Editing San Andreas Fault (section)

=== Current research ===
Seismologists discovered that the San Andreas Fault near [[Parkfield, California|Parkfield]] in central California consistently produces a magnitude 6.0 earthquake approximately once every 22 years. Following recorded seismic events in 1857, 1881, 1901, 1922, 1934, and 1966, scientists predicted that another earthquake should occur in Parkfield in 1993. It eventually occurred in [[Parkfield earthquake|2004]]. Due to the frequency of predictable activity, Parkfield has become one of the most important areas in the world for large earthquake research.

In 2004, work began just north of Parkfield on the [[San Andreas Fault Observatory at Depth]] (SAFOD). The goal of SAFOD is to drill a hole nearly {{convert|3|km|mi}} into the Earth's crust and into the San Andreas Fault. An array of sensors will be installed to record earthquakes that happen near this area.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://quake.wr.usgs.gov/research/parkfield/safod_pbo.html |title=San Andreas Fault Observatory at Depth |department=USGS Earthquake Hazards Program |publisher=United States Geological Survey |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051001112157/http://quake.wr.usgs.gov/research/parkfield/safod_pbo.html |archive-date=2005-10-01 }}</ref>

A 2023 study found a link between the water level in [[Lake Cahuilla]] (now the [[Salton Sea]]) and seismic activity along the southern San Andreas Fault. The study suggests that major earthquakes along this section of the fault coincided with high water levels in the lake. The hydrological load caused by high water levels can more than double the stress on the southern San Andreas Fault, which is likely sufficient for triggering earthquakes. This may explain the abnormally long period of time since the last major earthquake in the region since the lake has dried up.<ref>{{cite journal |url=https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-1863175/latest.pdf|last1=Hill |first1=R.G. |last2=Weingarten |first2=M. |last3=Rockwell |first3=T.K. |title=Major southern San Andreas earthquakes modulated by lake-filling events |journal=Nature |date=2023-06-07 |volume= 618|issue= 7966|pages= 761–766|doi=10.1038/s41586-023-06058-9|pmid=37286605 |bibcode=2023Natur.618..761H |s2cid=259110409 }}</ref>

The San Andreas Fault System has been the subject of a flood of studies. In particular, scientific research performed during the last 23 years has given rise to about 3,400 publications.<ref name="Gizzi2015">{{cite journal |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/276453069 |title=Worldwide trends in research on the San Andreas Fault System |author=Gizzi F.T. |journal=[[Arabian Journal of Geosciences]] |year=2015 |volume=8 |issue=12 |pages=10893–10909 |doi=10.1007/s12517-015-1878-4|bibcode=2015ArJG....810893G |s2cid=130137757 }}</ref>