Oregon's beautiful scenery is a product of its geology. Geohazards are natural hazards caused by geological processes. DOGAMI staff study geohazards and their danger to people living in Oregon. We work to promote risk reduction strategies to build stronger communities.
HazVu, DOGAMI's Statewide Geohazards Viewer, shows landslide, flood, tsunami, coastal erosion, earthquake shaking, fault, and volcano geohazards.
People are drawn to oceans coasts as places to live, work, and play. But coastal environments are continuously evolving on both short and long time scales. Coasts are sensitive to changes in climate and ocean conditions. Where people live in this, work and play in this unstable environment, natural processes can be hazardous.
The earthquake program at DOGAMI works toward reducing hazards and risk from earthquakes within the state. The agency focuses on providing better seismic hazard and risk information and educating communities. It partners with federal, state and local governments, private organizations, and citizens.
- Learn more about earthquakes and statewide seismic needs assessments using Rapid Visual Screening (RVS) at our
Earthquakes in Oregon page.
Flooding is a common natural hazard throughout Oregon. The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) identifies 251 communities in Oregon as flood prone. These communities are in all 36 counties, 212 cities, and 3 tribal nations.
DOGAMI assists communities with flood-related hazards, including identifying and providing public awareness of these hazards. The agency develops mitigation projects to reduce flood risk, and works to improve hazard resilience plans to create stronger communities.
- Learn more about flooding & channel migration, BFE determinations, flood insurance studies, and risk assessments at our
Flooding in Oregon page.
Landslides are a common chronic problem in Oregon. They occur in places on or near moderate to steep slopes and during times of heavy rainfall. Earthquakes can also trigger landslides.
Tsunamis are large waves. These waves can result from earthquakes that occur under the ocean. Tsunamis can travel through water at speeds up to 500 miles per hour. It can take several hours for a tsunami generated near Japan or Alaska to hit the Oregon coast, but a tsunami following a Cascadia earthquake near the Oregon coast may reach land in less than 30 minutes.
- Learn more about tsunamis and the Oregon Tsunami Clearinghouse Website at our
Tsunamis in Oregon page.
Oregon has a LOT of volcanoes. You might be on one right now.
- Learn more about volcanoes and prehistoric and historic volcanic eruptions in Oregon at our
Volcanoes in Oregon page.