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Colo. Earthquake May Have Been Man Made

by KREX News Room
by Kristina Kuestner

Story Created: Jan 26, 2013 at 12:21 AM MDT

Story Updated: Jan 26, 2013 at 12:21 AM MDT

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (AP)- A federal agency says a minor earthquake in Colorado and Utah might have been caused by a high-pressure well that injects brine 16,000 feet into the Earth.

The Bureau of Reclamation said the well has caused hundreds of tiny quakes in the past.

The well is part of a project that removes excess salt from the Colorado and Dolores Rivers.

Agency officials say the salt solution is forced into fissures that sometimes crack open wider, under the pressure, and cause earthquakes.

The possible link to Wednesday's quake was first reported in the Grand Junction Daily Sentinel.

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JH said on Saturday, Jan 26 at 9:10 PM

"Say no" to oil, but it's still ok to drive to work and shopping? Isn't that a bit contradictory?

Pat Tucker said on Saturday, Jan 26 at 10:29 AM

The Paradox Valley-where the brine injection facility is located--is in fact a collapsed salt dome. One only needs to drive down the Dolores River canyon to see the salt leeching into the river. The Bureau of Reclamation operates this facility and has records that prove the amount of salt taken out of the Dolores (which is a major contributor to the salt in the Colorado river)You can research this information on line.

Floyd said on Saturday, Jan 26 at 10:24 AM

JA, Have you ever seem that white stuff laying on the ground in this part of the country? It even shows up in the summer so you can't call it snow, it's alkali, a salt, and it occurs naturally in this part of the country. A manmade earthquake was created in this area in the seventies by three atom bombs under Rullison, between what was then known as Grand Valley and Rifle. This area is criss-crossed with fault lines, every time you cross the Colorado River, you cross a fault line. I wonder how much water and salt has gotten into that one.

Roger Ames said on Saturday, Jan 26 at 8:53 AM

I would suggest the previous reviewer check her facts. In her rant she states that salt does not occure naturally in the Colorado River. According to the USDA about half the salinity DOES occure naturally. Most of the man made content is a result of irrigation. Mining and drilling play a very minor roll. Juliane seemes to think that if we stop driving, the problem will somehow go away. By that logic we will have to stop farming, and by extention, stop eating, to fix this problem. I say go for it! I for one will continue to eat, drive my truck, and support the folks who feed and clothe me. I will also continue to do my own research before opening my figurative mouth on a public forum

Juliane Adams said on Saturday, Jan 26 at 4:28 AM

I am sorry, but a story that has been created and updated at the exact same minute of the same day, read details,I can't trust.This is another account of a drilling for oil procedure.Check the Louisiana sinkhole accounts for the liquid butane that goes into drilling. It is probably all the same procedures and chemicals put to get oil out of the ground.Evidently sinkholes don't thwart our vanity for oil. When fresh mountain spring waters are contaminated with oildrilling chemicals, that man added, then maybe our thirst for oil can dry us up. We need to change our lives to keep the earth safe enough to live in. Limit car driving only to necessities, work and shopping once a week.We can not endlessly destroy the earth.Carpool! The Colorado River does not naturally have salt in it.To drill that deep into the ground to prevent salt from going down the river, I don't believe that story at all.Check out the Louisiana sinkhole for the dangerous chemicals involved with the oil industry.Say No!

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