Description:
This is one of a series of earth fissure maps prepared by the Arizona Geological Survey (AZGS) in accordance with
Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 27-152.01(3). AZGS collected location information from previously conducted earth fissure
studies, reviewed available remote-sensing aerial and satellite imagery, and conducted surface site investigations
throughout the study area. A reasonable effort was made to identify all earth fissures in the study area.
Nonetheless, some fissures may remain unmapped as a result of one or more of the following:
1) Existing fissures may have been masked by construction or agricultural activities.
2) Incipient fissures may lack clear surface expression.
3) The surface expression of fissures changes constantly as new earth fissures develop and old earth fissures
fill in. A blank area on the map does not guarantee earth fissures are not present. However, blank areas
within the study area boundary have been investigated, and no surface evidence of fissures was found as
of the date of map publication. Determining the presence or absence of a fissure at any specific site may
require additional mapping and/or geotechnical analysis.
4) Some earth fissures mapped in this study area were previously referred to as "combination earth fissuredesiccation
cracks" (Harris, 2004). Based on similar appearance, morphology, and depth of surface crack
to nearby known earth fissures, these features are depicted here as earth fissures. Other shallow polygonal
surface crack networks within the study area were interpreted to be giant desiccation cracks and are not
depicted on this map.