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Shelby Ahrendt, PhD

Shelby investigates the landslide-river interface to understand how rivers trigger landslides and how landslides can lead to cascading downstream hazards. She leverages field observations, remote-sensing data, and numerical modeling. This research seeks to inform our understanding of landslide timing, frequency, and triggering mechanisms as well as how these may change under future climate.

Professional Experience

  • 2023-Present: Mendenhall Research Civil Engineer, Geologic Hazards Science Center, Golden, CO

  • 2018-2023: Graduate Research/Teaching Assistant (Civil & Environmental Engineering) – University of Washington, Seattle, WA

  • 2021-2022: Fulbright Research Fellow – Technical University of Delft, The Netherlands

  • 2017-2018: Groundwater Modeler – Illinois State Water Survey, Urbana, IL

  • Summer 2016: Undergraduate Research Assistant (Glaciology) – St. Olaf College, Northfield, MN

  • Summer 2014 & 2017: Conservation Corps Trail Crew Member, Leader – Rocky Mountain Conservancy, Estes Park, CO

Education and Certifications

  • Ph.D. Civil & Environmental Engineering – University of Washington, 2023

    Dissertation: Feedbacks between river morphodynamics and overbank flooding

  • B.A. Physics; Studio Art – St. Olaf College, 2013

Affiliations and Memberships*

  • American Geophysical Union

  • Geological Society of America

  • Sigma Pi Sigma Physics Honor Society

Honors and Awards

  • Ronald & Mary Nece Endowed Fellowship in Water Engineering (2023)

  • Open Earthscape Fellowship, CSDMS (summer 2022)

  • Fulbright Research Fellowship (2021-2022)

  • Ann Bostrom & UW Engineering Graduate Research Award (2021)

  • Valle Scholarship, University of Washington (2018-2019)

Science and Products

Several landslides above a river

Clay Banks East Landslide Monitoring Site Near Deming, WA

River-adjacent glacial terraces in western Washington State can produce large, highly mobile landslides. The Clay Banks monitoring site supports research on seasonal landslide activity in glacial terraces that are being eroded by rivers.
By
Landslide Hazards Program
Clay Banks East Landslide Monitoring Site Near Deming, WA

Clay Banks East Landslide Monitoring Site Near Deming, WA

River-adjacent glacial terraces in western Washington State can produce large, highly mobile landslides. The Clay Banks monitoring site supports research on seasonal landslide activity in glacial terraces that are being eroded by rivers.
Learn More
No results found.

Dynamic feedbacks between river meandering and landsliding in northwestern Washington glacial terraces Dynamic feedbacks between river meandering and landsliding in northwestern Washington glacial terraces

Landsliding in river valleys poses unique risks for cascading hazards and can damage infrastructure and cause fatalities. In postglacial valleys, many landslides are posited to occur in relation to lateral river erosion, but the dynamics of fluvial-hillslope interactions are not well understood. Here, we investigate a section of the Nooksack River in western Washington State where the...
Authors
Shelby Marie Ahrendt, Benjamin Mirus, Sean Richard LaHusen, Jonathan Patrick Perkins
By
Landslide Hazards Program, Geologic Hazards Science Center, Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics Science Center

Non-USGS Publications**

Wuming, N., Morgan, J., Horner-Devine, A., Kumar, N., Ahrendt, S. (2023) Impacts of Sea-Level Rise on Morphodynamics and Riverine Flooding in an Idealized Estuary. Water Resources Research, https://doi.org/10.1029/2022WR032544
Ahrendt, S., Horner-Devine, A. R., Collins, B., Morgan, J., Istanbulluoglu, E., (2022) Channel Conveyance variability can influence flood risk as much as streamflow variaibility in western Washington State, Water Resources Research. https://doi.org/10.1029/2021WR031890
Morgan, J. A., Kumar, N., Horner-Devine, A. R., Ahrendt, S., Istanbullouglu, E., Bandargoda, C., (2020), Simulating large-scale and long-term fluvial morphodynamics: The efficacy of using a morphological acceleration factor. Geomorphology, 356, p. 107088 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2020.107088

**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.

Science and Products

Several landslides above a river

Clay Banks East Landslide Monitoring Site Near Deming, WA

River-adjacent glacial terraces in western Washington State can produce large, highly mobile landslides. The Clay Banks monitoring site supports research on seasonal landslide activity in glacial terraces that are being eroded by rivers.
By
Landslide Hazards Program
Clay Banks East Landslide Monitoring Site Near Deming, WA

Clay Banks East Landslide Monitoring Site Near Deming, WA

River-adjacent glacial terraces in western Washington State can produce large, highly mobile landslides. The Clay Banks monitoring site supports research on seasonal landslide activity in glacial terraces that are being eroded by rivers.
Learn More
No results found.

Dynamic feedbacks between river meandering and landsliding in northwestern Washington glacial terraces Dynamic feedbacks between river meandering and landsliding in northwestern Washington glacial terraces

Landsliding in river valleys poses unique risks for cascading hazards and can damage infrastructure and cause fatalities. In postglacial valleys, many landslides are posited to occur in relation to lateral river erosion, but the dynamics of fluvial-hillslope interactions are not well understood. Here, we investigate a section of the Nooksack River in western Washington State where the...
Authors
Shelby Marie Ahrendt, Benjamin Mirus, Sean Richard LaHusen, Jonathan Patrick Perkins
By
Landslide Hazards Program, Geologic Hazards Science Center, Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics Science Center

Non-USGS Publications**

Wuming, N., Morgan, J., Horner-Devine, A., Kumar, N., Ahrendt, S. (2023) Impacts of Sea-Level Rise on Morphodynamics and Riverine Flooding in an Idealized Estuary. Water Resources Research, https://doi.org/10.1029/2022WR032544
Ahrendt, S., Horner-Devine, A. R., Collins, B., Morgan, J., Istanbulluoglu, E., (2022) Channel Conveyance variability can influence flood risk as much as streamflow variaibility in western Washington State, Water Resources Research. https://doi.org/10.1029/2021WR031890
Morgan, J. A., Kumar, N., Horner-Devine, A. R., Ahrendt, S., Istanbullouglu, E., Bandargoda, C., (2020), Simulating large-scale and long-term fluvial morphodynamics: The efficacy of using a morphological acceleration factor. Geomorphology, 356, p. 107088 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2020.107088

**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.

*Disclaimer: Listing outside positions with professional scientific organizations on this Staff Profile are for informational purposes only and do not constitute an endorsement of those professional scientific organizations or their activities by the USGS, Department of the Interior, or U.S. Government

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