Dennis Michael Staley
Current research focuses on landslide hazards in Alaska, specifically on tsunamigenic landslides in Prince William Sound. Past research includes post-wildfire debris flow hazards in the western United States, the geomorphology of alluvial and debris-flow fans and talus deposits in arid and alpine environments, and the assessment of aquatic, riparian and wetland ecosystem health and function.
I am a Research Physical Scientist in the Alaska Volcano Observatory in Anchorage, Alaska, where I currently lead a project related to landslide hazards in Prince William Sound. This project is currently aimed at improving our understanding of the tsunamigenic potential and corresponding risk associated with large rock slope failures in recently deglaciated fiords.
Prior to moving to Alaska in the fall of 2021, I worked at the Geologic Hazards Science Center in Golden, Colorado, where I studied post-fire debris flows. This research focused on advancing our understanding of the topographic, geologic, hydrologic, and meteorological conditions that influence the location, timing, and magnitude of post-fire debris flows for the purpose of improving hazard assessment and early warning.
Before starting my career at the U.S. Geological Survey, I was a Physical Scientist at the U.S. Forest Service in Golden, Colorado, where I focused on developing protocols for assessing the health and function of aquatic, riparian, and wetland ecosystems of the Rocky Mountains.
Professional Experience
2007 - Present: Research Physical Scientist, U.S. Geological Survey, Golden CO and Anchorage AK
2001 - 2007: Physical Scientist, U.S. Forest Service, Golden CO
Education and Certifications
Ph.D. in Earth Sciences, University of Memphis, Memphis TN, 2006.
MSc. in Geography, University of Memphis, Memphis TN, 2000.
BA in Geography, State University of New York - College at Geneseo, Geneseo NY, 1998.
Affiliations and Memberships*
Fellow, Geological Society of America (2020)
E.B. Burwell Jr. Award, Geological Society of America Environmental and Engineering Geology Division (2019)
Honor Award for Superior Service, U.S. Department of Interior (2016)
Meritorious Service Award, Environmental and Engineering Geology Division of the Geological Society of America (2015)
Best Paper Award in Landslides, International Landslide Consortium (2013)
Science and Products
2024 Pedersen Lagoon Landslide-Generated Tsunami
Advancing Post-Fire Debris Flow Hazard Science with a Field Deployable Mapping Tool
Barry Arm, Alaska Landslide and Tsunami Monitoring
How Often Do Rainstorms Cause Debris Flows in Burned Areas of the Southwestern U.S.?
Debris-Flow Forecasts Before Wildfires
Postfire debris-flow hazards
Rainfall and Landslides in Southern California
Exploiting high-resolution topography for advancing the understanding of mass and energy transfer across landscapes: Opportunities, challenges, and needs
Rock mass quality and structural geology observations in northwest Prince William Sound, Alaska from the summer of 2021
Debris Flow, Precipitation, and Volume Measurements in the Grizzly Creek Burn Perimeter June 2021-September 2022, Glenwood Canyon, Colorado (ver. 1.1, October 2023)
Inventory of Large Slope Instabilities, Prince William Sound, Alaska
Hydrologic monitoring data in steep, landslide-prone terrain, Sitka, Alaska, USA
Simulated inundation extent and depth in Harriman Fjord and Barry Arm, western Prince William Sound, Alaska, resulting from the hypothetical rapid motion of landslides into Barry Arm Fjord, Prince William Sound, Alaska
Simulated inundation extent and depth at Whittier, Alaska resulting from the hypothetical rapid motion of landslides into Barry Arm Fjord, Prince William Sound, Alaska
Select model results from simulations of hypothetical rapid failures of landslides into Barry Arm, Prince William Sound, Alaska
Soil moisture monitoring following the 2009 Station Fire, California, USA, 2016-2019
Gridded estimates of postfire debris flow frequency and magnitude for southern California
Data supporting an analysis of the recurrence interval of post-fire debris-flow generating rainfall in the southwestern United States
Post-wildfire debris-flow monitoring data, Las Lomas, 2016 Fish Fire, Los Angeles County, California, November 2016 to February 2017
Debris-flow inundation and damage data from the 9 January 2018 Montecito Debris-Flow Event
Evaluating post-wildfire debris-flow rainfall thresholds and volume models at the 2020 Grizzly Creek Fire in Glenwood Canyon, Colorado, USA
Satellite Interferometry Landslide Detection and Preliminary Tsunamigenic Plausibility Assessment in Prince William Sound, Southcentral Alaska
Regional mapping of actively deforming landslides, including measurements of landslide velocity, is integral for hazard assessments in paraglacial environments. These inventories are also critical for describing the potential impacts that the warming effects of climate change have on slope instability in mountainous and cryospheric terrain. The objective of this study is to identify slow-moving la
Kinematic evolution of a large paraglacial landslide in the Barry Arm fjord of Alaska
Simulating debris flow and levee formation in the 2D shallow flow model D-Claw: Channelized and unconfined flow
New model of the Barry Arm landslide in Alaska reveals potential tsunami wave heights of 2 meters, values much lower than previously estimated
Multi-model comparison of computed debris flow runout for the 9 January 2018 Montecito, California post-wildfire event
Preliminary assessment of the wave generating potential from landslides at Barry Arm, Prince William Sound, Alaska
Movement of sediment through a burned landscape: Sediment volume observations and model comparisons in the San Gabriel Mountains, California, USA
Postwildfire soil‐hydraulic recovery and the persistence of debris flow hazards
Forecasting the frequency and magnitude of postfire debris flows across southern California
Time since burning and rainfall characteristics impact post-fire debris flow initiation and magnitude
The recurrence interval of post-fire debris-flow generating rainfall in the southwestern United States
Science and Products
2024 Pedersen Lagoon Landslide-Generated Tsunami
Advancing Post-Fire Debris Flow Hazard Science with a Field Deployable Mapping Tool
Barry Arm, Alaska Landslide and Tsunami Monitoring
How Often Do Rainstorms Cause Debris Flows in Burned Areas of the Southwestern U.S.?
Debris-Flow Forecasts Before Wildfires
Postfire debris-flow hazards
Rainfall and Landslides in Southern California
Exploiting high-resolution topography for advancing the understanding of mass and energy transfer across landscapes: Opportunities, challenges, and needs
Rock mass quality and structural geology observations in northwest Prince William Sound, Alaska from the summer of 2021
Debris Flow, Precipitation, and Volume Measurements in the Grizzly Creek Burn Perimeter June 2021-September 2022, Glenwood Canyon, Colorado (ver. 1.1, October 2023)
Inventory of Large Slope Instabilities, Prince William Sound, Alaska
Hydrologic monitoring data in steep, landslide-prone terrain, Sitka, Alaska, USA
Simulated inundation extent and depth in Harriman Fjord and Barry Arm, western Prince William Sound, Alaska, resulting from the hypothetical rapid motion of landslides into Barry Arm Fjord, Prince William Sound, Alaska
Simulated inundation extent and depth at Whittier, Alaska resulting from the hypothetical rapid motion of landslides into Barry Arm Fjord, Prince William Sound, Alaska
Select model results from simulations of hypothetical rapid failures of landslides into Barry Arm, Prince William Sound, Alaska
Soil moisture monitoring following the 2009 Station Fire, California, USA, 2016-2019
Gridded estimates of postfire debris flow frequency and magnitude for southern California
Data supporting an analysis of the recurrence interval of post-fire debris-flow generating rainfall in the southwestern United States
Post-wildfire debris-flow monitoring data, Las Lomas, 2016 Fish Fire, Los Angeles County, California, November 2016 to February 2017
Debris-flow inundation and damage data from the 9 January 2018 Montecito Debris-Flow Event
Evaluating post-wildfire debris-flow rainfall thresholds and volume models at the 2020 Grizzly Creek Fire in Glenwood Canyon, Colorado, USA
Satellite Interferometry Landslide Detection and Preliminary Tsunamigenic Plausibility Assessment in Prince William Sound, Southcentral Alaska
Regional mapping of actively deforming landslides, including measurements of landslide velocity, is integral for hazard assessments in paraglacial environments. These inventories are also critical for describing the potential impacts that the warming effects of climate change have on slope instability in mountainous and cryospheric terrain. The objective of this study is to identify slow-moving la
Kinematic evolution of a large paraglacial landslide in the Barry Arm fjord of Alaska
Simulating debris flow and levee formation in the 2D shallow flow model D-Claw: Channelized and unconfined flow
New model of the Barry Arm landslide in Alaska reveals potential tsunami wave heights of 2 meters, values much lower than previously estimated
Multi-model comparison of computed debris flow runout for the 9 January 2018 Montecito, California post-wildfire event
Preliminary assessment of the wave generating potential from landslides at Barry Arm, Prince William Sound, Alaska
Movement of sediment through a burned landscape: Sediment volume observations and model comparisons in the San Gabriel Mountains, California, USA
Postwildfire soil‐hydraulic recovery and the persistence of debris flow hazards
Forecasting the frequency and magnitude of postfire debris flows across southern California
Time since burning and rainfall characteristics impact post-fire debris flow initiation and magnitude
The recurrence interval of post-fire debris-flow generating rainfall in the southwestern United States
*Disclaimer: Listing outside positions with professional scientific organizations on this Staff Profile are for informational purposes only and do not constitute an endorsement of those professional scientific organizations or their activities by the USGS, Department of the Interior, or U.S. Government