In 2017, the massive Mud Creek landslide buried a quarter-mile of the famous coastal route, California’s Highway 1, with rocks and dirt more than 65 feet deep. USGS monitors erosion along the landslide-prone cliffs of Big Sur, collecting aerial photos frequently throughout the year.
Images
![A series of images showing a steep cliff along the coast from two different dates and the change between them.](https://d9-wret.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets/palladium/production/s3fs-public/styles/masonry/public/thumbnails/image/MudCkTopoChg3-June-Oct17.gif?itok=nX0ABdmb)
In 2017, the massive Mud Creek landslide buried a quarter-mile of the famous coastal route, California’s Highway 1, with rocks and dirt more than 65 feet deep. USGS monitors erosion along the landslide-prone cliffs of Big Sur, collecting aerial photos frequently throughout the year.
![A series of images showing a steep cliff along the coast from two different dates and the change between them.](https://d9-wret.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets/palladium/production/s3fs-public/styles/masonry/public/thumbnails/image/MudCkTopoChg1-June-Oct17.gif?itok=6d-SaQ1Z)
In 2017, the massive Mud Creek landslide buried a quarter-mile of the famous coastal route, California’s Highway 1, with rocks and dirt more than 65 feet deep. USGS monitors erosion along the landslide-prone cliffs of Big Sur, collecting aerial photos frequently throughout the year.
In 2017, the massive Mud Creek landslide buried a quarter-mile of the famous coastal route, California’s Highway 1, with rocks and dirt more than 65 feet deep. USGS monitors erosion along the landslide-prone cliffs of Big Sur, collecting aerial photos frequently throughout the year.
![A series of images showing a steep cliff along the coast from two different dates and the change between them.](https://d9-wret.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets/palladium/production/s3fs-public/styles/masonry/public/thumbnails/image/MudCkTopoChg2-June-Oct17.gif?itok=mamCUXOm)
In 2017, the massive Mud Creek landslide buried a quarter-mile of the famous coastal route, California’s Highway 1, with rocks and dirt more than 65 feet deep. USGS monitors erosion along the landslide-prone cliffs of Big Sur, collecting aerial photos frequently throughout the year.
In 2017, the massive Mud Creek landslide buried a quarter-mile of the famous coastal route, California’s Highway 1, with rocks and dirt more than 65 feet deep. USGS monitors erosion along the landslide-prone cliffs of Big Sur, collecting aerial photos frequently throughout the year.
Video shot from drones yields details about changing landslide on California’s Big Sur coast
Video shot from drones yields details about changing landslide on California’s Big Sur coast
![A man wearing a hard hat navigates a drone toward a landing target with GPS equipment in the background.](https://d9-wret.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets/palladium/production/s3fs-public/styles/masonry/public/thumbnails/image/drone-ops-with-gps12Oct17.jpg?itok=imj1CRGQ)
Josh Logan, a physical scientist at the USGS Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center in Santa Cruz, California, operates an unmanned aerial system, or UAS, often called a "drone", that is equipped with a video camera.
Josh Logan, a physical scientist at the USGS Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center in Santa Cruz, California, operates an unmanned aerial system, or UAS, often called a "drone", that is equipped with a video camera.
![View looking downhill towards the ocean and heavy equipment is driving around on dirt roads.](https://d9-wret.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets/palladium/production/s3fs-public/styles/masonry/public/thumbnails/image/ConstructionMudCreek12Oct17.jpg?itok=v8K5XdhJ)
View of the huge landslide at Mud Creek on the Big Sur coast, October 12, 2017. USGS is studying the landslide, collecting data and imagery that can be used to monitor changes. USGS provides the data to Caltrans, the California Department of Transportation, whose heavy equipment and earth movers are shown here.
View of the huge landslide at Mud Creek on the Big Sur coast, October 12, 2017. USGS is studying the landslide, collecting data and imagery that can be used to monitor changes. USGS provides the data to Caltrans, the California Department of Transportation, whose heavy equipment and earth movers are shown here.
In 2017, the massive Mud Creek landslide buried a quarter-mile of the famous coastal route, California’s Highway 1, with rocks and dirt more than 65 feet deep. USGS monitors erosion along the landslide-prone cliffs of Big Sur, collecting aerial photos frequently throughout the year.
In 2017, the massive Mud Creek landslide buried a quarter-mile of the famous coastal route, California’s Highway 1, with rocks and dirt more than 65 feet deep. USGS monitors erosion along the landslide-prone cliffs of Big Sur, collecting aerial photos frequently throughout the year.
Lead-in to the Mud Creek slide UAS (drone) footage, Big Sur, California, July 19. 2017.
Lead-in to the Mud Creek slide UAS (drone) footage, Big Sur, California, July 19. 2017.
Near San Simeon, view looks north up Highway 1 along the California coast toward Big Sur.
Near San Simeon, view looks north up Highway 1 along the California coast toward Big Sur.
![Two photographs taken from the sky looking down on a landslide into the ocean water with a plume of murky water along the coast.](https://d9-wret.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets/palladium/production/s3fs-public/styles/masonry/public/thumbnails/image/BigSur5-AB_2017_07_12DroneCcrDES.jpg?itok=JpixA-cO)
Drone’s-eye views of the toe of the Mud Creek landslide, from videos shot by Shawn Harrison on July 12, 2017
Drone’s-eye views of the toe of the Mud Creek landslide, from videos shot by Shawn Harrison on July 12, 2017
USGS scientists continue to monitor the slide by collecting imagery every couple of weeks, weather permitting. Pilot Bob Van Wagenen, contracted through the Department of the Interior’s Office of Aviation Services, takes air photos for Jon Warrick’s Big Sur Landslide team, flying out of the Watsonville Municipal Airport in a Cessna 182R.
USGS scientists continue to monitor the slide by collecting imagery every couple of weeks, weather permitting. Pilot Bob Van Wagenen, contracted through the Department of the Interior’s Office of Aviation Services, takes air photos for Jon Warrick’s Big Sur Landslide team, flying out of the Watsonville Municipal Airport in a Cessna 182R.
In 2017, the massive Mud Creek landslide buried a quarter-mile of the famous coastal route, California’s Highway 1, with rocks and dirt more than 65 feet deep. USGS monitors erosion along the landslide-prone cliffs of Big Sur, collecting aerial photos frequently throughout the year.
In 2017, the massive Mud Creek landslide buried a quarter-mile of the famous coastal route, California’s Highway 1, with rocks and dirt more than 65 feet deep. USGS monitors erosion along the landslide-prone cliffs of Big Sur, collecting aerial photos frequently throughout the year.
In 2017, the massive Mud Creek landslide buried a quarter-mile of the famous coastal route, California’s Highway 1, with rocks and dirt more than 65 feet deep. USGS monitors erosion along the landslide-prone cliffs of Big Sur, collecting aerial photos frequently throughout the year.
In 2017, the massive Mud Creek landslide buried a quarter-mile of the famous coastal route, California’s Highway 1, with rocks and dirt more than 65 feet deep. USGS monitors erosion along the landslide-prone cliffs of Big Sur, collecting aerial photos frequently throughout the year.
In 2017, the massive Mud Creek landslide buried a quarter-mile of the famous coastal route, California’s Highway 1, with rocks and dirt more than 65 feet deep. USGS monitors erosion along the landslide-prone cliffs of Big Sur, collecting aerial photos frequently throughout the year.
In 2017, the massive Mud Creek landslide buried a quarter-mile of the famous coastal route, California’s Highway 1, with rocks and dirt more than 65 feet deep. USGS monitors erosion along the landslide-prone cliffs of Big Sur, collecting aerial photos frequently throughout the year.
In 2017, the massive Mud Creek landslide buried a quarter-mile of the famous coastal route, California’s Highway 1, with rocks and dirt more than 65 feet deep. USGS monitors erosion along the landslide-prone cliffs of Big Sur, collecting aerial photos frequently throughout the year.
In 2017, the massive Mud Creek landslide buried a quarter-mile of the famous coastal route, California’s Highway 1, with rocks and dirt more than 65 feet deep. USGS monitors erosion along the landslide-prone cliffs of Big Sur, collecting aerial photos frequently throughout the year.
In 2017, the massive Mud Creek landslide buried a quarter-mile of the famous coastal route, California’s Highway 1, with rocks and dirt more than 65 feet deep. USGS monitors erosion along the landslide-prone cliffs of Big Sur, collecting aerial photos frequently throughout the year.
In 2017, the massive Mud Creek landslide buried a quarter-mile of the famous coastal route, California’s Highway 1, with rocks and dirt more than 65 feet deep. USGS monitors erosion along the landslide-prone cliffs of Big Sur, collecting aerial photos frequently throughout the year.
![A series of images show the height of the ground and how it changes over 17 days.](https://d9-wret.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets/palladium/production/s3fs-public/styles/masonry/public/thumbnails/image/PyramidRockProfile-13June17.gif?itok=c6j5GGgn)
In 2017, the massive Mud Creek landslide buried a quarter-mile of the famous coastal route, California’s Highway 1, with rocks and dirt more than 65 feet deep. USGS monitors erosion along the landslide-prone cliffs of Big Sur, collecting aerial photos frequently throughout the year.
In 2017, the massive Mud Creek landslide buried a quarter-mile of the famous coastal route, California’s Highway 1, with rocks and dirt more than 65 feet deep. USGS monitors erosion along the landslide-prone cliffs of Big Sur, collecting aerial photos frequently throughout the year.
Imagery shows topographic point clouds from photos, first from September 11, 2015 courtesy of California Coastal Records Project, second from March 8, 2017 (USGS photo), third from May 19, 2017 (USGS photo), and fourth from May 27, 2017 (USGS photo) 7 days following the catastrophic Highway 1 landslide.
Imagery shows topographic point clouds from photos, first from September 11, 2015 courtesy of California Coastal Records Project, second from March 8, 2017 (USGS photo), third from May 19, 2017 (USGS photo), and fourth from May 27, 2017 (USGS photo) 7 days following the catastrophic Highway 1 landslide.
![USGS air photo of the Mud Creek landslide, taken on May 27, 2017](https://d9-wret.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets/palladium/production/s3fs-public/styles/masonry/public/thumbnails/image/BigSur1_May20SlideDES_0.jpg?itok=Wf4yoiZe)
USGS air photo of the Mud Creek landslide, taken on May 27, 2017
USGS air photo of the Mud Creek landslide, taken on May 27, 2017
View from an airplane looking at the Mud Creek landslide on the Big Sur coast that occurred May 20, 2017.
View from an airplane looking at the Mud Creek landslide on the Big Sur coast that occurred May 20, 2017.
![Illustration shows how photos over a landslide are used to create a digital model for comparison over time.](https://d9-wret.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/assets/palladium/production/s3fs-public/styles/masonry/public/thumbnails/image/USGS_RSCC_MudCreek_CACoast_2017_May27_Pg3.jpg?itok=wK38CEcs)
Provisional data subject to revision. From the USGS Remote Sensing Coastal Change Project, illustration describes how the USGS measures topographic change with 4D photogrammetry utilizing the techniques of Warrick et al., 2017. A digital terrain model of a coastal cliff is shown with its ground control points.
Provisional data subject to revision. From the USGS Remote Sensing Coastal Change Project, illustration describes how the USGS measures topographic change with 4D photogrammetry utilizing the techniques of Warrick et al., 2017. A digital terrain model of a coastal cliff is shown with its ground control points.