Hydrogeologic Architecture of the San Andreas Fault near the Logan Quarry

Abstract:

Hydrogeologic properties of fault zones are critical to the faulting processes; however, they are not well understood and difficult to measure in situ. Recording the tidal response of water level is a useful method to measure the in-situ properties. We utilize an array of wells near the San Andreas Fault zone in the Logan Quarry to study the fault zone hydrogeologic architecture by measuring the water tidal response. The measured specific storage and permeability show that there is a localized zone near the fault with higher specific storage and larger permeability than the surrounding region. This change of properties might be related to the fault zone fracture distribution. Surprisingly, the change of the specific storage is the clearest signal. The inferred compliance contrast is consistent with prior estimates of elastic moduli change in the near-fault environment, but the hydrogeologic effects of the compliance change have never before been measured on a major active fault. The observed specific storage structure implies that the fault zone plays an important role in permeability enhancement by seismic shaking. In addition, the measured diffusivity is about 10^-2 m²/s, which is comparable to the post-earthquake hydraulic diffusivity measured on the Wenchuan Earthquake Fault. This observed high diffusivity with little variability inside the fault zone might suggest the accumulated pore pressure during interseismic period distributes over a broad region.