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Displaying 1 - 9 of a total of 9 items
August 30, 2018
By the numbers: Washington
12,118 geoscience employees (excludes self-employed)1
1.53 billion gallons/day: total groundwater withdrawal3
$901 million: value of nonfuel mineral production in 20174
132 total disaster declarations, including 78 fire, 28 flood, and 16 severe storm disasters (...
August 28, 2018
Climate Science 101
Climate is the average of weather conditions over several decades.1,2 Geoscientists monitor modern climate conditions (1880 A.D. to present) in part by taking direct measurements of weather data (i.e., air temperature, rainfall and snowfall, wind speed, cloudiness, and so on)...
April 19, 2018
Geologic Maps and Landslide Hazards
A geologic map is key to understanding landslide risk. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and numerous state geological surveys around the nation prioritize the mapping of landslide-prone areas. Understanding landslide risk is crucial in making decisions around...
April 04, 2018
Using Geologic Maps to Protect Public Health
Geologic maps can be used to understand and mitigate public health risks across the US, in addition to their more traditional use in resource and infrastructure decisions. Geologic maps can show the location of naturally occurring hazardous materials...
December 07, 2017
What grows in arid, sandy soils? How do these soils become dust?
Many small organisms, such as bacteria and fungi, grow among the sand and silt particles in dry valley and desert soils. At the soil’s surface, these organisms often form biological webs (“microbiotic crusts”) that keep small sand...
September 07, 2017
What is a Dry Well?
A dry well is a well that is used to transmit surface water underground and is deeper than its width at the surface (see image, below). Most dry wells are 30 to 70 feet deep and 3 feet wide at the surface. They are lined with perforated casings and can be filled with gravel or...
September 07, 2017
Introduction
Dry wells improve stormwater drainage and aquifer recharge by providing a fast, direct route for rainwater to drain deep into underlying sediment and rock. Dry wells are most common in the western U.S. where clay or caliche layers slow down the natural drainage of water into...
May 19, 2017
Surface and subsurface mapping of lahar and lahar runout deposits from Glacier Peak volcano has contributed important geologic information for land-management planning and emergency preparedness in the lower Skagit Valley.
Defining the Problem
Active volcanoes, such as Glacier Peak (Fig. 1), pose...
March 31, 2017
More than just volcanic eruptions
Volcanic eruptions are a serious hazard. But at many stratovolcanoes in Washington, Oregon, Northern California, and Alaska, landslides and debris flows can be just as dangerous. Some of these - especially volcanic mudflows (lahars) - are directly triggered by...
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