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Andy Ritchie

Geologist with the USGS Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center

Science and Products

3 close-up views of the toe of the Mud Creek landslide created from air photos after the landslide

Remote Sensing Coastal Change

We use remote-sensing technologies—such as aerial photography, satellite imagery, structure-from-motion (SfM) photogrammetry, and lidar (laser-based surveying)—to measure coastal change along U.S. shorelines.
By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center, Big Sur Landslides
Remote Sensing Coastal Change

Remote Sensing Coastal Change

We use remote-sensing technologies—such as aerial photography, satellite imagery, structure-from-motion (SfM) photogrammetry, and lidar (laser-based surveying)—to measure coastal change along U.S. shorelines.
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Exploring the USGS Science Data Life Cycle in the Cloud

Executive Summary Traditionally in the USGS, data is processed and analyzed on local researcher computers, then moved to centralized, remote computers for preservation and publishing (ScienceBase, Pubs Warehouse). This approach requires each researcher to have the necessary hardware and software for processing and analysis, and also to bring all external data required for the workflow...
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Community for Data Integration (CDI)
Exploring the USGS Science Data Life Cycle in the Cloud

Exploring the USGS Science Data Life Cycle in the Cloud

Executive Summary Traditionally in the USGS, data is processed and analyzed on local researcher computers, then moved to centralized, remote computers for preservation and publishing (ScienceBase, Pubs Warehouse). This approach requires each researcher to have the necessary hardware and software for processing and analysis, and also to bring all external data required for the workflow over the int
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Filter Total Items: 32

Topographic point clouds and change analysis for the Big Sur, California coastline from structure-from-motion photogrammetry from aerial photographs, 2017-2023 Topographic point clouds and change analysis for the Big Sur, California coastline from structure-from-motion photogrammetry from aerial photographs, 2017-2023

This data release presents structure-from-motion (SfM) products derived from aerial imagery collected along the California coast as part of an ongoing effort by the USGS Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program (CMHRP) Remote Sensing Coastal Change (RSCC) project. The products presented herein are point cloud and change detection products for 33 flights between January 2017 to...
By
Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center

Landslide, soil, and vegetation measurements following an atmospheric river storm on January 9, 2023, in the Santa Ynez Mountains, California, USA Landslide, soil, and vegetation measurements following an atmospheric river storm on January 9, 2023, in the Santa Ynez Mountains, California, USA

An atmospheric river storm on January 9, 2023, produced widespread landsliding in the Santa Ynez Mountains in Santa Barbara County and Ventura County, California (USA). Landslides occurred in the footprint of the 2008 Tea Fire, 2009 Jesusita Fire, 2017 Thomas Fire, and 2019 Cave Fire, as well as in areas that had not burned in more than 15 years. Most of these landslides were shallow...
By
Landslide Hazards Program, Geologic Hazards Science Center

River margin and braid shapefiles digitized from aerial images of the Elwha River, Washington, 2006 to 2022 River margin and braid shapefiles digitized from aerial images of the Elwha River, Washington, 2006 to 2022

This dataset provides GIS shapefiles of river margins and braids derived from 30 aerial imagery datasets of the Elwha River, Washington spanning June 2006 through September 2022. The extent of the river’s recently active flow zone, or margins, and river braids was manually digitized in a GIS using aerial orthoimages to capture changes in the river prior to, during, and after the removal...
By
Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center

Suspended-sediment concentration and grain size in the San Lorenzo River, coastal California Suspended-sediment concentration and grain size in the San Lorenzo River, coastal California

Water samples were collected from the San Lorenzo River, Santa Cruz, California, and analyzed for suspended-sediment concentration and sand break (proportion of sand vs. silt-plus-clay) at the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) laboratory in Santa Cruz, California. The samples were all single-vertical samples collected from the thalweg of the river, using a D-95 sampler deployed from a bridge...
By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center

Seismic sub-bottom, sediment core and radiocarbon data collected in Ozette Lake, Washington from 2019-2021 Seismic sub-bottom, sediment core and radiocarbon data collected in Ozette Lake, Washington from 2019-2021

Seismic-reflection data and cores were collected in Ozette Lake, Washington, from 2019 to 2021. These data were used to investigate submarine landslide deposits triggered by large Cascadia Subduction Zone earthquakes. Identification of fault-related submarine hazards is a primary mission of the USGS Coastal and Marine Geology Program. In the US Pacific Northwest region, the greatest...
By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center

Bathymetry and acoustic-backscatter data for Ozette Lake, Washington collected during USGS field activity 2019-622-FA Bathymetry and acoustic-backscatter data for Ozette Lake, Washington collected during USGS field activity 2019-622-FA

2-m resolution bathymetry and acoustic backscatter data were collected during a July 2019 SWATHPlus survey of Ozette Lake, Washington. Data were collected and processed by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center (PCMSC) with fieldwork activity number 2019-622-FA. The 2-m data are provided as GeoTIFF images.
By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center

Chirp sub-bottom data collected in Lake Crescent, Washington during USGS field activity 2019-622-FA Chirp sub-bottom data collected in Lake Crescent, Washington during USGS field activity 2019-622-FA

Chirp sub-botttom data were acquired during USGS field activity 2019-622-FA in August of 2019. The survey was conducted in Lake Crescent, Washington. Geophysical mapping was conducted to investigate earthquake triggered mass transport deposits as part of the Cascaadia Earthquake recurrence project. These data and information are intended for science researchers, students, policy makers...
By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center

Vegetation and geomorphic surfaces in the Elwha River delta, Washington, after dam removal, derived from 2016 and 2018 aerial imagery and 2007, 2014, and 2018 field surveys Vegetation and geomorphic surfaces in the Elwha River delta, Washington, after dam removal, derived from 2016 and 2018 aerial imagery and 2007, 2014, and 2018 field surveys

Removal of two large dams from the Elwha River, Washington USA, in 2011-2014 released ~20.5 metric tons (Mt) of impounded sediment, ~5.4 Mt of which was deposited in the river delta and estuary. This dataset presents measurements of geomorphic surfaces, vegetation colonization, and plant community development in the Elwha River delta and estuary after dam removal. Geomorphic surfaces and...
By
Fort Collins Science Center

Agisoft Metashape/Photoscan Automated Image Alignment and Error Reduction version 2.0 Agisoft Metashape/Photoscan Automated Image Alignment and Error Reduction version 2.0

This repository contains python scripts which automate image alignment and sparse point cloud error reduction in the Agisoft Metashape/Photoscan structure from motion photogrammetry software package using the Agisoft Metashape Python API. The current version of the script (version 2.0) approximates the workflow described in U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2021-1039 (Over et al...
By
Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center

Aerial photogrammetry data and products of the North Carolina coast Aerial photogrammetry data and products of the North Carolina coast

This data release presents structure-from-motion (SfM) products derived from aerial imagery collected along the North Carolina coast in response to storm events and the recovery process. U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) researchers use the aerial imagery and products to assess future coastal vulnerability, nesting habitats for wildlife, and provide data for hurricane impact models. This...
By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center, Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Recovery Activities

Aerial Imagery of the North Carolina Coast: 2020-02-08 to 2020-02-09 Aerial Imagery of the North Carolina Coast: 2020-02-08 to 2020-02-09

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Remote Sensing Coastal Change (RSCC) project collects aerial imagery along coastal swaths, in response to storm events, with optimized endlap/sidelap and precise position information to create high-resolution orthomosaics, three-dimensional (3D) point clouds, and digital elevation/surface models (DEMs/DSMs) using Structure-from-Motion (SfM)...
By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center, Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Recovery Activities

Aerial Imagery of the North Carolina Coast: 2020-05-08 to 2020-05-09 Aerial Imagery of the North Carolina Coast: 2020-05-08 to 2020-05-09

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Remote Sensing Coastal Change (RSCC) project collects aerial imagery along coastal swaths, in response to storm events, with optimized endlap/sidelap and precise position information to create high-resolution orthomosaics, three-dimensional (3D) point clouds, and digital elevation/surface models (DEMs/DSMs) using Structure-from-Motion (SfM)...
By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center, Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Recovery Activities

Colored shaded relief bathymetry and acoustic backscatter of Ozette Lake, Washington Colored shaded relief bathymetry and acoustic backscatter of Ozette Lake, Washington

Offshore of the Pacific Northwest of the United States is the Cascadia Subduction Zone, a 1,000-kilometer-long tectonic boundary defined by a large fault, called a megathrust, that extends from the Mendocino Junction off northern California to the Nootka Fracture Zone off Vancouver Island, Canada (U.S. Geological Survey, 2023). The Juan de Fuca and Gorda oceanic plates to the west of...
By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Earthquake Hazards Program, Earthquake Science Center, Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center

California State Waters Map Series: Offshore of Coal Oil Point, California California State Waters Map Series: Offshore of Coal Oil Point, California

In 2007, the California Ocean Protection Council initiated the California Seafloor Mapping Program (CSMP), designed to create a comprehensive seafloor map of high-resolution bathymetry, marine benthic habitats, and geology within the 3-nautical-mile limit of California’s State Waters. The CSMP approach is to create highly detailed seafloor maps through collection, integration...
By
Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center

California State Waters Map Series: offshore of Santa Barbara, California California State Waters Map Series: offshore of Santa Barbara, California

In 2007, the California Ocean Protection Council initiated the California Seafloor Mapping Program (CSMP), designed to create a comprehensive seafloor map of high-resolution bathymetry, marine benthic habitats, and geology within the 3-nautical-mile limit of California’s State Waters. The CSMP approach is to create highly detailed seafloor maps through collection, integration...
By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center

California State Waters Map Series: Offshore of Carpinteria, California California State Waters Map Series: Offshore of Carpinteria, California

In 2007, the California Ocean Protection Council initiated the California Seafloor Mapping Program (CSMP), designed to create a comprehensive seafloor map of high-resolution bathymetry, marine benthic habitats, and geology within the 3-nautical-mile limit of California’s State Waters. The CSMP approach is to create highly detailed seafloor maps through collection, integration...
By
Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center

California State Waters Map Series — Offshore of Ventura, California California State Waters Map Series — Offshore of Ventura, California

In 2007, the California Ocean Protection Council initiated the California Seafloor Mapping Program (CSMP), designed to create a comprehensive seafloor map of high-resolution bathymetry, marine benthic habitats, and geology within the 3-nautical-mile limit of California’s State Waters. The CSMP approach is to create highly detailed seafloor maps through collection, integration...
By
Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center

California State Waters Map Series: Offshore of Santa Barbara, California California State Waters Map Series: Offshore of Santa Barbara, California

In 2007, the California Ocean Protection Council initiated the California Seafloor Mapping Program (CSMP), designed to create a comprehensive seafloor map of high-resolution bathymetry, marine benthic habitats, and geology within the 3-nautical-mile limit of California’s State Waters. The CSMP approach is to create highly detailed seafloor maps through collection, integration...
By
Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center

California State Waters Map Series — Hueneme Canyon and vicinity, California California State Waters Map Series — Hueneme Canyon and vicinity, California

In 2007, the California Ocean Protection Council initiated the California Seafloor Mapping Program (CSMP), designed to create a comprehensive seafloor map of high-resolution bathymetry, marine benthic habitats, and geology within the 3-nautical-mile limit of California's State Waters. The CSMP approach is to create highly detailed seafloor maps through collection, integration...
By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
Cover image for timelapse at Former Lake Mills, Elwha River, on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington Cover image for timelapse at Former Lake Mills, Elwha River, on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington
Former Lake Mills timelapse
Cover image for timelapse at Former Lake Mills, Elwha River, on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington

Former Lake Mills timelapse

Former Lake Mills timelapse

Timelapsed photo data is sequenced at about 1 pixel-averaged frame per day, meaning that all of the images from a given day are combined, and the RGB values for a given x/y location on the image are the average of every RGB value for that location for that day. 

By
Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
Cover image for timelapse at Former Lake Mills, Elwha River, on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington

Former Lake Mills timelapse

Former Lake Mills timelapse

Timelapsed photo data is sequenced at about 1 pixel-averaged frame per day, meaning that all of the images from a given day are combined, and the RGB values for a given x/y location on the image are the average of every RGB value for that location for that day. 

By
Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
Cover image for timelapse at the Elwha River Mouth on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington Cover image for timelapse at the Elwha River Mouth on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington
Elwha River Mouth timelapse
Cover image for timelapse at the Elwha River Mouth on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington

Elwha River Mouth timelapse

Elwha River Mouth timelapse

This PlaneCam video was produced by developing animation tracklines in ArcGlobe, using imagery from PlaneCam flights.

By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
Cover image for timelapse at the Elwha River Mouth on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington

Elwha River Mouth timelapse

Elwha River Mouth timelapse

This PlaneCam video was produced by developing animation tracklines in ArcGlobe, using imagery from PlaneCam flights.

By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
Elwha River Mouth flyover and timelapse cover image Elwha River Mouth flyover and timelapse cover image
Elwha River Mouth virtual flyover and timelapse
Elwha River Mouth flyover and timelapse cover image

Elwha River Mouth virtual flyover and timelapse

Elwha River Mouth virtual flyover and timelapse

This PlaneCam video was produced by developing animation tracklines in ArcGlobe, using imagery from PlaneCam flights.

By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
Elwha River Mouth flyover and timelapse cover image

Elwha River Mouth virtual flyover and timelapse

Elwha River Mouth virtual flyover and timelapse

This PlaneCam video was produced by developing animation tracklines in ArcGlobe, using imagery from PlaneCam flights.

By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
Cover image for timelapse at Glines Canyon Dam, Elwha River, on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington Cover image for timelapse at Glines Canyon Dam, Elwha River, on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington
Glines Canyon Dam timelapse
Cover image for timelapse at Glines Canyon Dam, Elwha River, on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington

Glines Canyon Dam timelapse

Glines Canyon Dam timelapse

Timelapsed photo data is sequenced at about 1 pixel-averaged frame per day, meaning that all of the images from a given day are combined, and the RGB values for a given x/y location on the image are the average of every RGB value for that location for that day. 

By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
Cover image for timelapse at Glines Canyon Dam, Elwha River, on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington

Glines Canyon Dam timelapse

Glines Canyon Dam timelapse

Timelapsed photo data is sequenced at about 1 pixel-averaged frame per day, meaning that all of the images from a given day are combined, and the RGB values for a given x/y location on the image are the average of every RGB value for that location for that day. 

By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
Cover image for timelapse at Lake Aldwell Delta, Elwha River, on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington Cover image for timelapse at Lake Aldwell Delta, Elwha River, on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington
Lake Aldwell Delta timelapse
Cover image for timelapse at Lake Aldwell Delta, Elwha River, on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington

Lake Aldwell Delta timelapse

Lake Aldwell Delta timelapse

Timelapsed photo data is sequenced at about 1 pixel-averaged frame per day, meaning that all of the images from a given day are combined, and the RGB values for a given x/y location on the image are the average of every RGB value for that location for that day. 

By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
Cover image for timelapse at Lake Aldwell Delta, Elwha River, on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington

Lake Aldwell Delta timelapse

Lake Aldwell Delta timelapse

Timelapsed photo data is sequenced at about 1 pixel-averaged frame per day, meaning that all of the images from a given day are combined, and the RGB values for a given x/y location on the image are the average of every RGB value for that location for that day. 

By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
Cover image for timelapse at Lake Mills Delta, Elwha River, on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington Cover image for timelapse at Lake Mills Delta, Elwha River, on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington
Lake Mills Delta timelapse
Cover image for timelapse at Lake Mills Delta, Elwha River, on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington

Lake Mills Delta timelapse

Lake Mills Delta timelapse

Timelapsed photo data is sequenced at about 1 pixel-averaged frame per day, meaning that all of the images from a given day are combined, and the RGB values for a given x/y location on the image are the average of every RGB value for that location for that day. 

By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
Cover image for timelapse at Lake Mills Delta, Elwha River, on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington

Lake Mills Delta timelapse

Lake Mills Delta timelapse

Timelapsed photo data is sequenced at about 1 pixel-averaged frame per day, meaning that all of the images from a given day are combined, and the RGB values for a given x/y location on the image are the average of every RGB value for that location for that day. 

By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
Cover image for timelapse at Lower Lake Aldwell, Elwha River, on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington Cover image for timelapse at Lower Lake Aldwell, Elwha River, on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington
Lower Lake Aldwell timelapse
Cover image for timelapse at Lower Lake Aldwell, Elwha River, on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington

Lower Lake Aldwell timelapse

Lower Lake Aldwell timelapse

Timelapsed photo data is sequenced at about 1 pixel-averaged frame per day, meaning that all of the images from a given day are combined, and the RGB values for a given x/y location on the image are the average of every RGB value for that location for that day. 

By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
Cover image for timelapse at Lower Lake Aldwell, Elwha River, on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington

Lower Lake Aldwell timelapse

Lower Lake Aldwell timelapse

Timelapsed photo data is sequenced at about 1 pixel-averaged frame per day, meaning that all of the images from a given day are combined, and the RGB values for a given x/y location on the image are the average of every RGB value for that location for that day. 

By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
View from the sky looking down on a road that runs close to the ocean along a steep and rocky cliff.
Big Sur coast just north of Kirk Creek
Big Sur coast just north of Kirk Creek
View from the sky looking down on a road that runs close to the ocean along a steep and rocky cliff.

Big Sur coast just north of Kirk Creek

Big Sur coast just north of Kirk Creek

A two-day rainstorm from January 26-28, 2021 caused numerous mudslides, debris flows, and other issues along California's coastal Highway 1 through Big Sur. This section is just north of Kirk Creek, at a drainage where mud was washed across the roadway. Plumes of the muddy runoff are clearly visible in the ocean.

By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center, Big Sur Landslides
View from the sky looking down on a road that runs close to the ocean along a steep and rocky cliff.

Big Sur coast just north of Kirk Creek

Big Sur coast just north of Kirk Creek

A two-day rainstorm from January 26-28, 2021 caused numerous mudslides, debris flows, and other issues along California's coastal Highway 1 through Big Sur. This section is just north of Kirk Creek, at a drainage where mud was washed across the roadway. Plumes of the muddy runoff are clearly visible in the ocean.

By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center, Big Sur Landslides
Photograph of a flooded road in Olympic National Park, Washington, showing a person walking in the shallow water.
Flooding on a road in Olympic National Park, Washington
Flooding on a road in Olympic National Park, Washington
Photograph of a flooded road in Olympic National Park, Washington, showing a person walking in the shallow water.

Flooding on a road in Olympic National Park, Washington

Flooding on a road in Olympic National Park, Washington

Flooding on a road in Olympic National Park, Washington, on November 24, 2017.

By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
Photograph of a flooded road in Olympic National Park, Washington, showing a person walking in the shallow water.

Flooding on a road in Olympic National Park, Washington

Flooding on a road in Olympic National Park, Washington

Flooding on a road in Olympic National Park, Washington, on November 24, 2017.

By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
Cover image for timelapse at Lower Lake Mills from Glines Canyon Dam, Elwha River, on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington Cover image for timelapse at Lower Lake Mills from Glines Canyon Dam, Elwha River, on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington
Lower Lake Mills from Glines Canyon Dam timelapse
Cover image for timelapse at Lower Lake Mills from Glines Canyon Dam, Elwha River, on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington

Lower Lake Mills from Glines Canyon Dam timelapse

Lower Lake Mills from Glines Canyon Dam timelapse

Timelapsed photo data is sequenced at about 1 pixel-averaged frame per day, meaning that all of the images from a given day are combined, and the RGB values for a given x/y location on the image are the average of every RGB value for that location for that day. 

By
Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
Cover image for timelapse at Lower Lake Mills from Glines Canyon Dam, Elwha River, on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington

Lower Lake Mills from Glines Canyon Dam timelapse

Lower Lake Mills from Glines Canyon Dam timelapse

Timelapsed photo data is sequenced at about 1 pixel-averaged frame per day, meaning that all of the images from a given day are combined, and the RGB values for a given x/y location on the image are the average of every RGB value for that location for that day. 

By
Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
Cover image for virtual flythrough of Glines Canyon, Elwha River, on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington Cover image for virtual flythrough of Glines Canyon, Elwha River, on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington
Glines Canyon virtual flythrough
Cover image for virtual flythrough of Glines Canyon, Elwha River, on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington

Glines Canyon virtual flythrough

Glines Canyon virtual flythrough

These PlaneCam videos were produced by developing animation tracklines in ArcGlobe, using imagery and digital elevation models (DEMs) from PlaneCam flights.

By
Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
Cover image for virtual flythrough of Glines Canyon, Elwha River, on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington

Glines Canyon virtual flythrough

Glines Canyon virtual flythrough

These PlaneCam videos were produced by developing animation tracklines in ArcGlobe, using imagery and digital elevation models (DEMs) from PlaneCam flights.

By
Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
Cover image for timelapse at Elwha Dam, Elwha River, on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington Cover image for timelapse at Elwha Dam, Elwha River, on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington
Elwha Dam timelapse
Cover image for timelapse at Elwha Dam, Elwha River, on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington

Elwha Dam timelapse

Elwha Dam timelapse

Timelapsed photo data is sequenced at about 1 pixel-averaged frame per day, meaning that all of the images from a given day are combined, and the RGB values for a given x/y location on the image are the average of every RGB value for that location for that day. 

By
Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
Cover image for timelapse at Elwha Dam, Elwha River, on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington

Elwha Dam timelapse

Elwha Dam timelapse

Timelapsed photo data is sequenced at about 1 pixel-averaged frame per day, meaning that all of the images from a given day are combined, and the RGB values for a given x/y location on the image are the average of every RGB value for that location for that day. 

By
Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
Cover image for timelapse at Glines Canyon, Elwha River, on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington Cover image for timelapse at Glines Canyon, Elwha River, on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington
Glines Canyon timelapse
Cover image for timelapse at Glines Canyon, Elwha River, on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington

Glines Canyon timelapse

Glines Canyon timelapse

Timelapsed photo data is sequenced at about 1 pixel-averaged frame per day, meaning that all of the images from a given day are combined, and the RGB values for a given x/y location on the image are the average of every RGB value for that location for that day. 

By
Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
Cover image for timelapse at Glines Canyon, Elwha River, on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington

Glines Canyon timelapse

Glines Canyon timelapse

Timelapsed photo data is sequenced at about 1 pixel-averaged frame per day, meaning that all of the images from a given day are combined, and the RGB values for a given x/y location on the image are the average of every RGB value for that location for that day. 

By
Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
Two people stand above a river on the bank with a tripod instrument.
Lidar survey of the Elwha River
Lidar survey of the Elwha River
Two people stand above a river on the bank with a tripod instrument.

Lidar survey of the Elwha River

Lidar survey of the Elwha River

USGS scientists Amy Draut (left) and Josh Logan set up a ground-based lidar (light detection and ranging) scanner to measure the topography of the lower Elwha River flood plain.

By
Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
Two people stand above a river on the bank with a tripod instrument.

Lidar survey of the Elwha River

Lidar survey of the Elwha River

USGS scientists Amy Draut (left) and Josh Logan set up a ground-based lidar (light detection and ranging) scanner to measure the topography of the lower Elwha River flood plain.

By
Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
Filter Total Items: 31

Landsliding follows signatures of wildfire history and vegetative regrowth in a steep coastal shrubland Landsliding follows signatures of wildfire history and vegetative regrowth in a steep coastal shrubland

Five years after the deadly and destructive 9 January 2018 Montecito debris flows (Santa Barbara County, California, USA), an atmospheric river storm on 9 January 2023 triggered widespread landsliding that affected many of the same drainages in the Santa Ynez Mountains. Using high-resolution aerial imagery, we identified >10,000 landslides over an ∼160 km2 area. Most of the landslides...
Authors
Matthew Thomas, Donald N. Lindsay, Jason Kean, Andrew Graber, Rebecca K. Rossi, Jaime Kostelnik, Francis Rengers, Jonathan Y. Schwartz, Brian J. Swanson, Nina S. Oakley, Paul W. Richardson, Alexander E. Morelan, Andrew C. Ritchie, Jonathan Warrick, Lindsey L. Rotche, Brian D. Penserini, Stephen Slaughter
By
Landslide Hazards Program, Geologic Hazards Science Center

Seasonal rotation of California pocket beaches Seasonal rotation of California pocket beaches

Pocket beaches are short, headland-bound coastal landforms that may exhibit shoreline rotation in response to time-varying wave conditions. Here we examine the presence, location and style of pocket beach rotation along the 1700 km coast of California using a comprehensive 22-year satellite-derived shoreline dataset. These analyses identify 23 pocket beaches that exhibit annual cycles of...
Authors
Jonathan Warrick, Daniel Buscombe, Kilian Vos, Andrew C. Ritchie, Bob Battalio
By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center

River floods under wetter antecedent conditions deliver coarser sediment to the coast River floods under wetter antecedent conditions deliver coarser sediment to the coast

Increasing hydrologic volatility—more extreme rain, and larger variations between wet and dry years—has become apparent in some regions, but few data exist to determine how intensifying hydrologic extremes affect sedimentary systems. Using uniquely high-resolution records of fluvial suspended sediment and coastal morphology, we quantify sedimentary responses from a steep, 357-km2...
Authors
Amy East, Alexander Snyder, Andrew Stevens, Jonathan Warrick, David Topping, Matthew Thomas, Andrew C. Ritchie
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Natural Hazards Mission Area, Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, Geologic Hazards Science Center, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center, Southwest Biological Science Center

Decadal-scale effects of a dam removal on channel geomorphology, sediment and large wood on the Elwha River, Washington, USA Decadal-scale effects of a dam removal on channel geomorphology, sediment and large wood on the Elwha River, Washington, USA

The removal of Glines Canyon Dam on the Elwha River in western Washington, USA, from 2011 to 2014 introduced a 20-Mt pulse of stored sediment and logs into the downstream channel. We used terrestrial laser scanning, high-resolution orthoimages, and surveys of large wood (LW) and sediment grain-size distribution to quantify changes to the channel and LW in four different geomorphic...
Authors
Lisa Ely, Alyssa DeMott, Bryon J. Free, Andrew C. Ritchie
By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center

Shoreline seasonality of California’s beaches Shoreline seasonality of California’s beaches

We report on remote sensing techniques developed to characterize seasonal shoreline cycles from satellite-derived shoreline measurements. These techniques are applied to 22-yr of shoreline measurements for over 777 km of beach along California's 1,700-km coast, for which the general understanding is that shorelines exhibit winter-narrow and summer-recovery seasonality. We find that...
Authors
Jonathan Warrick, Daniel D. Buscombe, Kilian Vos, Hannah Kenyon, Andrew C. Ritchie, Mitchell Harley, Catherine Janda, Jess L'Heureux, Sean Vitousek
By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center

Correction to A regime shift in sediment export from a coastal watershed during a record wet winter, California: Implications for landscape response to hydroclimatic extremes Correction to A regime shift in sediment export from a coastal watershed during a record wet winter, California: Implications for landscape response to hydroclimatic extremes

In the referenced article, the authors would like to correct text in the first paragraph on page 2571, Figure 9 and its caption. The changes reflect an error made in the processing of the rainfall intensity-duration data used to compare storms to published debris flow triggering thresholds. The correctly processed data does not change the interpretations made in the paper but does...
Authors
Amy East, Andrew Stevens, Andrew C. Ritchie, Patrick Barnard, Pamela L. Campbell‐Swarzenski, Brian Collins, Christopher H. Conaway
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics Science Center, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center

Post-glacial stratigraphy and late Holocene record of great Cascadia earthquakes in Ozette Lake, Washington, USA Post-glacial stratigraphy and late Holocene record of great Cascadia earthquakes in Ozette Lake, Washington, USA

Ozette Lake is an ~100-m-deep coastal lake located along the outer coast of the Olympic Peninsula (Washington, USA); it is situated above the locked portion of the northern Cascadia megathrust but also relatively isolated from active crustal faults and intraslab earthquakes. Here we present a suite of geophysical and geological evidence for earthquake-triggered mass transport deposits...
Authors
Daniel Brothers, Brian Sherrod, Drake Singleton, Jason Padgett, Jenna Hill, Andrew C. Ritchie, Jared W. Kluesner, Peter Dartnell
By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center

Remote sensing large-wood storage downstream of reservoirs during and after dam removal: Elwha River, Washington, USA Remote sensing large-wood storage downstream of reservoirs during and after dam removal: Elwha River, Washington, USA

Large wood is an integral part of many rivers, often defining river-corridor morphology and habitat, but its occurrence, magnitude, and evolution in a river system are much less well understood than the sedimentary and hydraulic components, and due to methodological limitations, have seldom previously been mapped in substantial detail. We present a new method for this, representing a...
Authors
Daniel D. Buscombe, Jonathan Warrick, Andrew C. Ritchie, Amy East, M. McHenry, Randall McCoy, Amy Foxgrover, E. Wohl
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center, Southwest Biological Science Center

Accurate maps of reef-scale bathymetry with synchronized underwater cameras and GNSS Accurate maps of reef-scale bathymetry with synchronized underwater cameras and GNSS

We investigate the utility of towed underwater camera systems with tightly coupled Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) positions to provide reef-scale bathymetric models with millimeter to centimeter resolutions and accuracies with Structure-from-Motion (SfM) photogrammetry. Successful development of these techniques would allow for detailed assessments of benthic conditions...
Authors
Gerald A. Hatcher, Jonathan Warrick, Christine Kranenburg, Andrew Ritchie
By
Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center

A large sediment accretion wave along a northern California littoral cell A large sediment accretion wave along a northern California littoral cell

The northern California littoral cell of the Klamath River, which is a mixed rocky and sandy system with significant shoreline curvature, was investigated by examining ∼40 yr of satellite-derived shoreline positions and historical records. We find that an accretion wave of sediment was initiated near the Klamath River mouth in the late 1980s and translated downcoast over the subsequent...
Authors
Jonathan Warrick, Kilian Vos, Daniel Buscombe, Andrew Ritchie, Jennifer Curtis
By
Water Resources Mission Area, California Water Science Center, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center

The future of coastal monitoring through satellite remote sensing The future of coastal monitoring through satellite remote sensing

Satellite remote sensing is transforming coastal science from a “data-poor” field into a “data-rich” field. Sandy beaches are dynamic landscapes that change in response to long-term pressures, short-term pulses, and anthropogenic interventions. Until recently, the rate and breadth of beach change have outpaced our ability to monitor those changes, due to the spatiotemporal limitations of...
Authors
Sean Vitousek, Dan Buscombe, Kilian Vos, Patrick Barnard, Andrew Ritchie, Jonathan Warrick
By
Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center

Diverse tsunamigenesis triggered by the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai eruption Diverse tsunamigenesis triggered by the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai eruption

On the evening of 15 January 2022, the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai volcano1 unleashed a violent underwater eruption, blanketing the surrounding land masses in ash and debris. The eruption generated tsunamis observed around the world. An event of this type last occurred in 1883 during the eruption of Krakatau, and thus we have the first observations of a tsunami from a large emergent...
Authors
Patrick Lynett, Maile McCann, Zili Zhou, Willington Renteria, Jose Borrero, Dougal Greer, ’Ofa Fa’anunu, Cyprien Bosserelle, Bruce Jaffe, SeanPaul La Selle, Andrew Ritchie, Alexander Snyder, Brandon Nasr, Jaqueline Bott, Nicholas A Graehl, Costas Synolakis, Behzad Ebrahimi, Ezgi Cinar
By
Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center

Agisoft Metashape/Photoscan Automated Image Alignment and Error Reduction version 2.0 Agisoft Metashape/Photoscan Automated Image Alignment and Error Reduction version 2.0

This repository contains python scripts which automate image alignment and sparse point cloud error reduction in the Agisoft Metashape/Photoscan structure from motion photogrammetry software package using the Agisoft Metashape Python API. The current version of the script (version 2.0) approximates the workflow described in U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2021-1039 (Over et al...
By
Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
USGS assists in post-storm seafloor survey following partial collapse of Santa Cruz wharf

USGS assists in post-storm seafloor survey following partial collapse of Santa Cruz wharf

Following the partial collapse of the Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf during January 2025 storms, the USGS Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center was...

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USGS-led Study: Shoreline Seasonality of California's Beaches

USGS-led Study: Shoreline Seasonality of California's Beaches

Most of the world’s beaches exhibit regular cycles of erosion and recovery, but new USGS-led research is showing that these cycles may be considerably...

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Remote-Sensing Large-Wood Storage Downstream from Reservoirs After Dam Removal

Remote-Sensing Large-Wood Storage Downstream from Reservoirs After Dam Removal

For nearly a century, two dams on the Elwha River blocked the natural flow of sediment and wood, leading to a highly altered river environment...

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Uncovering 14,000 Years of Seismic Activity in Northern Cascadia

Uncovering 14,000 Years of Seismic Activity in Northern Cascadia

New USGS research documents a 14,000-year history of seismic activity preserved in the sediments of Ozette Lake, a ~100-meter (328-foot) deep coastal...

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USGS aids storm response to Extratropical Typhoon Merbok in Alaska

USGS aids storm response to Extratropical Typhoon Merbok in Alaska

In September 2022, the west coast of Alaska was struck by Extratropical Typhoon Merbok, generating significant storm surge that caused severe flooding...

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Crowd-Sourcing Coastal Change Data Along Cliffs, Bluffs

Crowd-Sourcing Coastal Change Data Along Cliffs, Bluffs

Most remote-sensing techniques rely on imagery taken at a specific time and place. What if researchers could crowd-source this data from volunteers...

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Eyes in the Sky: How Satellite Imagery Transforms Shoreline Monitoring From “Data-Poor” to “Data-Rich”

Eyes in the Sky: How Satellite Imagery Transforms Shoreline Monitoring From “Data-Poor” to “Data-Rich”

Monitoring coastal changes is important for the millions of people that live along coasts in the U.S., particularly as climate change hastens coastal...

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Moving Mountains: Elwha River Still Changing Five Years After World’s Largest Dam-Removal Project: More than 20 million tons of sediment flushed to the sea

Moving Mountains: Elwha River Still Changing Five Years After World’s Largest Dam-Removal Project: More than 20 million tons of sediment flushed to the sea

Starting in 2011, the National Park Service removed two obsolete dams from the Elwha River in Olympic National Park, Washington. It was the world’s...

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Time-lapse view of California Highway 1 reconstruction after 2017 landslide

Time-lapse view of California Highway 1 reconstruction after 2017 landslide

USGS scientists produced an animated GIF in coordination with the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) re-opening of State Highway 1...

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USGS Monitors Huge Landslides on California's Big Sur Coast, Shares Information with California Department of Transportation

USGS Monitors Huge Landslides on California's Big Sur Coast, Shares Information with California Department of Transportation

On May 20, 2017, more than 2 million cubic meters of rock and dirt—enough to fill a line of dump trucks nearly a thousand miles long—collapsed down...

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Science and Products

3 close-up views of the toe of the Mud Creek landslide created from air photos after the landslide

Remote Sensing Coastal Change

We use remote-sensing technologies—such as aerial photography, satellite imagery, structure-from-motion (SfM) photogrammetry, and lidar (laser-based surveying)—to measure coastal change along U.S. shorelines.
By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center, Big Sur Landslides
Remote Sensing Coastal Change

Remote Sensing Coastal Change

We use remote-sensing technologies—such as aerial photography, satellite imagery, structure-from-motion (SfM) photogrammetry, and lidar (laser-based surveying)—to measure coastal change along U.S. shorelines.
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USGS science for a changing world logo

Exploring the USGS Science Data Life Cycle in the Cloud

Executive Summary Traditionally in the USGS, data is processed and analyzed on local researcher computers, then moved to centralized, remote computers for preservation and publishing (ScienceBase, Pubs Warehouse). This approach requires each researcher to have the necessary hardware and software for processing and analysis, and also to bring all external data required for the workflow...
By
Community for Data Integration (CDI)
Exploring the USGS Science Data Life Cycle in the Cloud

Exploring the USGS Science Data Life Cycle in the Cloud

Executive Summary Traditionally in the USGS, data is processed and analyzed on local researcher computers, then moved to centralized, remote computers for preservation and publishing (ScienceBase, Pubs Warehouse). This approach requires each researcher to have the necessary hardware and software for processing and analysis, and also to bring all external data required for the workflow over the int
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Filter Total Items: 32

Topographic point clouds and change analysis for the Big Sur, California coastline from structure-from-motion photogrammetry from aerial photographs, 2017-2023 Topographic point clouds and change analysis for the Big Sur, California coastline from structure-from-motion photogrammetry from aerial photographs, 2017-2023

This data release presents structure-from-motion (SfM) products derived from aerial imagery collected along the California coast as part of an ongoing effort by the USGS Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program (CMHRP) Remote Sensing Coastal Change (RSCC) project. The products presented herein are point cloud and change detection products for 33 flights between January 2017 to...
By
Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center

Landslide, soil, and vegetation measurements following an atmospheric river storm on January 9, 2023, in the Santa Ynez Mountains, California, USA Landslide, soil, and vegetation measurements following an atmospheric river storm on January 9, 2023, in the Santa Ynez Mountains, California, USA

An atmospheric river storm on January 9, 2023, produced widespread landsliding in the Santa Ynez Mountains in Santa Barbara County and Ventura County, California (USA). Landslides occurred in the footprint of the 2008 Tea Fire, 2009 Jesusita Fire, 2017 Thomas Fire, and 2019 Cave Fire, as well as in areas that had not burned in more than 15 years. Most of these landslides were shallow...
By
Landslide Hazards Program, Geologic Hazards Science Center

River margin and braid shapefiles digitized from aerial images of the Elwha River, Washington, 2006 to 2022 River margin and braid shapefiles digitized from aerial images of the Elwha River, Washington, 2006 to 2022

This dataset provides GIS shapefiles of river margins and braids derived from 30 aerial imagery datasets of the Elwha River, Washington spanning June 2006 through September 2022. The extent of the river’s recently active flow zone, or margins, and river braids was manually digitized in a GIS using aerial orthoimages to capture changes in the river prior to, during, and after the removal...
By
Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center

Suspended-sediment concentration and grain size in the San Lorenzo River, coastal California Suspended-sediment concentration and grain size in the San Lorenzo River, coastal California

Water samples were collected from the San Lorenzo River, Santa Cruz, California, and analyzed for suspended-sediment concentration and sand break (proportion of sand vs. silt-plus-clay) at the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) laboratory in Santa Cruz, California. The samples were all single-vertical samples collected from the thalweg of the river, using a D-95 sampler deployed from a bridge...
By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center

Seismic sub-bottom, sediment core and radiocarbon data collected in Ozette Lake, Washington from 2019-2021 Seismic sub-bottom, sediment core and radiocarbon data collected in Ozette Lake, Washington from 2019-2021

Seismic-reflection data and cores were collected in Ozette Lake, Washington, from 2019 to 2021. These data were used to investigate submarine landslide deposits triggered by large Cascadia Subduction Zone earthquakes. Identification of fault-related submarine hazards is a primary mission of the USGS Coastal and Marine Geology Program. In the US Pacific Northwest region, the greatest...
By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center

Bathymetry and acoustic-backscatter data for Ozette Lake, Washington collected during USGS field activity 2019-622-FA Bathymetry and acoustic-backscatter data for Ozette Lake, Washington collected during USGS field activity 2019-622-FA

2-m resolution bathymetry and acoustic backscatter data were collected during a July 2019 SWATHPlus survey of Ozette Lake, Washington. Data were collected and processed by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center (PCMSC) with fieldwork activity number 2019-622-FA. The 2-m data are provided as GeoTIFF images.
By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center

Chirp sub-bottom data collected in Lake Crescent, Washington during USGS field activity 2019-622-FA Chirp sub-bottom data collected in Lake Crescent, Washington during USGS field activity 2019-622-FA

Chirp sub-botttom data were acquired during USGS field activity 2019-622-FA in August of 2019. The survey was conducted in Lake Crescent, Washington. Geophysical mapping was conducted to investigate earthquake triggered mass transport deposits as part of the Cascaadia Earthquake recurrence project. These data and information are intended for science researchers, students, policy makers...
By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center

Vegetation and geomorphic surfaces in the Elwha River delta, Washington, after dam removal, derived from 2016 and 2018 aerial imagery and 2007, 2014, and 2018 field surveys Vegetation and geomorphic surfaces in the Elwha River delta, Washington, after dam removal, derived from 2016 and 2018 aerial imagery and 2007, 2014, and 2018 field surveys

Removal of two large dams from the Elwha River, Washington USA, in 2011-2014 released ~20.5 metric tons (Mt) of impounded sediment, ~5.4 Mt of which was deposited in the river delta and estuary. This dataset presents measurements of geomorphic surfaces, vegetation colonization, and plant community development in the Elwha River delta and estuary after dam removal. Geomorphic surfaces and...
By
Fort Collins Science Center

Agisoft Metashape/Photoscan Automated Image Alignment and Error Reduction version 2.0 Agisoft Metashape/Photoscan Automated Image Alignment and Error Reduction version 2.0

This repository contains python scripts which automate image alignment and sparse point cloud error reduction in the Agisoft Metashape/Photoscan structure from motion photogrammetry software package using the Agisoft Metashape Python API. The current version of the script (version 2.0) approximates the workflow described in U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2021-1039 (Over et al...
By
Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center

Aerial photogrammetry data and products of the North Carolina coast Aerial photogrammetry data and products of the North Carolina coast

This data release presents structure-from-motion (SfM) products derived from aerial imagery collected along the North Carolina coast in response to storm events and the recovery process. U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) researchers use the aerial imagery and products to assess future coastal vulnerability, nesting habitats for wildlife, and provide data for hurricane impact models. This...
By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center, Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Recovery Activities

Aerial Imagery of the North Carolina Coast: 2020-02-08 to 2020-02-09 Aerial Imagery of the North Carolina Coast: 2020-02-08 to 2020-02-09

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Remote Sensing Coastal Change (RSCC) project collects aerial imagery along coastal swaths, in response to storm events, with optimized endlap/sidelap and precise position information to create high-resolution orthomosaics, three-dimensional (3D) point clouds, and digital elevation/surface models (DEMs/DSMs) using Structure-from-Motion (SfM)...
By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center, Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Recovery Activities

Aerial Imagery of the North Carolina Coast: 2020-05-08 to 2020-05-09 Aerial Imagery of the North Carolina Coast: 2020-05-08 to 2020-05-09

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Remote Sensing Coastal Change (RSCC) project collects aerial imagery along coastal swaths, in response to storm events, with optimized endlap/sidelap and precise position information to create high-resolution orthomosaics, three-dimensional (3D) point clouds, and digital elevation/surface models (DEMs/DSMs) using Structure-from-Motion (SfM)...
By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center, Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Recovery Activities

Colored shaded relief bathymetry and acoustic backscatter of Ozette Lake, Washington Colored shaded relief bathymetry and acoustic backscatter of Ozette Lake, Washington

Offshore of the Pacific Northwest of the United States is the Cascadia Subduction Zone, a 1,000-kilometer-long tectonic boundary defined by a large fault, called a megathrust, that extends from the Mendocino Junction off northern California to the Nootka Fracture Zone off Vancouver Island, Canada (U.S. Geological Survey, 2023). The Juan de Fuca and Gorda oceanic plates to the west of...
By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Earthquake Hazards Program, Earthquake Science Center, Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center

California State Waters Map Series: Offshore of Coal Oil Point, California California State Waters Map Series: Offshore of Coal Oil Point, California

In 2007, the California Ocean Protection Council initiated the California Seafloor Mapping Program (CSMP), designed to create a comprehensive seafloor map of high-resolution bathymetry, marine benthic habitats, and geology within the 3-nautical-mile limit of California’s State Waters. The CSMP approach is to create highly detailed seafloor maps through collection, integration...
By
Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center

California State Waters Map Series: offshore of Santa Barbara, California California State Waters Map Series: offshore of Santa Barbara, California

In 2007, the California Ocean Protection Council initiated the California Seafloor Mapping Program (CSMP), designed to create a comprehensive seafloor map of high-resolution bathymetry, marine benthic habitats, and geology within the 3-nautical-mile limit of California’s State Waters. The CSMP approach is to create highly detailed seafloor maps through collection, integration...
By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center

California State Waters Map Series: Offshore of Carpinteria, California California State Waters Map Series: Offshore of Carpinteria, California

In 2007, the California Ocean Protection Council initiated the California Seafloor Mapping Program (CSMP), designed to create a comprehensive seafloor map of high-resolution bathymetry, marine benthic habitats, and geology within the 3-nautical-mile limit of California’s State Waters. The CSMP approach is to create highly detailed seafloor maps through collection, integration...
By
Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center

California State Waters Map Series — Offshore of Ventura, California California State Waters Map Series — Offshore of Ventura, California

In 2007, the California Ocean Protection Council initiated the California Seafloor Mapping Program (CSMP), designed to create a comprehensive seafloor map of high-resolution bathymetry, marine benthic habitats, and geology within the 3-nautical-mile limit of California’s State Waters. The CSMP approach is to create highly detailed seafloor maps through collection, integration...
By
Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center

California State Waters Map Series: Offshore of Santa Barbara, California California State Waters Map Series: Offshore of Santa Barbara, California

In 2007, the California Ocean Protection Council initiated the California Seafloor Mapping Program (CSMP), designed to create a comprehensive seafloor map of high-resolution bathymetry, marine benthic habitats, and geology within the 3-nautical-mile limit of California’s State Waters. The CSMP approach is to create highly detailed seafloor maps through collection, integration...
By
Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center

California State Waters Map Series — Hueneme Canyon and vicinity, California California State Waters Map Series — Hueneme Canyon and vicinity, California

In 2007, the California Ocean Protection Council initiated the California Seafloor Mapping Program (CSMP), designed to create a comprehensive seafloor map of high-resolution bathymetry, marine benthic habitats, and geology within the 3-nautical-mile limit of California's State Waters. The CSMP approach is to create highly detailed seafloor maps through collection, integration...
By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
Cover image for timelapse at Former Lake Mills, Elwha River, on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington Cover image for timelapse at Former Lake Mills, Elwha River, on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington
Former Lake Mills timelapse
Cover image for timelapse at Former Lake Mills, Elwha River, on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington

Former Lake Mills timelapse

Former Lake Mills timelapse

Timelapsed photo data is sequenced at about 1 pixel-averaged frame per day, meaning that all of the images from a given day are combined, and the RGB values for a given x/y location on the image are the average of every RGB value for that location for that day. 

By
Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
Cover image for timelapse at Former Lake Mills, Elwha River, on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington

Former Lake Mills timelapse

Former Lake Mills timelapse

Timelapsed photo data is sequenced at about 1 pixel-averaged frame per day, meaning that all of the images from a given day are combined, and the RGB values for a given x/y location on the image are the average of every RGB value for that location for that day. 

By
Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
Cover image for timelapse at the Elwha River Mouth on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington Cover image for timelapse at the Elwha River Mouth on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington
Elwha River Mouth timelapse
Cover image for timelapse at the Elwha River Mouth on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington

Elwha River Mouth timelapse

Elwha River Mouth timelapse

This PlaneCam video was produced by developing animation tracklines in ArcGlobe, using imagery from PlaneCam flights.

By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
Cover image for timelapse at the Elwha River Mouth on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington

Elwha River Mouth timelapse

Elwha River Mouth timelapse

This PlaneCam video was produced by developing animation tracklines in ArcGlobe, using imagery from PlaneCam flights.

By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
Elwha River Mouth flyover and timelapse cover image Elwha River Mouth flyover and timelapse cover image
Elwha River Mouth virtual flyover and timelapse
Elwha River Mouth flyover and timelapse cover image

Elwha River Mouth virtual flyover and timelapse

Elwha River Mouth virtual flyover and timelapse

This PlaneCam video was produced by developing animation tracklines in ArcGlobe, using imagery from PlaneCam flights.

By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
Elwha River Mouth flyover and timelapse cover image

Elwha River Mouth virtual flyover and timelapse

Elwha River Mouth virtual flyover and timelapse

This PlaneCam video was produced by developing animation tracklines in ArcGlobe, using imagery from PlaneCam flights.

By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
Cover image for timelapse at Glines Canyon Dam, Elwha River, on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington Cover image for timelapse at Glines Canyon Dam, Elwha River, on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington
Glines Canyon Dam timelapse
Cover image for timelapse at Glines Canyon Dam, Elwha River, on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington

Glines Canyon Dam timelapse

Glines Canyon Dam timelapse

Timelapsed photo data is sequenced at about 1 pixel-averaged frame per day, meaning that all of the images from a given day are combined, and the RGB values for a given x/y location on the image are the average of every RGB value for that location for that day. 

By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
Cover image for timelapse at Glines Canyon Dam, Elwha River, on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington

Glines Canyon Dam timelapse

Glines Canyon Dam timelapse

Timelapsed photo data is sequenced at about 1 pixel-averaged frame per day, meaning that all of the images from a given day are combined, and the RGB values for a given x/y location on the image are the average of every RGB value for that location for that day. 

By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
Cover image for timelapse at Lake Aldwell Delta, Elwha River, on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington Cover image for timelapse at Lake Aldwell Delta, Elwha River, on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington
Lake Aldwell Delta timelapse
Cover image for timelapse at Lake Aldwell Delta, Elwha River, on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington

Lake Aldwell Delta timelapse

Lake Aldwell Delta timelapse

Timelapsed photo data is sequenced at about 1 pixel-averaged frame per day, meaning that all of the images from a given day are combined, and the RGB values for a given x/y location on the image are the average of every RGB value for that location for that day. 

By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
Cover image for timelapse at Lake Aldwell Delta, Elwha River, on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington

Lake Aldwell Delta timelapse

Lake Aldwell Delta timelapse

Timelapsed photo data is sequenced at about 1 pixel-averaged frame per day, meaning that all of the images from a given day are combined, and the RGB values for a given x/y location on the image are the average of every RGB value for that location for that day. 

By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
Cover image for timelapse at Lake Mills Delta, Elwha River, on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington Cover image for timelapse at Lake Mills Delta, Elwha River, on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington
Lake Mills Delta timelapse
Cover image for timelapse at Lake Mills Delta, Elwha River, on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington

Lake Mills Delta timelapse

Lake Mills Delta timelapse

Timelapsed photo data is sequenced at about 1 pixel-averaged frame per day, meaning that all of the images from a given day are combined, and the RGB values for a given x/y location on the image are the average of every RGB value for that location for that day. 

By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
Cover image for timelapse at Lake Mills Delta, Elwha River, on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington

Lake Mills Delta timelapse

Lake Mills Delta timelapse

Timelapsed photo data is sequenced at about 1 pixel-averaged frame per day, meaning that all of the images from a given day are combined, and the RGB values for a given x/y location on the image are the average of every RGB value for that location for that day. 

By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
Cover image for timelapse at Lower Lake Aldwell, Elwha River, on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington Cover image for timelapse at Lower Lake Aldwell, Elwha River, on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington
Lower Lake Aldwell timelapse
Cover image for timelapse at Lower Lake Aldwell, Elwha River, on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington

Lower Lake Aldwell timelapse

Lower Lake Aldwell timelapse

Timelapsed photo data is sequenced at about 1 pixel-averaged frame per day, meaning that all of the images from a given day are combined, and the RGB values for a given x/y location on the image are the average of every RGB value for that location for that day. 

By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
Cover image for timelapse at Lower Lake Aldwell, Elwha River, on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington

Lower Lake Aldwell timelapse

Lower Lake Aldwell timelapse

Timelapsed photo data is sequenced at about 1 pixel-averaged frame per day, meaning that all of the images from a given day are combined, and the RGB values for a given x/y location on the image are the average of every RGB value for that location for that day. 

By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
View from the sky looking down on a road that runs close to the ocean along a steep and rocky cliff.
Big Sur coast just north of Kirk Creek
Big Sur coast just north of Kirk Creek
View from the sky looking down on a road that runs close to the ocean along a steep and rocky cliff.

Big Sur coast just north of Kirk Creek

Big Sur coast just north of Kirk Creek

A two-day rainstorm from January 26-28, 2021 caused numerous mudslides, debris flows, and other issues along California's coastal Highway 1 through Big Sur. This section is just north of Kirk Creek, at a drainage where mud was washed across the roadway. Plumes of the muddy runoff are clearly visible in the ocean.

By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center, Big Sur Landslides
View from the sky looking down on a road that runs close to the ocean along a steep and rocky cliff.

Big Sur coast just north of Kirk Creek

Big Sur coast just north of Kirk Creek

A two-day rainstorm from January 26-28, 2021 caused numerous mudslides, debris flows, and other issues along California's coastal Highway 1 through Big Sur. This section is just north of Kirk Creek, at a drainage where mud was washed across the roadway. Plumes of the muddy runoff are clearly visible in the ocean.

By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center, Big Sur Landslides
Photograph of a flooded road in Olympic National Park, Washington, showing a person walking in the shallow water.
Flooding on a road in Olympic National Park, Washington
Flooding on a road in Olympic National Park, Washington
Photograph of a flooded road in Olympic National Park, Washington, showing a person walking in the shallow water.

Flooding on a road in Olympic National Park, Washington

Flooding on a road in Olympic National Park, Washington

Flooding on a road in Olympic National Park, Washington, on November 24, 2017.

By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
Photograph of a flooded road in Olympic National Park, Washington, showing a person walking in the shallow water.

Flooding on a road in Olympic National Park, Washington

Flooding on a road in Olympic National Park, Washington

Flooding on a road in Olympic National Park, Washington, on November 24, 2017.

By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
Cover image for timelapse at Lower Lake Mills from Glines Canyon Dam, Elwha River, on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington Cover image for timelapse at Lower Lake Mills from Glines Canyon Dam, Elwha River, on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington
Lower Lake Mills from Glines Canyon Dam timelapse
Cover image for timelapse at Lower Lake Mills from Glines Canyon Dam, Elwha River, on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington

Lower Lake Mills from Glines Canyon Dam timelapse

Lower Lake Mills from Glines Canyon Dam timelapse

Timelapsed photo data is sequenced at about 1 pixel-averaged frame per day, meaning that all of the images from a given day are combined, and the RGB values for a given x/y location on the image are the average of every RGB value for that location for that day. 

By
Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
Cover image for timelapse at Lower Lake Mills from Glines Canyon Dam, Elwha River, on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington

Lower Lake Mills from Glines Canyon Dam timelapse

Lower Lake Mills from Glines Canyon Dam timelapse

Timelapsed photo data is sequenced at about 1 pixel-averaged frame per day, meaning that all of the images from a given day are combined, and the RGB values for a given x/y location on the image are the average of every RGB value for that location for that day. 

By
Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
Cover image for virtual flythrough of Glines Canyon, Elwha River, on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington Cover image for virtual flythrough of Glines Canyon, Elwha River, on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington
Glines Canyon virtual flythrough
Cover image for virtual flythrough of Glines Canyon, Elwha River, on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington

Glines Canyon virtual flythrough

Glines Canyon virtual flythrough

These PlaneCam videos were produced by developing animation tracklines in ArcGlobe, using imagery and digital elevation models (DEMs) from PlaneCam flights.

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Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
Cover image for virtual flythrough of Glines Canyon, Elwha River, on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington

Glines Canyon virtual flythrough

Glines Canyon virtual flythrough

These PlaneCam videos were produced by developing animation tracklines in ArcGlobe, using imagery and digital elevation models (DEMs) from PlaneCam flights.

By
Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
Cover image for timelapse at Elwha Dam, Elwha River, on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington Cover image for timelapse at Elwha Dam, Elwha River, on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington
Elwha Dam timelapse
Cover image for timelapse at Elwha Dam, Elwha River, on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington

Elwha Dam timelapse

Elwha Dam timelapse

Timelapsed photo data is sequenced at about 1 pixel-averaged frame per day, meaning that all of the images from a given day are combined, and the RGB values for a given x/y location on the image are the average of every RGB value for that location for that day. 

By
Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
Cover image for timelapse at Elwha Dam, Elwha River, on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington

Elwha Dam timelapse

Elwha Dam timelapse

Timelapsed photo data is sequenced at about 1 pixel-averaged frame per day, meaning that all of the images from a given day are combined, and the RGB values for a given x/y location on the image are the average of every RGB value for that location for that day. 

By
Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
Cover image for timelapse at Glines Canyon, Elwha River, on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington Cover image for timelapse at Glines Canyon, Elwha River, on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington
Glines Canyon timelapse
Cover image for timelapse at Glines Canyon, Elwha River, on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington

Glines Canyon timelapse

Glines Canyon timelapse

Timelapsed photo data is sequenced at about 1 pixel-averaged frame per day, meaning that all of the images from a given day are combined, and the RGB values for a given x/y location on the image are the average of every RGB value for that location for that day. 

By
Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
Cover image for timelapse at Glines Canyon, Elwha River, on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington

Glines Canyon timelapse

Glines Canyon timelapse

Timelapsed photo data is sequenced at about 1 pixel-averaged frame per day, meaning that all of the images from a given day are combined, and the RGB values for a given x/y location on the image are the average of every RGB value for that location for that day. 

By
Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
Two people stand above a river on the bank with a tripod instrument.
Lidar survey of the Elwha River
Lidar survey of the Elwha River
Two people stand above a river on the bank with a tripod instrument.

Lidar survey of the Elwha River

Lidar survey of the Elwha River

USGS scientists Amy Draut (left) and Josh Logan set up a ground-based lidar (light detection and ranging) scanner to measure the topography of the lower Elwha River flood plain.

By
Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
Two people stand above a river on the bank with a tripod instrument.

Lidar survey of the Elwha River

Lidar survey of the Elwha River

USGS scientists Amy Draut (left) and Josh Logan set up a ground-based lidar (light detection and ranging) scanner to measure the topography of the lower Elwha River flood plain.

By
Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
Filter Total Items: 31

Landsliding follows signatures of wildfire history and vegetative regrowth in a steep coastal shrubland Landsliding follows signatures of wildfire history and vegetative regrowth in a steep coastal shrubland

Five years after the deadly and destructive 9 January 2018 Montecito debris flows (Santa Barbara County, California, USA), an atmospheric river storm on 9 January 2023 triggered widespread landsliding that affected many of the same drainages in the Santa Ynez Mountains. Using high-resolution aerial imagery, we identified >10,000 landslides over an ∼160 km2 area. Most of the landslides...
Authors
Matthew Thomas, Donald N. Lindsay, Jason Kean, Andrew Graber, Rebecca K. Rossi, Jaime Kostelnik, Francis Rengers, Jonathan Y. Schwartz, Brian J. Swanson, Nina S. Oakley, Paul W. Richardson, Alexander E. Morelan, Andrew C. Ritchie, Jonathan Warrick, Lindsey L. Rotche, Brian D. Penserini, Stephen Slaughter
By
Landslide Hazards Program, Geologic Hazards Science Center

Seasonal rotation of California pocket beaches Seasonal rotation of California pocket beaches

Pocket beaches are short, headland-bound coastal landforms that may exhibit shoreline rotation in response to time-varying wave conditions. Here we examine the presence, location and style of pocket beach rotation along the 1700 km coast of California using a comprehensive 22-year satellite-derived shoreline dataset. These analyses identify 23 pocket beaches that exhibit annual cycles of...
Authors
Jonathan Warrick, Daniel Buscombe, Kilian Vos, Andrew C. Ritchie, Bob Battalio
By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center

River floods under wetter antecedent conditions deliver coarser sediment to the coast River floods under wetter antecedent conditions deliver coarser sediment to the coast

Increasing hydrologic volatility—more extreme rain, and larger variations between wet and dry years—has become apparent in some regions, but few data exist to determine how intensifying hydrologic extremes affect sedimentary systems. Using uniquely high-resolution records of fluvial suspended sediment and coastal morphology, we quantify sedimentary responses from a steep, 357-km2...
Authors
Amy East, Alexander Snyder, Andrew Stevens, Jonathan Warrick, David Topping, Matthew Thomas, Andrew C. Ritchie
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Natural Hazards Mission Area, Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, Geologic Hazards Science Center, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center, Southwest Biological Science Center

Decadal-scale effects of a dam removal on channel geomorphology, sediment and large wood on the Elwha River, Washington, USA Decadal-scale effects of a dam removal on channel geomorphology, sediment and large wood on the Elwha River, Washington, USA

The removal of Glines Canyon Dam on the Elwha River in western Washington, USA, from 2011 to 2014 introduced a 20-Mt pulse of stored sediment and logs into the downstream channel. We used terrestrial laser scanning, high-resolution orthoimages, and surveys of large wood (LW) and sediment grain-size distribution to quantify changes to the channel and LW in four different geomorphic...
Authors
Lisa Ely, Alyssa DeMott, Bryon J. Free, Andrew C. Ritchie
By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center

Shoreline seasonality of California’s beaches Shoreline seasonality of California’s beaches

We report on remote sensing techniques developed to characterize seasonal shoreline cycles from satellite-derived shoreline measurements. These techniques are applied to 22-yr of shoreline measurements for over 777 km of beach along California's 1,700-km coast, for which the general understanding is that shorelines exhibit winter-narrow and summer-recovery seasonality. We find that...
Authors
Jonathan Warrick, Daniel D. Buscombe, Kilian Vos, Hannah Kenyon, Andrew C. Ritchie, Mitchell Harley, Catherine Janda, Jess L'Heureux, Sean Vitousek
By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center

Correction to A regime shift in sediment export from a coastal watershed during a record wet winter, California: Implications for landscape response to hydroclimatic extremes Correction to A regime shift in sediment export from a coastal watershed during a record wet winter, California: Implications for landscape response to hydroclimatic extremes

In the referenced article, the authors would like to correct text in the first paragraph on page 2571, Figure 9 and its caption. The changes reflect an error made in the processing of the rainfall intensity-duration data used to compare storms to published debris flow triggering thresholds. The correctly processed data does not change the interpretations made in the paper but does...
Authors
Amy East, Andrew Stevens, Andrew C. Ritchie, Patrick Barnard, Pamela L. Campbell‐Swarzenski, Brian Collins, Christopher H. Conaway
By
Water Resources Mission Area, Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics Science Center, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center

Post-glacial stratigraphy and late Holocene record of great Cascadia earthquakes in Ozette Lake, Washington, USA Post-glacial stratigraphy and late Holocene record of great Cascadia earthquakes in Ozette Lake, Washington, USA

Ozette Lake is an ~100-m-deep coastal lake located along the outer coast of the Olympic Peninsula (Washington, USA); it is situated above the locked portion of the northern Cascadia megathrust but also relatively isolated from active crustal faults and intraslab earthquakes. Here we present a suite of geophysical and geological evidence for earthquake-triggered mass transport deposits...
Authors
Daniel Brothers, Brian Sherrod, Drake Singleton, Jason Padgett, Jenna Hill, Andrew C. Ritchie, Jared W. Kluesner, Peter Dartnell
By
Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center

Remote sensing large-wood storage downstream of reservoirs during and after dam removal: Elwha River, Washington, USA Remote sensing large-wood storage downstream of reservoirs during and after dam removal: Elwha River, Washington, USA

Large wood is an integral part of many rivers, often defining river-corridor morphology and habitat, but its occurrence, magnitude, and evolution in a river system are much less well understood than the sedimentary and hydraulic components, and due to methodological limitations, have seldom previously been mapped in substantial detail. We present a new method for this, representing a...
Authors
Daniel D. Buscombe, Jonathan Warrick, Andrew C. Ritchie, Amy East, M. McHenry, Randall McCoy, Amy Foxgrover, E. Wohl
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center, Southwest Biological Science Center

Accurate maps of reef-scale bathymetry with synchronized underwater cameras and GNSS Accurate maps of reef-scale bathymetry with synchronized underwater cameras and GNSS

We investigate the utility of towed underwater camera systems with tightly coupled Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) positions to provide reef-scale bathymetric models with millimeter to centimeter resolutions and accuracies with Structure-from-Motion (SfM) photogrammetry. Successful development of these techniques would allow for detailed assessments of benthic conditions...
Authors
Gerald A. Hatcher, Jonathan Warrick, Christine Kranenburg, Andrew Ritchie
By
Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center

A large sediment accretion wave along a northern California littoral cell A large sediment accretion wave along a northern California littoral cell

The northern California littoral cell of the Klamath River, which is a mixed rocky and sandy system with significant shoreline curvature, was investigated by examining ∼40 yr of satellite-derived shoreline positions and historical records. We find that an accretion wave of sediment was initiated near the Klamath River mouth in the late 1980s and translated downcoast over the subsequent...
Authors
Jonathan Warrick, Kilian Vos, Daniel Buscombe, Andrew Ritchie, Jennifer Curtis
By
Water Resources Mission Area, California Water Science Center, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center

The future of coastal monitoring through satellite remote sensing The future of coastal monitoring through satellite remote sensing

Satellite remote sensing is transforming coastal science from a “data-poor” field into a “data-rich” field. Sandy beaches are dynamic landscapes that change in response to long-term pressures, short-term pulses, and anthropogenic interventions. Until recently, the rate and breadth of beach change have outpaced our ability to monitor those changes, due to the spatiotemporal limitations of...
Authors
Sean Vitousek, Dan Buscombe, Kilian Vos, Patrick Barnard, Andrew Ritchie, Jonathan Warrick
By
Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center

Diverse tsunamigenesis triggered by the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai eruption Diverse tsunamigenesis triggered by the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai eruption

On the evening of 15 January 2022, the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai volcano1 unleashed a violent underwater eruption, blanketing the surrounding land masses in ash and debris. The eruption generated tsunamis observed around the world. An event of this type last occurred in 1883 during the eruption of Krakatau, and thus we have the first observations of a tsunami from a large emergent...
Authors
Patrick Lynett, Maile McCann, Zili Zhou, Willington Renteria, Jose Borrero, Dougal Greer, ’Ofa Fa’anunu, Cyprien Bosserelle, Bruce Jaffe, SeanPaul La Selle, Andrew Ritchie, Alexander Snyder, Brandon Nasr, Jaqueline Bott, Nicholas A Graehl, Costas Synolakis, Behzad Ebrahimi, Ezgi Cinar
By
Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center

Agisoft Metashape/Photoscan Automated Image Alignment and Error Reduction version 2.0 Agisoft Metashape/Photoscan Automated Image Alignment and Error Reduction version 2.0

This repository contains python scripts which automate image alignment and sparse point cloud error reduction in the Agisoft Metashape/Photoscan structure from motion photogrammetry software package using the Agisoft Metashape Python API. The current version of the script (version 2.0) approximates the workflow described in U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2021-1039 (Over et al...
By
Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
USGS assists in post-storm seafloor survey following partial collapse of Santa Cruz wharf

USGS assists in post-storm seafloor survey following partial collapse of Santa Cruz wharf

Following the partial collapse of the Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf during January 2025 storms, the USGS Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center was...

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USGS-led Study: Shoreline Seasonality of California's Beaches

USGS-led Study: Shoreline Seasonality of California's Beaches

Most of the world’s beaches exhibit regular cycles of erosion and recovery, but new USGS-led research is showing that these cycles may be considerably...

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Remote-Sensing Large-Wood Storage Downstream from Reservoirs After Dam Removal

Remote-Sensing Large-Wood Storage Downstream from Reservoirs After Dam Removal

For nearly a century, two dams on the Elwha River blocked the natural flow of sediment and wood, leading to a highly altered river environment...

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Uncovering 14,000 Years of Seismic Activity in Northern Cascadia

Uncovering 14,000 Years of Seismic Activity in Northern Cascadia

New USGS research documents a 14,000-year history of seismic activity preserved in the sediments of Ozette Lake, a ~100-meter (328-foot) deep coastal...

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USGS aids storm response to Extratropical Typhoon Merbok in Alaska

USGS aids storm response to Extratropical Typhoon Merbok in Alaska

In September 2022, the west coast of Alaska was struck by Extratropical Typhoon Merbok, generating significant storm surge that caused severe flooding...

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Crowd-Sourcing Coastal Change Data Along Cliffs, Bluffs

Crowd-Sourcing Coastal Change Data Along Cliffs, Bluffs

Most remote-sensing techniques rely on imagery taken at a specific time and place. What if researchers could crowd-source this data from volunteers...

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Eyes in the Sky: How Satellite Imagery Transforms Shoreline Monitoring From “Data-Poor” to “Data-Rich”

Eyes in the Sky: How Satellite Imagery Transforms Shoreline Monitoring From “Data-Poor” to “Data-Rich”

Monitoring coastal changes is important for the millions of people that live along coasts in the U.S., particularly as climate change hastens coastal...

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Moving Mountains: Elwha River Still Changing Five Years After World’s Largest Dam-Removal Project: More than 20 million tons of sediment flushed to the sea

Moving Mountains: Elwha River Still Changing Five Years After World’s Largest Dam-Removal Project: More than 20 million tons of sediment flushed to the sea

Starting in 2011, the National Park Service removed two obsolete dams from the Elwha River in Olympic National Park, Washington. It was the world’s...

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Time-lapse view of California Highway 1 reconstruction after 2017 landslide

Time-lapse view of California Highway 1 reconstruction after 2017 landslide

USGS scientists produced an animated GIF in coordination with the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) re-opening of State Highway 1...

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USGS Monitors Huge Landslides on California's Big Sur Coast, Shares Information with California Department of Transportation

USGS Monitors Huge Landslides on California's Big Sur Coast, Shares Information with California Department of Transportation

On May 20, 2017, more than 2 million cubic meters of rock and dirt—enough to fill a line of dump trucks nearly a thousand miles long—collapsed down...

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