THE HARPETH RIVER FAULT ZONE, CENTRAL TENNESSEE

Minor normal faults and structural relief on the contact between the Ordovician Carters and Hermitage Formations suggest the presence of two east-side-down normal fault zones in the subsurface 35 km south of Nashville. The Harpeth River Fault zone includes two principal structures: the Arno Fault zone on the west and the McDaniel Fault zone on the east. These two fault zones are separated by 2.5-4.3 km. Structural relief across the Arno Fault zone peaks at approximately 27 m, and structural relief across the McDaniel Fault zone peaks at approximately 24 m. The Arno and McDaniel Faults are approximately 13.2 km long and 11.6 km long, respectively, and strike approximately 340° and 350°, respectively. The Harpeth River Fault zone is likely a Precambrian basement structure which reactivated during the Paleozoic and accommodated extension during uplift of the Nashville Dome.