GEOLOGIC HAZARDS ON THE MARGINS OF THE LAS VEGAS VALLEY

As development continues to encroach on the margins of the Las Vegas Valley residential, business and property owners, developers, city and county building departments will encounter increasing difficulties regarding geologic hazards. Within the past few years several development projects have encountered open holes along sympathetic fault offsets in the Muddy Creek formation southwest of Frenchmen Mountain, and rock fall areas on the north side of Black Mountain. Abandoned mines and shafts, rock falls, subsurface holes, faults, and seismic impacts are some of the potential issues that need to be considered, investigated, and potentially addressed as growth continues in the Las Vegas Valley. The State of Nevada and most of the counties and cities have not developed building codes to address most of these potential geologic hazards that will be encountered. There are some building codes that address settlement of large structures. Professional geologists and civil engineers should become involved in helping State and local agencies establish codes for assessing and addressing these potential geologic hazards. In the mean time, professionals should evaluate the potential impacts of geologic hazards as they relate to their clients projects and educate their clients regarding the lose prevention issues these geologic hazards pose.