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Jeffrey Coe

During a long career with the USGS, I’ve studied a wide variety of landslide types in the western United States and abroad. My general research focus is on understanding landslide processes and quantifying landslide hazards. 

Education and Certifications

  • Kent State University, B.S., 1984, Geology

  • Colorado School of Mines, M.S., 1995, Geology

Affiliations and Memberships*

  • Geological Society of America

  • American Geophysical Union

Honors and Awards

  • Meritorious Service Award, U.S. Department of Interior, 2022

  • Fellow, Geological Society of America, 2021

  • Superior Service Award, U.S. Department of Interior, 2017, for emergency response and research at the West Salt Creek landslide

  • Superior Service Award, U.S. Department of Interior, 2017, for research on debris flows in Oregon

  • Distinguished Practice Award, Geological Society of America, Environmental & Engineering Geology Division, 2017

  • Directors Award, U.S. Geological Survey, 2014, for emergency response at the Oso landslide

  • Past-Presidents’ Award, Colorado Scientific Society, 2010

Science and Products

Photo of flowing glacier

Barry 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.
By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Landslide Hazards Program
Barry Arm, Alaska Landslide and Tsunami Monitoring

Barry 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.
Learn More
Tidal Inlet, Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska

Potential Landslide Paths and Implications for Tsunami Hazards in Glacier Bay, Alaska – An Initial Investigation

Glacier Bay and its inlets are a popular destination for cruise ships and passenger boats; about 540,000 people visited Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve (GBNPP) in 2017. A typical tour of the Bay traverses the entire length up to the glacier calving viewpoints in the Johns Hopkins and Tarr Inlets. A 2018 article “Landslides and Giant Waves” by the National Park Service (NPS) states, “The...
By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Landslide Hazards Program, Geologic Hazards Science Center
Potential Landslide Paths and Implications for Tsunami Hazards in Glacier Bay, Alaska – An Initial Investigation

Potential Landslide Paths and Implications for Tsunami Hazards in Glacier Bay, Alaska – An Initial Investigation

Glacier Bay and its inlets are a popular destination for cruise ships and passenger boats; about 540,000 people visited Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve (GBNPP) in 2017. A typical tour of the Bay traverses the entire length up to the glacier calving viewpoints in the Johns Hopkins and Tarr Inlets. A 2018 article “Landslides and Giant Waves” by the National Park Service (NPS) states, “The...
Learn More
February 16, 2014 rock avalanche from Mount La Perouse. Relief from head scarp to toe is about 1770 m.

Mountain Permafrost, Climate Change, and Rock Avalanches in Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska

Release Date: JUNE 18, 2018 We usually hear about landslides and avalanches that are caused by large amounts of rainfall, the shaking from earthquakes, or a volcanic eruption, but we may be hearing more about avalanches caused by the (seemingly innocuous) melting of ice in the coming years.
By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Landslide Hazards Program
Mountain Permafrost, Climate Change, and Rock Avalanches in Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska

Mountain Permafrost, Climate Change, and Rock Avalanches in Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska

Release Date: JUNE 18, 2018 We usually hear about landslides and avalanches that are caused by large amounts of rainfall, the shaking from earthquakes, or a volcanic eruption, but we may be hearing more about avalanches caused by the (seemingly innocuous) melting of ice in the coming years.
Learn More
Data logger suspended above a channel with a person pointing up at it from the bottom of the channel

Millicoma Meander, Elliott State Forest, Oregon - Monitoring Discontinued

U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) monitoring at this landslide has been discontinued. In previous years, the USGS and its cooperators installed instruments to monitor a steep, recently clear-cut basin in the Elliott State Forest.
By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Landslide Hazards Program, Geologic Hazards Science Center
Millicoma Meander, Elliott State Forest, Oregon - Monitoring Discontinued

Millicoma Meander, Elliott State Forest, Oregon - Monitoring Discontinued

U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) monitoring at this landslide has been discontinued. In previous years, the USGS and its cooperators installed instruments to monitor a steep, recently clear-cut basin in the Elliott State Forest.
Learn More
Aerial photo of the West Salt Creek rock avalanche

Reconstruction of an Avalanche: The West Salt Creek Rock Avalanche

Release Date: MAY 25, 2016 The West Salt Creek Rock Avalanche, Colorado, May 25, 2014
By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Landslide Hazards Program
Reconstruction of an Avalanche: The West Salt Creek Rock Avalanche

Reconstruction of an Avalanche: The West Salt Creek Rock Avalanche

Release Date: MAY 25, 2016 The West Salt Creek Rock Avalanche, Colorado, May 25, 2014
Learn More
Filter Total Items: 36

Conventional and Global Positioning System survey data from 1975-2022 at Bald Eagle ridge, Lake County, Colorado Conventional and Global Positioning System survey data from 1975-2022 at Bald Eagle ridge, Lake County, Colorado

As part of an effort by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to better understand topographic and structural conditions that promote slow spreading and sagging of mountain ridges (Varnes and others, 1989), USGS researchers began surveying monitoring points at Bald Eagle ridge in the Sawatch Range of Colorado in 1975 (Radbruch-Hall and others, 1976; Varnes and others, 1990). Bald Eagle ridge...
By
Landslide Hazards Program, Geologic Hazards Science Center

Rock mass quality and structural geology observations at Bald Eagle ridge and vicinity, Lake County, Colorado Rock mass quality and structural geology observations at Bald Eagle ridge and vicinity, Lake County, Colorado

Bald Eagle ridge, located about 14 km west of Leadville, Colorado, is slowly spreading and sagging, resulting in sackungen that have been monitored by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) since the mid-1970s (for example, Varnes and others, 1989; Varnes and others, 1990; Varnes and others, 2000). The ridge forms the southeastern flank of the glaciated Busk Creek valley and is underlain by
By
Geologic Hazards Science Center

Maps showing landslide structures at three locations on the active part of the Slumgullion landslide, Hinsdale County, Colorado in 2002, 2013, and 2023 Maps showing landslide structures at three locations on the active part of the Slumgullion landslide, Hinsdale County, Colorado in 2002, 2013, and 2023

The maps in this data release show active landslide structures in three areas along the north flank of the Slumgullion landslide. After the entire active part of the landslide was mapped in 1992 and 1993 (Fleming and others, 1999), we remapped these three smaller areas at roughly decadal intervals. Our goal was to learn what structures might persist and how they might change as...
By
Landslide Hazards Program

Inventory of rock avalanches in the central Chugach Mountains, northern Prince William Sound, Alaska, 1984-2024 Inventory of rock avalanches in the central Chugach Mountains, northern Prince William Sound, Alaska, 1984-2024

In the Prince William Sound region of Alaska, recent glacier retreat started in the mid-1800s and began to accelerate in the mid-2000s in response to warming air temperatures (Maraldo and others, 2020). Prince William Sound is surrounded by the Chugach Mountains and has numerous ocean-terminating glaciers, with rapid deglaciation increasingly exposing oversteepened bedrock walls of...
By
Landslide Hazards Program

Rock mass quality and structural geology observations in Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, Alaska from the summers of 2021 and 2022 Rock mass quality and structural geology observations in Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, Alaska from the summers of 2021 and 2022

Subaerial and submarine landslides adjacent to, and within, Glacier Bay, Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve (GBNPP), Alaska pose a threat to the public because of their potential to generate ocean waves that could impact marine activities. Although historical records of tsunamis generated by landslides in GBNPP are uncommon, there are records that document the destructive power of at...
By
Landslide Hazards Program

Rock mass quality and structural geology observations in northwest Prince William Sound, Alaska from the summer of 2021 Rock mass quality and structural geology observations in northwest Prince William Sound, Alaska from the summer of 2021

Multiple subaerial landslides adjacent to Prince William Sound, Alaska (for example, Dai and others, 2020; Higman and others, 2023; Schaefer and others, 2024) pose a threat to the public because of their potential to generate ocean waves (Dai and others, 2020; Barnhart and others, 2021; Barnhart and others, 2022) that could impact towns and marine activities. One bedrock landslide on the...
By
Geologic Hazards Science Center

Multi-temporal maps of the Montaguto earth flow in southern Italy from 1954 to 2010 Multi-temporal maps of the Montaguto earth flow in southern Italy from 1954 to 2010

Historical movement of the Montaguto earth flow in southern Italy has periodically destroyed residences and farmland, and damaged the Italian National Road SS90 and the Benevento-Foggia National Railway. This paper provides maps from an investigation into the evolution of the Montaguto earth flow from 1954 to 2010. We used aerial photos, topographic maps, LiDAR data, satellite images...
By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Landslide Hazards Program, Geologic Hazards Science Center

Map showing recent (1997-98 El Nino) and historical landslides, Crow Creek and vicinity, Alameda and Contra Costa Counties, California Map showing recent (1997-98 El Nino) and historical landslides, Crow Creek and vicinity, Alameda and Contra Costa Counties, California

This report documents the spatial distribution of 3,800 landslides caused by 1997-98 El Ni?o winter rainfall in the vicinity of Crow Creek in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties, California. The report also documents 558 historical (pre-1997-98) landslides. Landslides were mapped from 1:12,000-scale aerial photographs and classified as either debris flows or slides. Slides include...
By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Landslide Hazards Program, Geologic Hazards Science Center

Geologic map of the north ramp of the exploratory studies facility at Yucca Mountain, Nevada, stations 3+60 to 4+25 meters Geologic map of the north ramp of the exploratory studies facility at Yucca Mountain, Nevada, stations 3+60 to 4+25 meters

No abstract available.
Image: Rock-Fall Estimating
Rock-Fall Estimating
Rock-Fall Estimating
Image: Rock-Fall Estimating

Rock-Fall Estimating

Rock-Fall Estimating

Geologist Ed Harp estimates rock-fall susceptibility in American Fork Canyon, UT.

By
Landslide Hazards, Communications and Publishing
Image: Rock-Fall Estimating

Rock-Fall Estimating

Rock-Fall Estimating

Geologist Ed Harp estimates rock-fall susceptibility in American Fork Canyon, UT.

By
Landslide Hazards, Communications and Publishing
Image: Rock-Fall Estimating
Rock-Fall Estimating
Rock-Fall Estimating
Image: Rock-Fall Estimating

Rock-Fall Estimating

Rock-Fall Estimating

Geologist Ed Harp estimates rock-fall susceptibility in American Fork Canyon, UT.

By
Landslide Hazards, Communications and Publishing
Image: Rock-Fall Estimating

Rock-Fall Estimating

Rock-Fall Estimating

Geologist Ed Harp estimates rock-fall susceptibility in American Fork Canyon, UT.

By
Landslide Hazards, Communications and Publishing
Image: Landslide Sampling
Landslide Sampling
Landslide Sampling
Image: Landslide Sampling

Landslide Sampling

Landslide Sampling

Scientist Jonathan Godt samples a landslide headscarp in Alameda County, CA.

By
Natural Hazards, Landslide Hazards, Communications and Publishing
Image: Landslide Sampling

Landslide Sampling

Landslide Sampling

Scientist Jonathan Godt samples a landslide headscarp in Alameda County, CA.

By
Natural Hazards, Landslide Hazards, Communications and Publishing
Image: Debris Flow Research
Debris Flow Research
Debris Flow Research
Image: Debris Flow Research

Debris Flow Research

Debris Flow Research

Scientists Jonathan Godt and Rex Baum examine a fresh debris-flow deposit near Buena Vista, CO.

By
Landslide Hazards, Communications and Publishing
Image: Debris Flow Research

Debris Flow Research

Debris Flow Research

Scientists Jonathan Godt and Rex Baum examine a fresh debris-flow deposit near Buena Vista, CO.

By
Landslide Hazards, Communications and Publishing
Image: Debris Flow in Action
Debris Flow in Action
Debris Flow in Action
Image: Debris Flow in Action

Debris Flow in Action

Debris Flow in Action

A debris flow exceeding a meter in depth rushes towards the monitoring station used to measure basal force and other flow properties.

Captured by automated monitoring camera.

 

By
Landslide Hazards Program, Communications and Publishing
Image: Debris Flow in Action

Debris Flow in Action

Debris Flow in Action

A debris flow exceeding a meter in depth rushes towards the monitoring station used to measure basal force and other flow properties.

Captured by automated monitoring camera.

 

By
Landslide Hazards Program, Communications and Publishing
Filter Total Items: 74

The 2022 Chaos Canyon landslide in Colorado: Insights revealed by seismic analysis, field investigations, and remote sensing The 2022 Chaos Canyon landslide in Colorado: Insights revealed by seismic analysis, field investigations, and remote sensing

An unusual, high-alpine, rapid debris slide originating in ice-rich debris occurred on June 28, 2022, at 16:33:16 MDT at the head of Chaos Canyon, a formerly glacier-covered valley in Rocky Mountain National Park, CO, USA. In this study, we integrate eyewitness videos and seismic records of the event with meteorological data, field observations, pre- and post-event satellite imagery, and...
Authors
Kate E. Allstadt, Jeffrey A. Coe, Elaine Collins, Francis K. Rengers, Anne Mangeney, Scott M. Esser, Jana Pursley, William L. Yeck, John Bellini, Lance R. Brady
By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Landslide Hazards Program, Geologic Hazards Science Center

Fractures, scarps, faults, and landslides mapped using LiDAR, Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, Alaska Fractures, scarps, faults, and landslides mapped using LiDAR, Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, Alaska

This map of fractures, scarps, faults, and landslides was completed to identify areas in Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve that may present a landslide-generated tsunami hazard. To address the potential of landslide and tsunami hazards in the park, the National Park Service (NPS) and the US Geological Survey (USGS) partnered to conduct a multi-year hazard assessment of Glacier Bay...
Authors
Chad Hults, Jeffrey A. Coe, Nikita N. Avdievitch
By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Earthquake Hazards Program, Landslide Hazards Program, Geologic Hazards Science Center

Kinematic evolution of a large paraglacial landslide in the Barry Arm fjord of Alaska Kinematic evolution of a large paraglacial landslide in the Barry Arm fjord of Alaska

Our warming climate is adversely affecting cryospheric landscapes via glacial retreat, permafrost degradation, and associated slope destabilization. In Prince William Sound, Alaska, the rapid retreat of Barry Glacier has destabilized the slopes flanking the glacier, resulting in numerous landslides. The largest of these landslides (∼500 Mm3 in volume) is more than 2 km wide and has the...
Authors
Lauren N. Schaefer, Jeffrey A. Coe, Katreen Wikstrom Jones, Brian D. Collins, Dennis M. Staley, Michael E. West, Ezgi Karasozen, Charles Prentice-James Miles, Gabriel J. Wolken, Ronald P. Daanan, Kelli Wadsworth Baxstrom
By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Landslide Hazards Program, Geologic Hazards Science Center

Bedrock erosion by debris flows at Chalk Cliffs, Colorado, USA: Implications for bedrock channel evolution Bedrock erosion by debris flows at Chalk Cliffs, Colorado, USA: Implications for bedrock channel evolution

Debris flow erosion into bedrock helps to set the pace of mountain denudation, but there are few empirical observations of this process. We studied the effects of debris flows on bedrock erosion using Structure-From-Motion photogrammetry and multiple real-time monitoring measurements. We found that the distribution of bedrock erosion across the channel cross-section could be generalized...
Authors
Francis K. Rengers, Jason W. Kean, Jeffrey A. Coe, Megan Hanson, Joel Smith
By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Landslide Hazards Program, Geologic Hazards Science Center

Distribution of large boulders on the deposit of the West Salt Creek rock avalanche, western Colorado Distribution of large boulders on the deposit of the West Salt Creek rock avalanche, western Colorado

On May 25, 2014, a 54.5-million cubic meter rock avalanche in the West Salt Creek valley, Mesa County, Colorado, traveled 4.6 kilometers, leaving a deposit that covers about 2.2 square kilometers. To check the particle-size distribution of the deposit for information about the high mobility of the avalanche, we estimated boulder distribution density for the entire deposit by counting 1...
Authors
Adrian C. Lewis, Rex L. Baum, Jeffrey A. Coe
By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Landslide Hazards Program, Geologic Hazards Science Center

Revising supraglacial rock avalanche magnitudes and frequencies in Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska Revising supraglacial rock avalanche magnitudes and frequencies in Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska

The frequency of large supraglacial landslides (rock avalanches) occurring in glacial environments is thought to be increasing due to feedbacks with climate warming and permafrost degradation. However, it is difficult to (i) test this; (ii) establish cause–effect relationships; and (iii) determine associated lag-times, due to both temporal and spatial biases in detection rates. Here we...
Authors
William Smith, Stuart A. Dunning, Neil Ross, Jon Telling, Erin K. Bessette-Kirton, Dan H. Shugar, Jeffrey A. Coe, M. Geertsema
By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Landslide Hazards Program, Geologic Hazards Science Center, Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics Science Center
Potential Landslides and Tsunami Hazards in Glacier Bay, Alaska

Potential Landslides and Tsunami Hazards in Glacier Bay, Alaska

USGS landslide scientists recently completed an investigation that provides an initial assessment of areas where landslides could enter the water of...

Read Article
USGS Geologists Join Efforts in Montecito to Assess Debris-Flow Aftermath

USGS Geologists Join Efforts in Montecito to Assess Debris-Flow Aftermath

Days after fatal debris flows devastated Southern California’s Montecito community,  a team of U.S. Geological Survey geologists joined county, state...

Read Article

Science and Products

Photo of flowing glacier

Barry 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.
By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Landslide Hazards Program
Barry Arm, Alaska Landslide and Tsunami Monitoring

Barry 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.
Learn More
Tidal Inlet, Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska

Potential Landslide Paths and Implications for Tsunami Hazards in Glacier Bay, Alaska – An Initial Investigation

Glacier Bay and its inlets are a popular destination for cruise ships and passenger boats; about 540,000 people visited Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve (GBNPP) in 2017. A typical tour of the Bay traverses the entire length up to the glacier calving viewpoints in the Johns Hopkins and Tarr Inlets. A 2018 article “Landslides and Giant Waves” by the National Park Service (NPS) states, “The...
By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Landslide Hazards Program, Geologic Hazards Science Center
Potential Landslide Paths and Implications for Tsunami Hazards in Glacier Bay, Alaska – An Initial Investigation

Potential Landslide Paths and Implications for Tsunami Hazards in Glacier Bay, Alaska – An Initial Investigation

Glacier Bay and its inlets are a popular destination for cruise ships and passenger boats; about 540,000 people visited Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve (GBNPP) in 2017. A typical tour of the Bay traverses the entire length up to the glacier calving viewpoints in the Johns Hopkins and Tarr Inlets. A 2018 article “Landslides and Giant Waves” by the National Park Service (NPS) states, “The...
Learn More
February 16, 2014 rock avalanche from Mount La Perouse. Relief from head scarp to toe is about 1770 m.

Mountain Permafrost, Climate Change, and Rock Avalanches in Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska

Release Date: JUNE 18, 2018 We usually hear about landslides and avalanches that are caused by large amounts of rainfall, the shaking from earthquakes, or a volcanic eruption, but we may be hearing more about avalanches caused by the (seemingly innocuous) melting of ice in the coming years.
By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Landslide Hazards Program
Mountain Permafrost, Climate Change, and Rock Avalanches in Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska

Mountain Permafrost, Climate Change, and Rock Avalanches in Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska

Release Date: JUNE 18, 2018 We usually hear about landslides and avalanches that are caused by large amounts of rainfall, the shaking from earthquakes, or a volcanic eruption, but we may be hearing more about avalanches caused by the (seemingly innocuous) melting of ice in the coming years.
Learn More
Data logger suspended above a channel with a person pointing up at it from the bottom of the channel

Millicoma Meander, Elliott State Forest, Oregon - Monitoring Discontinued

U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) monitoring at this landslide has been discontinued. In previous years, the USGS and its cooperators installed instruments to monitor a steep, recently clear-cut basin in the Elliott State Forest.
By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Landslide Hazards Program, Geologic Hazards Science Center
Millicoma Meander, Elliott State Forest, Oregon - Monitoring Discontinued

Millicoma Meander, Elliott State Forest, Oregon - Monitoring Discontinued

U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) monitoring at this landslide has been discontinued. In previous years, the USGS and its cooperators installed instruments to monitor a steep, recently clear-cut basin in the Elliott State Forest.
Learn More
Aerial photo of the West Salt Creek rock avalanche

Reconstruction of an Avalanche: The West Salt Creek Rock Avalanche

Release Date: MAY 25, 2016 The West Salt Creek Rock Avalanche, Colorado, May 25, 2014
By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Landslide Hazards Program
Reconstruction of an Avalanche: The West Salt Creek Rock Avalanche

Reconstruction of an Avalanche: The West Salt Creek Rock Avalanche

Release Date: MAY 25, 2016 The West Salt Creek Rock Avalanche, Colorado, May 25, 2014
Learn More
Filter Total Items: 36

Conventional and Global Positioning System survey data from 1975-2022 at Bald Eagle ridge, Lake County, Colorado Conventional and Global Positioning System survey data from 1975-2022 at Bald Eagle ridge, Lake County, Colorado

As part of an effort by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to better understand topographic and structural conditions that promote slow spreading and sagging of mountain ridges (Varnes and others, 1989), USGS researchers began surveying monitoring points at Bald Eagle ridge in the Sawatch Range of Colorado in 1975 (Radbruch-Hall and others, 1976; Varnes and others, 1990). Bald Eagle ridge...
By
Landslide Hazards Program, Geologic Hazards Science Center

Rock mass quality and structural geology observations at Bald Eagle ridge and vicinity, Lake County, Colorado Rock mass quality and structural geology observations at Bald Eagle ridge and vicinity, Lake County, Colorado

Bald Eagle ridge, located about 14 km west of Leadville, Colorado, is slowly spreading and sagging, resulting in sackungen that have been monitored by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) since the mid-1970s (for example, Varnes and others, 1989; Varnes and others, 1990; Varnes and others, 2000). The ridge forms the southeastern flank of the glaciated Busk Creek valley and is underlain by
By
Geologic Hazards Science Center

Maps showing landslide structures at three locations on the active part of the Slumgullion landslide, Hinsdale County, Colorado in 2002, 2013, and 2023 Maps showing landslide structures at three locations on the active part of the Slumgullion landslide, Hinsdale County, Colorado in 2002, 2013, and 2023

The maps in this data release show active landslide structures in three areas along the north flank of the Slumgullion landslide. After the entire active part of the landslide was mapped in 1992 and 1993 (Fleming and others, 1999), we remapped these three smaller areas at roughly decadal intervals. Our goal was to learn what structures might persist and how they might change as...
By
Landslide Hazards Program

Inventory of rock avalanches in the central Chugach Mountains, northern Prince William Sound, Alaska, 1984-2024 Inventory of rock avalanches in the central Chugach Mountains, northern Prince William Sound, Alaska, 1984-2024

In the Prince William Sound region of Alaska, recent glacier retreat started in the mid-1800s and began to accelerate in the mid-2000s in response to warming air temperatures (Maraldo and others, 2020). Prince William Sound is surrounded by the Chugach Mountains and has numerous ocean-terminating glaciers, with rapid deglaciation increasingly exposing oversteepened bedrock walls of...
By
Landslide Hazards Program

Rock mass quality and structural geology observations in Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, Alaska from the summers of 2021 and 2022 Rock mass quality and structural geology observations in Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, Alaska from the summers of 2021 and 2022

Subaerial and submarine landslides adjacent to, and within, Glacier Bay, Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve (GBNPP), Alaska pose a threat to the public because of their potential to generate ocean waves that could impact marine activities. Although historical records of tsunamis generated by landslides in GBNPP are uncommon, there are records that document the destructive power of at...
By
Landslide Hazards Program

Rock mass quality and structural geology observations in northwest Prince William Sound, Alaska from the summer of 2021 Rock mass quality and structural geology observations in northwest Prince William Sound, Alaska from the summer of 2021

Multiple subaerial landslides adjacent to Prince William Sound, Alaska (for example, Dai and others, 2020; Higman and others, 2023; Schaefer and others, 2024) pose a threat to the public because of their potential to generate ocean waves (Dai and others, 2020; Barnhart and others, 2021; Barnhart and others, 2022) that could impact towns and marine activities. One bedrock landslide on the...
By
Geologic Hazards Science Center

Multi-temporal maps of the Montaguto earth flow in southern Italy from 1954 to 2010 Multi-temporal maps of the Montaguto earth flow in southern Italy from 1954 to 2010

Historical movement of the Montaguto earth flow in southern Italy has periodically destroyed residences and farmland, and damaged the Italian National Road SS90 and the Benevento-Foggia National Railway. This paper provides maps from an investigation into the evolution of the Montaguto earth flow from 1954 to 2010. We used aerial photos, topographic maps, LiDAR data, satellite images...
By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Landslide Hazards Program, Geologic Hazards Science Center

Map showing recent (1997-98 El Nino) and historical landslides, Crow Creek and vicinity, Alameda and Contra Costa Counties, California Map showing recent (1997-98 El Nino) and historical landslides, Crow Creek and vicinity, Alameda and Contra Costa Counties, California

This report documents the spatial distribution of 3,800 landslides caused by 1997-98 El Ni?o winter rainfall in the vicinity of Crow Creek in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties, California. The report also documents 558 historical (pre-1997-98) landslides. Landslides were mapped from 1:12,000-scale aerial photographs and classified as either debris flows or slides. Slides include...
By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Landslide Hazards Program, Geologic Hazards Science Center

Geologic map of the north ramp of the exploratory studies facility at Yucca Mountain, Nevada, stations 3+60 to 4+25 meters Geologic map of the north ramp of the exploratory studies facility at Yucca Mountain, Nevada, stations 3+60 to 4+25 meters

No abstract available.
Image: Rock-Fall Estimating
Rock-Fall Estimating
Rock-Fall Estimating
Image: Rock-Fall Estimating

Rock-Fall Estimating

Rock-Fall Estimating

Geologist Ed Harp estimates rock-fall susceptibility in American Fork Canyon, UT.

By
Landslide Hazards, Communications and Publishing
Image: Rock-Fall Estimating

Rock-Fall Estimating

Rock-Fall Estimating

Geologist Ed Harp estimates rock-fall susceptibility in American Fork Canyon, UT.

By
Landslide Hazards, Communications and Publishing
Image: Rock-Fall Estimating
Rock-Fall Estimating
Rock-Fall Estimating
Image: Rock-Fall Estimating

Rock-Fall Estimating

Rock-Fall Estimating

Geologist Ed Harp estimates rock-fall susceptibility in American Fork Canyon, UT.

By
Landslide Hazards, Communications and Publishing
Image: Rock-Fall Estimating

Rock-Fall Estimating

Rock-Fall Estimating

Geologist Ed Harp estimates rock-fall susceptibility in American Fork Canyon, UT.

By
Landslide Hazards, Communications and Publishing
Image: Landslide Sampling
Landslide Sampling
Landslide Sampling
Image: Landslide Sampling

Landslide Sampling

Landslide Sampling

Scientist Jonathan Godt samples a landslide headscarp in Alameda County, CA.

By
Natural Hazards, Landslide Hazards, Communications and Publishing
Image: Landslide Sampling

Landslide Sampling

Landslide Sampling

Scientist Jonathan Godt samples a landslide headscarp in Alameda County, CA.

By
Natural Hazards, Landslide Hazards, Communications and Publishing
Image: Debris Flow Research
Debris Flow Research
Debris Flow Research
Image: Debris Flow Research

Debris Flow Research

Debris Flow Research

Scientists Jonathan Godt and Rex Baum examine a fresh debris-flow deposit near Buena Vista, CO.

By
Landslide Hazards, Communications and Publishing
Image: Debris Flow Research

Debris Flow Research

Debris Flow Research

Scientists Jonathan Godt and Rex Baum examine a fresh debris-flow deposit near Buena Vista, CO.

By
Landslide Hazards, Communications and Publishing
Image: Debris Flow in Action
Debris Flow in Action
Debris Flow in Action
Image: Debris Flow in Action

Debris Flow in Action

Debris Flow in Action

A debris flow exceeding a meter in depth rushes towards the monitoring station used to measure basal force and other flow properties.

Captured by automated monitoring camera.

 

By
Landslide Hazards Program, Communications and Publishing
Image: Debris Flow in Action

Debris Flow in Action

Debris Flow in Action

A debris flow exceeding a meter in depth rushes towards the monitoring station used to measure basal force and other flow properties.

Captured by automated monitoring camera.

 

By
Landslide Hazards Program, Communications and Publishing
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The 2022 Chaos Canyon landslide in Colorado: Insights revealed by seismic analysis, field investigations, and remote sensing The 2022 Chaos Canyon landslide in Colorado: Insights revealed by seismic analysis, field investigations, and remote sensing

An unusual, high-alpine, rapid debris slide originating in ice-rich debris occurred on June 28, 2022, at 16:33:16 MDT at the head of Chaos Canyon, a formerly glacier-covered valley in Rocky Mountain National Park, CO, USA. In this study, we integrate eyewitness videos and seismic records of the event with meteorological data, field observations, pre- and post-event satellite imagery, and...
Authors
Kate E. Allstadt, Jeffrey A. Coe, Elaine Collins, Francis K. Rengers, Anne Mangeney, Scott M. Esser, Jana Pursley, William L. Yeck, John Bellini, Lance R. Brady
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Natural Hazards Mission Area, Landslide Hazards Program, Geologic Hazards Science Center

Fractures, scarps, faults, and landslides mapped using LiDAR, Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, Alaska Fractures, scarps, faults, and landslides mapped using LiDAR, Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, Alaska

This map of fractures, scarps, faults, and landslides was completed to identify areas in Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve that may present a landslide-generated tsunami hazard. To address the potential of landslide and tsunami hazards in the park, the National Park Service (NPS) and the US Geological Survey (USGS) partnered to conduct a multi-year hazard assessment of Glacier Bay...
Authors
Chad Hults, Jeffrey A. Coe, Nikita N. Avdievitch
By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Earthquake Hazards Program, Landslide Hazards Program, Geologic Hazards Science Center

Kinematic evolution of a large paraglacial landslide in the Barry Arm fjord of Alaska Kinematic evolution of a large paraglacial landslide in the Barry Arm fjord of Alaska

Our warming climate is adversely affecting cryospheric landscapes via glacial retreat, permafrost degradation, and associated slope destabilization. In Prince William Sound, Alaska, the rapid retreat of Barry Glacier has destabilized the slopes flanking the glacier, resulting in numerous landslides. The largest of these landslides (∼500 Mm3 in volume) is more than 2 km wide and has the...
Authors
Lauren N. Schaefer, Jeffrey A. Coe, Katreen Wikstrom Jones, Brian D. Collins, Dennis M. Staley, Michael E. West, Ezgi Karasozen, Charles Prentice-James Miles, Gabriel J. Wolken, Ronald P. Daanan, Kelli Wadsworth Baxstrom
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Natural Hazards Mission Area, Landslide Hazards Program, Geologic Hazards Science Center

Bedrock erosion by debris flows at Chalk Cliffs, Colorado, USA: Implications for bedrock channel evolution Bedrock erosion by debris flows at Chalk Cliffs, Colorado, USA: Implications for bedrock channel evolution

Debris flow erosion into bedrock helps to set the pace of mountain denudation, but there are few empirical observations of this process. We studied the effects of debris flows on bedrock erosion using Structure-From-Motion photogrammetry and multiple real-time monitoring measurements. We found that the distribution of bedrock erosion across the channel cross-section could be generalized...
Authors
Francis K. Rengers, Jason W. Kean, Jeffrey A. Coe, Megan Hanson, Joel Smith
By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Landslide Hazards Program, Geologic Hazards Science Center

Distribution of large boulders on the deposit of the West Salt Creek rock avalanche, western Colorado Distribution of large boulders on the deposit of the West Salt Creek rock avalanche, western Colorado

On May 25, 2014, a 54.5-million cubic meter rock avalanche in the West Salt Creek valley, Mesa County, Colorado, traveled 4.6 kilometers, leaving a deposit that covers about 2.2 square kilometers. To check the particle-size distribution of the deposit for information about the high mobility of the avalanche, we estimated boulder distribution density for the entire deposit by counting 1...
Authors
Adrian C. Lewis, Rex L. Baum, Jeffrey A. Coe
By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Landslide Hazards Program, Geologic Hazards Science Center

Revising supraglacial rock avalanche magnitudes and frequencies in Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska Revising supraglacial rock avalanche magnitudes and frequencies in Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska

The frequency of large supraglacial landslides (rock avalanches) occurring in glacial environments is thought to be increasing due to feedbacks with climate warming and permafrost degradation. However, it is difficult to (i) test this; (ii) establish cause–effect relationships; and (iii) determine associated lag-times, due to both temporal and spatial biases in detection rates. Here we...
Authors
William Smith, Stuart A. Dunning, Neil Ross, Jon Telling, Erin K. Bessette-Kirton, Dan H. Shugar, Jeffrey A. Coe, M. Geertsema
By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Landslide Hazards Program, Geologic Hazards Science Center, Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics Science Center
Potential Landslides and Tsunami Hazards in Glacier Bay, Alaska

Potential Landslides and Tsunami Hazards in Glacier Bay, Alaska

USGS landslide scientists recently completed an investigation that provides an initial assessment of areas where landslides could enter the water of...

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USGS Geologists Join Efforts in Montecito to Assess Debris-Flow Aftermath

USGS Geologists Join Efforts in Montecito to Assess Debris-Flow Aftermath

Days after fatal debris flows devastated Southern California’s Montecito community,  a team of U.S. Geological Survey geologists joined county, state...

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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

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