteen Landsat 5 Thematic Mapper scenes collected between 2009–2010.

Individual Landsat scenes processed by the U.S. Geological Survey Center for Earth Resource Observation 

Systems (EROS), Sioux Falls, South Dakota, using the Level 1 Product Generation System (LPGS)

Fault data from U.S. Geological Survey and California Geological Survey, 2006, Quaternary fault and fold 

database for the United States, accessed November 23, 2010, at http://earthquake.usgs.gov/regional/qfaults

Earthquake data from the U.S. Geological Survey National Earthquake Information Center, accessed March 24, 

2011, at http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eqarchives/epic/epic_rect.php

Albers Conical Equal Area Projection

Landsat satellite image compiled by B.M. Sleeter