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Browse our photos of landslide research and post-landslide investigations.

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Timelapse image of a hillslope as vegetation recovers following wildfire
Redwood recovery in the 2020 CZU Lightning Complex burn area
Redwood recovery in the 2020 CZU Lightning Complex burn area
Redwood recovery in the 2020 CZU Lightning Complex burn area

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.

animated image of vegetation growing in a burn area for 2 years following wildfire
Chaparral recovery in the 2020 CZU Lightning Complex burn area
Chaparral recovery in the 2020 CZU Lightning Complex burn area
Chaparral recovery in the 2020 CZU Lightning Complex burn area

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.

View of from ridgetop with equipment in the foreground and a populated area below
Los Lomas Landslide Monitoring Station
Los Lomas Landslide Monitoring Station
Los Lomas Landslide Monitoring Station

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.  

Person kneeling next to equipment surrounded by rocks and shrubs on a hillslope
The USGS Postfire Landslide Monitoring Station “Maria Ygnacio” within the Los Padres National Forest, California.
The USGS Postfire Landslide Monitoring Station “Maria Ygnacio” within the Los Padres National Forest, California.
The USGS Postfire Landslide Monitoring Station “Maria Ygnacio” within the Los Padres National Forest, California.

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.

scientists standing next to completed Añasco, Puerto Rico Landslide Monitoring Station
Añasco, Puerto Rico Landslide Monitoring Station
Añasco, Puerto Rico Landslide Monitoring Station
Añasco, Puerto Rico Landslide Monitoring Station

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

cow
Grazing Cow - Añasco, Puerto Rico Monitoring Station
Grazing Cow - Añasco, Puerto Rico Monitoring Station
Grazing Cow - Añasco, Puerto Rico 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

Panoramic view with steep slopes in image background and vegetation covered slopes in image foreground
Steep, rugged terrain in the area burned by the 2009 Station Fire.
Steep, rugged terrain in the area burned by the 2009 Station Fire.
Steep, rugged terrain in the area burned by the 2009 Station Fire.

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 US landslide inventory web app, map of US displaying points of high landslide susceptibility
U.S. Landslide Inventory, September 2023
U.S. Landslide Inventory, September 2023
U.S. Landslide Inventory, September 2023

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 on a boat in Prince William Sound, AK
Charlie Miles
Charlie Miles
Charlie Miles

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 spread
Lateral Spread
Lateral Spread
Lateral Spread

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.

creep
Creep
Creep
Creep

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
Debris Avalanche
Debris Avalanche
Debris Avalanche

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.

rockfall
Rockfall
Rockfall
Rockfall

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.

earthflow
Earthflow
Earthflow
Earthflow

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.

block slide
Block Slide
Block Slide
Block Slide

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.

topple
Topple
Topple
Topple

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 landslide
Rotational Landslide
Rotational Landslide
Rotational Landslide

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 landslide
Translational Landslide
Translational Landslide
Translational Landslide

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.

debris flow
Debris Flow
Debris Flow
Debris Flow

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.

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