Landslides in the West Hills of Portland pose a hazard to people and property.
Recent Conditions
Instrument installation at this site took place during the summer and fall of 2006. These instruments are used to monitor and detect changes in local conditions, including:
- Rainfall
- Ground Water Pressure (Tensionmeters)
- Ground Water Pressure (Water Potential Sensors)
- Ground Water Pressure (Piezometers)
- Soil Temperature
- Soil Water Content
- Battery
Measurements are taken at 15-minute intervals and data are transmitted daily and displayed on graphs that are updated daily.
Project Background
Landslides in the West Hills of Portland pose a hazard to people and property. In February 1996, a major storm induced hundreds of landslides in the West Hills. Smaller numbers of landslides occur every few years during extended rainy periods and intense storms.
Data collection at this site supports research on hydrologic factors that control landslide initiation. In many landslide-prone hillsides, infiltration of water from rainfall or snowmelt increases ground-water pressures. These elevated pressures can, in turn, induce landslide movement.
- Overview
Landslides in the West Hills of Portland pose a hazard to people and property.
Recent Conditions
Instrument installation at this site took place during the summer and fall of 2006. These instruments are used to monitor and detect changes in local conditions, including:
- Rainfall
- Ground Water Pressure (Tensionmeters)
- Ground Water Pressure (Water Potential Sensors)
- Ground Water Pressure (Piezometers)
- Soil Temperature
- Soil Water Content
- Battery
Measurements are taken at 15-minute intervals and data are transmitted daily and displayed on graphs that are updated daily.
Project Background
Landslides in the West Hills of Portland pose a hazard to people and property. In February 1996, a major storm induced hundreds of landslides in the West Hills. Smaller numbers of landslides occur every few years during extended rainy periods and intense storms.
Data collection at this site supports research on hydrologic factors that control landslide initiation. In many landslide-prone hillsides, infiltration of water from rainfall or snowmelt increases ground-water pressures. These elevated pressures can, in turn, induce landslide movement.
Sources/Usage: Public Domain.Photograph showing USGS scientist connecting sensor cables to data collection equipment. The equipment is housed in a weather-resistant enclosure that is mounted on steel posts. Flexible steel conduit protects the instrument cables from damage by wild animals that would chew the insulation. (Public domain.)
Sources/Usage: Public Domain.Photograph showing tensiometer (blue tube) being installed in inclined borehole. (Public domain.) - Publications