U.S.

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR OPEN FILE REPORT

U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OFR 03-289
Text accompanies map

Map of Quaternary Faults and Folds of Mapa de Fallas y Pliegues Cuaternarias de

Ecuador and Its Offshore Regions Ecuador y Regiones Oceanicas Adyacentes
International Lithosphere Program Task Group II-2, Internacional de la Litósfera, Grupo de Trabajo II-2,
Major Active Faults of the World Principales Fallas Activas del Mundo
A cooperative project of the U.S. Geological Survey, Denver, Colorado Un proyecto de cooperacion entre el U.S. Geological Survey, Denver, Colorado
and the National Polytechnical School, Quito, Ecuador. y la Escuela Politécnica Nacional, Quito, Ecuador.
Data compiled by Arturo Eguez, Alexandra Alvarado, and Hugo Yepes. Datos compilados por Arturo Eguez, Alexandra Alvarado, y Hugo Yepes. International Programa
Digital representation by Richard L. Dart (USGS). Representación digital por Richard L. Dart (USGS). Lithosphere Internacional
Project coordination by Michael N. Machette (Co-chairman, ILP Task Group II-2). Proyecto coordinado por Michael N. Machette (Co-chairman, ILP Grupo de Trabajo II-2). Program de la Litósfera
(ILP) (ILP)

2003 2003

QUATERNARY FAULTS AND FOLDS OF ECUADOR

FALLAS Y PLIEGUES CUATERNARIAS DE ECUADOR
▼
CO-15 ▼
▼
CO-29j Number Name of structure Sense of movement Time of most recent Slip rate
CO-15
▼
(major/minor) movement (mm/yr)

▼
Numeró Nombre de structuro Sentido de movimiento Edad del último Tasa de movimiento
▼

CO-45

▼
CO-20i (mayor/menor) movimiento (mm/año)

▼
▼
▼

EC-01 San Lorenzo lineament Unknown <1.6 Ma <1 (unknown)

▼
CO-15

▼
CO-42 EC-02 Esmeraldas fault
▼

CO-15 EC-02a Northern section Unknown <1.6 Ma <1 (unknown)

▼
▼

▼
EC-02b Sinistral, reverse <1.6 Ma <1 (unknown)
COLOMBIA
▼
CO-29k Southern section
CO-29j
EC-03 Río Canandé fault
▼
CO-15
▼

92
▼

BAHIA DE ANCON ▼
▼
EC-03a Western section Normal, dextral <1.6 Ma <1 (unknown)
EC-03b Central section Dextral <1.6 Ma <1 (unknown)
▼

DE SARDINAS
▼

EC-03c Dextral <1.6 Ma <1 (unknown)

▼
(1995) ▼ Eastern section
▼

CO-15g EC-04 Galera fault Dextral, normal <1.6 Ma <1 (unknown)

▼
▼

EC-05 Buga fault Reverse <1.6 Ma <1 (unknown)

▼
CO-43 CO-15
▼
▼

▼
CO-29k EC-06 Mache lineament Unknown <1.6 Ma <1 (unknown)
▼

PASTO
▼

1 EC-07 Cañaveral fault

▼

EC-07a Northern section Reverse, dextral <1.6 Ma <1 (unknown)

▼
EC-07b Dextral, normal <1.6 Ma <1 (unknown)
▼

CO-29m Central section

▼
▼
CO-29l ▼ EC-07c Jama section Unknown <1.6 Ma <1 (unknown)
▼

ESMERALDAS ▼
EC-07d San Isidro section Normal, dextral <1.6 Ma <1 (unknown)
▼
CO-43 CO-44 EC-08 Quinindé fault Reverse, transpressive <1.6 Ma <1 (unknown)
▼

▼
▼
▼
EC-10 Bahía fault
2a ▼
EC-10a Sinistral (?) <1.6 Ma <1 (unknown)
▼

▼
▼
Northern section
▼
EC-10b Southern section Reverse, transpressive (?) <1.6 Ma <1 (unknown)
▼

▼
EC-11 Calceta fault Unknown <1.6 Ma <1 (unknown)
4 Esmeraldas 23
▼

5
▼
EC-12 Daule fault Unknown <1.6 Ma <1 (unknown)
▼

Carchi EC-13 Unknown <1.6 Ma <1 (unknown)

▼
Buena Fe fault
▼

2b 24

▼
(1906)

▼
EC-14 Jipijapa fault
▼

COLOMBIA
CO-29m
▼
▼

▼
▼
3c EC-14a Jipijapa section Reverse(?) <1.6 Ma <1 (unknown)

▼
▼

3b EC-14b Julcuy (fault) section Reverse(?) <1.6 Ma <1 (unknown)

▼

▼
3a 54

▼
6 27a
▼

28a EC-15 Río Colimes fault Unknown <1.6 Ma <1 (unknown)

▼
▼
▼

EC-16 Colonche fault

▼
25
Imbabura EC-16a Northwestern section Reverse(?) <1.6 Ma <1 (unknown)
▼

Rio Putuma
▼

28b yo EC-16b Northern section Reverse, transpressive <1.6 Ma <1 (unknown)

▼

27b

▼
▼
7a 26 55a EC-16c Central section Sinistral <1.6 Ma <1 (unknown)
▼

▼
EC-16d Southeastern section Reverse <1.6 Ma <1 (unknown)
▼

64

▼
8 29 EC-17 Carrizal fault Unknown <1.6 Ma <1
▼

▼
▼

▼
28c EC-18 La Cruz fault Dextral <1.6 Ma <1
▼

▼
EC-19 Chanduy fault Unknown <1.6 Ma <1 (unknown)
▼

7b 54
Succumbios EC-20 Posorja fault Normal <1.6 Ma <1 (unknown)
▼

29

▼
▼

EC-21 Jambelí fault Normal <1.6 Ma <1 (unknown)

8 56
EC-22 Puná fault Dextral <1.6 Ma <1 (unknown)
7b
Pichincha

▼
▼

QUITO
▼

EC-23 San Isidro fault Dextral(?) <15 ka 0.2-1.0

▼
SANTO DOMINGO 55b
▼ ▼

EC-24 El Angel fault Reverse, dextral(?) <15 ka <1 (unknown)

▼

DE LOS

▼
▼

▼
30a 31a 64 EC-25 Reverse, dextral(?) <1.6 Ma <1 (unknown)
Río Ambi fault
▼ ▼

COLORADOS
▼
▼
EC-26 Otavalo fault Dextral <1.6 Ma <1 (unknown)
▼

▼
▼

TUMBACO EC-27
7c 8 34 33 Billecocha-Huyrapungo fault
▼ ▼
▼

PIFO
▼

32

▼
▼

EC-27a Normal <15 ka <1 (unknown)

▼
7d 30b 57 65 Billecocha section
▼

66 EC-27b Huyrapungo section Dextral <1.6 Ma <1 (unknown)

▼
▼

31b

▼
▼

Manabi 56
▼

EC-28 Apuela fault

▼
▼

▼
EC-28a Northeastern section Dextral <1.6 Ma <1 (unknown)
▼
▼

35
▼

EC-28b Dextral <1.6 Ma <1 (unknown)

▼
Central section

▼
92
▼

10a Ri o N EC-28c Southern section Unknown <1.6 Ma <1 (unknown)

▼
BAHIA DE
▼

ap EC-29 Dextral <15 ka 1-5

▼

58 Nanegalito fault zone

▼

12 57 o
CARQUEZ
▼

CHONE
▼
41a EC-30 El Cinto fault
▼

▼
43a
▼

67
▼

EC-30a Guayacán section Sinistral (?) <1.6 Ma <1 (unknown)

▼

Napo
▼
10b 11 40 38
▼

EC-30b Sinistral <1.6 Ma <1 (unknown)

▼

Río Cinto section

▼

42 37
Orellana
▲
▼
▼

EC-31
▼
Quito fault
▼

36
▼

CALCETA 39
▼

EC-31a Reverse, dextral <15 ka 0.2-1.0

▲

68 Northern section
▼

59
EC-31b Reverse, dextral <15 ka 0.2-1.0
▼

MANTA
▼

69 Southern section
▼

Cotopaxi LATACUNGA
▼
▼

13 EC-32 Tandapi fault Sinistral <15 ka 1-5

▼
▼

▼
▼

▼
EC-33 Papallacta fault Dextral <1.6 Ma <1
▼

41b EC-34 Río Baba fault Reverse, dextral <1.6 Ma <1 (unknown)
▼

12 43b
▼

60
▲

PORTOVIEJO EC-35 Machachi fault Dextral <1.6 Ma <1 (unknown)

▼

37
71 70
▼
▼

39 EC-36 Poaló fault Reverse <1.6 Ma <1 (unknown)

▼
▼

14a EC-37 Nagsiche anticline Reverse <1.6 Ma <1 (unknown)

▼

AMBATO
▼
▼

Los EC-38 Latacunga anticline Reverse <1.6 Ma <1 (unknown)

▼

▼
▼
▼

44 EC-39 Yanayacu anticline Reverse <1.6 Ma <1 (unknown)

▼

JIPIJAPA
▼

Rios
▼

61 EC-40 Guangaje fault Strike slip(?) <1.6 Ma <1 (unknown)

ECUADOR
72
▼
▼

Bolivar Tu n g u r a h u a EC-41 Chugchilan-Sigchos fault

▼
▼

14b EC-41a Transpressive, dextral(?) <1.6 Ma <1 (unknown)

▼

Sigchos section
Manabi 73
▼ ▼

45 EC-41b Chugchilan section Reverse <1.6 Ma <1 (unknown)

▼

46a
▼

15 47 74 EC-42 Reverse <1.6 Ma <1 (unknown)

Pucayacu fault
EC-43 Valencia-La Maná fault
▼

▼
▼

GUARANDA RIOBAMBA EC-43a Valencia section Unknown <1.6 Ma <1 (unknown)

▼

46b EC-43b La Maná section Reverse <1.6 Ma <1 (unknown)

▼

62
▼

16a
Pastaza
▼

EC-44 Reverse <1.6 Ma <1 (unknown)

▼
48 Quinsaloma fault
EC-45 Unknown <1.6 Ma <1 (unknown)
▼

Calabí fault
▼

Guayas
▼

16b 50a EC-46 Río Salinas fault

▼
▼

EC-46a Unknown <1.6 Ma <1 (unknown)

▼

Salinas section
49
▼

EC-46b Southern section Reverse(?) <1.6 Ma <1 (unknown)

▼
▼

EC-47 Guaranda fault Reverse, dextral(?) <1.6 Ma <1 (unknown)

▼

50b
▼

16c EC-48 Reverse <1.6 Ma <1 (unknown)

Montalvo fault
▼
▼

63
▼

48 EC-49 Chillanes fault Reverse <1.6 Ma <1 (unknown)

▼

▼
▼
▼ ▼

76 Ri EC-50 Pallatanga fault zone

16d
▼
▼

17 oP EC-50a Pallatanga section Dextral, reverse <15 ka 1-5

Chimborazo
▼

MILAGRO 50c as
▼
49
▼

▼
taz EC-50b Dextral(?) <1.6 Ma <1 (unknown)
▼
Central section
Guayas a
▼
▼

GUAYAQUIL EC-50c Southern section Reverse, dextral(?) <1.6 Ma <1 (unknown)

▼
▼

EC-51 Pancho Negro fault Dextral (?) <1.6 Ma <1 (unknown)

▼
▼

18 17 EC-52 Naranjal fault Reverse <1.6 Ma <1 (unknown)

▼
▼

EC-53 Ponce Enríquez fault Reverse <1.6 Ma <1 (unknown)

▼
▼

▼
▼

51 77 EC-54 Chingual fault Dextral <15 ka >5

▼

▼
▼

EC-55 Reventador fault

▼
▼

Canar
▼
▼

18 78 EC-55a Northern section Reverse <1.6 Ma <1 (unknown)

▼

19 EC-55b Dextral <1.6 Ma <1 (unknown)

▼

75 Southern section
▼ ▼
▼

EC-56 Reverse, dextral <15 ka (Historic?, <1 (unknown)

▼

Salado fault
▲

92 1987)
▼
▼
▲

AZOQUES 76
▼

EC-57 Dextral, reverse, <15 ka(?) 1-5

▼

Baeza-Chaco fault
▼

22 52
PERU
▲

Morona EC-58 Reverse, dextral <1.6 Ma <1 (unknown)

▼

Cosanga fault
▼
▼

20 EC-59 Dextral <1.6 Ma <1 (unknown)

▼

Huacamayos fault
▼

▲
CUENCA
Santiago EC-60 Pisayambo fault Dextral <1.6 Ma <1 (unknown)
▼

Azuay
▲
▼
▼

21
▲

▲
EC-61 Dextral(?) <1.6 Ma <1 (unknown)
▼

Patate fault
▼
▲
▲

EC-62 Strike-slip(?) <1.6 Ma <1 (unknown)

▼

79 Candelaria fault
▼

53
▲

EC-63 Dextral <1.6 Ma <1 (unknown)

▲

Guamote fault
▲

80 ▲
▲

EC-64 Reverse <1.6 Ma <1 (unknown)

▼

Cascales fault
▼
▲

GIRON EC-65 Payamino fault Reverse <1.6 Ma <1 (unknown)

▲

GOLFO DE
▼

EC-66 Sumaco fault Reverse, transpressive <1.6 Ma <1 (unknown)

81a
▼

(dextral?)
GUAYAQUIL MACHALA
▼
▼

EC-67 Hollín fault Reverse(?) <1.6 Ma <1 (unknown)

▼

EC-68 Tena fault Reverse <1.6 Ma <1 (unknown)

▼

EC-69 Pusuno fault Reverse <1.6 Ma <1 (unknown)

PASAJE 81b
▼

EC-70 Arajuno fault Reverse <1.6 Ma <1 (unknown)

▼

SANTA ROSA EC-71 Reverse <1.6 Ma <1 (unknown)

▼

ZARUMILLA Anzu fault

EC-72 Reverse <1.6 Ma <1 (unknown)
▼
▼

Mera fault
El Oro EC-73 Reverse <1.6 Ma <1 (unknown)
▼

Puyo fault
▼
▼

TUMBES PIEDRAS EC-74 Pastaza fault Sinistral <1.6 Ma <1 (unknown)

▼

EC-75 Santiago-Upano fault Reverse <15 ka <1 (unknown)

▼
▼

EC-76 Macuma fault Reverse <1.6 Ma <1 (unknown)

▼

EC-77 Reverse <1.6 Ma <1 (unknown)

▼

Taisha fault
▼
▼

EC-78 Paute fault Unknown <1.6 Ma <1 (unknown)

Zamora
▼

EC-79 Gualaceo fault Reverse <1.6 Ma <1 (unknown)

▼
▼

EC-80 Unknown <1.6 Ma <1 (unknown)

▼

84 Tarqui fault
▼

83
EC-81
▼

85 Girón fault
▼
▼

▼
▼

PE-01
EC-81a Normal <15 ka <1.0
▼

CATAMAYO Northeastern section

▼

▼
▼
▼

EC-81b Normal, dextral <15 ka <1.0

▼

Southwestern section
▼
▼

▼
▼

82a LOJA EC-82 Celica-Macará fault

▼
▼

MANCORA EC-82a Unknown <1.6 Ma <1 (unknown)

▼

Celica section
▼
▼

86
▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼

Loja EC-82b Reverse <1.6 Ma <1 (unknown)

▼
▼ ▼

Macará section
▼

91
▼ ▼
▼

92 EC-83 Reverse <1.6 Ma <1 (unknown)

▼

La Toma fault
▼

87
▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼
▼

EC-84 Reverse <1.6 Ma <1 (unknown)

▼ ▼

Catamayo fault
▼
▼

▼
▼

EC-85 Unknown <1.6 Ma <1 (unknown)

▼

Las Pitas fault

▼

82b
▼

88
▼

▼
▼ ▼

EC-86 El Tambo fault Reverse <1.6 Ma <1 (unknown)

▼

▼
▼
▼

PE-01
▼

▼
▼
▼

90a EC-87 Loja fault Reverse <1.6 Ma <1 (unknown)

▼

▼
▼ ▼

▼
89
▼
▼

▼ ▼

EC-88 Solanda fault Unknown <1.6 Ma <1 (unknown)

▼

▼
▼
▼

EC-89 Reverse <1.6 Ma <1 (unknown)

▼ ▼ ▼ ▼

Las Aradas fault

▼

▼
▼

EC-90 Numbala fault

TALARA
▼

▼ ▼ ▼

EC-90a Northern section Reverse <1.6 Ma <1 (unknown)

▼

EC-90b Southern section Reverse <1.6 Ma <1 (unknown)

▼

90b
▼

EC-91 Nangaritza fault Transcurrent, reverse <1.6 Ma <1 (unknown)

▼ ▼

EC-92 Colombia-Ecuador trench Reverse Historic (1906) >5 (ca. 70)

▼
▼
▼

(subduction zone)
▼
▼

Ri o
▼
▼

Ma
▼

rano n
▼
▼
▼

SULLANA
▼

▼ ▼
▼
▼
▼

PAITA CHULUCANAS
▼
▼
▼

▼
▼
▼

PIURA
N
▼

PERU
ER
▼

▼
▼

Nazca North Andes

DE

▼
TH

0 20 40 60 80 100 200 km
Oc cific

PERU Block
AN

▼
R
▼

PE-02
Plate O
n

▼
N
ea

▼
Pa
▼

Scale 1:1,125,000; Mercator Projection

▼

1
▼

BAHIA DE
)
▼

rn

SECHURA COLOMBIA
▼

te

▼
y)
es

▼
▼

lle
(W

▼
)
▼

al
Va
▼

▼
92
nt
▼

al

▼
an

rie
nt
▼
▼

ide

▼
ie
de
▼

(O

neg
Car e
▼
PE-02
in
▼

An
Occ

▼
▼

g
Rid
Pla

al

sin
Re
er

ne
era

Ba
stal

Int

Zo
a
er
dill
Coa

South
on
an
ill

az
Cor

de
rd

America
Am
An

MAP EXPLANATION SIMBOLOGIA DEL MAPA

Co

INDEX TO ILP MAPS

ECUADOR
b

Plate
Su

TIME OF MOST RECENT SURFACE RUPTURE EDAD DE ULTIMA RUPTURA SUPERFICIAL

10
Historic (year) Histórica (año)
2
Holocene (<10,000 yrs) or post glacial (<15,000 yrs) Holocena (<10,000 años) o post glacial (<15,000 años)
6 11
8
RN

Quaternary, undifferentiated (<1,600,000 yrs) Cuaternaria, sin diferenciar (<1,600,000 años)

S
DE
HE

ILP FAULT USGS OPEN-FILE 5

AN
RT

SLIP RATE TASA DE MOVIMIENTO

MAPS REPORT NO. Golfo de
NO

1-5 mm/yr 1-5 mm/año Guayquil

7 0.2-1 mm/yr 0.2-1 mm/año
1. ARGENTINA 00-103 PERU
cean

SOUTH <0.2 mm/yr (or unknown) <0.2 mm/año (o desconocida)

2. BOLIVIA 00-293, Plate 1
9 AMERICA
ic O

QUALITY CALIDAD
3. BRAZIL 00-230
Continuous at map scale Continua a la escala del mapa
Am
Sub

4. CHILE 00-283, Plate 2

Pacif

3 Poor or discontinuous at map scale Pobre o discontinua a la escala del mapa

az

2
on

5. COLOMBIA 02-284 Inferred or concealed Inferida u oculta

An
CE

PERU
de
NT

Ba

6. COSTA RICA 98-481 STRUCTURE TYPE TIPO DE ESTRUCTURA

an

sin
RA

4 FAULTS FALLAS
Zo

This report
L

7. ECUADOR
ne
AN

Thrust or reverse fault (teeth on upper block) Falla inversa o corrimiento (triángulos
8. PANAMA 98-779 1 0 400 km
DE

100 200 300

Right-lateral (dextral) strike-slip fault en bloque superior)
S

Scale 1:5,000,000; Mercator Projection

9. PERU In preparation Left-lateral (sinistral) strike-slip fault Falla de rumbo dextral
Normal fault (bar and ball on downthrown block) Falla de rumbo sinestral
10. MANGUA, NI. 00-437
FOLDS Falla normal (círculo en bloque hundido)
11. VENEZUELA 00-018 Anticline PLIEGUES
RELATIVE PLATE MOTION
Syncline Anticlinal
No. Location Fixed Plate Moving Plate Velocity Direction
Monocline Synclinal
1 81°W, 1°N South America Nazca 7.3 cm/yr 79.1°
Monoclinal 2 77°W, 2°S Nazca South America 7.0 cm/yr 261.3°
OTHER SYMBOLS
Location of fault section boundary OTROS SIMBOLICOS Source: Relative Plate Motion Calculator, Nuvel-1A Model; Kensaku Tamaki, Ocean Research Institute,
University of Tokyo, 1-15-1 Minamidai, Nakano-ku, Tokyo, 164, Japan (tamaki@ori.u-tokyo.ac.jp)
Digital data prepared with ARC/INFO version 7.2.1 running under Solaris version 2.6 on a Unix workstation. 15 Ecuador fault number (EC-) Extremidad de sección de falla
Last revision June 2003. 15 Numero de falla de Ecuador (EC-)
CO-15 Other fault numbers (for example, in Colombia) Diagram of major plate boundaries for Ecuador
Map prepared by M.N. Machette using Adobe Illustrator version 10.0. CO-15 Otro numeros de falla (por ejemplo, en Colombia) Esquema de límites de placas para Ecuador
Last revision July 2003.
This map is available as a PDF file at http:/geology.cr.usgs.gov
This report is preliminary and has not been reviewed for conformity with U.S. Geological Survey editorial standards. Any
use of trade, product, or firm names is for discriptive purposes and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.