Jim E O'Connor
Jim O'Connor is a Research Geologist in the Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics Science Center. He chiefly works on the geology and geomorphology of the Pacific Northwest.
Jim O’Connor majored in Geological Science at University of Washington and earned his M.S. and Ph.D. degrees at University of Arizona. Since 1991, he has worked at the U.S. Geological Survey, intent on improving understanding of the processes and events that shape the remarkable and diverse landscapes of the Pacific Northwest.
Professional Experience
2014 - present, Research Geologist, U.S. Geological Survey, Portland, Oregon
1996 - present, Adjunct professor, Dept. Geology, Portland State University, Portland, Oregon
1996 - 2014, Research Hydrologist, U.S. Geological Survey, Portland, Oregon
1994 - 1996, Research Hydrologist, U.S. Forest Service Pacific Northwest Research Station, Portland, Oregon
1991 - 1994, National Research Council Post-Doctoral Fellow, U.S. Geological Survey, Cascades Volcano Observatory, Vancouver, Washington
1985 - 1987, Hydrologist, Pima County Dept. Transportation and Flood Control, Tucson, Arizona
Education and Certifications
Ph.D., Geosciences, University of Arizona, 1990
M.S., Geosciencesm University of Arizona, 1985
B.S., Geological Sciences, University of Washington, 1982
Affiliations and Memberships*
1984 - present, Geological Society of America (Fellow)
1985 - present, American Geophysical Union
2015 - present, Sigma Xi
Portland State University
Oregon State University
Science and Products
The Bonneville Flood—A veritable débâcle
Plugs or flood-makers? the unstable landslide dams of eastern Oregon
Geomorphic and vegetation processes of the Willamette River floodplain, Oregon: current understanding and unanswered science questions
Owyhee River intracanyon lava flows: does the river give a dam?
Preliminary assessment of channel stability and bed-material transport in the Tillamook Bay tributaries and Nehalem River basin, northwestern Oregon
Geomorphic response of the Sandy River, Oregon, to removal of Marmot Dam
Preliminary assessment of channel stability and bed-material transport in the Coquille River basin, southwestern Oregon
Preliminary assessment of channel stability and bed-material transport in the Rogue River basin, southwestern Oregon
Columbia River Estuary ecosystem classification—Concept and application
Channel change and bed-material transport in the Umpqua River basin, Oregon
Flood-frequency analyses from paleoflood investigations for Spring, Rapid, Boxelder, and Elk Creeks, Black Hills, western South Dakota
Preliminary assessment of channel stability and bed-material transport along Hunter Creek, southwestern Oregon
Science and Products
The Bonneville Flood—A veritable débâcle
Plugs or flood-makers? the unstable landslide dams of eastern Oregon
Geomorphic and vegetation processes of the Willamette River floodplain, Oregon: current understanding and unanswered science questions
Owyhee River intracanyon lava flows: does the river give a dam?
Preliminary assessment of channel stability and bed-material transport in the Tillamook Bay tributaries and Nehalem River basin, northwestern Oregon
Geomorphic response of the Sandy River, Oregon, to removal of Marmot Dam
Preliminary assessment of channel stability and bed-material transport in the Coquille River basin, southwestern Oregon
Preliminary assessment of channel stability and bed-material transport in the Rogue River basin, southwestern Oregon
Columbia River Estuary ecosystem classification—Concept and application
Channel change and bed-material transport in the Umpqua River basin, Oregon
Flood-frequency analyses from paleoflood investigations for Spring, Rapid, Boxelder, and Elk Creeks, Black Hills, western South Dakota
Preliminary assessment of channel stability and bed-material transport along Hunter Creek, southwestern Oregon
*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