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Browse our photos of landslide research and post-landslide investigations.
Timelapse photography of vegetation recovery following the 2020 CZU Lightning Complex in the Santa Cruz Mountains of northern California. This two-year image sequence begins four and a half months after the wildfire was contained. Time between photographs is approximately two weeks.
Timelapse photography of vegetation recovery following the 2020 CZU Lightning Complex in the Santa Cruz Mountains of northern California. This two-year image sequence begins four and a half months after the wildfire was contained. Time between photographs is approximately two weeks.
Timelapse photography of vegetation recovery following the 2020 CZU Lightning Complex in the Santa Cruz Mountains of northern California. This two-year image sequence begins four and a half months after the wildfire was contained. Time between photographs is approximately two weeks.
Timelapse photography of vegetation recovery following the 2020 CZU Lightning Complex in the Santa Cruz Mountains of northern California. This two-year image sequence begins four and a half months after the wildfire was contained. Time between photographs is approximately two weeks.
A landslide monitoring station within the footprint of the 2016 Fish Fire in the San Gabriel Mountains of southern California. The station collects surface and subsurface data to monitor and detect changes in local hillslope hydrologic conditions.
A landslide monitoring station within the footprint of the 2016 Fish Fire in the San Gabriel Mountains of southern California. The station collects surface and subsurface data to monitor and detect changes in local hillslope hydrologic conditions.
The USGS Postfire Landslide Monitoring Station “Maria Ygnacio” is located within the Los Padres National Forest in the Santa Ynez Mountains of southern California. The site consists of surface and subsurface instrumentation that is monitoring the hillslope shown in this image.
The USGS Postfire Landslide Monitoring Station “Maria Ygnacio” is located within the Los Padres National Forest in the Santa Ynez Mountains of southern California. The site consists of surface and subsurface instrumentation that is monitoring the hillslope shown in this image.
Stephen Hughes, Gabriel Colón, and Ednet López stand on hillslope next to completed landslide monitoring station at Añasco, Puerto Rico
Stephen Hughes, Gabriel Colón, and Ednet López stand on hillslope next to completed landslide monitoring station at Añasco, Puerto Rico
University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez and USGS scientists working on the Añasco monitoring station
University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez and USGS scientists working on the Añasco monitoring station
Situated on a vegetated hillslope surrounded by cattle, is the Añasco monitoring station. A fence was built around the station to keep the grazing cattle from damaging any of the station components
Situated on a vegetated hillslope surrounded by cattle, is the Añasco monitoring station. A fence was built around the station to keep the grazing cattle from damaging any of the station components
Steep, rugged terrain in the area burned by the 2009 Station Fire, Angeles National Forest, California. This photo was taken approximately 14 years after the wildfire, and the vegetation has fully recovered. Note the steep slopes in the background of the image.
Steep, rugged terrain in the area burned by the 2009 Station Fire, Angeles National Forest, California. This photo was taken approximately 14 years after the wildfire, and the vegetation has fully recovered. Note the steep slopes in the background of the image.
Screenshot from the U.S. Landslide Inventory web application, an openly accessible, centralized map of existing information on landslide occurrence across the entire U.S
Screenshot from the U.S. Landslide Inventory web application, an openly accessible, centralized map of existing information on landslide occurrence across the entire U.S
Charlie Miles performing field work on the Alaskan Gyre at the Prince William Sound, Alaska
Charlie Miles performing field work on the Alaskan Gyre at the Prince William Sound, Alaska
Lateral spreads are distinctive because they usually occur on very gentle slopes or flat terrain. The dominant mode of movement is lateral extension accompanied by shear or tensile fractures.
Lateral spreads are distinctive because they usually occur on very gentle slopes or flat terrain. The dominant mode of movement is lateral extension accompanied by shear or tensile fractures.
TYPES OF LANDSLIDES
Creep is the imperceptibly slow, steady, downward movement of slope-forming soil or rock. Movement is caused by shear stress sufficient to produce permanent deformation, but too small to produce shear failure.
Creep is the imperceptibly slow, steady, downward movement of slope-forming soil or rock. Movement is caused by shear stress sufficient to produce permanent deformation, but too small to produce shear failure.
Debris avalanche: This is a variety of very rapid to extremely rapid debris flow.
Debris avalanche: This is a variety of very rapid to extremely rapid debris flow.
Rockfalls are abrupt movements of masses of geologic materials, such as rocks and boulders, which become detached from steep slopes or cliffs. Separation occurs along discontinuities such as fractures, joints, and bedding planes, and movement occurs by free-fall, bouncing, and rolling.
Rockfalls are abrupt movements of masses of geologic materials, such as rocks and boulders, which become detached from steep slopes or cliffs. Separation occurs along discontinuities such as fractures, joints, and bedding planes, and movement occurs by free-fall, bouncing, and rolling.
Earthflows have a characteristic "hourglass" shape. The slope material liquefies and runs out, forming a bowl or depression at the head. The flow itself is elongated and usually occurs in fine-grained materials or clay-bearing rocks on moderate slopes and under saturated conditions. However, dry flows of granular material are also possible.
Earthflows have a characteristic "hourglass" shape. The slope material liquefies and runs out, forming a bowl or depression at the head. The flow itself is elongated and usually occurs in fine-grained materials or clay-bearing rocks on moderate slopes and under saturated conditions. However, dry flows of granular material are also possible.
A block slide is a translational slide in which the moving mass consists of a single unit or a few closely related units that move downslope as a relatively coherent mass.
A block slide is a translational slide in which the moving mass consists of a single unit or a few closely related units that move downslope as a relatively coherent mass.
Toppling failures are distinguished by the forward rotation of a unit or units about some pivotal point, below or low in the unit, under the actions of gravity and forces exerted by adjacent units or by fluids in cracks.
Toppling failures are distinguished by the forward rotation of a unit or units about some pivotal point, below or low in the unit, under the actions of gravity and forces exerted by adjacent units or by fluids in cracks.
Rotational slide: This is a slide in which the surface of rupture is curved concavely upward and the slide movement is roughly rotational about an axis that is parallel to the ground surface and transverse across the slide.
Rotational slide: This is a slide in which the surface of rupture is curved concavely upward and the slide movement is roughly rotational about an axis that is parallel to the ground surface and transverse across the slide.
Translational slide: In this type of slide, the landslide mass moves along a roughly planar surface with little rotation or backward tilting.
Translational slide: In this type of slide, the landslide mass moves along a roughly planar surface with little rotation or backward tilting.
A debris flow is a form of rapid mass movement in which a combination of loose soil, rock, organic matter, air, and water mobilizes as a slurry that flows downslope. Debris flows include <50% fines.
A debris flow is a form of rapid mass movement in which a combination of loose soil, rock, organic matter, air, and water mobilizes as a slurry that flows downslope. Debris flows include <50% fines.