Geology Tip

Make sure you look at the geology surrounding a house you want to purchase. The base of a mudflow such this one below seen in Payson, Ut would be a poor place to purchase a home.

However, the problem with looking for a house in Utah County is that you have to deal with the threat of the large EMINENT earthquake that will soon rock the valley. Because of the 16,000 year old pluvial lake that once covered most of Utah and Salt Lake valleys (Lake Bonneville), both valleys are filled with lake sand. This is a problem because of the threat of liquefaction. Basically liquefaction and its risks can be explained by a primary song, "The wise man built his house upon the rock." According to this song, a foolish man builds his house upon the sand. Building on sandy soil becomes a problem during an earthquake because as that soil starts to shake, the foundation that the house is built upon becomes the consistency of wet cement. This will cause big problems as seen by the picture below.

Liquefaction due to 1964 Japan Earthquake

Another earthquake hazard delineated in that song is presented by these words, "The rains come down the floods come up." Well in Utah county, the high water table means that when the earthquake comes the "houses will fall down and the sewers will come up!" Yum. So where are we going to buy our first house? In Southern Utah County…we will take our chances.