Fault · Nevada
Benton Spring fault
In plain English
The two sides move 0.2 to 1 mm a year — 2 to 10 cm every century.
Its most recent surface rupture is younger than 15,000 years.
The largest earthquake recorded near it was M 6.8 in 1932 (The 1932 Cedar Mountain, Nevada Earthquake) — about 500,000 times the energy of an M3.0, the size people start to feel. It released about 240 kilotons of TNT.
This week vs. its last ten years
0/100
quiet
0 quakes of M1.5+ within 5 km of the trace in the last 7 days — busier than 0% of weeks since 2016. A normal week: 0–0.
Computed from the USGS catalogue · a description of the past, not a forecast · method
Every year since 2016
Earthquakes of M2.5+ with an epicentre within 10 km of the mapped trace. Near is not the same as on: some will have slipped on neighbouring faults.
The big ones recorded near it
- M 6.8 The 1932 Cedar Mountain, Nevada Earthquake
December 21, 1932 · epicentre 20 km from the trace - M 5.0 29 km SSE of Mina, Nevada
June 30, 2020 · epicentre 8 km from the trace - M 4.9 28 km SSE of Mina, Nevada
May 15, 2020 · epicentre 7 km from the trace - M 4.9 24 km S of Mina, Nevada
December 3, 2020 · epicentre 10 km from the trace - M 4.8 29 km SSE of Mina, Nevada
May 15, 2020 · epicentre 9 km from the trace - M 4.5 29 km SSE of Mina, Nevada
May 17, 2020 · epicentre 8 km from the trace - M 4.5 29 km SE of Mina, Nevada
July 6, 2020 · epicentre 8 km from the trace
Before 1973 from the USGS ComCat historical catalogue (within 25 km; epicentres of old earthquakes are estimates). Since 2016, M4+ within 10 km.
Most recent near it
- M 2.6 30 km SSE of Mina, Nevada
2026-08-12 · 10 km from the trace - M 3.3 30 km SE of Mina, Nevada
2026-03-11 · 9 km from the trace - M 3.0 29 km SSE of Mina, Nevada
2026-03-10 · 9 km from the trace - M 2.8 30 km SSE of Mina, Nevada
2026-03-10 · 10 km from the trace - M 2.9 31 km SE of Mina, Nevada
2025-04-30 · 10 km from the trace - M 2.8 26 km SSE of Mina, Nevada
2025-04-09 · 5 km from the trace
Neighbouring faults
- Indian Head fault 10 km away
- Hot Springs fault 16 km away
- Monte Cristo Valley fault 20 km away
- Gabbs Valley fault 23 km away
- Rattlesnake Flat fault 32 km away
- Wassuk Range fault 36 km away
Fault trace, slip rate and age: USGS Quaternary Fault and Fold Database (public domain), simplified for the web. Earthquakes: USGS ComCat. QuakeIndex does not forecast earthquakes; a fault's history describes the past. For early warning use ShakeAlert.