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Landslide Hazards Program

The primary objective of the National Landslide Hazards Program is to reduce long-term losses from landslide hazards by improving our understanding of the causes of ground failure and suggesting mitigation strategies.

News

New USGS-Funded Science Will Support Landslide Public Safety and Disaster Preparedness Nationwide

New USGS-Funded Science Will Support Landslide Public Safety and Disaster Preparedness Nationwide

Helping Prepare the Nation Against Landslide Threats

Helping Prepare the Nation Against Landslide Threats

In SF Bay, even an exceptionally wet year can’t supply enough sediment to keep pace with rising seas, new study finds

In SF Bay, even an exceptionally wet year can’t supply enough sediment to keep pace with rising seas, new study finds

Publications

Regional models for postfire debris-flow likelihood and rainfall thresholds across the western United States Regional models for postfire debris-flow likelihood and rainfall thresholds across the western United States

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) uses an empirical model developed with logistic regression (the ‘M1’ model) to rapidly assess debris-flow likelihood and to identify quantitative rainfall thresholds for debris flows after wildfire in the western United States. The M1 model was calibrated to a debris-flow inventory from southern California (United States) and has been applied throughout...
Authors
Andrew Paul Graber, Brittany D Selander, Katherine R. Barnhart, Alexander Nicholas Gorr, Jason W. Kean, Jonathan Michael King, Jaime Kostelnik, Francis K. Rengers, Matthew A. Thomas

Multi-site evaluation of a postfire debris-flow runout forecast method Multi-site evaluation of a postfire debris-flow runout forecast method

Postfire debris flows pose a hazard to human life, property, and infrastructure when they travel from steep source areas to urbanized alluvial fans or other developed areas. Existing methods for rapid (
Authors
Katherine R. Barnhart, Jason W. Kean, Donald N. Lindsay, Eric Leland Bilderback

Landsliding follows signatures of wildfire history and vegetative regrowth in a steep coastal shrubland Landsliding follows signatures of wildfire history and vegetative regrowth in a steep coastal shrubland

Five years after the deadly and destructive 9 January 2018 Montecito debris flows (Santa Barbara County, California, USA), an atmospheric river storm on 9 January 2023 triggered widespread landsliding that affected many of the same drainages in the Santa Ynez Mountains. Using high-resolution aerial imagery, we identified >10,000 landslides over an ∼160 km2 area. Most of the landslides...
Authors
Matthew A. Thomas, Donald N. Lindsay, Jason W. Kean, Andrew Paul Graber, Rebecca K. Rossi, Jaime Kostelnik, Francis K. Rengers, Jonathan Y. Schwartz, Brian J. Swanson, Nina S. Oakley, Paul W. Richardson, Alexander E. Morelan, Andrew C. Ritchie, Jonathan A. Warrick, Lindsey L. Rotche, Brian D. Penserini, Stephen L. Slaughter

Science

"Dunsmore" Postfire Landslide Monitoring Station - Recent Conditions

Recent monitoring data at “Dunsmore” (2009 Station Fire) near Crescenta Highlands, CA
"Dunsmore" Postfire Landslide Monitoring Station - Recent Conditions

"Dunsmore" Postfire Landslide Monitoring Station - Recent Conditions

Recent monitoring data at “Dunsmore” (2009 Station Fire) near Crescenta Highlands, CA
Learn More

“Dunsmore” (2009 Station Fire) near Crescenta Highlands, CA

Wildfire can increase landslide susceptibility in mountainous terrain. The USGS maintains postfire landslide monitoring stations to track hillslope hydrologic conditions in the years following fire.
“Dunsmore” (2009 Station Fire) near Crescenta Highlands, CA

“Dunsmore” (2009 Station Fire) near Crescenta Highlands, CA

Wildfire can increase landslide susceptibility in mountainous terrain. The USGS maintains postfire landslide monitoring stations to track hillslope hydrologic conditions in the years following fire.
Learn More

"Arroyo Seco" Postfire Landslide Monitoring Station - Recent Conditions

Recent monitoring data at “Arroyo Seco” (2009 Station Fire) postfire landslide monitoring station near La Cañada Flintridge, CA.
"Arroyo Seco" Postfire Landslide Monitoring Station - Recent Conditions

"Arroyo Seco" Postfire Landslide Monitoring Station - Recent Conditions

Recent monitoring data at “Arroyo Seco” (2009 Station Fire) postfire landslide monitoring station near La Cañada Flintridge, CA.
Learn More

Multimedia

Map of the landslide and flooding extent of the 2026 Nepal Debris Avalanche and Flash Flood
2026 Nepal Debris Avalanche and Flash Flood Map
2026 Nepal Debris Avalanche and Flash Flood Map
Photo of multiple landslide source areas
2026 Hurricane Lala landslide source areas
2026 Hurricane Lala landslide source areas
Photo of blocked culvert under roadway being cleaned out
Blocked culvert under roadway being cleaned out after 2026 Hurricane Lala landslides
Blocked culvert under roadway being cleaned out after 2026 Hurricane Lala landslides
Screenshot of photo viewer with a landslide photo on the right and a map and table showing the location on the left.
Screenshot of USGS Hurricane Helene Landslide Photo Viewer
Screenshot of USGS Hurricane Helene Landslide Photo Viewer
Map of road impacts from landslides
2026 Venezuela Earthquake Sequence - Landslide Hazards
2026 Venezuela Earthquake Sequence - Landslide Hazards
distant hillslopes covered in burnt trees distant hillslopes covered in burnt trees
Updating methods for postfire debris-flow hazard assessment
screen shot with photo of mountains and text screen shot with photo of mountains and text
Seismic Monitoring of the Geohazard Chain Following the Matai'an Landslide and Subsequent Landslide Dam Breach
blue lake in foreground and mountains in the background blue lake in foreground and mountains in the background
Cascading River Hazards from Seismic and Tropical Cyclone Triggered Landslides in Taiwan
map and chart map and chart
Landslide Detection, Monitoring, and Research Using OPERA Data
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