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At least 577 records · Page 32Linked to original sources
USGS2017

Results 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 rainfall, an automated monitoring system was installed in 2006 to measure rainfall, pore-water pressure, soil suction, soil-water potential, and volumetric water content at 15-minute intervals. The data show a cyclical pattern of groundwater and moisture content levels—wet from October to May and dry between June and September. Saturated soil conditions tend to last throughout the wet season. These data show the hydrologic response of the monitored area to rainfall and provide insight into the dynamics of rainfall-initiated landsliding. This report details the monitoring methods and presents data collected from January 10, 2006, through January 23, 2017.

Oregon↗
USGS1998

Landslide Hazards in Glacial Lake Clays - Tully Valley, New York

At approximately midday on April 27, 1993, a large landslide occurred along the foot of Bare Mountain in LaFayette, Onondaga County, New York, about 12 miles south of Syracuse (figs. 1, 2). The slide moved rapidly east toward the middle of the Tully Valley and impacted approximately 50 acres of land, destroyed three homes, and resulted in the evacuation of four other homes. Debris from the slide, consisting mostly of remolded clay, covered Tully Farms Road with up to 15 feet of earth for a length of some 1,200 feet. Springs that developed near the top of the slide discharged either freshwater or brackish water, which contained concentrations of dissolved evaporites (salt and gypsum) and other minerals. The total volume of earth moved by the slide is estimated to be about 1.3 million cubic yards. According to the New York State Geological Survey, this slide is the largest to have occurred in the State in more than 75 years. Most residents were away from their homes at the time of the slide, and so there were no fatalities or serious injuries caused by the slide.

Fact Sheet↗
USGS1998

Popular beach disappears underwater in huge coastal landslide — Sleeping Bear Dunes, Michigan

In February 1995, a 1,600-foot stretch of popular beach at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore suddenly slid into the waters of northeastern Lake Michigan. The National Park Service (NPS) immediately requested the assistance of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in evaluating the hazard at the lakeshore. To protect the public, USGS and NPS scientists are conducting studies that will help predict when the landslide-prone area will move again.

Michigan↗
USGS2005

Southern California landslides-an overview

Southern California lies astride a major tectonic plate boundary defined by the San Andreas Fault and numerous related faults that are spread across a broad region. This dynamic tectonic environment has created a spectacular landscape of rugged mountains and steep-walled valleys that compose much of the region’s scenic beauty. Unfortunately, this extraordinary landscape also presents serious geologic hazards. Just as tectonic forces are steadily pushing the landscape upward, gravity is relentlessly tugging it downward. When gravity prevails, landslides can occur.

California↗
USGS1989

Map showing 1983 landslides in Utah

The State of Utah sustained direct damages from landslides and flooding in excess of $400 million during approximately three months in the spring of 1983. These disastrous events were declared national disaster areas (Anderson and others, 1985).

Utah↗
USGS2000

Map showing inventory and regional susceptibility for Holocene debris flows, and related fast-moving landslides in the conterminous United States

Introduction Debris flows, debris avalanches, mud flows and lahars are fast-moving landslides that occur in a wide variety of environments throughout the world. They are particularly dangerous to life and property because they move quickly, destroy objects in their paths, and often strike without warning. This map represents a significant effort to compile the locations of known debris flows in United Stated and predict where future flows might occur. The files 'dfipoint.e00' and 'dfipoly.e00' contain the locations of over 6600 debris flows from published and unpublished sources. The locations are referenced by numbers that correspond to entries in a bibliography, which is part of the pamphlet 'mf2329pamphlet.pdf'. The areas of possible future debris flows are shown in the file 'susceptibility.tif', which is a georeferenced TIFF file that can be opened in an image editing program or imported into a GIS system like ARC/INFO. All other databases are in ARC/INFO export (.e00) format.

Miscellaneous Field Studies Map↗
USGS1975

Photointerpretive map of landslides and surficial deposits of northernmost Napa County, California

This map shows various types of landslide deposits, scarps, and related topographic features, in addition to other types of surficial deposits, in northernmost Napa County, California. It was prepared by viewing overlapping vertical aerial photographs with a stereoscope. This method allows the geologist to see a three-dimensional model of the terrain to be analyzed and thereby permits him to map the distribution and infer the nature and origin of various landforms. Interpretations were checked by low altitude air reconnaissance in January 1975, but the deposits and features shown on this map have not been checked on the ground. They do, however, represent a consensus of judgment by both authors.

California↗
USGS1976

Preliminary photointerpretation map of landslide and other surficial deposits of the Mount Vaca, Vacaville, and parts of Courtland, Davis, Lake Berryessa, and Woodland 15-minute quadrangles, Napa and Solano counties, California

This map presents preliminary information about the distribution and general character of landslides and other surficial deposits. When used in combination with other types of information, such as data on soils, bedrock geology, slopes, seismic response, hydrology, vegetation and climatic variation, it should be easier to arrive at sound decisions regarding the physical aspects of land use. The U.S. Geological Survey is studying many of these factors as part of its San Francisco Bay Regional Environment and Resources Planning Study in cooperation with the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

California↗
USGS2003

An Account of Preliminary Landslide Damage and Losses Resulting from the February 28, 2001, Nisqually, Washington, Earthquake

The February 28, 2001, Nisqually, Washington, earthquake (Mw = 6.8) damaged an area of the northwestern United States that previously experienced two major historical earthquakes, in 1949 and in 1965. Preliminary estimates of direct monetary losses from damage due to earthquake-induced landslides is approximately $34.3 million. However, this figure does not include costs from damages to the elevated portion of the Alaskan Way Viaduct, a major highway through downtown Seattle, Washington that will be repaired or rebuilt, depending on the future decision of local and state authorities. There is much debate as to the cause of the damage to this viaduct with evaluations of cause ranging from earthquake shaking and liquefaction to lateral spreading to a combination of these effects. If the viaduct is included in the costs, the losses increase to $500+ million (if it is repaired) or to more than $1+ billion (if it is replaced). Preliminary estimate of losses due to all causes of earthquake damage is approximately $2 billion, which includes temporary repairs to the Alaskan Way Viaduct. These preliminary dollar figures will no doubt increase when plans and decisions regarding the Viaduct are completed.

Open-File Report↗
USGS2014

Preliminary interpretation of pre-2014 landslide deposits in the vicinity of Oso, Washington

High-resolution topographic surveys allow fairly precise mapping of landslide deposits and their relative ages. Relative ages are determined by cross-cutting relations and the amount of smoothing—more smoothed slide deposits are older—of these deposits. The Tulalip Tribes, in partnership with the Puget Sound Lidar Consortium, acquired a high-resolution lidar (light detection and ranging) survey of the North Fork Stillaguamish River valley in 2013. This report presents a preliminary interpretation of the topography of this area using the lidar data at a scale of 1:24,000.

Washington↗
USGS1964

Preliminary report on the geologic and geophysical investigations of the Loveland Basin landslide, Clear Creek County, Colorado

Geologic and geophysical investigations of the Loveland Basin landslide, which formed at the cut for the east portal of the Straight Creek tunnel, were made by the U.S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the U.S. Bureau of Public Road and the Colorado Department of Highways. The investigations indicate that the slide has a probable minimum volume of 500,000 cubic yards weighing 1,000,000 tons and probable maximum volume of 770,000 cubic yards weighing 1,600,000 tons.

Colorado↗
USGS1973

The landslide at Cumberland, Harlan County, Kentucky

A landslide developed on Sanctified Hill, on the east side of Cumberland, Kentucky on December 10, 1972. Since then the slide has rendered 17 dwellings and a church unusable. The slide is in a shallow amphitheater, on plastic sandy clay up to 30 feet thick, lying on top of sandstone and shale (Norton Formation). The bedrock dips 22° south, the same direction as the slope of the hill. The slide is a rotational slump 600 feet long and 500 feet wide at the toe. Movement is in the order of 10 feet downslope. The ground in the area of the slide is wet with natural seepage along the bedrock surface of about 1/2 cubic foot per minute for every 40 feet of bedrock exposure. Leakage from water mains, added to the ground water, is the probable triggering mechanism of the slide. The slide does not pose an immediate further danger unless an abnormally heavy rainfall were to occur. The slide has developed to the point where stabilization is not economically practicable. Relocation of homes appears to be the most suitable solution to the problem.

Kentucky↗
USGS1983

Landslide investigations, southern Cianjur Regency, West Java Province, Indonesia; a progress report

Two landslide-monitoring sites have been established for a minimum 2-year investigation near the villages of Pasirpari and Cibacang in southern Cianjur Regency, West Java, Indonesia. Surveyed-in lines will measure amounts of surface movement and tilt, borings that produced exploratory cores now serve as slip-surface detectors and open-pipe piezometers, and rain gages will record rainfall at both sites. Exploratory cores and field observations located upper slip surfaces ranging in depth between 4 and 14 m. Rises of borehole-water levels of as much as 63 cm during drilling suggest that pore pressures exist at the inferred-slip surfaces. Sliding along slip surfaces and slope failures occurred during the rainy season between November 1980 and April 1981.

Open-File Report↗
USGS2000

Landslides in Alameda County, California: A digital database extracted from preliminary photointerpretation maps of surficial deposits by T.H. Nilsen in USGS Open-File Report 75-277

All or part of 25 7.5-minute quadrangles identifying 8465 landslides - largely slow-moving slides and earth flows - in Alameda County, California, have been converted to a digital-map database, compiled at 1:24,000 scale and plotted at 1:62,500 scale, that can be acquired from the U.S. Geological Survey over the Internet or on magnetic tape.

California↗
USGS2010

High tsunami frequency as a result of combined strike-slip faulting and coastal landslides

Earthquakes on strike-slip faults can produce devastating natural hazards. However, because they consist predominantly of lateral motion, these faults are rarely associated with significant uplift or tsunami generation. And although submarine slides can generate tsunami, only a few per cent of all tsunami are believed to be triggered in this way. The 12 January M w 7.0 Haiti earthquake exhibited primarily strike-slip motion but nevertheless generated a tsunami. Here we present data from a comprehensive field survey that covered the onshore and offshore area around the epicentre to document that modest uplift together with slope failure caused tsunamigenesis. Submarine landslides caused the most severe tsunami locally. Our analysis suggests that slide-generated tsunami occur an order-of-magnitude more frequently along the Gonave microplate than global estimates predict. Uplift was generated because of the earthquake's location, where the Caribbean and Gonave microplates collide obliquely. The earthquake also caused liquefaction at several river deltas that prograde rapidly and are prone to failure. We conclude that coastal strike-slip fault systems such as the Enriquillo-Plantain Garden fault produce relief conducive to rapid sedimentation, erosion and slope failure, so that even modest predominantly strike-slip earthquakes can cause potentially catastrophic slide-generated tsunami - a risk that is underestimated at present.

Nature Geoscience↗