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Kelli Baxstrom

Kelli joined the Landslide Hazards Program as a Geologist in January, 2020. She uses remote sensing and installs monitoring equipment to support hazards research for landslides.

Kelli supports a wide variety of research related to understanding and quantifying landslide hazards, including field mapping, installation of hydrologic monitoring stations, and remote mapping of landslide events.

 

Before Kelli came to the USGS, she worked for the National Park Service.

Professional Experience

  • 2020-Present Geologist, USGS Geologic Hazards Science Center, Golden, CO

  • 2019 - Interpretive Ranger, Mammoth Cave National Park, KY

Education and Certifications

  • Ohio University, MS, 2019, Geological Sciences

  • The College of Wooster, BA, 2016, Geology

  • The College of Wooster, BA, 2016, Religious Studies

Science and Products

Geologic controls of slow-moving landslides near the U.S. West Coast

Slow-moving landslides, often with nearly imperceptible creeping motion, are an important landscape shaper and a dangerous natural hazard across the globe, yet their spatial distribution and geologic controls are still poorly known owing to a paucity of detailed, large-area observations. Here, we use interferometry of L-band satellite radar images to reveal 617 spatially large (4 × 104–13 × 106 m2
By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Landslide Hazards Program, Geologic Hazards Science Center
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Rain gage, solar panel, and data logger enclosure box.

Puerto Rico Landslide Monitoring Network

The USGS and the University of Puerto Rico-Mayagüez installed instruments to monitor hillslope hydrological conditions in twelve municipalities in mountainous regions across Puerto Rico.
By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Landslide Hazards Program, Geologic Hazards Science Center
link

Puerto Rico Landslide Monitoring Network

The USGS and the University of Puerto Rico-Mayagüez installed instruments to monitor hillslope hydrological conditions in twelve municipalities in mountainous regions across Puerto Rico.
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Map data from landslides triggered by Hurricane Maria in the greater karst region of northwest Puerto Rico

Hurricane Maria caused widespread landsliding throughout Puerto Rico in September 2017. While the majority of landslide inventories following the hurricane focused on mountainous regions underlain by igneous and volcaniclastic bedrock (Bessette-Kirton et al., 2017, 2019), here we fill an important knowledge gap and document the occurrence of landslides along the greater karst region on the northwe
By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Landslide Hazards Program, Geologic Hazards Science Center

Map data from landslides triggered by Hurricane Maria in four study areas in the Utuado Municipality, Puerto Rico

In late September 2017, intense precipitation associated with Hurricane Maria caused extensive landsliding across Puerto Rico. Much of the Utuado municipality in central Puerto Rico was severely impacted by landslides. Landslide density in this region was mapped as greater than 25 landslides/km2 (Bessette-Kirton et al., 2019). In order to better understand the controlling variables of landslide oc
By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Landslide Hazards Program, Geologic Hazards Science Center

Map data from landslides triggered by Hurricane Maria in a section of Naranjito, Puerto Rico

Hurricane Maria caused widespread landsliding throughout Puerto Rico during September 2017. Previous detailed landslide inventories following the hurricane include Bessette-Kirton et al. (2017, 2019). Here we continue that work with an in-depth look at a portion of northwest Naranjito, which is a municipality in the northeastern part of the main island. To study a characteristic sample of landslid
By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Landslide Hazards Program, Geologic Hazards Science Center

Map data from landslides triggered by Hurricane Maria in three study areas in the Lares Municipality, Puerto Rico

In late September 2017, intense precipitation associated with Hurricane Maria caused extensive landsliding across Puerto Rico. Much of the Lares municipality in central-western Puerto Rico was severely impacted by landslides. Landslide density in this region was mapped as greater than 25 landslides/km2 (Bessette-Kirton et al., 2019). In order to better understand the controlling variables of lands
By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Landslide Hazards Program, Geologic Hazards Science Center

Science and Products