Wildfire and Extreme Rain Intensify Erosion and Sediment Flow, USGS-led Study Shows
Uncovering 14,000 Years of Seismic Activity in Northern Cascadia
Restoring Coral Reefs for Coastal Hazard Risk Reduction in the U.S. Virgin Islands
Shifting Sand-Supply Dynamics in San Francisco Bay
In New Study, Scientists Identify Key Markers of the Anthropocene Epoch
Study Finds Seasonal Differences in Marshland Erosion in South San Francisco Bay
Benthic Invertebrate Response to Estuarine Marsh Restoration at the Nisqually River Delta
New Tool Revolutionizes Coastal Shoreline Mapping with Decades of Satellite Data
Deep-Sea Mining and Potential Impacts on Marine Ecosystems: New Study Highlights Geochemical Implications
Seafloor Imaging Reveals Nearly 1,500 Submarine Landslides Off Southern California Coast
Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
We conduct multidisciplinary scientific research in the coastal and offshore areas of California, Oregon, Washington, Alaska, Hawaii, and other US Pacific Islands; and in other waterways of the United States.
Research Projects
Research Projects
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Science Seminar Series
Science Seminar Series
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News
Wildfire and Extreme Rain Intensify Erosion and Sediment Flow, USGS-led Study Shows
Wildfire and Extreme Rain Intensify Erosion and Sediment Flow, USGS-led Study Shows
Erosion following wildfire has increased in California since 1984
Erosion following wildfire has increased in California since 1984
Uncovering 14,000 Years of Seismic Activity in Northern Cascadia
Uncovering 14,000 Years of Seismic Activity in Northern Cascadia
Publications
Postfire sediment mobilization and its downstream implications across California, 1984 – 2021
Fire facilitates erosion through changes in vegetation and soil, with major postfire erosion commonly occurring even with moderate rainfall. As climate warms, the western United States (U.S.) is experiencing an intensifying fire regime and increasing frequency of extreme rain. We evaluated whether these hydroclimatic changes are evident in patterns of postfire erosion by modeling hillslope erosion
Quantifying the coastal hazard risk reduction benefits of coral reef restoration in the U.S. Virgin Islands
Coastal habitat restoration, especially of coral reef ecosystems, can significantly reduce the exposure of coastal communities to natural hazards and, consequently, the risk of wave-driven flooding. Likewise, reef degradation can increase coastal flood risks to people and property. In this study, the valuation of coral reefs in the United States Virgin Islands (USVI), along the coasts of St. Croix
Reversal in estuarine sand supply driven by Holocene sea level rise: A model for sand transport in large structural estuaries, San Francisco Bay, California, USA
Reversal in estuarine sand supply driven by Holocene sea level rise: A model for sand transport in large structural estuaries, San Francisco Bay, California, USA
Science
Habitat Vulnerability to Climate Change: Identifying Climate Change Induced Mass Mortality Events Across Large Landscapes of the United States
USGS researchers will characterize extreme climatic events across U.S. following a review of case studies of mass mortality events associated with climate extremes including drought, precipitation, freeze, heat waves, and storm events.
Eyes on Earth Episode 120 – Mapping the California Coastline
Coastline erosion can change your favorite beach. But it can also affect highways and buildings. Landsat, along with high-resolution data, can be used to model the past and predict the future of changes caused by sea level rise and coastal erosion.
Post-Fire Sediment Research at the Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
The USGS Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center (PCMSC) in Santa Cruz, California, has been growing our post-fire research contributions since 2017, through studies of post-fire sediment movement that address the Natural Hazards Mission Area objectives for understanding wildfire hazards.