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This site is a starting place for you to find technical resources and general information about southern California geology.

Use the buttons to the left to find geologic maps, to explore Southern California geology, and to learn about current research in this extraordinary geologic landscape.

A thrust-fault scarp cuts across the base of the San Gabriel Mountains. Although uninhabited in this 1973 photograph, the area is now the site of rapid residential growth. One reason why SCAMP conducts geologic mapping in southern California is to identify fault features like this in advance of urbanization, so that decision makers can factor geologic hazards into community planning. Photo by D.M. Morton, U.S. Geological Survey, July, 1973.

Southern California Areal Mapping Project

Southern Californians face a variety of challenges posed by the geologic setting they inhabit: (1) earthquakes are generated by numerous active faults of the complex San Andreas fault system; (2) in this semi-arid setting, household and industrial water supplies rely on ground-water basins that have complex geologic controls; and (3) multiple users compete for limited land, mineral, and energy resources. The Southern California Areal Mapping Project (SCAMP) is working to provide the geologic information needed to meet these challenges successfully.

SCAMP is a cooperative project between the U.S. Geological Survey and the California Geological Survey. The project blends basic and applied research to achieve a balanced scientific program in southern California. SCAMP provides geologic-information products for public access--including geologic maps and databases, geophysical maps, and topical reports that describe the geologic setting and geologic history of Southern California. The databases, maps, and reports contain a broad range of information about geologic materials and geologic structures, and are used for a variety of land-use planning decisions. Click here to learn more about SCAMP.