Unlike Tuesday's, I was fully awake for this one. Most of the time when they happen I am either in a place where I don't happen to feel them (car, work) or asleep.

As happened on Tuesday, I normally wake up, groggily decide that it isn't strong enough to be concerned about, and then roll over and go back to sleep. This morning I was awake and reading the paper, so I got to savor the entire event.

Just the opposite for me. Tuesday I was almost ready to head out the door when that one hit. This morning's woke me out of a dead sleep. The same exact time on my clock. This makes the 4th shaker I've felt in the morning in that same time frame. The first 2 I was already at work sitting at my desk.

Anyone have a link they could share to the most current interactive map (not just an image) showing injection well sites and earthquake epicenters in Oklahoma?

I've tried to find something like this. I think it either doesn't exist (because big shocker no one has asked all the various companies to submit data so someone can put it together), or it does exist but whoever has it is trying their best to keep it out of the limelight.

If we end up having the big one in Edmond, I place blame squarely on the governor and the state legislators. They had an opportunity to do something about this when the problem was out in the boonies. They didn't, companies then continued injecting as they always had been, and now we have a problem in Edmond. This could have been prevented. Now we are going to start having problems in some of the most densely populated and expensive areas of this state. It's absolutely idiotic.

The worst part is the media in this state won't do their jobs and press these morons. If I were the media I'd be on somebody's doorsteps demanding a statement and pressing hard. And I'd certainly be bringing this up as an issue during the next election / debate cycle with pretty much every candidate.

I've tried to find something like this. I think it either doesn't exist (because big shocker no one has asked all the various companies to submit data so someone can put it together), or it does exist but whoever has it is trying their best to keep it out of the limelight.

I can actually find images of such a map, I just can't find 'the map.' (at least individually - not a combined map - but I'd take individually and put them side-by-side).


Here's one image of a map.... https://stateimpact.npr.org/toolbox/files/2013/02/ok-injection-wells-300x192.jpg

My wife's wakeup time is 5:30 and mine's 4-4:30am, so it's a 'nice' stressful way to start the day.

Now that we are starting to see damage to homes and businesses there will be more and more pressure to actually do something, especially since almost no one here has earthquake insurance.

If your chimney comes down, that's a pretty expensive repair and most homeowners will just have to write a check.

As was the case with the quake that occurred a couple of days ago, I was about half awake when it hit. What I noticed, this time, was that--rather than that strange muffled "boom"--there was a sound sort of like rushing wind right before the shaking started. As unsettling as these quakes are, at least the actual shaking doesn't last more than a couple of seconds (unlike that one a few years ago that seemed to go on and on for about thirty seconds or more).

Usually, you can predict how long the shaking will happen but the force of the initial jolt.

Usually, you can predict how long the shaking will happen but the force of the initial jolt.

The farther away they are, the longer the wave train, and the larger they are, the longer the shaking.

I found a map like what you are looking for, Brian. It's contained in a scientific report that was published recently.

Red dots are earthquakes; blue X's are saltwater injection wells. Interesting read.

Oklahoma?s recent earthquakes and saltwater disposal | Science Advances (http://advances.sciencemag.org/content/1/5/e1500195.full)

Just a note. If you read through their report, they had to request the raw data from a few different sources and compile it / make this map themselves.

This study is much higher quality than the source of the google map that NPR used.

Thanks! Great read. I find it amazing the nay-sayers still deny the link.

Thanks! Great read. I find it amazing the nay-sayers still deny the link.

Not many nay-sayers anymore. I think it is pretty well accepted that there is a link between injecting and seismicity.

A question I have is why do most of these earthquakes occur around 5:40? What is happening at that time to trigger them?

I've never felt a big one during the day, its always in the early morning hours.

A question I have is why do most of these earthquakes occur around 5:40? What is happening at that time to trigger them?

I've never felt a big one during the day, its always in the early morning hours.

A lot of people are asking that. Honestly, at first I completely ignored the comment because I assumed it was just random chance, but then after this morning I took pause and started to wonder.

I found many scientific sources that discuss this subject. I've linked to one below. To summarize what they are saying... It comes down to "matrixing" or in other words humans seeing what they want to see, remembering parts of a pattern they have noticed but ignoring the rest. Apparently the same thing has been said about California quakes but these folks went to the trouble of plotting all the quakes on a graph based on time of day and proved unequivocally the quakes were not more likely to happen at any specific time of day.

I'm guessing the same is true of OK quakes. It's easy enough for someone to prove out based on this same methodology.

http://scedc.caltech.edu/Module/s2act06.html

Not many nay-sayers anymore. I think it is pretty well accepted that there is a link between injecting and seismicity.

I don't know, every time I post my opinion to any of my social media accounts there is a huge backlash. Though, admittedly, I end up finding out those who are yelling the loudest get a paycheck from oil and gas.

^ Agree there is still a lot of denial on this. Read the comments to this which gives the numbers for 2015:

Oklahoma has more earthquakes in 2015 than all of continental U.S. combined | Weather - Home (http://m.koco.com/weather/oklahoma-ha-more-earthquakes-in-2015-than-all-of-continental-us-combined/37209902)

As far as time of day for quakes, the "Big one" was in the evening, if I remember it was around 10 pm or so. There have been a few during the night time that have woke me up. I guess its just that the last few have been early am.

A question I have is why do most of these earthquakes occur around 5:40? What is happening at that time to trigger them?

I've never felt a big one during the day, its always in the early morning hours.

Honestly, when I first read this, my first thought was that it is purely coincidental. HOWEVER, there may be one astronomical phenomenon that could cause this. I have never seen somebody try to link these two things, but there is a natural phenomenon called "earth tides." This is potentially exciting.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth_tide

Basically, the sun and moon impart a gravitational pull that forces the crust to flex (move up and down). The effects are not noticeable except with highly tuned geophysical equipment. This equipment can not only measure the amount of flexure, but it can hear popping/cracking at depth. The fractures in the rocks make "noise" when the earth flexes. IF our faults are very near the stress required for them to slip (this can be natural or an injection well can actually lower the amount of stress required for a fault to move) then it may be possible that these earth tides could be giving them the final "push" to slip and cause an earthquake. I think I may pull some data together and look at this more. Very interesting....

Another good shaker early this morning that woke me up.

In my two months here, I've felt way more earthquakes than the entire 25 years I lived in California.

I work with many people from Cali, and most say the same.

Earthquakes shake out data showing unknown fault line in Edmond area | News OK (http://newsok.com/earthquakes-shake-out-data-showing-unknown-fault-line-in-edmond-area/article/5470002)

So its better to cower under a sturdy table or shall one go outside during a good tremor? I'm afraid the crust of the earth shall open up a large crevice and swallow me up if I go outside.

I really don't think these earthquakes are a laughing matter. This is starting to get extremely concerning. Between earthquake risk and tornado risk in the spring, I think a good question is whether or not living here is worth the risk. I am sure I will get plenty of negative responses in this thread for even saying that, but as more and more damaging earthquakes occur, I am sure more people will be asking that exact question.

So its better to cower under a sturdy table or shall one go outside during a good tremor? I'm afraid the crust of the earth shall open up a large crevice and swallow me up if I go outside.

I'm not totally sure, but I think your best bet is getting underneath something and protecting yourself. For these (relatively) weak ones where there's no danger of your entire house collapsing, I think I've heard you're more at risk of getting hit in the head by a brick, glass or roofing if you run outside rather than just finding sturdy furniture.

I really don't think these earthquakes are a laughing matter. This is starting to get extremely concerning. Between earthquake risk and tornado risk in the spring, I think a good question is whether or not living here is worth the risk. I am sure I will get plenty of negative responses in this thread for even saying that, but as more and more damaging earthquakes occur, I am sure more people will be asking that exact question.

Ehhhh, after factoring in the low cost of living, ease of getting around and recent/continuing downtown entertainment expansion - plus the reality of how low your odds are of actually being effected by a tornado or earthquake I can't imagine a rational person would consider leaving the state over those two 'what if's.' If someone is however 'looking for an excuse to leave' then I think they'll probably jump all over the recent rock'n and roll'n.

Get some good insurance and enjoy life.

I was living in Manhattan Beach during the famous 1994 Northridge Earthquake in Southern California.

It hit at 4:30AM so everyone was asleep and it was one of the most terrifying things I hope to ever experience.

There was a tremendously hard jolt, then violent shaking that seemed to last forever. It was one of those times where you immediately knew it was a very bad situation.

It's hard to describe but when the entire earth is shaking it's a very bizarre feeling because there is literally nowhere to go. It's not like a tornado where you can move away from it, have some warning, etc.


I was just thinking about how strict the building codes have always been in California due to their history of quakes and how here in Oklahoma we are probably far less prepared in that respect. After witnessing the billions in destruction in 1994, I can only imagine what would happen here if we ever got a 6+ shaker, as Northridge was 6.7.

For example, for a long time building heights were limited in California. When engineering techniques finally progressed in the 70's they stared to build taller. I worked in a 50-story building that was on some sort of roller system designed to absorb the shockwaves and have the building move with them. I can tell you on windy days, that building *swayed* in a very unsettling fashion.

I doubt anything built before 1960 here took any of this sort of thing into consideration, because engineering for violent weather is a very different thing.

This is along the lines of my question to the thread that no one responded to. Could Oklahoma City rebound from something like the north ridge quake being so "under" insured?

This is along the lines of my question to the thread that no one responded to. Could Oklahoma City rebound from something like the north ridge quake being so "under" insured?

Besides the fact that the evidence has been that that kind of earthquake is virtually impossible here, I suspect that OKC would be fine.

I think its time for the state/city to work on updating building codes to be able to support stronger quakes. These quakes probably wouldn't be damaging in California because of their building codes. Better construction would also help during tornado season as well.

I think its time for the state/city to work on updating building codes to be able to support stronger quakes. These quakes probably wouldn't be damaging in California because of their building codes. Better construction would also help during tornado season as well.

Construction codes for earthquakes and tornados would have little in common.

We all need insurance it appears

Construction codes for earthquakes and tornados would have little in common. surely you can provide a link to support this assertion. I've been considering the school situation and discussion about public school shelters and wondering how they can engineer a dual tornado/earthquake style bunker, and more info is better.

How could an earthquake bunker provide any service? They strike without warning. Logic dictates: going out the fire exit to open ground would be the safest protocol.

Why is it OK for an entity to create a condition that requires me to buy insurance to protect me against their negligent acts knowing that because of current legally accepted science I can't currently prove the cause in a slanted court of law? That is just malicious. Donald Trump theory of making America better, I'd guess..

The Arrival of Man-Made Earthquakes - The New Yorker (http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2015/04/13/weather-underground)

surely you can provide a link to support this assertion. I've been considering the school situation and discussion about public school shelters and wondering how they can engineer a dual tornado/earthquake style bunker, and more info is better.

Tornado codes have to do with making things stronger and linked together. Earthquake code have to do with dampening and changing the natural frequency of building, in some places you make things stronger in other places you make them more flexible. A lot of times with earthquake design you attempt to decouple the structure from the ground, where with tornadoes you bolt everything to the ground.

For example, a hurricane rated garage door isn't going to do anything against an earthquake, but would significantly reduce tornado damage, and should be code everywhere in Oklahoma.

I think its time for the state/city to work on updating building codes to be able to support stronger quakes. These quakes probably wouldn't be damaging in California because of their building codes. Better construction would also help during tornado season as well.

I know that ODOT is mandating stronger earthquake requirements on bridges, not sure if anything else is following suit. Really, all of the codes already have everything needed for earthquake design, it is just that Oklahoma historically has been in a lower "Maximum Considered Earthquake Ground Motion" level. I am not sure if this has been updated or will be updated. Based on some USGS data we have busted the design limits with at least a few quakes already, although not by much. You can check out some maps here (http://earthquake.usgs.gov/hazards/designmaps/pdfs/).

My concern is a little bit a of fatigue issue. I don't believe the codes really address the same structure being hit by 100 earthquakes a year, for years on end. So who know what kind of impact that will have over time. And good luck getting insurance to cover it.

The problem with everyone having to go out and get earthquake insurance, and toughening design codes, is you are basically asking everyone to subsidized the energy industry, or more specifically the waste disposal industry. The state needs to pass laws banning injection near fault lines and especially near fault lines in populated areas. I personally pay far more for insurance than I did 3 years ago, because I had to switch companies to find decent earthquake insurance, which is still horrible.

surely you can provide a link to support this assertion. I've been considering the school situation and discussion about public school shelters and wondering how they can engineer a dual tornado/earthquake style bunker, and more info is better.

That is just common sense so no link is going to be provided. As far as an earthquake bunker for schools, that is just silly. We don't have any advance warning for earthquakes to allow for those in schools to go to a bunker like we do for tornadoes. There is certainly plenty of easily available information about how to build schools and any other buildings to be safer in case of an earthquake so I'll let you google away for that if you are seriously concerned.

surely you can provide a link...

From a design standpoint they are actually pretty similar, especially for smaller buildings. This is a bit oversimplified but this might be worth a read.
Lateral Loads - MIT (http://web.mit.edu/course/4/4.441/1_lectures/1_lecture18/1_lecture18.html)

I'm a meteorologist, not a geologist, but.... really? Does anyone who knows better think this is plausible? Surely the lake has been this high before, and it seems crazy to think the "weight" of a lake could have caused an earthquake, but maybe with additional lubrication and especially saturation from wastewater injection? Something smells fishy here (and from the comments on Facebook, a lot of people aren't buying the idea, either). I'd be curious to see the preliminary modeling they reference.

Rapidly Rising Water Level At Arcadia Lake May Have Triggered Ed - News9.com - Oklahoma City, OK - News, Weather, Video and Sports | (http://www.news9.com/story/30882063/rapidly-rising-water-level-at-arcadia-lake-may-have-triggered-edmond-earthquake)



EDMOND, Oklahoma - The Oklahoma Corporation Commission took action Monday in regards to those recent Edmond earthquakes.
The commission directed the operators of five disposal wells within 10 miles of the epicenter to reduce volume. But a seismologist with the USGS said it may not have been disposal wells that triggered the last week's earthquakes in Edmond.

USGS seismologist Dan McNamara thinks the rapidly rising water at Arcadia Lake, the result of Winter Storm Goliath may have triggered the 4.3-magnitude earthquake. The water rose two feet on the lake the day before that first 4.3-magnitude earthquake.

Ed Woods is a retired petroleum engineer. He lives in east Edmond, just a couple miles from the epicenter of the recent big earthquakes.

“It was the most severe one that we had felt since we had been here,” he said.

Woods has been looking into the earthquakes for the past year. Since he knew Arcadia Lake was close by, he looked up the lake levels and noticed they rose rapidly right before the first earthquake.

Woods did some calculating, and figured about 4.5 million tons of additional weight was added to the fault block right before the first earthquake.

“It’s another thing that needs to be considered, particularly since they are having trouble finding any active injection wells in this area,” Woods said.

McNamara thinks Woods may be on to something.

“Just based on our preliminary modeling, the distance from the fault and the time delay, it works out fairly well. This could be a possible cause,” he said.

McNamara said the Arbuckle formation underneath Oklahoma is already saturated, likely from disposal wells.

Any additional stress, such as a sudden lake level increase, can push a nearby fault to failure. In this case the earthquake reactivated a fault capable of producing an earthquake as big as a 6.0-magnitude and it runs right through a populated area.

“If you do get another large event like a 5.6 (magnitude) it would significantly more of a disaster in Oklahoma City than it was in Prague because more people are exposed,” McNamara said.

But McNamara said humans can help control what happens by avoiding any waste water injection near the fault and minimizing any rapid changes in the lake level.

McNamara also said in light of this recent news, he advises residents in Oklahoma City to study up on earthquake precautions and strap down computer monitors, televisions, and book shelves in preparation for more quakes.


Also, strapping down the furniture in OKC... what a world, lol.

I'm a meteorologist, not a geologist, but.... really? Does anyone who knows better think this is plausible? Surely the lake has been this high before, and it seems crazy to think the "weight" of a lake could have caused an earthquake, but maybe with additional lubrication and especially saturation from wastewater injection? Something smells fishy here (and from the comments on Facebook, a lot of people aren't buying the idea, either). I'd be curious to see the preliminary modeling they reference.

Rapidly Rising Water Level At Arcadia Lake May Have Triggered Ed - News9.com - Oklahoma City, OK - News, Weather, Video and Sports | (http://www.news9.com/story/30882063/rapidly-rising-water-level-at-arcadia-lake-may-have-triggered-edmond-earthquake)



Also, strapping down the furniture in OKC... what a world, lol.

I know they used that same excuse when the Jones swarm happened back in 2011. Arcadia is a tiny little lake and other lakes rose much more rapidly than it did during the storm. And it rose more rapidly this spring than it did last week. There are reservoirs all over Cali that raise rapidly, that don't set off quakes, there are even pumpback dams in Cali. Maybe there is some science behind it, but water weighs ~1/2 of rock and we are talking about 2 feet of water on top of 3 kilometers of rock. I find it hard to believe that anything acting on the surface could really set off a quake, but maybe it can.

Yeah, I'm not an expert on this so I certainly could be wrong, but I'm not buying this. This lake was much higher in 2007 and no earthquake happened then. I was living in Dallas then, but my grandmother would have gone ape if one happened, so I'd remember.

This just seems like a cop out to me. Like Zorba said, in California there are lakes and reservoirs that fill up in a hurry during flash floods they have out there and no earthquakes either.

I'm a meteorologist, not a geologist, but.... really? Does anyone who knows better think this is plausible? Surely the lake has been this high before, and it seems crazy to think the "weight" of a lake could have caused an earthquake, but maybe with additional lubrication and especially saturation from wastewater injection? Something smells fishy here (and from the comments on Facebook, a lot of people aren't buying the idea, either). I'd be curious to see the preliminary modeling they reference.

Rapidly Rising Water Level At Arcadia Lake May Have Triggered Ed - News9.com - Oklahoma City, OK - News, Weather, Video and Sports | (http://www.news9.com/story/30882063/rapidly-rising-water-level-at-arcadia-lake-may-have-triggered-edmond-earthquake)



Also, strapping down the furniture in OKC... what a world, lol.
Hot water tanks need strapped, too. That should have been mentioned.

This is excellent. Since it is an op-ed it is free to all.
Time for state leaders to take charge | The Journal Record (http://journalrecord.com/2016/01/04/oklahoma-joe-time-for-state-leaders-to-take-charge-opinion/)

Hot water tanks need strapped, too. That should have been mentioned.

I need to do my water heater. I did my China cabinet and bookcases 2 years ago when the Guthrie swarm started. It has given me some good piece of mind.

Things we've done at home specifically because of the earthquake activity:

1.) Attached a wall brace to our 5-gallon hot/cold water dispenser in our laundry room, so it doesn't fall over.
2.) Expanded our Iris wireless home automation/alarm to include additional CO2 sensors, floor flood sensors and even a remote whole home water cut off.
3.) Made sure wife and I were familiar with where the manual cut off switch for the main water line into the house is located and how well it works and not corroded.
4.) Purchased 2 gas meter keys. One is kept in the house and another on a lock outside, away from the house.
5.) Attached 'leashes' to large mirrors and pictures hanging or leaning against the walls.
6.) No more candle burning. We now use electronic candles for ambiance and electric wax heated candles for scent.
7.) Added additional large battery backups with surge protection to the two main TV's, computers, home automation system and internet/modem.
8.) Instead of putting my keys, wallet, cell phone randomly around the house - I have a small bag (think small open mouth tool bag) next to my bed and I put those items there at night (along with some misc items, flashlight and the 2nd gas meter key). Should there be a massive earthquake, fire, tornado, etc. I can simply grab that bag and head out of the house (instead of trying to find everything in a panic).
9.) #8 could catch me not well dressed for the weather if there is a disaster in the middle of the night - thankfully I keep a spare change of clothes (think ranch-hand type clothing) in the trunk of my car (in case I get stuck or a flat and have to get dirty to get the car out). So, I'd probably make my way to my car and dress in that.
10.) And.... earthquake insurance.

Things we've done at home specifically because of the earthquake activity:

1.) Attached a wall brace to our 5-gallon hot/cold water dispenser in our laundry room, so it doesn't fall over.
2.) Expanded our Iris wireless home automation/alarm to include additional CO2 sensors, floor flood sensors and even a remote whole home water cut off.
3.) Made sure wife and I were familiar with where the manual cut off switch for the main water line into the house is located and how well it works and not corroded.
4.) Purchased 2 gas meter keys. One is kept in the house and another on a lock outside, away from the house.
5.) Attached 'leashes' to large mirrors and pictures hanging or leaning against the walls.
6.) No more candle burning. We now use electronic candles for ambiance and electric wax heated candles for scent.
7.) Added additional large battery backups with surge protection to the two main TV's, computers, home automation system and internet/modem.
8.) Instead of putting my keys, wallet, cell phone randomly around the house - I have a small bag (think small open mouth tool bag) next to my bed and I put those items there at night (along with some misc items, flashlight and the 2nd gas meter key). Should there be a massive earthquake, fire, tornado, etc. I can simply grab that bag and head out of the house (instead of trying to find everything in a panic).
9.) #8 could catch me not well dressed for the weather if there is a disaster in the middle of the night - thankfully I keep a spare change of clothes (think ranch-hand type clothing) in the trunk of my car (in case I get stuck or a flat and have to get dirty to get the car out). So, I'd probably make my way to my car and dress in that.
10.) And.... earthquake insurance.Things that the oil companies should reimburse you for, imo.

I mean there should be intensive investigations to further prove that these earthquakes are caused by wastewater injection wells and if it is found that they are, the oil companies should pay you and everyone else who has spent money because of them back every penny.

ROFL

News 9 is blaming the Edmond earthquakes on Lake Arcadia? again | The Lost Ogle (http://www.thelostogle.com/2016/01/05/news-9-is-blaming-the-edmond-earthquakes-on-lake-arcadia-again/)

This is excellent. Since it is an op-ed it is free to all.
Time for state leaders to take charge | The Journal Record (http://journalrecord.com/2016/01/04/oklahoma-joe-time-for-state-leaders-to-take-charge-opinion/)

Ha! He states that Edmond is the earthquake capital of Oklahoma. I've always loved the "joke" that Oklahoma will continue to ignore the earthquake problem until somebody's curio cabinet in Edmond becomes damaged.

Ha! He states that Edmond is the earthquake capital of Oklahoma. I've always loved the "joke" that Oklahoma will continue to ignore the earthquake problem until somebody's curio cabinet in Edmond becomes damaged.

How *do* you replace all those Precious Moments....

The last two posts prove again that silly politics and perceptions are more important than dealing with the issue. I think it's time we actually do something about this Earthquake issue. And...of COURSE the closer it reaches population centers the more urgency there will be. But because it's from a guy in EDMOND we discount it? Laugh at it? It was a good op-ed - in The Journal Record!

They'll wait until we have a 5.0+ hit Edmond, then they will act.

how *do* you replace all those precious moments....

lol...

The last two posts prove again that silly politics and perceptions are more important than dealing with the issue. I think it's time we actually do something about this Earthquake issue. And...of COURSE the closer it reaches population centers the more urgency there will be. But because it's from a guy in EDMOND we discount it? Laugh at it? It was a good op-ed - in The Journal Record!

I laugh at it because it was fraught with mis-information from the get go. Edmond is NOT the earthquake capital of Oklahoma OR the world. Sure it's an op-ed piece ... of tripe.

The lake thing is horrifically bad science. Yeah, pressure from lake changes can cause seismic activity. But what's more likely, that the increased surface pressure of a 10% or whatever increase in water volume of a previously existing lake caused a quake, or that millions upon millions of barrels of saltwater injected at depth under hydraulic pressure caused the quake. Come on.

First off, the USGS isn't subject to the same outside influences that state agencies are. I wouldn't be as quick to dismiss an opinion from them as I would be, say, the Corporation Commission. But second, they didn't exclude injection wells as the ultimate cause. Essentially they suggested that possibly all of the other (likely manmade) seismic activity and fault lubrication probably had this fault at the tipping point and that the huge, rapid weight change if the lake then acted as a trigger.

Actually makes sense, when you consider the fact that there are no injection wells nearby. SOMETHING had to cause it. If you subscribe to the injection well induced seismicity theory then you should embrace this idea. Otherwise it would be actually be damaging to the induced seismicity theory that earthquakes were occurring with no nearby well to blame.

...and another one. Probably 4+

I knew this place would be the first place to check, I actually felt this one. Monitors and such on the computer desks got a good sway going.

That one scared the crap out of me!

Sharp jolt here downtown, then shook for quite a while, then a good aftershock almost immediately after.

Still feeling little shakes several minutes later.


This is starting to get unnerving.

That was a long one!

I knew this place would be the first place to check, I actually felt this one. Monitors and such on the computer desks got a good sway going.

That one was kind of neat, started sort of big, tapered off and then got big again at the end.