Local Geology Websites

The College of the Siskiyous is located at the western base of Mount Shasta, a 14,162-foot high stratovolcano that has been built by eruptions during the past 200,000 years. The campus is also set close against the eastern flank of the Eddy Range, part of the Klamath Mountain system that stretches 150 km westward to the coast. Volcanism in the Cascades and earthquakes beneath the Klamaths are both occurring in response to subduction of oceanic lithosphere beneath northern California. Information on regional volcanism and seismicity is available from the following sites:

  • Is this a dangerous volcano?: Description Mount Shasta's eruptive history and discussion of what the mountain's past may tell us about the nature and scope of its future activity. [Bob Christiansen and Dan Miller, USGS]
  • California Volcano Information: Discussions of the eruptive histories and potential hazards of California's volcanoes. [USGS Cascade Volcano Observatory]
  • Mount Shasta Companion—Geology: General introduction to the geologic setting and processes of the Mount Shasta region, as well as to the mountain's eruptive history and hazards. Part of the more comprehensive "Mount Shasta Companion" project. [Bill Hirt, College of the Siskiyous]
  • California Earthquake Information: Interactive map and database for earthquakes that have occurred in California during the past week. [USGS, CDMG, and seismological programs at several regional universities]
  • California Earthquake Forecast: Real-time forecast of experiencing an earthquake with a Modified Mercalli Intensity VI or above during the next 24 hours California. [USGS, ETH Zurich, and SCEC]
  • Pacific Northwest Earthquake Information: Interactive map and database for earthquakes that have occurred in the Pacific Northwest during the past week. [USGS and University of Washington Department of Earth and Space Sciences]
  • College of the Siskiyous Seismic Station: Near real-time records from the US Geological Survey's seismic station operating on the College of the Siskiyous campus west of Mount Shasta. [USGS Earthquake Hazards Program]
  • Mount Shasta Area Seismicity: Maps that show the locations of earthquakes (M>2) in the California Cascades during the past week, month, and year. [U.C. Berkeley Seismological Laboratory]
 
Black Basin photo
Black Basin in the Trinity Alps [V. Reddick].
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Department of Natural Sciences
800 College Avenue
Weed, California 96094

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Last updated 12-May-2007 .