Charles M Cannon
Charles Cannon is a geologist at the Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics Science Center. 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. While Charlie's current research focuses on mapping Quaternary geology in the region near The Dalles, 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 and Certifications
M.S., Geology, Portland State University, 2015
Graduate Certificate, Geographic Information Systems, Portland State University, 2010
B.S., Geology with Computer Applications Minor, Portland State University, 2008
Affiliations and Memberships*
2007 - present, Geological Society of America
Science and Products
Digital terrain model of upper North Fork Toutle River valley, Washington, derived from historical topographic maps Digital terrain model of upper North Fork Toutle River valley, Washington, derived from historical topographic maps
This digital terrain model represents historical elevations along the valley of the North Fork Toutle River upstream of its confluence with the Green River in Cowlitz and Skamania Counties, Washington. Most elevations were derived from U.S. Geological Survey 1:62,500 scale topographic quadrangle maps published from 1953 to 1958 that were derived from aerial photographs taken in 1951 and...
Digital Terrain Model to Support Modeling of Lahars Originating on the West Side of Mount Rainier, Washington Digital Terrain Model to Support Modeling of Lahars Originating on the West Side of Mount Rainier, Washington
This digital elevation model contains ground surface elevations for the valleys of rivers draining the west side of Mount Rainier, Washington. Elevations are mostly from the 1/9th arc-second (approximately 3 meter) resolution U.S. Geological Survey National Elevation Dataset (NED). The NED data were projected to the Universal Transverse Mercator Zone 10 coordinate system and mosaicked to...
Data to support modeling of the 2015 Tyndall Glacier landslide, Alaska Data to support modeling of the 2015 Tyndall Glacier landslide, Alaska
Landslide-generated tsunamis pose significant hazards, but developing models to assess these hazards presents unique challenges. George and others (2017) present a new methodology in which a depth-averaged two-phase landslide model (D-Claw) is used to simulate all stages of landslide dynamics and subsequent tsunami generation, propagation, and inundation. Because the model describes the...
Filter Total Items: 18
Arc versus river: The geology of the Columbia River Gorge Arc versus river: The geology of the Columbia River Gorge
The Columbia River Gorge is the Columbia River’s long-held yet evolving passage through the volcanic arc of the Cascade Range. The globally unique setting of a continental-scale river bisecting an active volcanic arc at the leading edge of a major plate boundary creates a remarkable setting where dynamic volcanic and tectonic processes interact with diverse and energetic fluvial...
Authors
Jim E. O'Connor, Ray Wells, Scott E.K. Bennett, Charles M. Cannon, Lydia M. Staisch, James L Anderson, Anthony Francis Pivarunas, Gabriel Wells Gordon, Richard J. Blakely, Mark E. Stelten, Russell C. Evarts
Diverse cataclysmic floods from Pleistocene glacial Lake Missoula 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 Trench ice dam released glacial Lake...
Authors
Roger P. Denlinger, David L. George, Charles M. Cannon, Jim E. O'Connor, Richard B. Waitt
The Missoula and Bonneville floods—A review of ice-age megafloods in the Columbia River basin 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, spurred J Harlen Bretz’s vigorously disputed...
Authors
Jim E. O'Connor, Victor R. Baker, Richard B. Waitt, Larry N Smith, Charles M. Cannon, David L. George, Roger P. Denlinger
Seamless numerical simulation of a hazard cascade in which a landslide triggers a dam-breach flood and consequent debris flow Seamless numerical simulation of a hazard cascade in which a landslide triggers a dam-breach flood and consequent debris flow
Numerical simulations of hazard cascades downstream from moraine-dammed lakes commonly must specify linkages between models of discrete processes such as wave overtopping, dam breaching, erosion, and downstream floods or debris flows. Such linkages can be rather arbitrary and can detract from the ability to accurately conserve mass and momentum during complex sequences of events. Here we
Authors
David L. George, Richard M. Iverson, Charles M. Cannon
New methodology for computing tsunami generation by subaerial landslides: Application to the 2015 Tyndall Glacier landslide, Alaska New methodology for computing tsunami generation by subaerial landslides: Application to the 2015 Tyndall Glacier landslide, Alaska
Landslide-generated tsunamis pose significant hazards and involve complex, multiphase physics that are challenging to model. We present a new methodology in which our depth-averaged two-phase model D-Claw is used to seamlessly simulate all stages of landslide dynamics as well as tsunami generation, propagation, and inundation. Because the model describes the evolution of solid and fluid...
Authors
David L. George, Richard M. Iverson, Charles M. Cannon
Landslide mobility and hazards: implications of the 2014 Oso disaster 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 and effects of mobility, we focus on a disastrous...
Authors
Richard M. Iverson, David L. George, Kate E. Allstadt, Mark E. Reid, Brian D. Collins, James W. Vallance, Steve P. Schilling, Jonathan W. Godt, Charles Cannon, Christopher S. Magirl, Rex L. Baum, Jeffrey A. Coe, William H. Schulz, J. Brent Bower
Science and Products
Digital terrain model of upper North Fork Toutle River valley, Washington, derived from historical topographic maps Digital terrain model of upper North Fork Toutle River valley, Washington, derived from historical topographic maps
This digital terrain model represents historical elevations along the valley of the North Fork Toutle River upstream of its confluence with the Green River in Cowlitz and Skamania Counties, Washington. Most elevations were derived from U.S. Geological Survey 1:62,500 scale topographic quadrangle maps published from 1953 to 1958 that were derived from aerial photographs taken in 1951 and...
Digital Terrain Model to Support Modeling of Lahars Originating on the West Side of Mount Rainier, Washington Digital Terrain Model to Support Modeling of Lahars Originating on the West Side of Mount Rainier, Washington
This digital elevation model contains ground surface elevations for the valleys of rivers draining the west side of Mount Rainier, Washington. Elevations are mostly from the 1/9th arc-second (approximately 3 meter) resolution U.S. Geological Survey National Elevation Dataset (NED). The NED data were projected to the Universal Transverse Mercator Zone 10 coordinate system and mosaicked to...
Data to support modeling of the 2015 Tyndall Glacier landslide, Alaska Data to support modeling of the 2015 Tyndall Glacier landslide, Alaska
Landslide-generated tsunamis pose significant hazards, but developing models to assess these hazards presents unique challenges. George and others (2017) present a new methodology in which a depth-averaged two-phase landslide model (D-Claw) is used to simulate all stages of landslide dynamics and subsequent tsunami generation, propagation, and inundation. Because the model describes the...
Filter Total Items: 18
Arc versus river: The geology of the Columbia River Gorge Arc versus river: The geology of the Columbia River Gorge
The Columbia River Gorge is the Columbia River’s long-held yet evolving passage through the volcanic arc of the Cascade Range. The globally unique setting of a continental-scale river bisecting an active volcanic arc at the leading edge of a major plate boundary creates a remarkable setting where dynamic volcanic and tectonic processes interact with diverse and energetic fluvial...
Authors
Jim E. O'Connor, Ray Wells, Scott E.K. Bennett, Charles M. Cannon, Lydia M. Staisch, James L Anderson, Anthony Francis Pivarunas, Gabriel Wells Gordon, Richard J. Blakely, Mark E. Stelten, Russell C. Evarts
Diverse cataclysmic floods from Pleistocene glacial Lake Missoula 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 Trench ice dam released glacial Lake...
Authors
Roger P. Denlinger, David L. George, Charles M. Cannon, Jim E. O'Connor, Richard B. Waitt
The Missoula and Bonneville floods—A review of ice-age megafloods in the Columbia River basin 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, spurred J Harlen Bretz’s vigorously disputed...
Authors
Jim E. O'Connor, Victor R. Baker, Richard B. Waitt, Larry N Smith, Charles M. Cannon, David L. George, Roger P. Denlinger
Seamless numerical simulation of a hazard cascade in which a landslide triggers a dam-breach flood and consequent debris flow Seamless numerical simulation of a hazard cascade in which a landslide triggers a dam-breach flood and consequent debris flow
Numerical simulations of hazard cascades downstream from moraine-dammed lakes commonly must specify linkages between models of discrete processes such as wave overtopping, dam breaching, erosion, and downstream floods or debris flows. Such linkages can be rather arbitrary and can detract from the ability to accurately conserve mass and momentum during complex sequences of events. Here we
Authors
David L. George, Richard M. Iverson, Charles M. Cannon
New methodology for computing tsunami generation by subaerial landslides: Application to the 2015 Tyndall Glacier landslide, Alaska New methodology for computing tsunami generation by subaerial landslides: Application to the 2015 Tyndall Glacier landslide, Alaska
Landslide-generated tsunamis pose significant hazards and involve complex, multiphase physics that are challenging to model. We present a new methodology in which our depth-averaged two-phase model D-Claw is used to seamlessly simulate all stages of landslide dynamics as well as tsunami generation, propagation, and inundation. Because the model describes the evolution of solid and fluid...
Authors
David L. George, Richard M. Iverson, Charles M. Cannon
Landslide mobility and hazards: implications of the 2014 Oso disaster 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 and effects of mobility, we focus on a disastrous...
Authors
Richard M. Iverson, David L. George, Kate E. Allstadt, Mark E. Reid, Brian D. Collins, James W. Vallance, Steve P. Schilling, Jonathan W. Godt, Charles Cannon, Christopher S. Magirl, Rex L. Baum, Jeffrey A. Coe, William H. Schulz, J. Brent Bower
*Disclaimer: Listing outside positions with professional scientific organizations on this Staff Profile are for informational purposes only and do not constitute an endorsement of those professional scientific organizations or their activities by the USGS, Department of the Interior, or U.S. Government