Hazards

The New Jersey Geological and Water Survey maintains a database of Landslides in the state and updates the database as new landslides occur. This information is used by The NJ State Police, Office of Emergency Management as well as federal, state, county, and local government officials and consultants to assist in hazard mitigation planning. Landslides in New Jersey can damage homes, utilities...

Earthquakes felt in New Jersey are generally few and small. However, some earthquakes have produced damage in New Jersey. New Jersey’s seismic hazard is lower than many earthquake-prone parts of the United States. Across the state, seismic hazards are highest in northeastern New Jersey.

Conditions of moisture deficit sufficient to have an adverse effect on streamflow, groundwater levels, vegetation, animals, and man over a sizeable area.

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and New Jersey Office of Emergency Management conducted a study to produce flood-inundation maps for storm surge flooding scenarios in the coastal areas of 10 New Jersey counties. The coastal storm-surge inundation maps were created from data modelled in the FEMA Region II Coastal Storm...

On October 29, 2012, Hurricane Sandy made landfall in New Jersey after several days of impacting the Atlantic coastline. Ten years later the impacted communities have recovered and rebuilt, and the New Jersey Water Science Center has expanded its scientific understanding of storm impacts on our state.

Did you know that earthquakes can cause changes in groundwater levels? Very large earthquakes can even cause water-level fluctuations in some wells thousands of miles away, depending on the local geological conditions around the well.

Static webcams have been installed at a number of real-time stream-gaging locations in New Jersey to allow you to view the current river-stage conditions. These webcams provide valuable information to the National Weather Service, emergency managers, and area residents to evaluate real-time conditions in river and coastal environments during storms.

USGS New Jersey Water Science Center Flood Reports and other documentation from 1896 to the present.

Before, during, and after Hurricanes affect the United States, the USGS is involved in measuring the height and intensity of coastal storm surge and water levels of inland rivers and streams. The USGS maintains web pages devoted to tracking the impacts of these major storms on the east coast.

The USGS works in partnership with other federal and state agencies to provide scientific data about coastal flood hazards. The New Jersey Water Science Center (NJWSC) maintains a network of continuously operating tide gages along the back bays of New Jersey which provide publicly available water-level and meteorological data to monitor coastal flood conditions. The USGS NJWSC coordinates with our...

The USGS reports document New Jersey floods from 1896 to the present. Early spring and winter flooding in New Jersey tends to occur as a result of widespread, steady rain of moderate intensity that falls on frozen ground. Snow and ice melt may increase the chance of winter flooding. Summer flooding resulting from thunderstorms typically occurs in small streams and is of local extent. Late summer...

Recent shallow landslides have occurred on the steep hillslopes of the Atlantic Highlands area during and after large storm events with exceptionally heavy rainfall. These shallow landslides have resulted in extensive damage to residential property and local infrastructure and threatened human safety.The USGS New Jersey Water Science Center (NJWSC) and the USGS Landslide Hazards Program (LHP) are...