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.
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
High-Resolution Aeromagnetic Survey of the Greater Spokane Area, Washington and Idaho
High-Resolution Aeromagnetic Survey of the Wenatchee Area, Washington
High-Resolution Aeromagnetic Survey of the Hanford Area, Washington
High-Resolution Aeromagnetic Survey of the Centralia Area, Southwest Washington
High-Resolution Aeromagnetic Survey of the Skykomish Area, Washington
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.
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
GeMS (Geologic Map Schema)—A standard format for the digital publication of geologic maps
Using saline or brackish aquifers as reservoirs for thermal energy storage, with example calculations for direct-use heating in the Portland Basin, Oregon, USA
Quantitative paleoflood hydrology
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
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. Visit Media to see details.Cascadia encompasses the volcanoes of the Cascade Range and the subduction zone that feeds them. The region is home to nearly 10 million people. Where and how these people live, work, and play are influenced by the shape, or physiography, of Cascadia. This map is a tool for visualizing and interpreting the physiography of Cascadia. 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.
A view west of the western Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area from near Cascade Locks, Oregon. The toe of the Bonneville landslide is on the right, which blocked the Columbia River about 500 years ago. 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 Columbia River flowing through the Hanford reach of the arid Columbia River basin, eastern Washington. This reach is one of the few undammed segments of the Columbia River within the United States. Photograph taken from the White Bluffs, composed of sediment deposited in late Miocene and Pliocene Lake Ringold which occupied the Pasco Basin. 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.
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. Visit Media to see details.Subduction in Cascadia has been underway for about 35 million years. It has produced a crustal architecture known from subduction zones around the world: an accretionary prism, extending from the deformation front into the continental shelf; a fore-arc region; a volcanic arc; and a back-arc region. These features are developed within a pre-existing continental framework, are modified by motion along the continental margin, and are overprinted by other plate boundary regimes as the extent of the subduction zone changes through time. 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.
An enigmatic outcrop of 5 million year old basalt sits 300 meters above the Deschutes and Columbia rivers. USGS scientists are carefully studying this basalt flow to determine if it came all the way from central Oregon, 160 kilometers away. - 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: 13Extent 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. TheHigh-Resolution Aeromagnetic Survey of the Greater Spokane Area, Washington and Idaho
This data release provides access to a low-altitude, aeromagnetic survey of a part of eastern Washington and northwestern Idaho centered approximately at Spokane, Washington, and referred to as the Spokane aeromagnetic survey. The survey includes the cities of Spokane and Cheney, numerous smaller communities, and Fairchild Air Force Base. Magnetic anomalies reflect Miocene rocks of the Columbia RiHigh-Resolution Aeromagnetic Survey of the Wenatchee Area, Washington
This data release provides access to a low-altitude, aeromagnetic survey of a part of central Washington, an area that includes the city of Wenatchee and the towns of Entiat, Chelan, and Leavenworth. The Wenatchee aeromagnetic survey extends westward from the Columbia Plateau to the Cascade Range, and covers a part of the Columbia River and Lake Chelan. The survey was conducted between October 17High-Resolution Aeromagnetic Survey of the Hanford Area, Washington
This data release provides access to a low-altitude, aeromagnetic survey of a part of south-central Washington centered approximately 30 km east of Yakima and referred to as the Hanford aeromagnetic survey. The survey includes the city of Richland, numerous smaller communities, and the Hanford Site (https://www.hanford.gov). The Hanford aeromagnetic survey extends from the Columbia Plateau westwarHigh-Resolution Aeromagnetic Survey of the Centralia Area, Southwest Washington
The data in this release originate from a low-altitude, aeromagnetic survey of the Centralia and Chehalis area of southwestern Washington. The survey was conducted between September 22 and October 22, 2015, by Eon Geosciences, Inc, working under contract to the U.S. Geological Survey. The covered region extends from the Cascade Range in the east to Willapa Bay in the west, and includes the citiesHigh-Resolution Aeromagnetic Survey of the Skykomish Area, Washington
This data release provides access to a low-altitude, aeromagnetic survey of a part of north-central Washington. The survey is centered approximately 120 km northwest of Yakima and includes the small town of Skykomish. The Skykomish aeromagnetic survey covers a part of the central Cascade Range of Washington, the western portion of the Jurassic ophiolitic Ingalls tectonic complex, and the Cretaceou - 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: 26Major 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 MackieGeMS (Geologic Map Schema)—A standard format for the digital publication of geologic maps
IntroductionThis report describes and defines GeMS (for Geologic Map Schema), a new standardized database schema—that is, a database design—for the digital publication of geologic maps. It originally was intended for geologic mapping funded by the National Cooperative Geologic Mapping Program of the U.S. Geological Survey, but its use can be extended to other programs and agencies as well. It is iAuthorsUsing saline or brackish aquifers as reservoirs for thermal energy storage, with example calculations for direct-use heating in the Portland Basin, Oregon, USA
Tools to evaluate reservoir thermal energy storage (RTES; heat storage in slow-moving or stagnant geochemically evolved permeable zones in strata that underlie well-connected regional aquifers) are developed and applied to the Columbia River Basalt Group (CRBG) beneath the Portland Basin, Oregon, USA. The performance of RTES for heat storage and recovery in the Portland Basin is strongly dependentAuthorsErick Burns, John Bershaw, Colin F. Williams, Ray E Wells, Matt W Uddenberg, Darby P Scanlon, Trenton T Cladouhos, Boz Van HoutenQuantitative paleoflood hydrology
This chapter reviews the paleohydrologic techniques and approaches used to reconstruct the magnitude and frequency of past floods using geological evidence. Quantitative paleoflood hydrology typically leads to two phases of analysis: (1) documentation and assessment of flood physical evidence (paleostage indicators), and (2) relating identified flood evidence to flood discharge, based on hydraulicAuthorsGerardo Benito, Jim E. O'Connor - 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.