Introduction: Course Description

Key Questions1. Who is teaching this course?

2. What is environmental geology?

3. Where is the web site for this course?

4. Prerequisites

5. Text book (optional)

6. Course topics

7. Assessment

8. Term Project

Lecture 1: Population and Sustainability

Key Questions1. How is the population growth rate determined?

2. What is an exponential growth rate?

3. Is the population currently rising exponentially?

4. What countries have the highest population growth rate? Lowest?

5. Where are population densities with respect to natural hazards?

6. What is sustainability?

7. Is our population and life style sustainable?

Lecture 2: Hazard, Risk, Mitigation, and Preparedness

Key Questions1. What defines a hazard?

2. How does “risk” relate to a hazard?

3. What amplifies ones perception of the risk of a hazard?

4. How is risk assessed?

5. What class of population is typically more vulnerable to natural hazards?

6. What mitigation methods are used to lower the risk of hazard effects?

7. What preparedness techniques are used to lower risks?

Figure 2.20

Lecture 3: Plate Tectonics Review

Key Questions1. What is the difference between continental drift and plate tectonics?

2. Review the scientific method as applied to plate tectonics

3. What drives plate tectonics?

4. What are the types of plate boundaries?

5. What type of plate boundary defines the PNW?

Lecture 4: Earthquakes and Seismic Waves

Key Questions1. What are the sources for EQs in the PNW?

2. What is a seismograph and seismogram?

3. What is the difference between Richter magnitudes and Mercalli intensities?

4. Where can information about PNW seismic stations be found?

5. How does seismology contribute to risk assessment of EQs?

6. Why is the frequency of occurrence of EQs important?

7. What is the “return period” of the great Cascadia subduction zone EQ?

Lecture 5: Earthquake Risk Assessment and Mitigation

Key Questions1. What is the difference between the frequency and amplitude of a wave?

2. How do geologic materials and travel distance influence seismic waves?

3. How do structures respond to seismic waves?

4. What is an EQ probability map?

5. What are PGA, %g, and probability of exceedance?

6. What is spectral acceleration?

7. How are EQ probability maps related to building codes? BBC Haiti photo

Lecture 6: Tsunami Waves

Key Questions1. What are four sources for tsunami waves?

2. What are the wavelength, period, velocity, frequency, height relations for a wave?

3. What does “feeling” bottom have to do with the height amplification of a wave?

4. What are typical wavelengths and speeds for tsunami waves?

5. What three methods does NOAA use to mitigate tsunamis?

6. What is DART?

Lecture 7: Coastal Hazards

Key Questions1. Why are coastal hazards increasing?

2. How are wind generated waves created and what increases their size?

3. What is longshore drift?

4. What is the difference between a predominant and prevailing wind?

5. What is depleting beach “nourishment” along the Washington coast?

6. What cause the sea level to rise?

7. What is used to mitigate coastal hazards?

Lecture 8: Volcano Review

Key Questions1. How does tectonic setting relate to magma composition and eruptive style?

2. What is the silica content difference between basalt, andesite, and rhyolite?

3. What are the characteristics of a shield volcano? Why low silica?

4. What are the characteristics of a strato (or composite) volcano? Why high silica?

5. Why do magmas expand as they rise (explain lithostatic pressure)?

6. Why do magmas evolve gases as they rise?

7. Why are magmas with a higher silica % explosive?

Lecture 9: Volcanic Hazards

Key Questions1. What are the dominant primary volcanic hazards?

2. What is the difference between a pyroclastic flow and an ash fall?

3. If Mt. Baker discharged an ash plume, where would it likely drift to and fallout?

4. What volcanic gases are most hazardous to humans and animals?

5. Why is CO2 dangerous?

6. What is most at risk to lava flows?

7. What are some ways to lower the risk?

8. What is VEI?

9. What is VPI (see “In Harms Way” Geotimes link)?

http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/Hazards/What/hazards.html

Lecture 10: Volcano Monitoring

Key Questions1. Why are gas, heat, seismicity, ground deformation, and hydrology

monitored around volcanoes?

2. What techniques are used to monitor these volcanic activities?

3. How are Remote Sensing techniques used to monitor volcanoes?

4. What three techniques are used to monitor ground deformation?

5. What methods did the USGS use to predict the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo?

6. What challenges do scientists face when predicting an eruption?

http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/About/What/Monitor/monitor.html

Lecture 11: Lahar Hazards

Key Questions1. What are three sources for lahars (e.g., Mt. Pinatubo and Mt. Rainier)?

2. What regions surrounding a volcano will a lahar likely inundate?

3. What techniques are used to determine the age of past lahars?

4. The Mt. Rainier region has about 40 AFMs—what is an AFM?

5. What is Bridge for Kids?

6. What Lynden, WA life line would most likely be impacted by a lahar?

http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/Imgs/Jpg/Pinatubo/30410135_031_large.jpg

Lecture 12: Slope Stability

Key Questions1. How do “friction” and “cohesion” work together to stabilize slopes?

2. What is trying to “pull” slope material down?

3. How does the slope angle play a role in slope stability?

4. What is the “factor of safety” equation?

http://www.nwgeoscience.com/kelso/photos/index.html

Kelso, WA Landslide

Lecture 13: The Role of Water in Slope Stability

Key Questions1. How does the weight of water influence the

factor of safety?

2. What does too much water do to the cohesion strength of the sediment?

3. How does water interact with clay minerals in the sediment?

4. How does water decrease the “friction force” and hence the factor of safety?

La Conchita, CA

Lecture 14: The Role of Vegetation and Mitigation of Slides

Key Questions1. How does vegetation influence the stability of a slope?

2. How does the slope “aspect” effect the stability of a slope?

3. How do geologic maps help mitigate landslides?

4. What monitoring techniques are used to mitigate landslides?

5. What stabilization techniques are use to mitigate landslides?

Lewis County (December 3, 2007 storm)

Lecture 15: Subsidence

Key Questions1. How does removal of groundwater cause subsidence on a regional scale?

2. Under what conditions does a building sink into sediment?

3. Why do clays consolidate more the sands?

4. Why is the Mississippi delta sinking?

5. What “rapid” subsidence issues does Bellingham face?

6. What is solution leaching? Sink hole near Daisetta, Texas: May 9, 2008

Lecture 16: Liquefaction

Key Questions1. What types of sediments are most susceptible to liquefaction?

2. What determines the “shear strength” of sediments?

3. Why do liquefiable sediments have to be saturated with water?

4. Why does ground shaking due to earthquakes amplify in soft sediments?

5. What is lateral spreading?

6. Why is the Bellingham waterfront susceptible to these hazards?

Niigata Japan, 1964 liquefaction

Lecture 17: Floods

Key Questions1. What defines a drainage basin?

2. What is stream discharge?

3. What is stage height?

4. What is a rating curve?

5. What is a hydrograph??

Niigata Japan, 1964 liquefaction

Dec flood south Puget Sound 2007

Lecture 18: Floods—Basin Characteristics Key Questions1. Does area influence streamflow?

2. Does precipitation variability influence streamflow?

3. How do soils influence stream flow?

4. How does topography influence streamflow?

5. How does urbanization influence streamflow?

6. How does vegetation influence streamflow?

7. What is an “upstream” or “flash” flood?Niigata Japan, 1964 liquefaction

Lecture 19: Down-Stream Floods and the “100-Year” Flood

Key Questions1. What is a downstream flood?

2. What were the setup conditions that caused the Nov, 1990 Nooksack flood?

3. What is a 100-year flood?

4. How are 100-year flood discharge magnitudes determined?

5. What is a 100-year flood inundation map?

6. Mitigation techniques

Niigata Japan, 1964 liquefaction

Chehalis Dec 2007 Flood (Seattle Times)

Lecture 20: Groundwater Introduction

Niigata Japan, 1964 liquefaction

Key Questions for Groundwater1. What is an aquifer?

2. What types of sediments characterize most groundwater resources in the PNW?

3. What is the source for groundwater?

4. What is porosity? What determines the magnitude of porosity?

5. What causes groundwater to move?

6. What quantifies the hydraulic gradient?

Lecture 21: Groundwater: Hydraulic Conductivity

Key Questions 1. What causes groundwater to move?

2. What quantifies the hydraulic gradient?

3. What is the hydraulic conductivity?

4. What controls the magnitude of the hydraulic conductivity?

5. What is Darcy’s Law?

6. How is groundwater velocity estimated?

Niigata Japan, 1964 liquefaction

Lecture 22: Groundwater: Pumping Wells and Seawater

Key Questions 1. How does a groundwater well work?

2. What is a cone of depression and what controls it’s size and shape?

3. What problems can occur due to over pumping of groundwater?

4. How does groundwater influence streamflow?

5. What is the Gyben-Herzberg Relation (z = 40h)

6. Why are islands susceptible to sea-water intrusion?

Niigata Japan, 1964 liquefaction

Lecture 23: Groundwater Contamination

Key Questions 1. What are some examples of point sources of groundwater contamination?

2. What are some examples of non-point sources of groundwater contamination?

3. Why is nitrate the most common groundwater pollutant?

4. Why is the Abbotsford-Sumas aquifer susceptible to nitrate contamination?

5. What are some examples of a LNAPL?

6. What are some examples of a DNAPL?

Niigata Japan, 1964 liquefaction

Lecture 24: Groundwater Remediation

Key Questions Understand the ideas behind the following technologies

1. Capping

2. Pump-and-treat

3. Air stripping tower

4. Activated carbon

5. Soil-vapor extraction and air sparging

6. Bioremediation

7. Excavation

8. Incineration