Human-Induced Geological Hazards

Our Geological Hazards Section staff is working to associate its own geological data with information from both government and industry to understand better the effect of these events on both infrastructure and the environment.

In some cases, there is always the potential for human activities to accelerate or even initiate geological processes. Activities such as the removal of either liquids (water, oil, gas) or solids (coal or other mineral resources) can be a potential trigger to subsidence at the surface. In contrast, the injection of fluids into the subsurface, such as water or gas, can increase underground pressure as the volume increases, which can lead to expansion or heave at the surface.

Other human interactions with the subsurface can cause earthquakes. Actions such as injecting fluids into the ground at high pressures can cause fracturing or the reactivation of existing fault zones (weaknesses in the Earth’s crust). Significant changes in the amount of pressure applied to the ground itself (such as water behind a newly built dam) can also trigger these events.

All of these human-related events have been documented throughout the world, as well as in Alberta.