Mapping Tsunami Hazards in California: When Experience Meets Expertise

Nick Graehl, engineering geologist in California Geological Survey’s Tsunami Program, often reflects on his first post-tsunami reconnaissance trip as a reminder of the importance of preparing Californians for a tsunami. “It’s something not everyone gets to experience but then once you have, you never forget.” From Studying to Experiencing Tsunami Effects A post-tsunami reconnaissance trip,…

Protecting Forests for the Other California Gold: Lumber

The lumber industry has a long history in California. Sutter’s Mill, where the discovery that started the Gold Rush was made, wasn’t a flour mill or sugar mill; it was a sawmill.  Lumber’s Unfortunate Legacy Vast forests helped build and heat homes for the miners, the merchants, and the rest that followed, helping to turn…