Understanding Earth Fissures: A Man-Made Geohazard

Earth fissures are long, narrow cracks in the ground that form where the ground is sinking. They can erode very quickly, posing a hazard to nearby infrastructure. In Arizona, land subsidence--the sinking of the earth--is caused by groundwater withdrawal, meaning that earth fissures are a man-made--or anthropogenic--hazard.

Joe Cook, the Earth Fissure Project Manager at the Arizona Geological Survey (AZGS), monitors new and existing earth fissures. You can view a map of earth fissures in Arizona on the AZGS's Natural Hazards in Arizona Viewer ( Additional information can be found at the AZGS Earth Fissures website (

Video by Emily Zawacki, GSA Science Communication Intern, Ph.D. Candidate Arizona State University

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