Jeffrey Coe
I began my career at the USGS in 1988 and joined the Landslide Hazards group in 1996.
Early in my career, I was fortunate to work on an assortment of geologic problems (paleoseismology, structural geology, debris-flow hazards) related to the proposed Yucca Mountain Nuclear Waste Repository in Nevada. I’ve been able to utilize this broad base of experience in the Landslide Hazards group, where I’ve worked on a wide variety of landslide types and topics in the US and abroad. I’m currently the chief of the Landslide Magnitude and Mobility research project based in Golden, CO. My broad research focus is on understanding landslide processes and quantifying landslide hazards. I’m currently interested in gaining a better understanding of the impact that climate change will have on landslide hazards.
Education and Certifications
Kent State University, B.S., 1984, Geology
Colorado School of Mines, M.S., 1995, Geology
Science and Products
Debris-flow and Flood Video Files, Chalk Cliffs, Colorado, USA, 2016
Debris-flow video files, Chalk Cliffs, Colorado, USA, 2017
Map of landslide structures and kinematic elements at Barry Arm, Alaska in the summer of 2020
Interferometric synthetic aperture radar data from 2020 for landslides at Barry Arm Fjord, Alaska
Map and model input and output data for the north Charlotte Creek Basin, Douglas County, Oregon, for analysis of debris-flow initiation resulting from the storm of November 17 - 19, 1996
Inventory map of submarine and subaerial-to-submarine landslides in Glacier Bay, Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, Alaska
Inventory data of rock avalanches in the Saint Elias Mountains of southeast Alaska, derived from Landsat imagery (1984-2019)
Debris-flow monitoring data, Chalk Cliffs, Colorado, USA, 2014
Monitoring environmental controls on debris-flow sediment supply, Chalk Cliffs, Colorado, 2011 to 2015
Map data from landslides triggered by Hurricane Maria in four study areas of Puerto Rico
Debris-flow inundation and damage data from the 9 January 2018 Montecito Debris-Flow Event
Pre- and post-event digital elevation models generated from high-resolution stereo satellite imagery of the 2016 Lamplugh rock avalanche in Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, Alaska
Progress and lessons learned from responses to landslide disasters
Bellwether sites for evaluating changes in landslide frequency and magnitude in cryospheric mountainous terrain: A call for systematic, long-term observations to decipher the impact of climate change
A 36-year record of rock avalanches in the Saint Elias Mountains of Alaska, with implications for future hazards
Mobility characteristics of landslides triggered by Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico
The influence of frost weathering on the debris flow sediment supply in an alpine basin
Debris-flow growth in Puerto Rico during Hurricane Maria: Preliminary results from analyses of pre- and post-event lidar data
An initial assessment of areas where landslides could enter the West Arm of Glacier Bay, Alaska and implications for tsunami hazards
The 2016 Lamplugh rock avalanche, Alaska: Deposit structures and emplacement dynamics
An evaluation of debris-flow runout model accuracy and complexity in Montecito, CA: Towards a framework for regional inundation-hazard forecasting
Exploring controls on debris-flow surge velocity and peak discharge at Chalk Cliffs, Colorado, USA
A 4000-year history of debris flows in north-central Washington State, U.S.A.: Preliminary results from trenching and surficial geologic mapping at the Pope Creek fan
Topographic change detection at Chalk Cliffs, Colorado, USA, using Airborne LiDAR and UAS-based Structure-from-Motion photogrammetry
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Debris-flow and Flood Video Files, Chalk Cliffs, Colorado, USA, 2016
Chalk Cliffs located 8 miles southwest of Buena Vista, Colorado, is one of the most active debris-flow areas in the state (U.S. Geological Survey). Three stations were set up at Chalk Cliffs which are located sequentially along a channel draining the 0.3 km2 study area. These stations are equipped with rain gauges, laser distance meters, and data loggers to record rainfall and stage data (Kean, etDebris-flow video files, Chalk Cliffs, Colorado, USA, 2017
Chalk Cliffs, located 8 miles southwest of Buena Vista, Colorado, is one of the most active debris-flow areas in the state (U.S. Geological Survey). Three stations were set up at Chalk Cliffs which are located sequentially along a channel draining the 0.3 km^2 study area. This data release includes videos of debris-flows and floods captured by high-definition cameras placed at four different locatMap of landslide structures and kinematic elements at Barry Arm, Alaska in the summer of 2020
Two active landslides at and near the retreating front of Barry Glacier at the head of Barry Arm Fjord in southern Alaska (Figure 1) could generate tsunamis if they failed rapidly and entered the water of the fjord. Landslide A, at the front of the glacier, is the largest, with a total volume estimated at 455 M m3 (Dai et al, 2020). Historical photographs from Barry Arm indicate that Landslide AInterferometric synthetic aperture radar data from 2020 for landslides at Barry Arm Fjord, Alaska
Subaerial landslides at the head of Barry Arm Fjord in southern Alaska could generate tsunamis (if they rapidly failed into the Fjord) and are therefore a potential threat to people, marine interests, and infrastructure throughout the Prince William Sound region. Knowledge of ongoing landslide movement is essential to understanding the threat posed by the landslides. Because of the landslides' remMap and model input and output data for the north Charlotte Creek Basin, Douglas County, Oregon, for analysis of debris-flow initiation resulting from the storm of November 17 - 19, 1996
Heavy rainfall during mid-November 1996 induced debris flows throughout the southern Oregon Coast Range, including more than 150 in the immediate vicinity of north Charlotte Creek (Coe and others, 2011). Data in this project pertain to a 2.4-km2 area centered at N 43.65° and W 123.94° which an area where high concentrations of debris flows occurred. These data include a subset of a map of landslidInventory map of submarine and subaerial-to-submarine landslides in Glacier Bay, Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, Alaska
Mass-wasting events that displace water, whether they initiate from underwater sources (submarine landslides) or subaerial sources (subaerial-to-submarine landslides), have the potential to cause tsunami waves that can pose a significant threat to human life and infrastructure in coastal areas (for example towns, cruise ships, bridges, oil platforms, and communication lines). Sheltered inlets andInventory data of rock avalanches in the Saint Elias Mountains of southeast Alaska, derived from Landsat imagery (1984-2019)
Glacial retreat and mountain-permafrost degradation resulting from rising global temperatures have the potential to impact the frequency and magnitude of landslides in glaciated environments. In the Saint Elias Mountains of southeast Alaska, the presence of weak sedimentary and metamorphic rocks and active uplift resulting from the collision of the Yakutat and North American tectonic plates createDebris-flow monitoring data, Chalk Cliffs, Colorado, USA, 2014
This data release includes 2014 time-series data from three debris-flow monitoring stations at Chalk Cliffs in Chaffee County, Colorado, USA. The data were collected to help identify the triggering conditions, magnitude, and mobility of debris flows at the site. The three stations are located sequentially along a channel draining the 0.3 km^2 study area. The Upper, Middle, and Lower stations haveMonitoring environmental controls on debris-flow sediment supply, Chalk Cliffs, Colorado, 2011 to 2015
This data release includes time-series data of rock temperature, air temperature, wind speed, and humidity at the Chalk Cliffs debris-flow monitoring site in central Colorado (Latitude: 38.73330, Longitude: -106.18704). The data were collected to help identify the environmental controls on rates of rockfall, which is the primary source of debris-flow material at the site. Data were recorded at 1-mMap data from landslides triggered by Hurricane Maria in four study areas of Puerto Rico
In September 2017, Hurricane Maria caused widespread landsliding throughout mountainous regions of Puerto Rico. Nearly all landslides mobilized as debris flows (Bessette-Kirton et al., 2019), but herein, we simply use the term "landslides" when describing all types of slope failures that occurred during Hurricane Maria. To examine the extent and physical characteristics of landslides in severely iDebris-flow inundation and damage data from the 9 January 2018 Montecito Debris-Flow Event
On 9 January 2018, intense rain above Montecito, California triggered a series of debris flows from steep catchments in the Santa Ynez Mountains. These catchments were burned three weeks earlier by the 1140 km2 Thomas Fire. After exiting the mountain front, the debris flows traveled over 3 km down a series of alluvial fans, killing 23 people and damaging over 400 homes. To understand the flow dynaPre- and post-event digital elevation models generated from high-resolution stereo satellite imagery of the 2016 Lamplugh rock avalanche in Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, Alaska
The use of high-resolution remotely sensed imagery can be an effective way to obtain quantitative measurements of rock-avalanche volumes and geometries in remote glaciated areas, both of which are important for an improved understanding of rock-avalanche characteristics and processes. We utilized the availability of high-resolution (~0.5 m) WorldView satellite stereo imagery to derive digital elev - Maps
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Progress and lessons learned from responses to landslide disasters
Landslides have the incredible power to transform landscapes and also, tragically, to cause disastrous societal impacts. Whereas the mechanics and effects of many landslide disasters have been analyzed in detail, the means by which landslide experts respond to these events has garnered much less attention. Herein, we evaluate nine landslide response case histories conducted by the U.S. GeologicalAuthorsBrian D. Collins, Mark E. Reid, Jeffrey A. Coe, Jason W. Kean, Rex L. Baum, Randall W. Jibson, Jonathan W. Godt, Stephen Slaughter, Greg M. StockBellwether sites for evaluating changes in landslide frequency and magnitude in cryospheric mountainous terrain: A call for systematic, long-term observations to decipher the impact of climate change
Permafrost and glaciers are being degraded by the warming effects of climate change. The impact that this degradation has on slope stability in mountainous terrain is the subject of ongoing research efforts. The relatively new availability of high-resolution (≤ 10 m) imagery with worldwide coverage and short (≤ 30 days) repeat acquisition times, as well as the emerging field of environmental seismAuthorsJeffrey A. CoeA 36-year record of rock avalanches in the Saint Elias Mountains of Alaska, with implications for future hazards
Glacial retreat and mountain-permafrost degradation resulting from rising global temperatures have the potential to impact the frequency and magnitude of landslides in glaciated environments. Several recent events, including the 2015 Taan Fiord rock avalanche, which triggered a tsunami with one of the highest wave runups ever recorded, have called attention to the hazards posed by landslides in reAuthorsErin K. Bessette-Kirton, Jeffrey A. CoeMobility characteristics of landslides triggered by Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico
Mobility is an important element of landslide hazard and risk assessments yet has been seldom studied for shallow landslides and debris flows in tropical environments. In September 2017, Hurricane Maria triggered > 70,000 landslides across Puerto Rico. Using aerial imagery and a lidar digital elevation model (DEM), we mapped and characterized the mobility of debris slides and flows in four differeAuthorsErin K. Bessette-Kirton, Jeffrey A. Coe, William Schulz, Corina Cerovski-Darriau, Mason Muir EinbundThe influence of frost weathering on the debris flow sediment supply in an alpine basin
Rocky, alpine mountains are prone to mass wasting from debris flows. The Chalk Cliffs study area (central Colorado, USA) produces debris flows annually. These debris flows are triggered when overland flow driven by intense summer convective storms mobilizes large volumes of sediment within the channel network. Understanding the debris flow hazard in this, and similar alpine settings, requiresAuthorsFrancis K. Rengers, Jason W. Kean, Nadine G. Reitman, Joel B. Smith, Jeffrey A. Coe, Luke McGuireDebris-flow growth in Puerto Rico during Hurricane Maria: Preliminary results from analyses of pre- and post-event lidar data
On September 20, 2017, Hurricane Maria triggered widespread debris flows in Puerto Rico. We used field observations and pre- and post-Maria lidar to study the volumetric growth of long-travelled (>400 m) debris flows in four basins. We found overall growth rates that ranged from 0.7 to 30.4 m3 per meter of channel length. We partitioned the rates into two growth mechanisms, aggregation of multipleAuthorsJeffrey A. Coe, Erin K. Bessette-Kirton, Dianne L. Brien, Mark E. ReidAn initial assessment of areas where landslides could enter the West Arm of Glacier Bay, Alaska and implications for tsunami hazards
Tsunamis generated by landslides in Glacier Bay are uncommon, but have potential to be extraordinarily destructive when they occur. This article identifies areas that are susceptible to landslides that could generate tsunamis and discusses approaches to characterize hazard and risk from these events.AuthorsJeffrey A. Coe, Robert G. Schmitt, Erin Bessette-KirtonThe 2016 Lamplugh rock avalanche, Alaska: Deposit structures and emplacement dynamics
Supraglacial landslides result from the catastrophic failure of periglacial rock slopes and deposit large volumes of rock and ice onto the glacier surface. The most remarkable features of these landslides are their prominent long flowbands and a high mobility that exceeds that of their counterparts in other environments. Based on field surveys, high-resolution digital elevation models, and continuAuthorsA. Dufresne, G. Wolken, C Hibert, Erin Bessette-Kirton, Jeffrey A. Coe, M. Geertsema, G EkströmAn evaluation of debris-flow runout model accuracy and complexity in Montecito, CA: Towards a framework for regional inundation-hazard forecasting
Numerous debris-flow inundation models have been applied retroactively to noteworthy events around the world. While such studies can be useful in identifying controlling factors, calibrating model parameters, and assessing future hazards in specific study areas, model parameters tailored to individual events can be difficult to apply regionally. The advancement of debris-flow modeling applicationsAuthorsErin Bessette-Kirton, Jason W. Kean, Jeffrey A. Coe, Francis K. Rengers, Dennis M. StaleyExploring controls on debris-flow surge velocity and peak discharge at Chalk Cliffs, Colorado, USA
We present a series of debris-flow events and use combined sensor and video data to explore how sediment concentration and triggering rainfall intensity affect the velocity and discharge of debris-flow surges generated by surface-water runoff. We analyze an initial data set of 49 surges from four debris-flow events recorded by a monitoring system at Chalk Cliffs, Colorado and compare measurementsAuthorsJoel B. Smith, Jason W. Kean, Jeffrey A. CoeA 4000-year history of debris flows in north-central Washington State, U.S.A.: Preliminary results from trenching and surficial geologic mapping at the Pope Creek fan
Long-term records of the magnitude and frequency of debris flows on fans are rare, but such records provide critical information needed for debris-flow hazard and risk assessments. This study explores the history of debris flows on a fan with seasonally inhabited cabins at Pope Creek along the Entiat River about 48 km upstream from the town of Entiat, Washington. Motivation for this study was provAuthorsJeffrey A. Coe, Erin Bessette-Kirton, Stephen Slaughter, Francis K. Rengers, Trevor A. Contreras, Katherin A Michelson, Emily Taylor, Jason W. Kean, Kara Jacobacci, Molly A HansonTopographic change detection at Chalk Cliffs, Colorado, USA, using Airborne LiDAR and UAS-based Structure-from-Motion photogrammetry
The Chalk Cliffs debris-flow site is a small headwater catchment incised into highly fractured and hydrothermally altered quartz monzonite in a semi-arid climate. Over half of the extremely steep basin is exposed bedrock. Debris flows occur multiple times per year in response to rainstorm events, typically during the summer monsoon season. The frequency of debris flows, and the uniformity of the uAuthorsKatherine R Barnhart, Francis K. Rengers, Ghent Jessica N, Gregory E. Tucker, Jeffrey A. Coe, Jason W. Kean, Joel B. Smith, Dennis M. Staley, William Kleiber, Ashton M Wiens - Web Tools
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