It’s Earth Science Week (October 12-16) Continuing on our theme of Earth Science Week, today we are talking about the California State Fossil! Wednesday: October 14: FOSSIL DAY Did you know that California’s official state fossil is the Sabertoothed Cat? How cool is that?! We’ve created some fun facts to help you get to know…
Category: Geology
Earth Science Week Day 2 — Earth Observation Day
How the Department of Conservation uses geospatial technology to map, analyze, and observe the Earth’s surface.
It’s Minerals Day — October 12
California Geological Survey geologists map rare earth minerals in the Mojave National Preserve.
CGS Geologists Assess Multiple Fire Burn Areas for Landslide Potential: 10-1-20 Update
Wildfires are a disaster that can spawn yet another disaster. Fire eliminates ground covering on slopes, exposing the soil underneath and making it more susceptible to debris flows. Such events can be catastrophic, as was the case in Montecito (Santa Barbara County) in 2018. David Longstreth, senior engineering geologist in California Geological Survey’s (CGS) Forest and Watershed Geology program, is one…
Explore CGS’ New Tsunami Inundation and Evacuation Maps for Humboldt County
This week, California Geological Survey (CGS) — which provides geologic and seismic expertise to the public and other government offices — released two tsunami hazard maps for Humboldt County: one tsunami inundation map and one tsunami evacuation map.
California Geological Survey Shares Expertise During Nevada’s Largest Temblor in 65 Years
The largest earthquake in Nevada in 65 years drew plenty of attention at the California Geological Survey (CGS) – not because it caused significant damage – but because it helps paints a clearer picture of what’s going on under the Earth’s surface in the east/central part of our state. That’s important for an institution that…
The Mammoth Lakes Earthquakes – 40th Anniversary
On May 25, 1980–nearly one week after the spectacular eruption of the Mount St. Helens volcano–at 9:33 a.m. PST, a magnitude 6.0 earthquake rocked through Mammoth Lakes, California. During the next 16 minutes, four more shocks, magnitude 4.1 – 5.5 followed. This seismic activity was the beginning of an earthquake sequence that produced 72 magnitude…
Geological Survey’s Janis Hernandez Lends a Hand After Puerto Rico Quake
Janis Hernandez, a senior engineering geologist who heads California Geological Survey’s Los Angeles office, long wanted to visit the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico. She can cross that off her bucket list, though she might have chosen different circumstances for her visit. “Well, I ended up seeing a lot more of the island than most…
Citizen Scientists: Help CGS Map Landslides
See a landslide? Think C-A landslide, as in CAlandslide@conservation.ca.gov.
The California Geological Survey (CGS) is asking for the public’s help in pinpointing landslides which occur in many flavors: rockfalls, rock avalanches, and debris flow–in the state.
Using GIS to Show the Interconnectivity of Our Work
Happy #GISDay! Today we celebrate how geographic information systems (GIS) are being used across the globe to make a difference. While a map is a drawing showing a limited number of things – roads, streets, county lines, etc. – an entire database of information is connected to a GIS. It’s an intelligent map that lets…