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.
Below are publications associated with this project.
Results of hydrologic monitoring of a landslide-prone hillslope in Portland’s West Hills, Oregon, 2006–2017
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.
Below are publications associated with this project.