Pacific Northwest Geologic Mapping: Northern Pacific Border, Cascades and Columbia Active
Cathlamet Bay
Bonneville landslide
Columbia River Gorge
Columbia River and Miller Island
Hanford reach
The Pacific Northwest is an area created by active and complex geological processes. On its path to the Pacific Ocean, the Columbia River slices through a chain of active volcanoes located along the western margin of the U.S. in Washington, Oregon, and northern California. These volcanoes rest above the active Cascadia subduction zone, which is the boundary where the oceanic tectonic plate dives beneath the continental plate. Consequently, this area with urban centers and transportation networks is subject to earthquakes, volcanic activity, landslides, and floods. Geologic mapping and research supports resource assessments, the understanding of natural hazards, the delineation of ecosystems, and defines the framework geology of this unique region.
The primary focus of this project is geologic mapping. Most mapping is conducted at the 7.5' quadrangle scale but in many instances these maps are compiled into regional compilations such as the Portland basin map. The focus areas for mapping are strategically chosen based on the overall project objectives but also in consultation with other USGS researchers, universities, State and local agencies, and others.
Project tasks:
Cascadia Linkages
The term Cascadia encompasses the volcanoes of the Cascade Range and the subduction zone that feeds them. This area in the Pacific Northwest is a region of significant seismic hazards, and much is unknown about the potential size and magnitude of earthquake ruptures and the effects of earthquake shaking. This translates into major uncertainties in earthquake hazard assessments of the U.S. Pacific Northwest that can lead to ineffective preparedness measures.
The primary objectives of this task are to evaluate upper-plate deformation in the Cascadia forearc (i.e., the area between the Cascade Range and the oceanic subduction zone), determine its linkages to the active Cascadia subduction zone, and quantify the associated seismic, tsunami, and landslide hazards.
Columbia River Corridor Mapping
The lower Columbia River corridor hosts most of Oregon’s population and is an internationally vital transportation link connecting the interior United States with Trans-Pacific trading partners. The Columbia River is unique; it is by far the largest river in the world to bisect an active arc (i.e., volcanoes of the Cascade Range) which forms above a subduction zone. Vital infrastructure, including interstate highways, hydropower dams, rail lines, natural gas and petroleum pipelines, electrical-power transmission lines, and fiber-optic communications cables, are all routed through the Columbia River Gorge, where the river bisects the Cascade Range. In this narrow gorge, infrastructure is vulnerable to a variety of hazards: earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides, and floods. As urbanization expands into these areas, increasing conflicts arise with resource extraction (water, forestry, fisheries, aggregate resources, hydroelectric power), recreational activities, and natural hazards.
The primary objective of this task is to understand the Columbia River’s recent history and basin evolution by providing a synoptic geologic framework based on 7.5-minute scale mapping of this region.
Columbia Basin Landscape Evolution
The Columbia River and the tributaries that feed it have evolved dramatically over recent geologic time, beginning with the large Miocene flows of the Columbia River Basalt Group (CRBG) that filled a pre-existing topographic basin east of the Cascade Range. Deformed sedimentary strata of the Ringold, Palouse, and other formations blanket the basalt. River incision has carved through these units. Recent glaciations have left a legacy of temporary lakes, massive outburst floods, and deposits of glacial sediments and landforms.
The primary objective of this task is to understand the overall geologic evolution of structures (faults and folds) and landforms resulting from glacial retreat and floods from ice-dammed lakes the Columbia Basin, including the forces and events driving basin integration and river pattern development; the topographic, geologic, and ecologic effects of Quaternary ice sheets and associated megafloods; and the relations of these driving forces to regional hazards, resources, and ecosystems.
Evolution of the Cascade Range
The Cascade Range in Washington, Oregon, and northern California is comprised of dozens of iconic and active stratovolcanoes such as Mount St. Helens and Mount Hood, all forming above an active subduction zone. Yet the volcanoes are only one element of this continental scale mountain range which has had a 40-million-year history of crustal deformation, vertical uplift, volcanism, and erosion. The modern Cascade Range plays a critical role in regional climate and weather patterns, distribution of mineral and water resources, ecosystems, and the types and magnitudes of natural hazards.
This primary objective of this task is to understand the past and ongoing drivers for the growth and evolution of the Cascade Range and how these factors relate to resources, hazards, and ecosystems.
Columbia River Basalt Group Stratigraphy and Deformation
The Columbia River Basalt Group (CRBG) is the youngest large igneous flood basalt province on Earth and covers an area of ~160,000 km2, mostly in eastern Washington and Oregon, and western Idaho. Within this area, known as the Columbia Plateau or Columbia Basin, the CRBG is up to 2 km thick. Individual lava flows extend throughout this region and across the Willamette Valley and Coast Ranges to the west, where some flows reach the Pacific Ocean. The Grande Ronde Basalt (GRB), which makes up ~85% by volume of the CRBG, hosts the primary aquifer systems in the region, particularly in the arid Columbia Plateau province. This region is seismically active and includes numerous dams along the Columbia River as well as the Hanford nuclear production complex (mostly decommissioned) that houses large quantities of high-level radioactive waste.
The primary objective of this task is to use geochemical and paleomagnetic techniques to map the stratigraphy of the basalt flows of the CRBG and GRB. An improved map will support hydrogeological models and studies to assess the potential for carbon dioxide sequestration in porous volcanic rocks.
Below are other science projects associated with this project.
Cascadia Subduction Zone Marine Geohazards
Below are data or web applications associated with this project.
Cenozoic Foraminiferal Collections of Weldon Rau in Oregon and Washington, USA
Orthophotograph of the Columbia River between Portland and The Dalles, Oregon, acquired in 1935
High-Resolution Aeromagnetic Survey Over Cascade Locks, Oregon, and Surrounding Areas
Monte Carlo code for manuscript: Sensitivity testing of marine turbidite age estimates along the Cascadia Subduction Zone
Field, Geochemical, Geochronological, and Magnetic Data from a Pliocene basalt flow along the Deschutes River in north-central Oregon
Extent of Pliocene hyaloclastic deposits and related lava flows in the Columbia Gorge, Oregon and Washington
Digital Database of Microfossil samples from Southwestern Coastal Oregon
X-ray Fluorescence Geochemistry of Columbia River Basalt Group Rocks in the Western Columbia River Gorge
Cascadia subduction zone database: compilation of published datasets relevant to Cascadia subduction zone earthquake hazards and tectonics (2022)
High-Resolution Aeromagnetic Survey of the Cle Elum Area, Washington
High-Resolution Aeromagnetic Survey Over the New Madrid Seismic Zone, Missouri, Arkansas, and Tennessee
High-Resolution Aeromagnetic Survey Over Pendleton, Oregon, and Surrounding Areas
Geologic map of the greater Portland metropolitan area and surrounding region, Oregon and Washington
Geomorphic map of western Whatcom County, Washington
Geologic map of the Washougal quadrangle, Clark County, Washington, and Multnomah County, Oregon
Geologic map of the Camas Quadrangle, Clark County, Washington, and Multnomah County, Oregon
Below are publications associated with this project.
Sensitivity testing of marine turbidite age estimates along the Cascadia subduction zone
The magmatic origin of the Columbia River Gorge, USA
Along subduction zones, high-relief topography is associated with sustained volcanism parallel to the plate margin. However, the relationship between magmatism and mountain building in arcs is poorly understood. Here, we study patterns of surface deformation and correlated fluvial knickpoints in the Columbia River Gorge to link long-term magmatism to the uplift and ensuing topographic development
Micropaleontological evidence of a submarine fan in the lower Coaledo Formation, Southwestern Oregon, USA
Major reorganization of the Snake River modulated by passage of the Yellowstone Hotspot
Paleoseismic trenching reveals late quaternary kinematics of the Leech River Fault: Implications for forearc strain accumulation in Northern Cascadia
Eroding Cascadia— Sediment and solute transport and landscape denudation in western Oregon and northwestern California
Radiometric constraints on the timing, tempo, and effects of large igneous province emplacement
Toward an integrative geological and geophysical view of Cascadia subduction zone earthquakes
Outburst floods
Deglaciation of the Puget Lowland, Washington
Diverse cataclysmic floods from Pleistocene glacial Lake Missoula
River network and reach‐scale controls on habitat for lamprey larvae in the Umpqua River Basin, Oregon
We collaborate with a wide variety of cooperators in our work, from other Federal and State agencies to various institutions of higher learning, to assist in the collection and analysis of essential data.
- Overview
The Pacific Northwest is an area created by active and complex geological processes. On its path to the Pacific Ocean, the Columbia River slices through a chain of active volcanoes located along the western margin of the U.S. in Washington, Oregon, and northern California. These volcanoes rest above the active Cascadia subduction zone, which is the boundary where the oceanic tectonic plate dives beneath the continental plate. Consequently, this area with urban centers and transportation networks is subject to earthquakes, volcanic activity, landslides, and floods. Geologic mapping and research supports resource assessments, the understanding of natural hazards, the delineation of ecosystems, and defines the framework geology of this unique region.
The primary focus of this project is geologic mapping. Most mapping is conducted at the 7.5' quadrangle scale but in many instances these maps are compiled into regional compilations such as the Portland basin map. The focus areas for mapping are strategically chosen based on the overall project objectives but also in consultation with other USGS researchers, universities, State and local agencies, and others.
Project tasks:
Cascadia Linkages
The term Cascadia encompasses the volcanoes of the Cascade Range and the subduction zone that feeds them. This area in the Pacific Northwest is a region of significant seismic hazards, and much is unknown about the potential size and magnitude of earthquake ruptures and the effects of earthquake shaking. This translates into major uncertainties in earthquake hazard assessments of the U.S. Pacific Northwest that can lead to ineffective preparedness measures.
The primary objectives of this task are to evaluate upper-plate deformation in the Cascadia forearc (i.e., the area between the Cascade Range and the oceanic subduction zone), determine its linkages to the active Cascadia subduction zone, and quantify the associated seismic, tsunami, and landslide hazards.
Columbia River Corridor Mapping
The lower Columbia River corridor hosts most of Oregon’s population and is an internationally vital transportation link connecting the interior United States with Trans-Pacific trading partners. The Columbia River is unique; it is by far the largest river in the world to bisect an active arc (i.e., volcanoes of the Cascade Range) which forms above a subduction zone. Vital infrastructure, including interstate highways, hydropower dams, rail lines, natural gas and petroleum pipelines, electrical-power transmission lines, and fiber-optic communications cables, are all routed through the Columbia River Gorge, where the river bisects the Cascade Range. In this narrow gorge, infrastructure is vulnerable to a variety of hazards: earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides, and floods. As urbanization expands into these areas, increasing conflicts arise with resource extraction (water, forestry, fisheries, aggregate resources, hydroelectric power), recreational activities, and natural hazards.
The primary objective of this task is to understand the Columbia River’s recent history and basin evolution by providing a synoptic geologic framework based on 7.5-minute scale mapping of this region.
Columbia Basin Landscape Evolution
The Columbia River and the tributaries that feed it have evolved dramatically over recent geologic time, beginning with the large Miocene flows of the Columbia River Basalt Group (CRBG) that filled a pre-existing topographic basin east of the Cascade Range. Deformed sedimentary strata of the Ringold, Palouse, and other formations blanket the basalt. River incision has carved through these units. Recent glaciations have left a legacy of temporary lakes, massive outburst floods, and deposits of glacial sediments and landforms.
The primary objective of this task is to understand the overall geologic evolution of structures (faults and folds) and landforms resulting from glacial retreat and floods from ice-dammed lakes the Columbia Basin, including the forces and events driving basin integration and river pattern development; the topographic, geologic, and ecologic effects of Quaternary ice sheets and associated megafloods; and the relations of these driving forces to regional hazards, resources, and ecosystems.
Evolution of the Cascade Range
The Cascade Range in Washington, Oregon, and northern California is comprised of dozens of iconic and active stratovolcanoes such as Mount St. Helens and Mount Hood, all forming above an active subduction zone. Yet the volcanoes are only one element of this continental scale mountain range which has had a 40-million-year history of crustal deformation, vertical uplift, volcanism, and erosion. The modern Cascade Range plays a critical role in regional climate and weather patterns, distribution of mineral and water resources, ecosystems, and the types and magnitudes of natural hazards.
This primary objective of this task is to understand the past and ongoing drivers for the growth and evolution of the Cascade Range and how these factors relate to resources, hazards, and ecosystems.
Columbia River Basalt Group Stratigraphy and Deformation
The Columbia River Basalt Group (CRBG) is the youngest large igneous flood basalt province on Earth and covers an area of ~160,000 km2, mostly in eastern Washington and Oregon, and western Idaho. Within this area, known as the Columbia Plateau or Columbia Basin, the CRBG is up to 2 km thick. Individual lava flows extend throughout this region and across the Willamette Valley and Coast Ranges to the west, where some flows reach the Pacific Ocean. The Grande Ronde Basalt (GRB), which makes up ~85% by volume of the CRBG, hosts the primary aquifer systems in the region, particularly in the arid Columbia Plateau province. This region is seismically active and includes numerous dams along the Columbia River as well as the Hanford nuclear production complex (mostly decommissioned) that houses large quantities of high-level radioactive waste.
The primary objective of this task is to use geochemical and paleomagnetic techniques to map the stratigraphy of the basalt flows of the CRBG and GRB. An improved map will support hydrogeological models and studies to assess the potential for carbon dioxide sequestration in porous volcanic rocks.
- Science
Below are other science projects associated with this project.
Cascadia Subduction Zone Marine Geohazards
Societal Issue: Uncertainty related to rupture extent, slip distribution, and recurrence of past subduction megathrust earthquakes in the Pacific Northwest (northern CA, OR, WA, and southern BC) leads to ambiguity in earthquake and tsunami hazard assessments and hinders our ability to prepare for future events.ByNatural Hazards Mission Area, Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center, 3-D CT Core Imaging Laboratory, Core Preparation and Analysis Laboratory and Sample Repositories, Multi-Sensor Core Logger Laboratory, Deep Sea Exploration, Mapping and Characterization, Subduction Zone Science - Data
Below are data or web applications associated with this project.
Filter Total Items: 18Cenozoic Foraminiferal Collections of Weldon Rau in Oregon and Washington, USA
The original compilation of this data is in Rau (2004) (https://www.dnr.wa.gov/Publications/ger_dr4_pacific_nw_foram_collections.zip), where most samples are located by Township, Range, and Section relative to the Public Land Survey System. For this database, Snavely's original field sheets and notebooks were used to calculate latitude and longitude of the samples and the results were combined witOrthophotograph of the Columbia River between Portland and The Dalles, Oregon, acquired in 1935
This data release consists of high quality georeferenced orthophoto mosaics of a 160 kilometer long portion of the Columbia River between Portland and The Dalles, Oregon created from aerial photographs collected in 1935 by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The dataset comprises three GeoTIFF files, each covering about 40-60 kilometers. This metadata document summarizes the entire data release. SeeHigh-Resolution Aeromagnetic Survey Over Cascade Locks, Oregon, and Surrounding Areas
This data release provides access to a low-altitude aeromagnetic survey flown over a part of the Cascade Range of the US Pacific Northwest, approximately centered over the town of Cascade Locks, Oregon. The Cascade Locks magnetic survey encompasses two large stratovolcanoes of the Cascade Range: Mt. Hood (3426 m) in Oregon and Mt. Adams (3742 m) in Washington. Data were acquired between October 17Monte Carlo code for manuscript: Sensitivity testing of marine turbidite age estimates along the Cascadia Subduction Zone
This data release includes the MATLAB code used for sensitivity analysis of turbidite age estimates along the Cascadia subduction zone. The code is written for use in MATLAB and datasets are organized as .mat files. Data values are from Goldfinger et al. (2012) and Staisch (2024). Cited works: Goldfinger, C., Nelson, C.H., Morey, A.E., Johnson, J.E., Patton, J.R., Karabanov, E., Gutiérrez-Pastor,Field, Geochemical, Geochronological, and Magnetic Data from a Pliocene basalt flow along the Deschutes River in north-central Oregon
This dataset represents a variety of scientific measurements of basalt rock outcrops in central Oregon, United States. It consists of field observations, geochemical measurements, paleomagnetic directional measurements, magnetic susceptibility, and geochronology data (Ar-Ar methodology). This dataset was collected from 2014-2022 by the authors.Extent of Pliocene hyaloclastic deposits and related lava flows in the Columbia Gorge, Oregon and Washington
This dataset contains polygons representing deposits of hyaloclastic debris that were generated between about 3.5 and 3.0 million years ago when a series of basaltic lava flows entered the canyon of the ancestral Columbia River. The lava flows were erupted from volcanoes in the area of the Hood River graben of McClaughry and others (2012), generally have low-potassium tholeiitic basalt compositionDigital Database of Microfossil samples from Southwestern Coastal Oregon
A geodatabase containing shapefiles representing the geologic units present within the study area, as well as the locations where sampling ocurred, field photography conducted by John Armentrout ocurred, and satellite imagery providing overhead views of key points of John Armentrout's study.X-ray Fluorescence Geochemistry of Columbia River Basalt Group Rocks in the Western Columbia River Gorge
This table contains geochemical data collected for whole-rock samples from the Columbia River Basalt Group in the western Columbia River Gorge in Oregon and Washington. Most samples were collected by Russell C. Evarts and Richard M. Conrey from 2002 to 2014. Samples were collected during traverses along roads, streams, ridgecrests, and other areas as part of ongoing geologic mapping. Additional saCascadia subduction zone database: compilation of published datasets relevant to Cascadia subduction zone earthquake hazards and tectonics (2022)
In this database, we compile and host several available onshore and offshore geologic, paleoseismic, geophysical, and instrumental datasets along the Cascadia subduction zone. The ScienceBase data release and downloadable map package is accompanied by an ArcGIS online map and StoryMap.ByNatural Hazards Mission Area, Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, Earthquake Hazards Program, National Cooperative Geologic Mapping Program, Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics Science Center, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center, Deep Sea Exploration, Mapping and Characterization, Subduction Zone ScienceHigh-Resolution Aeromagnetic Survey of the Cle Elum Area, Washington
This data release provides access to a low-altitude, aeromagnetic survey of a part of central Washington centered approximately 22 km west-southwest of Ellensburg. The survey includes the cities of Ellensburg, Cle Elum, and Yakima and is referred to as the Cle Elum aeromagnetic survey. The Cle Elum aeromagnetic survey extends from the Columbia Plateau westward to the eastern Cascade Range and illuHigh-Resolution Aeromagnetic Survey Over the New Madrid Seismic Zone, Missouri, Arkansas, and Tennessee
This data release provides access to a low-altitude, aeromagnetic survey over parts of Missouri, Arkansas, and Tennessee, an area centered about 100 km north of Memphis, Tennessee. The survey covers parts of the southern arm of the New Madrid seismic zone, the northwestern margin of the Reelfoot rift, the Blytheville arch, and the Commerce geophysical lineament (reference: Langenheim, V.E., and HiHigh-Resolution Aeromagnetic Survey Over Pendleton, Oregon, and Surrounding Areas
This data release provides access to a low-altitude, aeromagnetic survey over a part of northeastern Oregon, an area centered approximately over the city of La Grande. The survey is underlain by pre-Tertiary intrusive and metamorphic rocks exposed in the Wallowa Mountains and southern Blue Mountains, and basalts of the Miocene Columbia River Basalt Group exposed or shallowly buried elsewhere. The - Maps
Geologic map of the greater Portland metropolitan area and surrounding region, Oregon and Washington
The Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro Metropolitan Area (metro area) has great scenic, natural, and cultural resources and is the major economic hub of Oregon. The metro area is subject to a variety of geologic hazards. Underthrusting of the oceanic plate along the Cascadia plate boundary fault, or megathrust, deforms the leading edge of North America and produces earthquakes on the megathrust and in tGeomorphic map of western Whatcom County, Washington
Western Whatcom County has a rich history of glaciation, sea-level change, fluvial erosion and deposition, landsliding, nearby volcanic activity, and human landscape modification. This lidar-derived geomorphic map interprets this history from the form and position of the Earth’s surface.The geomorphic record is broken into nine phases, beginning with the peak of the Vashon stade of the Fraser glacGeologic map of the Washougal quadrangle, Clark County, Washington, and Multnomah County, Oregon
The Washougal 7.5’ quadrangle spans the boundary between the Portland Basin and the Columbia River Gorge, approximately 30 km east of Portland, Oregon. The map area contains the westernmost portion of the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic area as well as the rapidly growing areas surrounding the Clark County, Washington, cities of Camas and Washougal. The Columbia River transects the map area,Geologic map of the Camas Quadrangle, Clark County, Washington, and Multnomah County, Oregon
The Camas 7.5' quadrangle is in southwestern Washington and northwestern Oregon approximately 20 km east of Portland. The map area, bisected by the Columbia River, lies on the eastern margin of the Portland Basin, which is part of the Puget-Willamette Lowland that separates the Cascade Range from the Oregon Coast Range. Since late Eocene time, the Cascade Range has been the locus of an episodicall - Publications
Below are publications associated with this project.
Filter Total Items: 29Sensitivity testing of marine turbidite age estimates along the Cascadia subduction zone
9 earthquakes ruptured the full Cascadia subduction zone (CSZ) in the past 10 kyr, a hypothesis that relies on concurrent turbidite deposition generated from seismogenic strong ground motion along the ∼1100 km margin. Correlation of marine turbidite deposits is based on petrophysical characteristics and radiocarbon geochronology, the latter of which relies on a series of age corrections and calibAuthorsLydia M. StaischThe magmatic origin of the Columbia River Gorge, USA
Along subduction zones, high-relief topography is associated with sustained volcanism parallel to the plate margin. However, the relationship between magmatism and mountain building in arcs is poorly understood. Here, we study patterns of surface deformation and correlated fluvial knickpoints in the Columbia River Gorge to link long-term magmatism to the uplift and ensuing topographic development
AuthorsNathaniel Klema, Leif Karlstrom, Charles M. Cannon, Chengxin Jiang, Jim E. O'Connor, Ray Wells, Brandon SchmandtMicropaleontological evidence of a submarine fan in the lower Coaledo Formation, Southwestern Oregon, USA
The middle Eocene lower Coaledo Formation was interpreted as ten shoaling upward delta-margin cycles based on sediments and macrofauna. The strata, however, contains deep-water foraminifers. Explanations to resolve this anomaly included reworking, bathymetric range extension, or upward migration of water masses. Paleoecology analysis of foraminifers indicates that the few shelf species are poorlyAuthorsKristin McDougall-ReidMajor reorganization of the Snake River modulated by passage of the Yellowstone Hotspot
The details and mechanisms for Neogene river reorganization in the U.S. Pacific Northwest and northern Rocky Mountains have been debated for over a century with key implications for how tectonic and volcanic systems modulate topographic development. To evaluate paleo-drainage networks, we produced an expansive data set and provenance analysis of detrital zircon U-Pb ages from Miocene to PleistocenAuthorsLydia M. Staisch, Jim E. O'Connor, Charles M. Cannon, Christopher Holm-Denoma, Paul K. Link, John Lasher, Jeremy A. AlexanderPaleoseismic trenching reveals late quaternary kinematics of the Leech River Fault: Implications for forearc strain accumulation in Northern Cascadia
New paleoseismic trenching indicates late Quaternary oblique right‐lateral slip on the Leech River fault, southern Vancouver Island, Canada, and constrains permanent forearc deformation in northern Cascadia. A south‐to‐north reduction in northward Global Navigation Satellite System velocities and seismicity across the Olympic Mountains, Strait of Juan de Fuca (JDF), and the southern Strait of GeorAuthorsNicolas Harrichhausen, Kristin D. Morell, Christine Regalla, Scott E. K. Bennett, Lucinda J. Leonard, Emerson M. Lynch, Edwin NissenEroding Cascadia— Sediment and solute transport and landscape denudation in western Oregon and northwestern California
Riverine measurements of sediment and solute transport give empirical basin-scale estimates of bed-load, suspended-sediment, and silicate-solute fluxes for 100,000 km2 of northwestern California and western Oregon. This spatially explicit sediment budget shows the multifaceted control of geology and physiography on the rates and processes of fluvial denudation. Bed-load transport is greatest for sAuthorsJim E. O'Connor, Joseph F. Mangano, Daniel R. Wise, Joshua R. RoeringRadiometric constraints on the timing, tempo, and effects of large igneous province emplacement
There is an apparent temporal correlation between large igneous province (LIP) emplacement and global environmental crises, including mass extinctions. Advances in the precision and accuracy of geochronology in the past decade have significantly improved estimates of the timing and duration of LIP emplacement, mass extinction events, and global climate perturbations, and in general have supportedAuthorsJennifer Kasbohm, Blair Schoene, Seth D. BurgessToward an integrative geological and geophysical view of Cascadia subduction zone earthquakes
The Cascadia subduction zone (CSZ) is an exceptional geologic environment for recording evidence of land level changes, tsunamis, and ground motion that reveals at least 19 great megathrust earthquakes over the past 10 kyr. Such earthquakes are among the most impactful natural hazards on Earth, transcend national boundaries, and can have global impact. Reducing the societal impacts of future eventAuthorsMaureen A. L. Walton, Lydia M. Staisch, Tina Dura, Jessie Kathleen Pearl, Brian L. Sherrod, Joan S. Gomberg, Simon E. Engelhart, Anne Trehu, Janet Watt, Jonathan P. Perkins, Robert C. Witter, Noel Bartlow, Chris Goldfinger, Harvey Kelsey, Ann Morey, Valerie J. Sahakian, Harold Tobin, Kelin Wang, Ray Wells, Erin WirthByNatural Hazards Mission Area, Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, National Cooperative Geologic Mapping Program, Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center, Core Preparation and Analysis Laboratory and Sample Repositories, Deep Sea Exploration, Mapping and Characterization, Subduction Zone ScienceOutburst floods
Outbursts from impounded water bodies produce large, hazardous, and geomorphically significant floods affecting the Earth as well as other planetary surfaces. Two broad classes of impoundments are: (1) valleys blocked by ice, landslides, constructed dams, and volcanic materials; and (2) closed basins such as tectonic depressions, calderas, meteor craters, and those rimmed by glaciers and moraines.AuthorsJim E. O'Connor, John J. Clague, Joseph S. Walder, Vernon Manville, Robin A. BeebeeDeglaciation of the Puget Lowland, Washington
Recently obtained radiocarbon ages from the southern Puget Lowland and reevaluation of limiting ages from the Olympic Peninsula in the light of new light detection and ranging (LiDAR) data suggest that the Juan de Fuca and Puget lobes of the Cordilleran ice sheet reached their maximum extents after 16,000 calibrated yr B.P. Source areas for both lobes fed through a common conduit, likely requiringAuthorsRalph HaugerudDiverse cataclysmic floods from Pleistocene glacial Lake Missoula
In late Wisconsin time, the Purcell Trench lobe of the Cordilleran ice sheet dammed the Clark Fork of the Columbia River in western Montana, creating glacial Lake Missoula. During part of this epoch, the Okanogan lobe also dammed the Columbia River downstream, creating glacial Lake Columbia in northeast Washington. Repeated failure of the Purcell Trench ice dam released glacial Lake Missoula, causAuthorsRoger P. Denlinger, David L. George, Charles M. Cannon, Jim E. O'Connor, Richard B. WaittRiver network and reach‐scale controls on habitat for lamprey larvae in the Umpqua River Basin, Oregon
This study developed a spatially explicit framework to support the conservation of Western Brook Lamprey Lampetra richardsoni and Pacific Lamprey Entosphenus tridentatus in the Umpqua River basin, Oregon. This framework identified locations within the river network likely to support “potential burrowing habitat” for lamprey larvae based on geomorphic conditions and evaluated the overlap of potentiAuthorsKrista Jones, Jason B. Dunham, Jim E. O'Connor, Mackenzie K. Keith, Joseph F. Mangano, Kelly Coates, Travis Mackie - Partners
We collaborate with a wide variety of cooperators in our work, from other Federal and State agencies to various institutions of higher learning, to assist in the collection and analysis of essential data.