Images

Rilling and a shallow landslide in CZU Fire near Eagle Rock, California. Soil ~3 cm below surface was almost completely dry after the rain storm, highlighting soil water repellancy.  

Eruptive activity continues in Halema‘uma‘u crater, at the summit of Kīlauea. The active surface lava remains largely confined to the western (left) portion of the lava lake. As of the afternoon of January 31 lava had filled about 212 m (695 ft) of Halemaʻumaʻu in the active western portion of the lava lake. USGS photo by M. Patrick.

In August of 2020, the enormous CZU wildfire complex consumed over 85,000 acres in San Mateo and Santa Cruz Counties, leaving scarred landscapes in the hilly region. Runoff from large rainstorms in the winter months carry contaminants from the soils within these burned-out forests.

In August of 2020, the enormous CZU wildfire complex consumed over 85,000 acres in San Mateo and Santa Cruz Counties, leaving scarred landscapes in the hilly region. Runoff from large rainstorms in the winter months carry contaminants from the soils within these burned-out forests.

In August of 2020, the enormous CZU wildfire complex consumed over 85,000 acres in San Mateo and Santa Cruz Counties, leaving scarred landscapes in the hilly region. Runoff from large rainstorms in the winter months carry contaminants from the soils within these burned-out forests.

A two-day rainstorm from January 26-28, 2021 caused numerous mudslides, debris flows, and other issues along California's coastal Highway 1 through Big Sur. This section is just north of Kirk Creek, at a drainage where mud was washed across the roadway. Plumes of the muddy runoff are clearly visible in the ocean.

The storm that hit California’s coast between Jan. 26 and 28, 2021, blew out a portion of Hwy 1 near Big Sur. On Saturday, a USGS reconnaissance flight snapped this dramatic photo above the Rat Creek drainage showing the debris flow.

A section of Highway 1 along the California coast in Big Sur with more examples of the numerous debris flows and mudslides that occur following a heavy rain. This section is just south of the Rat Creek debris flow that completely washed out a large chunk of the highway.

A two-day rainstorm from January 26-28, 2021 caused numerous mudslides, debris flows, and other issues along California's coastal Highway 1 through Big Sur. This section is just north of Wild Cattle Creek. Mud washed across the roadway from the cliffs in numerous locations along the 70+-mile stretch of this scenic coastal road.

A two-day rainstorm from January 26-28, 2021 caused numerous mudslides, debris flows, and other issues along California's coastal Highway 1 through Big Sur. This section is just north of Kirk Creek, at a drainage where mud was washed across the roadway. Plumes of the muddy runoff are clearly visible in the ocean.

Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologists collect tephra from the December 2020 deposit, found in the Southwest Rift Zone of Kīlauea Volcano on January 29, 2021.

California's Highway 1 snakes its way along the steep terrain of the Big Sur coast. The bridge over Villa Creek can be seen in the left of the photo, as well as a retaining wall built under the freeway towards the center. These are just a few of the engineering feats by Caltrans to keep the roadway intact.

The atmospheric river, a narrow, powerful track of water vapor that can deliver tremendous volumes of rain, hit the central California coast and stalled there between January 26 and 28, 2021 — with catastrophic consequences.

The atmospheric river, a narrow, powerful track of water vapor that can deliver tremendous volumes of rain, hit the central California coast and stalled there between January 26 and 28, 2021 — with catastrophic consequences.

On May 20, 2017, this section of the Big Sur coastline experienced a huge landslide that wiped out scenic coastal Highway 1. By July 2018 the roadway was reopened.

Mendenhall postdoctoral fellow Daniel Ciarletta and geologist Julie Bernier perform field reconnaissance at Caladesi Island, along the Gulf coast of central Florida. The scientists are refining a plan to sample and survey the island using sediment vibracores and ground-penetrating radar.

The atmospheric river, a narrow, powerful track of water vapor that can deliver tremendous volumes of rain, hit the central California coast and stalled there between January 26 and 28, 2021 — with catastrophic consequences.

View of the active west vent from the south rim of the Halemaʻumaʻu crater on January 29, 2021. The west vent is almost completely crusted over and the effusion is slow from the base of the spatter cone. This photograph was taken from an area of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park that remains closed to the public for safety reasons.

Photo of helicopter with geophysical equipment loop deployed below it via slingload. In January 2021 a helicopter carried an airborne electromagnetic induction sensor over parts of northeastern Wisconsin as part of a USGS study to map the aquifers in the region.

Photo of helicopter with geophysical equipment loop deployed below it via slingload. In January 2021 a helicopter carried an airborne electromagnetic induction sensor over parts of northeastern Wisconsin as part of a USGS study to map the aquifers in the region.

This close-up view of the active western fissure in Halema‘uma‘u at Kīlauea's summit was captured through the lens of a laser ranging device used by HVO scientists to measure distances to features within the crater.