Utah’s Geology
Natural Disasters and Staying Safe
This is a no gum class.
Please dispose of it properly!
Bell Activity
Read page 38-39 and answer questions 25-27
on your study guide.
Finish your tan paper. It is due tomorrow!!
If you finish these questions early, work on the
rest of your study guide. It is homework unless
you find time during school to get it done!!
Where should your backpack be?
Today we will be learning about…
 Social Studies Objective –
We will understand and
describe how natural forces
are still shaping Utah. We will
also identify ways to stay safe
in a natural disaster.
 Language Objective –
We will talk about cause
and effect relationships,
and practice describing
these relationships.
 Behavior Objective – Participation: You actively listen to
the lesson, asking and answering questions. You work
and stay on-task in your group.
Utah is still being shaped by
natural forces
Natural forces, big
and small, are still
changing the land
and environment
here in Utah.
Disasters in Utah
The earth is still changing
around us.
When those natural
forces harm humans and
their environment we call
them natural disasters.
Because of our varying
climate and terrain, Utah
can experience a variety
of disasters.
All sorts of trouble!
 Wildfires can strike
during the hot, dry
summer months and
severe storms during
the winter season can
blanket parts of the
state, causing power
outages and increasing
avalanche danger.
What can we do to stay safe?
Despite these risks,
there are steps each
person can take to
ensure they are
prepared for a
variety of disasters.
What types of natural
disasters can occur in Utah?
Avalanches
Debris flows
(mudslides)
Droughts
Floods
Severe weather
Wildfires
Earthquakes
What is an avalanche?
 An avalanche is a mass
of snow sliding down a
mountainside.
 Avalanches occur when
stresses, such as the
pulling of snow downhill
by gravity, exceeds the
strength between snow
grains.
 Four ingredients are
needed to produce an
avalanche: 1.Snow
2.Weak layer in the
snow cover 3.Steep
slope 4.A trigger
What is a debris flow?
 Debris flows are often
called mudslides,
mudflows, or debris
avalanches.
 They consist of debris
mixed with water. Debris is
mainly soil and anything
else, such as trees and
rock fragments, that are
picked up as the flow
moves down a slope or
channel.
 They often happen after a
fire in the summer.
What is a drought?
 A drought is caused
when less precipitation
(rain, snow, etc.) than is
normal falls during a
year, or over the space
of several years.
 Drought is a normal part
of the climate for
virtually all regions of
the United States, but it
is of particular concern
in the west.
What is a flood?
Floods occur when
there is too much
water to be
absorbed into the
ground or to be
contained in a river
or stream.
What is severe weather?
Severe weather
refers to winter
storms, blizzards,
heavy snow,
freezing rain and
lightning, all hazards
common to the
State of Utah.
What is a wildfire?
A wildfire occurs
when a trigger
(lighting, fireworks,
etc.) starts a fire in
an area of dry brush
(bushes, grasses,
trees).
What is an earthquake?
 Earthquakes are a
sudden movement in
the earth, typically
along a fault line.
 Utah is earthquake
country. Earthquakes
can strike at any time
without warning causing
major damage to
homes and critical
infrastructures. They
are almost always
followed by aftershocks
that can be even larger
than the initial quake.
Earthquakes in the USA
Utah is Earthquake country
Every years there
are many small
earthquakes in
Utah.
These small
earthquakes
release stress in
the ground.
Cache Valley Faults
Earthquake Magnitudes
Although Utah can
have large
earthquakes, they
are not as large as
the ones near a
plate boundary.
Liquefaction
Because large
parts of Utah are
in an ancient lake
bed (Lake
Bonneville) the
ground can
become like
quicksand in an
earthquake.
So how do we stay safe if a
disaster occurs?
 Knowledge is power!
 Understanding how and
why disasters occur can
help you stay safe.
 Also, make a plan so
that is a disaster does
happen, you and your
family know what to do.
 For more information,
go to the Utah
Department of Public
Safety homepage.
Is your family prepared?
 Take this test to see if you are
ready for an emergency.
 Does your family have an
emergency plan that you have
practiced in the last year?
 Do you have an emergency kit
(72 hour)?
 Do you have an emergency food
supply/storage?
 Do you have a room that you
could use as a shelter?
 Can you pack up your car quickly
in case you need to evacuate?
Does your family have a list of
items that should be brought
with in case you need to
evacuate?
Do you have supplies in case
the power goes out for several
days+?
Do you have supplies for your
pets for several days to weeks?
Does your family have cash
money to use in an emergency?
Does anyone in your family
need special medicine, and
does your family have enough
to last for days+?
What did you learn?
 If you answered yes to
most of these
questions, your family
may be able to handle
an emergency well.
 If you answered no to
most of these
questions, talk to your
family about becoming
prepared. Become the
Emergency Expert for
your family!!