More Down-to-the-Earth Information
This is with regard to the letter “Studying the Terrain” by J. A. Amy and Kathleen White (Letters in View, Nov. 27). The letter requires clarification. The California Division of Mines and Geology has provided information on the earth sciences to industry and the general public for more than 100 years. Our information staff includes state-licensed geologists who commonly are able to provide detailed data on faults, slope-stability factors of an area, or mineral commodities that they personally have investigated.
Additional information can be gleaned from reports that the Division of Mines and Geology or other organizations have published. Our Los Angeles office provides a wealth of books and maps on Southern California geology and mineral resources. In addition, we may direct you to an expert on the subject of your inquiry.
If you are considering purchasing a residence or a lot for construction of a residence, our staff can often tell you if there have been previous slope-stability problems in the area. We can also tell you the distance of the site from a known fault with potential for earthquakes and ground rupture. This information service in no way competes with detailed studies, cited in the letter, by engineering geologists and soils engineers who are involved with development and construction at an individual site or for a tract.
HAROLD WEBER
Staff Geologist
California Department
of Conservation
Division of Mines and Geology
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