Tag: hazard

Updated Washington Tsunami Design Zone for the New Washington State Building Code

Tsunami hazards in Washington State Tsunamis are large and potentially dangerous waves caused by earthquakes, landslides, volcanic eruptions, exceptional weather systems, and meteorite impacts. Tsunamis have struck Washington in the past, and are expected to do so again in the future. You can learn more about tsunami hazards on the WGS website. The Washington Geological […]

New Geologic Hazards Clearinghouse Plan Released on Anniversary of the 2001 Nisqually Earthquake

Anniversary of the 2001 Nisqually Earthquake 23 years ago today, the magnitude 6.8 Nisqually earthquake shook the Pacific Northwest. People in Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia experienced shaking that in some places lasted over a minute. The earthquake caused as much as $1–4 billion in property damage, and provided a stark reminder that Washington State […]

A new look and new features for our Recently Reported Landslides map

Are you curious whether there have been any landslides near you recently? Now you can find out on our new and improved Recently Reported Landslides map! The interactive map shows recent landslides compiled by the Washington Geological Survey based on reports from media sources and government agencies. The compilation is updated regularly throughout the year […]

New tsunami vertical evacuation structure and evacuation maps for the Washington coast.

On August 5th, the Shoalwater Bay Indian Tribe dedicated the new Auntie Lee Vertical Evacuation Tower in Tokeland. The Tokeland tower is the third vertical evacuation structure in North America, joining rooftop structures in Westport, Washington and Newport, Oregon. The Auntie Lee Vertical Evacuation Tower can accommodate over 400 people and has dramatically reduced the […]

More new lidar images of Washington’s landforms!

The Washington Geological Survey has just added 10 new lidar-derived images of the State’s landforms to our image collection. This new set includes landscapes shaped by glaciers, ice-age floods, rivers, and landslides. For more information, check out the image descriptions below and use the associated links to view and download high-resolution versions of each one. […]

June TsuInfo Now Available

This issue of TsuInfo includes articles on: Dedication of the nation’s first tsunami vertical evacuation structure   New outreach products from the National Tsunami Hazard Mitigation Program and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration First ever world Tsunami Awareness Day set to debut in November Also featured are tsunami project updates, news, newly published research, and […]

Landslide Hazard Geologists at Work

Last month, landslide hazard geologists from the DNR Division of Geology and Earth Resources (DGER) attended a landslide conference hosted by the U.S. Geologic Survey (USGS) and Indonesian Center for Volcanic and Geologic Hazard Mapping at the Cascades Volcano Observatory in Vancouver, Washington. To promote greater cooperation among state and federal agencies, and reduce potential landslide losses, the […]

Volcano Profile: Mount Adams

Location: Yakima County, WA Elevation: 3,742 m (12,277 ft) GEOLOGY Mount Adams is volumetrically the largest volcano in the Pacific Northwest. It is actually a cluster of volcanic vents that erupted andesitic lava from the vent cluster rather than a single vent. The Mount Adams system is one of the youngest in the Cascade Range and is […]

Meet our New Landslide Hazards Program

Washington’s widely varying climate and topography along with complex geology creates many areas that are prone to landslides.  Identifying past landslides is the best way to identify future landslide hazards. After the devastating SR530 “Oso” Landslide in March 2014, the state legislature recognized the need for a greater emphasis on landslide mapping. Resources were allocated to […]