Projects

The Koyna Dam near the west coast of India is the most outstanding example of reservoir triggered seismicity RTS, in which triggered earthquakes have occurred in a limited area of 20x30 km² since the impoundment of Shivajisagar Lake in 1962. This includes the largest triggered earthquake of  December 10th 1967 with a 6.3 magnitude, 22 earthquakes with a magnitude above 5, about 200 earthquakes with a magnitude of 4 and thousands of minor earthquakes since 1962. The earthquake frequency increases every year after the monsoon rains in the months of June and July, with one or more earthquakes with a magnitude around 4 occurring almost every year. Within a radius of 50 km around the Koyna Dam there is no other source of seimic activity.

The scientific objectives of the pilot drilling and related research proposals are linked to the primary objective of the Koyna-based scientific deep-drilling project to understand the formation of reservoir-induced earthquakes in a geotectonic intra-plate environment. This is a preparation for the main phase including scientific drilling up to approx. 5 km depth, in order to establish a 'laboratory' in a deep fault zone.