The National Volcano Warning System (NVEWS) is a national-scale plan to ensure that volcanoes are monitored at levels commensurate to their threats. The plan was developed by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Volcano Hazards Program (VHP) and its affiliated partners in state and academic institutions.
The United States has about 170 young volcanoes. Roughly half of those are dangerous because of the manner in which they erupt and the communities within their reach. Currently, many of these volcanoes have insufficient monitoring systems, and others have obsolete equipment. The goal of the NVEWS plan is to ensure that the most hazardous volcanoes will be properly monitored well in advance of the onset of activity, making it possible for scientists to improve the timeliness and accuracy of hazard forecasts and for citizens to take proper and timely action to reduce risk.
In addition, the NVEWS plan seeks to improve a number of capabilities of the US volcanology community through the following elements: 1) increased partnerships with local governments and emergency responders, 2) grants to universities and other groups for cooperative research to advance volcano science, monitoring technologies, and mitigation strategies, 3) added staffing and automation to improve 24/7 monitoring of volcanoes, and 4) computer systems to distribute data to scientists, responding agencies, and the public, and to unify the systems currently used to monitor US volcanoes.
Volcanic threat potential helps to prioritize monitoring.
Volcanic threat is defined as the qualitative risk posed by a volcano to people and property. It combines volcanic hazards (the dangerous or destructive natural phenomena produced by a volcano) and exposure (the people and property at risk from the volcanic phenomena). To determine the overall threat ranking numerical values are assigned to the hazard and exposure factors at individual volcanoes. These factors are individually summed into a hazard score and an exposure score, which are then multiplied to generate the volcano's overall threat score. The resultant scores produce a relative ranking of U.S. volcanoes that can be grouped into five threat categories: Very High and High threat categories requiring the most robust monitoring coverage, a Moderate threat category requiring basic real-time monitoring coverage, and Low and Very Low threat categories requiring lesser degrees of monitoring.
The overall result of the 2005 NVEWS assessment was the identification of 57 priority volcanoes undermonitored for the threats posed and thus targets for improved monitoring networks. Priority targets in this table may have changed since the 2005 assessment as incremental monitoring improvements have been made.
Regional Volcano Monitoring Priority
Region | Highest Priority | High Priority |
---|---|---|
Alaska | Akutan, Augustine, Makushin, Redoubt, Spurr | Aniakchak, Atka, Churchill, Cleveland, Douglas, Fisher, Fourpeaked, Great Sitkin, Griggs, Hayes, Iliamna, Kaguyak, Kanaga, Kasatochi, Katmai, Korovin, Mageik, Martin, Moffett, Novarupta, Okmok, Pavlof, Seguam, Semisopochnoi, Shishaldin, Snowy Mountain, Trident, Ugashik-Peulik, Veniaminof, Westdahl |
Washington | Glacier Peak, Mount Baker, Mount Rainier, Mount St. Helens | Mount Adams |
Oregon | Crater Lake, Mount Hood, Newberry, Three Sisters | |
California | Lassen Volcanic Center, Long Valley, Mount Shasta | Clear Lake, Mono-Inyo Craters, Medicine Lake, Salton Buttes |
Wyoming | Yellowstone | |
Hawaii | Kīlauea, Mauna Loa | Hualālai |
Commonwealth of N. Mariana Islands | Agrigan, Pagan |
Source: 2018 update to the U.S. Geological Survey national volcanic threat assessment
Related Content
Five-year management plan for establishing and operating NVEWS—The National Volcano Early Warning System
2018 update to the U.S. Geological Survey national volcanic threat assessment
Chronology and references of volcanic eruptions and selected unrest in the United States, 1980-2008
Instrumentation recommendations for volcano monitoring at U.S. volcanoes under the national volcano early warning system
Technical-information products for a National Volcano Early Warning System
Reducing loss of life and property from disasters: A societal benefit area of the strategic plan for U.S. Integrated Earth Observation System (IEOS)
The National Volcano Early Warning System (NVEWS)
Volcano and Earthquake Monitoring Plan for the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory, 2006-2015
Summary of the stakeholders workshop to develop a National Volcano Early Warning System (NVEWS)
Related Content
- Publications
Five-year management plan for establishing and operating NVEWS—The National Volcano Early Warning System
On March 12, 2019, Congress passed the John D. Dingell, Jr., Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act (Public Law 116–9; 133 Stat. 580), in which Title V, §5001 (43 U.S.C. 31k) authorized the establishment of the National Volcano Early Warning and Monitoring System (NVEWS) within the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). Conceived by the USGS Volcano Hazards Program in 2005, NVEWS is designed to be aAuthorsPeter F. Cervelli, Charles W. Mandeville, Victoria F. Avery, Aleeza M. Wilkins2018 update to the U.S. Geological Survey national volcanic threat assessment
When erupting, all volcanoes pose a degree of risk to people and infrastructure, however, the risks are not equivalent from one volcano to another because of differences in eruptive style and geographic location. Assessing the relative threats posed by U.S. volcanoes identifies which volcanoes warrant the greatest risk-mitigation efforts by the U.S. Geological Survey and its partners. This updateAuthorsJohn W. Ewert, Angela K. Diefenbach, David W. RamseyChronology and references of volcanic eruptions and selected unrest in the United States, 1980-2008
The United States ranks as one of the top countries in the world in the number of young, active volcanoes within its borders. The United States, including the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, is home to approximately 170 geologically active (ageAuthorsAngela K. Diefenbach, Marianne Guffanti, John W. EwertInstrumentation recommendations for volcano monitoring at U.S. volcanoes under the national volcano early warning system
As magma moves toward the surface, it interacts with anything in its path: hydrothermal systems, cooling magma bodies from previous eruptions, and (or) the surrounding “country rock.” Magma also undergoes significant changes in its physical properties as pressure and temperature conditions change along its path. These interactions and changes lead to a range of geophysical and geochemical phenomenAuthorsSeth C. Moran, Jeff T. Freymueller, Richard G. LaHusen, Kenneth A. McGee, Michael P. Poland, John A. Power, David A. Schmidt, David J. Schneider, George Stephens, Cynthia A. Werner, Randall A. WhiteTechnical-information products for a National Volcano Early Warning System
Technical outreach — distinct from general-interest and K-12 educational outreach — for volcanic hazards is aimed at providing usable scientific information about potential or ongoing volcanic activity to public officials, businesses, and individuals in support of their response, preparedness, and mitigation efforts. Within the context of a National Volcano Early Warning System (NVEWS) (Ewert et aAuthorsMarianne C. Guffanti, Steven R. Brantley, Peter F. Cervelli, Christopher J. Nye, George N. Serafino, Lee Siebert, Dina Y. Venezky, Lisa A. WaldReducing loss of life and property from disasters: A societal benefit area of the strategic plan for U.S. Integrated Earth Observation System (IEOS)
Natural and technological disasters, such as hurricanes and other extreme weather events, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, landslides and debris flows, wildland and urban-interface fires, floods, oil spills, and space-weather storms, impose a significant burden on society. Throughout the United States, disasters inflict many injuries and deaths, and cost the nation $20 billion each year (SDR, 2003AuthorsRosalind L. Helz, John E. GaynorThe National Volcano Early Warning System (NVEWS)
The National Volcano Early Warning System (NVEWS) is a proposed national-scale effort by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Volcano Hazards Program and its affiliated partners in the Consortium of U.S. Volcano Observatories (CUSVO) (http://www.cusvo.org) to ensure that volcanoes are monitored at a level commensurate with the threats they pose. Roughly half of the Nation’s 169 young volcanoes are daAuthorsJohn Ewert, Marianne Guffanti, Peter Cervelli, James QuickVolcano and Earthquake Monitoring Plan for the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory, 2006-2015
To provide Yellowstone National Park (YNP) and its surrounding communities with a modern, comprehensive system for volcano and earthquake monitoring, the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory (YVO) has developed a monitoring plan for the period 2006-2015. Such a plan is needed so that YVO can provide timely information during seismic, volcanic, and hydrothermal crises and can anticipate hazardous eventsAuthorsSummary of the stakeholders workshop to develop a National Volcano Early Warning System (NVEWS)
The importance of investing in monitoring, mitigation, and preparedness before natural hazards occur has been amply demonstrated by recent disasters such as the Indian Ocean Tsunami in December 2004 and Hurricane Katrina in August 2005. Playing catch-up with hazardous natural phenomena such as these limits our ability to work with public officials and the public to lessen adverse impacts. With rAuthorsMarianne Guffanti, William E. Scott, Carolyn L. Driedger, John W. Ewert - News