Jonathan Godt
Jonathan is the Program Coordinator for Landslide Hazards and leads the only federal program dedicated to landslide science and risk reduction.
As the Program Coordinator for Landslide Hazards, I am the principal voice for USGS landslide science for the public, media, Congress, states, and other partners. I am responsible for the scientific direction and priorities of the program and oversee its interactions with USGS Science Centers. I began my career with the USGS as a graduate student and until 2014 was a Research Physical Scientists focusing on understanding the physical processes controlling landslide initiation. I have led several technical assistance teams responding to disasters both domestically and abroad, helping inform emergency management and other decisions. I have acted in several other leadership positions in the Natural Hazards Mission Area.
Professional Experience
2014 to present – Program Coordinator, Landslide Hazards, U.S. Geological Survey Natural Hazards Mission Area, Golden, CO.
January 2023 to January 2024 – Acting Program Coordinator, Volcano Hazards, U.S. Geological Survey Natural Hazards Mission Area, Golden, CO.
July 2022 to December 2022 – Acting Associate Director U.S. Geological Survey Natural Hazards Mission Area, Golden, CO.
February 2019 to April 2020 – Acting Senior Science Advisor for Earthquake and Geologic Hazards, U.S. Geological Survey Natural Hazards Mission Area, Golden, CO.
1998 to 2014 – Research Physical Scientist, U.S. Geological Survey, Geologic Hazards Science Center, Golden CO.
Education and Certifications
2004 – Ph.D. Geography, University of Colorado, Boulder
1998 – M.S. Environmental Science, University of Colorado, Denver
1990 – B.A. Political Science, Purdue University, West Lafayette
Honors and Awards
2022 Department of the Interior Meritorious Service Award for outstanding contributions to the USGS in improving the Nation’s preparedness for landslide and other geologic hazards.
Science and Products
Landslides triggered by the 14 November 2016 Mw 7.8 Kaikōura Earthquake, New Zealand
Strong variation in weathering of layered rock maintains hillslope‐scale strength under high precipitation
Improving near‐real‐time coseismic landslide models: Lessons learned from the 2016 Kaikōura, New Zealand, earthquake
Overview of the geologic effects of the November 14, 2016, Mw 7.8 Kaikoura, New Zealand, earthquake
Variability in soil-water retention properties and implications for physics-based simulation of landslide early warning criteria
The size, distribution, and mobility of landslides caused by the 2015 Mw7.8 Gorkha earthquake, Nepal
An open repository of earthquake-triggered ground-failure inventories
Presentation and analysis of a worldwide database of earthquake-induced landslide inventories
Results of hydrologic monitoring of a landslide-prone hillslope in Portland’s West Hills, Oregon, 2006–2017
Evolution of strain localization in variable-width three-dimensional unsaturated laboratory-scale cut slopes
Application and evaluation of a rapid response earthquake-triggered landslide model to the 25 April 2015 Mw 7.8 Gorkha earthquake, Nepal
Effect of hydraulic hysteresis on the stability of infinite slopes under steady infiltration
Science and Products
- Publications
Filter Total Items: 79
Landslides triggered by the 14 November 2016 Mw 7.8 Kaikōura Earthquake, New Zealand
The 14 November 2016 MwMw 7.8 Kaikōura earthquake generated more than 10,000 landslides over a total area of about 10,000 km210,000 km2, with the majority concentrated in a smaller area of about 3600 km23600 km2. The largest landslide triggered by the earthquake had an approximate volume of 20(±2) M m320(±2) M m3, with a runout distance of about 2.7 km, forming a dam on the Hapuku River. InAuthorsC. Massey, D. Townsend, Ellen M. Rathje, Kate E. Allstadt, B. Lukovic, Yoshihiro Kaneko, Brendon A. Bradley, J. Wartman, Randall W. Jibson, D. N. Petley, Nick Horspool, I. Hamling, J. Carey, S. Cox, John Davidson, S. Dellow, Jonathan W. Godt, Christopher Holden, Katherine D. Jones, Anna E. Kaiser, M. Little, B. Lyndsell, S. McColl, R. Morgenstern, Francis K. Rengers, D. Rhoades, B. Rosser, D. Strong, C. Singeisen, M. VilleneuveStrong variation in weathering of layered rock maintains hillslope‐scale strength under high precipitation
The evolution of volcanic landscapes and their landslide potential are both dependent upon the weathering of layered volcanic rock sequences. We characterize critical zone structure using shallow seismic Vp and Vs profiles and vertical exposures of rock across a basaltic climosequence on Kohala peninsula, Hawai’i, and exploit the dramatic gradient in mean annual precipitation (MAP) across the peniAuthorsJennifer Von Voigtlander, Marin K. Clark, Dimitrios Zekkos, William W. Greenwood, Suzanne P. Anderson, Robert S. Anderson, Jonathan W. GodtImproving near‐real‐time coseismic landslide models: Lessons learned from the 2016 Kaikōura, New Zealand, earthquake
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is developing near‐real‐time global earthquake‐triggered‐landslide products to augment the USGS Prompt Assessment of Global Earthquakes for Response (PAGER) system. The 14 November 2016 MwMw 7.8 Kaikōura, New Zealand, earthquake provided a test case for evaluating the performance and near‐real‐time response applicability of three published global seismically inducAuthorsKate E. Allstadt, Randall W. Jibson, Eric M. Thompson, Chris Massey, David J. Wald, Jonathan W. Godt, Francis K. RengersOverview of the geologic effects of the November 14, 2016, Mw 7.8 Kaikoura, New Zealand, earthquake
The November 14, 2016, Kaikoura, New Zealand, earthquake (moment magnitude [Mw] 7.8) triggered more than 10,000 landslides over an area of about 12,000 square kilometers in the northeastern part of the South Island of New Zealand. In collaboration with GNS Science (the Institute of Geological and Nuclear Science Limited), we conducted ground and helicopter reconnaissance of the affected areas andAuthorsRandall W. Jibson, Kate E. Allstadt, Francis K. Rengers, Jonathan W. GodtVariability in soil-water retention properties and implications for physics-based simulation of landslide early warning criteria
Rainfall-induced shallow landsliding is a persistent hazard to human life and property. Despite the observed connection between infiltration through the unsaturated zone and shallow landslide initiation, there is considerable uncertainty in how estimates of unsaturated soil-water retention properties affect slope stability assessment. This source of uncertainty is critical to evaluating the utilitAuthorsMatthew A. Thomas, Benjamin B. Mirus, Brian D. Collins, Ning Lu, Jonathan W. GodtThe size, distribution, and mobility of landslides caused by the 2015 Mw7.8 Gorkha earthquake, Nepal
Coseismic landslides pose immediate and prolonged hazards to mountainous communities, and provide a rare opportunity to study the effect of large earthquakes on erosion and sediment budgets. By mapping landslides using high-resolution satellite imagery, we find that the 25 April 2015 Mw7.8 Gorkha earthquake and aftershock sequence produced at least 25,000 landslides throughout the steep HimalayanAuthorsKevin Roback, Marin K. Clark, A. Joshua West, Dimitrios Zekkos, Gen Li, Sean F. Gallen, Deepak Chamlagain, Jonathan W. GodtAn open repository of earthquake-triggered ground-failure inventories
Earthquake-triggered ground failure, such as landsliding and liquefaction, can contribute significantly to losses, but our current ability to accurately include them in earthquake-hazard analyses is limited. The development of robust and widely applicable models requires access to numerous inventories of ground failures triggered by earthquakes that span a broad range of terrains, shaking characteAuthorsRobert G. Schmitt, Hakan Tanyas, M. Anna Nowicki Jessee, Jing Zhu, Katherine M. Biegel, Kate E. Allstadt, Randall W. Jibson, Eric M. Thompson, Cees J. van Westen, Hiroshi P. Sato, David J. Wald, Jonathan W. Godt, Tolga Gorum, Chong Xu, Ellen M. Rathje, Keith L. KnudsenPresentation and analysis of a worldwide database of earthquake-induced landslide inventories
Earthquake-induced landslide (EQIL) inventories are essential tools to extend our knowledge of the relationship between earthquakes and the landslides they can trigger. Regrettably, such inventories are difficult to generate and therefore scarce, and the available ones differ in terms of their quality and level of completeness. Moreover, access to existing EQIL inventories is currently difficult bAuthorsHakan Tanyas, Cees J. van Westen, Kate E. Allstadt, M. Anna Nowicki Jessee, Tolga Gorum, Randall W. Jibson, Jonathan W. Godt, Hiroshi P. Sato, Robert G. Schmitt, Odin Marc, Niels HoviusResults of hydrologic monitoring of a landslide-prone hillslope in Portland’s West Hills, Oregon, 2006–2017
The West Hills of Portland, in the southern Tualatin Mountains, trend northwest along the west side of Portland, Oregon. These silt-mantled mountains receive significant wet-season precipitation and are prone to sliding during wet conditions, occasionally resulting in property damage or casualties. In an effort to develop a baseline for interpretive analysis of the groundwater response to rainfallAuthorsJoel B. Smith, Jonathan W. Godt, Rex L. Baum, Jeffrey A. Coe, William L. Ellis, Eric S. Jones, Scott F. BurnsEvolution of strain localization in variable-width three-dimensional unsaturated laboratory-scale cut slopes
To experimentally validate a recently developed theory for predicting the stability of cut slopes under unsaturated conditions, the authors measured increasing strain localization in unsaturated slope cuts prior to abrupt failure. Cut slope width and moisture content were controlled and varied in a laboratory, and a sliding door that extended the height of the free face of the slope was lowered unAuthorsMichael S. Morse, Ning Lu, Alexandra Wayllace, Jonathan W. GodtApplication and evaluation of a rapid response earthquake-triggered landslide model to the 25 April 2015 Mw 7.8 Gorkha earthquake, Nepal
The 25 April 2015 Mw 7.8 Gorkha earthquake produced strong ground motions across an approximately 250 km by 100 km swath in central Nepal. To assist disaster response activities, we modified an existing earthquake-triggered landslide model based on a Newmark sliding block analysis to estimate the extent and intensity of landsliding and landslide dam hazard. Landslide hazard maps were produced usinAuthorsSean F. Gallen, Marin K. Clark, Jonathan W. Godt, Kevin Roback, Nathan A NiemiEffect of hydraulic hysteresis on the stability of infinite slopes under steady infiltration
Hydraulic hysteresis, including capillary soil water retention (SWR), air entrapment SWR, and hydraulic conductivity, is a common phenomenon in unsaturated soils. However, the influence of hydraulic hysteresis on suction stress, and subsequently slope stability, is generally ignored. This paper examines the influence of each of these three types of hysteresis on slope stability using an infinite sAuthorsPan Chen, Benjamin B. Mirus, Ning Lu, Jonathan W. Godt - Science
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