Arizona - Earth Fissures - Arizona Geological Survey

Earth fissures are open surface fractures that may be as much as a mile in length, up to 15 ft (4.5 m) wide, and 10s of feet deep. In Arizona, earth fissures form as a result of land subsidence driven by groundwater withdrawal. The Arizona Geological Survey has mapped and reported earth fissures throughout south-central and southeastern Arizona since the 1990s and published earth fissure study area maps in accordance with Arizona Revised Statute § 27-152.01(3) since 2007. Mapping of fissures involves incorporating mapped earth fissures from previous studies, examining remotely sensed subsidence data and aerial imagery, and on-site field mapping using high-precision GPS receivers.

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