Charles M Cannon
Charles Cannon is a geologist at the Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics Science Center. He received a M.S. degree in geology from Portland State University in 2015. Since joining the USGS in 2008, he has devoted his career to studying the geology and geomorphology of the Columbia River region and specializes in geographic information systems.
Biography
While Charlie's current research focuses on mapping Quaternary geology in the region near The Dalles, Oregon, he began his career at USGS in 2008 as a student working on geomorphic mapping of gravel bed rivers in southwest Oregon. Since 2010, he has been working to understand the geology of the lower Columbia River, primarily by way of detailed geomorphic mapping and hydrologic analyses of its tidally-influenced reaches between Bonneville Dam and the Pacific Ocean. Since 2014, he has been working to map Quaternary geology in the region near The Dalles, Oregon. His interests include using geographic information systems, remote sensing, and modeling for geologic and geomorphic studies.
Professional Experience:
- 2015 - Present, Geologist, U.S. Geological Survey, Portland, OR
- 2008 - 2015, Hydrologist, U.S. Geological Survey, Portland, OR
Education:
- B.S., Geology with Computer Applications Minor, Portland State University, 2008
- Graduate Certificate, Geographic Information Systems, Portland State University, 2010
- M.S., Geology, Portland State University, 2015
Affiliations:
- 2007 - present, Geological Society of America
Science and Products
Pacific Northwest Geologic Mapping: Northern Pacific Border, Cascades and Columbia
The Pacific Northwest is an area created by active and complex geological processes. On its path to the Pacific Ocean, the Columbia River slices through a chain of active volcanoes located along the western margin of the U.S. in Washington, Oregon, and northern California. These volcanoes rest above the active Cascadia subduction zone, which is the boundary where the oceanic tectonic plate...
Diverse cataclysmic floods from Pleistocene glacial Lake Missoula
In late Wisconsin time, the Purcell Trench lobe of the Cordilleran ice sheet dammed the Clark Fork of the Columbia River in western Montana, creating glacial Lake Missoula. During part of this epoch, the Okanogan lobe also dammed the Columbia River downstream, creating glacial Lake Columbia in northeast Washington. Repeated failure of the Purcell...
Denlinger, Roger P.; George, David L.; Cannon, Charles; O'Connor, Jim E.; Waitt, Richard B. The Missoula and Bonneville floods—A review of ice-age megafloods in the Columbia River basin
The Channeled Scabland of eastern Washington State, USA, brought megafloods to the scientific forefront. A 30,000-km2 landscape of coulees and cataracts carved into the region’s loess-covered basalt attests to overwhelming volumes of energetic water. The scarred landscape, garnished by huge boulder bars and far-travelled ice-rafted erratics,...
O'Connor, Jim E.; Baker, Victor R.; Waitt, Richard B.; Smith, Larry N; Cannon, Charles; George, David L.; Denlinger, Roger P. Landslide mobility and hazards: implications of the 2014 Oso disaster
Landslides reflect landscape instability that evolves over meteorological and geological timescales, and they also pose threats to people, property, and the environment. The severity of these threats depends largely on landslide speed and travel distance, which are collectively described as landslide “mobility”. To investigate causes...
Iverson, Richard M.; George, David L.; Allstadt, Kate E.; Reid, Mark E.; Collins, Brian D.; Vallance, James W.; Schilling, Steve P.; Godt, Jonathan W.; Cannon, Charles; Magirl, Christopher S.; Baum, Rex L.; Coe, Jeffrey A.; Schulz, William; Bower, J. Brent
Columbia River Estuary Ecosystem Classification Cultural Features
Estuarine ecosystems are controlled by a variety of processes that operate at multiple spatial and temporal scales. Understanding the hierarchical nature of these processes will aid in prioritization of restoration efforts. This hierarchical Columbia River Estuary Ecosystem Classification (henceforth "Classification") of the Columbia River estuary...
Cannon, Charles M.; Ramirez, Mary F.; Burke, Jennifer L.; Simenstad, Charles A.; O'Connor, Jim E.; Marcoe, Keith Columbia River Estuary Ecosystem Classification Ecosystem Complex
Estuarine ecosystems are controlled by a variety of processes that operate at multiple spatial and temporal scales. Understanding the hierarchical nature of these processes will aid in prioritization of restoration efforts. This hierarchical Columbia River Estuary Ecosystem Classification (henceforth "Classification") of the Columbia River estuary...
Cannon, Charles M.; Ramirez, Mary F.; Heatwole, Danelle W.; Burke, Jennifer L.; Simenstad, Charles A.; O'Connor, Jim E.; Marcoe, Keith Marcoe Columbia River Estuary Ecosystem Classification Geomorphic Catena
Estuarine ecosystems are controlled by a variety of processes that operate at multiple spatial and temporal scales. Understanding the hierarchical nature of these processes will aid in prioritization of restoration efforts. This hierarchical Columbia River Estuary Ecosystem Classification (henceforth "Classification") of the Columbia River estuary...
Cannon, Charles M.; Ramirez, Mary F.; Heatwole, Danelle W.; Burke, Jennifer L.; Simenstad, Charles A.; O'Connor, Jim E.; Marcoe, Keith Columbia River Estuary Ecosystem Classification Hydrogeomorphic Reach
Estuarine ecosystems are controlled by a variety of processes that operate at multiple spatial and temporal scales. Understanding the hierarchical nature of these processes will aid in prioritization of restoration efforts. This hierarchical Columbia River Estuary Ecosystem Classification (henceforth "Classification") of the Columbia River estuary...
Cannon, Charles M.; Ramirez, Mary F.; Heatwole, Danelle W.; Burke, Jennifer L.; Simenstad, Charles A.; O'Connor, Jim E.; Marcoe, Keith
Columbia River Estuary ecosystem classification—Concept and application
This document describes the concept, organization, and application of a hierarchical ecosystem classification that integrates saline and tidal freshwater reaches of estuaries in order to characterize the ecosystems of large flood plain rivers that are strongly influenced by riverine and estuarine hydrology. We illustrate the classification by...
Simenstad, Charles A.; Burke, Jennifer L.; O'Connor, Jim E.; Cannon, Charles; Heatwole, Danelle W.; Ramirez, Mary F.; Waite, Ian R.; Counihan, Timothy D.; Jones, Krista L.
Channel change and bed-material transport in the Umpqua River basin, Oregon
The Umpqua River drains 12,103 square kilometers of western Oregon; with headwaters in the Cascade Range, the river flows through portions of the Klamath Mountains and Oregon Coast Range before entering the Pacific Ocean. Above the head of tide, the Umpqua River, along with its major tributaries, the North and South Umpqua Rivers, flows on a mixed...
Wallick, J. Rose; O'Connor, Jim E.; Anderson, Scott; Keith, Mackenzie K.; Cannon, Charles; Risley, John C.
Channel change and bed-material transport in the Umpqua River basin, Oregon
The Umpqua River drains 12,103 km2 of western Oregon, heading in the Cascade Range and draining portions of the Klamath Mountains and Coast Range before entering the Pacific Ocean. Above the head of tide, the Umpqua River, along with its major tributaries, the North and South Umpqua Rivers, flows on a mixed bedrock and alluvium bed,...
Wallick, J. Rose; O'Connor, Jim E.; Anderson, Scott; Keith, Mackenzie K.; Cannon, Charles; Risley, John C.
Channel change and bed-material transport in the Lower Chetco River, Oregon
The lower Chetco River is a wandering gravel-bed river flanked by abundant and large gravel bars formed of coarse bed-material sediment. The large gravel bars have been a source of commercial aggregate since the early twentieth century for which ongoing permitting and aquatic habitat concerns have motivated this assessment of historical channel...
Wallick, J. Rose; Anderson, Scott W.; Cannon, Charles; O'Connor, Jim E. Preliminary assessment of vertical stability and gravel transport along the Umpqua River, southwestern Oregon
This report addresses physical channel issues related to instream gravel mining on the Umpqua River and its two primary tributaries, the North and South Umpqua Rivers. This analysis constitutes a “Phase I” investigation, as designated by an interagency team cochaired by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Portland District, and the Oregon Department...
O'Connor, Jim E.; Wallick, J. Rose; Sobieszczyk, Steven; Cannon, Charles; Anderson, Scott W.