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Risk assessment
The evaluation of the likelihood of adverse effects due to a given factor such as energy development or recurring hazardous events such as earthquakes.
Subtopics:
Earthquake probabilities (18 items)
Landslide susceptibility assessment (7 items)
Volcanic eruption prediction (6 items)
Results 1 - 51 of 51 listed by similarity [list alphabetically]
Data for giant constrictors - Biological management profiles and an establishment risk assessment for nine large species of pythons, anacondas, and the boa constrictor [More info]
Locations for nine species of large constrictors, from published sources, along with monthly precipitation and average monthly temperature for those locations. Shapefiles for each snake species studied.
Ecological risk assessment of toxic substances in the South Florida ecosystem: wildlife effects and exposure assessment [More info]
Project summaries and publications on wildlife contaminant exposures and prediction and monitoring of future restoration-driven exposures within the South Florida ecosystems.
Assessment of potential coastal impacts: Hurricane Rita [More info]
Areas susceptible to inundation during landfall of Hurricane Rita are assessed by comparing lidar-derived dune elevations to simulated storm surge values. Results shown on pictorial maps.
PDF PAGER--Rapid assessment of an earthquake's impact [More info]
An automated system for rapidly estimating the shaking distribution, number of people and settlements exposed to severe shaking, and range of possible fatalities and economic losses. A color-coded alert suggests levels of appropriate response.
PDF Southwest Principal Aquifers Regional Ground-Water Quality Assessment [More info]
Study of the susceptibility and vulnerability of basin-fill aquifers in the region to ground-water contamination by synthesizing the information on ground-water quality conditions in 15 basins from previous studies.
PDF Understanding risk and resilience to natural hazards [More info]
General approach taken by USGS to providing communities with the tools and information they need to prepare for natural hazards that may affect them.
Alaska Volcano Observatory [More info]
Homepage for Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO) with offices in Anchorage and Fairbanks monitors and studies Alaska's hazardous volcanoes. Links to featured news, updates, publications and products, and a volcano atlas for Alaska.
An overview of coastal land loss with emphasis on the southeastern United States [More info]
Comprehensive background information on coastal land loss, discussing the influence of waves and storms, the intrinsic characteristics of the shoreline materials, and the role of human activities.
Cascades Volcano Observatory [More info]
Portal to information provided by the Cascades Volcano Observatory in Vancouver, WA with links to reports and activity in the Cascade Range and other volcanoes and multiple links to general information on volcanology, reports, research, and maps.
PDF Climate Variability and Change [More info]
This fact sheet focuses on climate variability and change and how USGS research can strengthen the Nation with information needed to meet the challenges of the 21st century.
Earth tides and volcano monitoring [More info]
Article in the May 28, 1998 issue of Volcano Watch describing of correlation of earth tides to volcanic eruptions and value in monitoring underground magma movement with deformation measurement instruments including tiltmeters and strainmeters.
PDF Earthquake hazard in the New Madrid seismic zone remains a concern [More info]
GPS measurements made since 1996 seem to show this earthquake-prone area slowing down. Is it time to relax? Scientists who studied these data in detail say no, and this fact sheet explains why.
Earthquake hazard maps [More info]
National seismic hazards maps, global seismic hazards map, predictive intensity maps, shaking hazards maps and probabilities for California, and a variety of fact sheets on earthquakes.
Earthquake Hazards 101 [More info]
Provides links to explanatory materials for the layperson, including information on concepts behind earthquake maps, the use of probability, what the maps mean, how they are made, and answers to frequently asked questions.
Earthquake Hazards Program external research support [More info]
Abstracts, program announcements and descriptions of projects funded by the external research program.
Earthquake preparedness information [More info]
Links to web sites, publications, and fact sheets on earthquake preparedness.
Earthquake science explained--a series of ten short articles for students, teachers, and families [More info]
Collects a series of short articles on earthquake science and related topics for students, teachers, and parents originally published as weekly features in The San Francisco Chronicle.
Earthquakes [More info]
Online booklet on earthquake history, earthquake occurrences, measuring earthquakes, causes, relationship of volcanoes and earthquakes and earthquake prediction.
PDF Earthquakes pose a serious hazard in Afghanistan [More info]
Structural features in eastern Afghanistan accompany seismicity data showing this area is subject to considerable risk of earthquakes.
Earthquakes: Frequently Asked Questions [More info]
Answers to a wide variety of questions (FAQs) about earthquakes, such as dictionary of terms, earthquake activity and probabilities, common myths, faults, plate tectonics, and earthquake measurement techniques.
Eruption warning and real-time notifications [More info]
Describes strategy of volcano warnings and the real-time detection of a sudden eruption or lahar and immediate notification of the activity to the public and local, state, and federal emergency-management officials.
PDF Eruptions of Hawaiian volcanoes - past, present, and future [More info]
Originally published in 1987, this general-interest booklet has been revised in anticipation of the Centennial of the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) in January 2012.
Eruptions of Mount St. Helens: past, present, future [More info]
Online booklet on the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens, past history, and future hazards.
Executive summary, workshop: seismic and tsunami hazard in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands [More info]
Summary of workshop with links to reports that are recommendations for future projects.
FAQs - National Seismic Hazard Maps [More info]
Provides detailed technical information on earthquake hazards in the form of frequently asked questions. Designed for the technical audience, including building and safety planners.
PDF Forecasting California's earthquakes - What can we expect in the next 30 years? [More info]
Shows how we know severe earthquakes will occur and where.
PDF Ground-shaking hazard from earthquakes [More info]
Postcard available for downloading and printing.
PDF Impacts and predictions of coastal change during hurricanes [More info]
Shows how observations and modeling can help anticipate practical problems in coastal areas when hurricanes arrive. Focuses primarily on areas where people have built houses and roads that may be destroyed during storms.
PDF Landslide Hazards in the Seattle, Washington, Area [More info]
Explains how and why landslides occur in this area, and what can be done to forecast and mitigate them.
Landslide Hazards Program [More info]
Research program designed to improve understanding of the causes of ground failure so that the hazards associated with landslides can be mitigated or avoided.
Landslides research [More info]
Description of research projects in progress to make accurate landslide hazard maps and forecasts of landslide occurrences.
Major quake likely to strike San Francisco Bay Region between 2003 and 2032 [More info]
Study of the probability of a major earthquake in San Francisco Bay region with colored map and links to relevant publications. Text also available in PDF format and graphic available in Illustrator or Photoshop format.
PDF Methods for estimating magnitude and frequency of floods in rural basins in the southeastern United States: South Carolina [More info]
Flood estimates are needed for the efficient design of bridges, highway embankments, levees, to protect lives and property in flood-prone areas, and to determine flood-insurance rates.
National Earthquake Information Center [More info]
Information on world earthquake activity with links to facts and lists on large earthquakes, earthquake e-mail notification, hazards and preparedness, educational links, news and highlights and other seismic information.
National Landslide Information Center [More info]
National Landslide Information Center links to general information, teacher/student information, recent landslide events, state and local information, current projects, fire-related landslides, and images and publications on landslides.
Pacific Northwest geologic mapping and urban hazards [More info]
Description of research underway in the Pacific Northwest including geologic mapping and urban hazards studies with links to geologic maps, publications, and data.
Riding the storm -- landslide danger in the San Francisco Bay Area [More info]
Video: Learn what USGS scientists have discovered about landslide dynamics and which slopes are most susceptible to sliding. Hear the devastating stories of Bay Area residents affected by landslides and learn to recognize the danger signs.
PDF The landslide handbook -- A guide to understanding landslides [More info]
Basic information for homeowners, communities, emergency managers, and decisionmakers. Includes sections on landslide types, evaluation tools, and mitigation techniques.
The San Andreas Fault [More info]
Online booklet on the San Andreas fault system on the California coastal region with discussion of faults, relationship of faults and earthquakes, magnitude of earthquakes, and earthquake probability.
PDF The story of the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory -- A remarkable first 100 years of tracking eruptions and earthquakes [More info]
History of the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO), established in 1912, including an overview of Hawaiian volcanic processes and USGS monitoring techniques.
PDF U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Western Region Coastal and Ocean Science [More info]
Overview of USGS research addressing a broad range of coastal and marine issues in California, Oregon, Washington, Alaska, and Hawaii.
PDF U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Western Region: Alaska Coastal and Ocean Science [More info]
Overview of USGS research addressing a broad range of coastal and marine issues in Alaska.
PDF U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Western Region: Santa Barbara Channel Coastal and Ocean Science [More info]
Overview of USGS research addressing a broad range of coastal and marine issues in the Santa Barbara Channel and vicinity, California.
PDF Understanding beach health throughout the Great Lakes-Entering a new era of investigations [More info]
People who manage recreational areas need better, more timely estimates of the likelihood that the beach and lake waters will be hazardous to human health, and which factors cause those hazards.
PDF Understanding earthquake hazards in urban areas - Evansville Area Earthquake Hazards Mapping Project [More info]
Evansville, Indiana, is near the Wabash Valley and New Madrid seismic zones and has experienced minor damage from earthquakes in the past 200 years. This fact sheet describes three types of USGS earthquake hazard maps for Evansville and surrounding areas.
Understanding our planet through chemistry [More info]
Site with a series of articles showing how chemists and geologists use analytical chemistry to determine the age of the Earth, determine Earth's history, predict volcanic eruptions, observe long-term atmospheric change and study pollution.
PDF United States Geological Survey fire science--Fire danger monitoring and forecasting [More info]
We use moderate resolution satellite data to assess live fuel condition for estimating fire danger. Using 23 years of vegetation condition measurements, we are able to determine the relative greenness of wildland vegetation susceptible to burning.
PDF United States National Seismic Hazard Maps [More info]
Maps indicating areas where earthquakes may cause damage or disrupt human activities, with information about how those maps are compiled.
PDF USGS St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center [More info]
Extreme storms, sea-level rise, and the health of marine communities are some of the major societal and environmental issues studied by this part of USGS.
Volcano Hazards Program [More info]
Homepage for USGS Volcano Hazards Program with feature stories, and links to worldwide volcano updates, volcanic hazards, reducing volcanic risk, USGS international programs, and resources such as educator's page, videos, and online reports.
Wildland fire research [More info]
Thematic descriptions of research to meet the varied needs of the fire management community and to understand the role of fire in the landscape including fire management support, studies of postfire effects, and fire history and ecology.
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