Dennis Michael Staley
Current research focuses on landslide hazards in Alaska, specifically on tsunamigenic landslides in Prince William Sound. Past research includes post-wildfire debris flow hazards in the western United States, the geomorphology of alluvial and debris-flow fans and talus deposits in arid and alpine environments, and the assessment of aquatic, riparian and wetland ecosystem health and function.
I am a Research Physical Scientist in the Alaska Volcano Observatory in Anchorage, Alaska, where I currently lead a project related to landslide hazards in Prince William Sound. This project is currently aimed at improving our understanding of the tsunamigenic potential and corresponding risk associated with large rock slope failures in recently deglaciated fiords.
Prior to moving to Alaska in the fall of 2021, I worked at the Geologic Hazards Science Center in Golden, Colorado, where I studied post-fire debris flows. This research focused on advancing our understanding of the topographic, geologic, hydrologic, and meteorological conditions that influence the location, timing, and magnitude of post-fire debris flows for the purpose of improving hazard assessment and early warning.
Before starting my career at the U.S. Geological Survey, I was a Physical Scientist at the U.S. Forest Service in Golden, Colorado, where I focused on developing protocols for assessing the health and function of aquatic, riparian, and wetland ecosystems of the Rocky Mountains.
Science and Products
Advancing Post-Fire Debris Flow Hazard Science with a Field Deployable Mapping Tool
Barry Arm, Alaska Landslide and Tsunami Monitoring
How Often Do Rainstorms Cause Debris Flows in Burned Areas of the Southwestern U.S.?
Debris-Flow Forecasts Before Wildfires
Postfire debris-flow hazards
Rainfall and Landslides in Southern California
Exploiting high-resolution topography for advancing the understanding of mass and energy transfer across landscapes: Opportunities, challenges, and needs
Science and Products
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Advancing Post-Fire Debris Flow Hazard Science with a Field Deployable Mapping Tool
Mapping the occurrence of post-fire flooding and debris flow is crucial for 1) integrating observations into models used to define rainfall thresholds for early warning, 2) understanding patterns of inundation, and 3) improving models for predictive hazard assessment. Despite the critical role mapping plays in post-fire hazard assessment and early warning, there has not been a standardized approaBarry Arm, Alaska Landslide and Tsunami Monitoring
A large steep slope in the Barry Arm fjord 30 miles (50 kilometers) northeast of Whittier, Alaska has the potential to fall into the water and generate a tsunami that could have devastating local effects on those who live, work, and recreate in and around Whittier and in northern Prince William Sound.How Often Do Rainstorms Cause Debris Flows in Burned Areas of the Southwestern U.S.?
Debris flows, sometimes referred to as mudslides, mudflows, lahars, or debris avalanches, are common types of fast-moving landslides. They usually start on steep hillsides as a result of shallow landslides, or from runoff and erosion that liquefy and accelerate to speeds in excess of 35 mi/h. The consistency of debris flows ranges from thin, watery to thick, rocky mud that can carry large items...Debris-Flow Forecasts Before Wildfires
Release Date: OCTOBER 15, 2018 USGS scientists have been pursuing a way to assess debris-flow hazards before a fire occurs.Postfire debris-flow hazards
Estimates of the probability and volume of debris flows that may be produced by a storm in a recently burned area, using a model with characteristics related to basin shape, burn severity, soil properties, and rainfall. Wildfire can significantly alter the hydrologic response of a watershed to the extent that even modest rainstorms can produce dangerous flash floods and debris flows. The USGS...Rainfall and Landslides in Southern California
A summary of recent and past landslides and debris flows caused by rainfall in Southern California.Exploiting high-resolution topography for advancing the understanding of mass and energy transfer across landscapes: Opportunities, challenges, and needs
One of the grand challenges of Earth Surface Science and Natural Resource Management lies in the prediction of mass and energy transfer for large watersheds and landscapes. High resolution topography (lidar) datasets show potential to significantly advance our understanding of hydrologic and geomorphic processes controlling mass and energy transfer because they represent features at the appropriat - Data
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*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