Oklahoma has been through this. So has Texas. Kansas has too. The question is whether a 4.5 magnitude earthquake was caused in part by a wastewater disposal well.
But this question is about an earthquake near the Utah-Colorado border. It happened several days ago and occurred near a U.S. Bureau of Reclamation operation in western Colorado. The facility collects salt from shallow underground water and injects it 16,000 feet deep to keep it from flowing into the Colorado River.
The University of Utah indicated its seismograph stations reported the quake’s epicenter was near Slide Rock Canyon about 7 miles southeast of the town of Paradox, Colorado. It was strong enough that residents of southwestern Colorado and southeastern Utah felt it. But there were no reports of damage.
The center says that a total of eight earthquakes measuring 3.0 or greater have occurred within 16 miles of Monday’s earthquake since 1962. The most recent was the largest of those quakes.
The Bureau of Reclamation indicated its disposal well was shut down for maintenance when the quake occurred. The spokesman said it will remain closed while officials investigate.