Natural Hazards
Sea-Level Rise Hazards and Decision Support- Coastal Wetlands
Coastal wetlands are among the most productive ecosystems in the world. These wetlands at the land-ocean margin provide many direct benefits to humans, including habitat for commercially important fisheries and wildlife; storm protection; improved water quality through sediment, nutrient, and pollution removal; recreation; and aesthetic values. These valuable ecosystems will be highly...
Catastrophic Landslides of the 20th Century - Worldwide
Table of the Catastrophic Landslides including year, country, triggering process, the volume of material, impact, and comments.
Scientific Background (Fires prior to 2016)
The scientific background information for fires prior to 2016 for Emergency Assessment of Post-Fire Debris-Flow Hazards.
Geologic Mapping Offshore of Rhode Island
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), is mapping sea-floor geology and sedimentary environments offshore of Rhode Island. This site provides links to bathymetric, sidescan-sonar, sediment, photographic, seismic-reflection, and interpretive datasets, all presented in Geographic Information System (GIS) formats and...
Near Realtime Maps of Possible Earthquake-Triggered Landslides
Release Date: JUNE 25, 2018
USGS scientists have been developing a system to quickly identify areas where landslides may have been triggered by a significant earthquake.
Early Warning System
Once the smoke clears from a wildfire, the danger is not over!! Other hazards, such as flash floods and debris flows, now become the focus. Areas recently burned by wildfires are particularly susceptible to flash floods and debris flows during rainstorms.
Emergency Assessment of Post-Fire Debris-Flow Hazards
Estimates of the probability and volume of debris flows that may be produced by a storm in a recently burned area, using a model with characteristics related to basin shape, burn severity, soil properties, and rainfall.
Wildfire can significantly alter the hydrologic response of a watershed to the extent that even modest rainstorms can produce dangerous flash floods and debris flows....
Seattle, WA Landslide Information
More Information on Seattle's Project Impact.
A Possible Cause of Earthquakes in the Continental Interior
Release Date: JUNE 18, 2018
A new map of crustal stress across the U.S. shows that the plate interior stress is variable, with contributions from plate boundary stress, crustal collapse due to gravity, and more local and subtle changes to style, orientation, and earthquake rate.
Mountain Permafrost, Climate Change, and Rock Avalanches in Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska
Release Date: JUNE 18, 2018
We usually hear about landslides and avalanches that are caused by large amounts of rainfall, the shaking from earthquakes, or a volcanic eruption, but we may be hearing more about avalanches caused by the (seemingly innocuous) melting of ice in the coming years.
Preliminary Landslide Susceptibility Maps and Data for Hawaii
Landslide Susceptibility Data and Maps provide tools for hazard assessment prior to an event that may cause landslides.
Slow-Motion Landslides
Release Date: JUNE 11, 2018
Sluggishly-moving earthflows can help us learn what controls the starting and stopping of landslides.