@proceedings {303, title = {Improving seismic hazard assessment in New England through the use of surficial geologic maps and expert analysis}, volume = {45}, year = {2013}, note = {Accession Number: 2014-021037; Conference Name: Geological Society of America, Northeastern Section, 48th annual meeting; Bretton Woods, NH, United States; Conference Date: 20130318; Language: English; Coden: GAAPBC; Collation: 2; Collation: 50-51; Publication Types: Abstract Only; Serial; Conference document; Updated Code: 201414; Monograph Title: Geological Society of America, Northeastern Section, 48th annual meeting; Monograph Author(s): Anonymous; Reviewed Item: Analytic}, month = {2013/02/01/}, pages = {50 - 51}, publisher = {Geological Society of America (GSA) : Boulder, CO, United States}, address = {United States}, abstract = {In New England, earthquakes pose a risk to the built environment. New England state geological surveys partnered with the Northeast States Emergency Consortium to integrate geologic information and GIS analysis for risk communication. Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, and Vermont employed surficial geologic maps, deglaciation history, glacial stratigraphy, and professional judgment to reclassify surficial geologic materials into one of the five National Earthquake Hazard Reduction Program (NEHRP) site classifications (A, B, C, D, and E). These new classifications were used in the HAZards U.S. Multi-Hazard (HAZUS-MH) risk assessment application as a substitute for site class value of "D," used in HAZUS-MH throughout New England as a default value. Coding of surficial geologic materials for the five NEHRP site classifications was then compared with classifications using the Wald methodology, a method using slope analysis as a proxy for shear-wave velocity estimates. Comparisons show that coding to site classes using the Wald methodology underestimates categories A (high-velocity shear-wave materials, least relative hazard) and E (lowest-velocity shear-wave materials, greatest relative hazard) when evaluated side by side with coding done with the aid of surficial geologic maps. Geologic maps provide insights into the location of buried low shear wave velocity materials not afforded by the Wald methodology. North of the glacial limit, derangement of drainage resulted in extensive ponding of meltwaters and the subsequent deposition of thick sequences of lacustrine mud. Inundation by the sea immediately following deglaciation in New England resulted in the deposition of spatially extensive and locally thick sequences of glacial marine mud. Surficial geologic maps better capture these circumstances when compared with the Wald methodology. Without the use of surficial geologic maps, significant areas of New England will be incorrectly classified as being more stable than actual site conditions would allow. By employing surficial geologic information, HAZUS-MH earthquake loss estimates are improved, providing local and regional emergency managers with more accurate information for locating and prioritizing.

}, keywords = {$\#$StaffPubs, earthquakes, Environmental geology, geologic hazards, maps, natural hazards, New England, risk assessment, seismic risk, seismic zoning, surficial geology, surficial geology maps, technology, United States}, isbn = {00167592}, url = {https://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2013NE/webprogram/Paper214837.html}, author = {Becker, Laurence R. and Patriarco, Steven P. and Marvinney, Robert G. and Thomas, Margaret A. and Stephen B Mabee and Fratto, Edward S.} } @proceedings {306, title = {Landslides from Tropical Storm Irene in the Deerfield Watershed, western Massachusetts}, volume = {45}, year = {2013}, note = {Accession Number: 2014-027064; Conference Name: Geological Society of America, Northeastern Section, 48th annual meeting; Bretton Woods, NH, United States; Conference Date: 20130318; Language: English; Coordinates: N411500N425500W0695500W0733000; Coden: GAAPBC; Collation: 2; Collation: 83-84; Publication Types: Abstract Only; Serial; Conference document; Updated Code: 201417; Monograph Title: Geological Society of America, Northeastern Section, 48th annual meeting; Monograph Author(s): Anonymous; Reviewed Item: Analytic}, month = {2013/02/01/}, pages = {83 - 84}, publisher = {Geological Society of America (GSA) : Boulder, CO, United States}, address = {United States}, abstract = {Four landslides (3 translational debris flows and 1 rotational slide) occurred along the Cold River within the Deerfield River watershed (1440 km (super 2) ) in northwestern Massachusetts closing a six mile section of Route 2, a major east-west transportation corridor, for 3.5 months. These are among the largest landslides to occur in Massachusetts since 1901. Tropical storm Irene dropped 180-250+ mm of rain in a 12 to 15-hour period on the Deerfield watershed preceded by 130-180 mm of rain in the 1.5 weeks leading up to Irene. Soils were saturated, an unusual condition for the month of August, and probably contributed significantly to slope failure. The three translational slides occurred at approximately 10 am on August 28, 2011, involved 765 m of slope at an average angle of 28-33 degrees , covered an area of 1.2 ha and moved about 7645 m (super 3) of material. Bedrock sheeting joints oriented parallel to the slope (284 degrees , 38-40 degrees dip) provided the slip surface upon which the overlying 0.6-1.2 m of colluvium and glacial till slid. The rotational slide occurred along an unarmored section of the Cold River. The slip surface was a 4-8 foot thick layer of laminated lake-bottom sediments overlain by 12-19 feet of stream terrace and debris flow/alluvial fan deposits transported by Trout Brook, a smaller tributary to the Cold River. This section of Route 2 has experienced chronic failures beginning with the storm of 1938. The cost to repair this six-mile section of Route 2 was $22.5 million. Flooding within the Deerfield watershed was extreme with a record-breaking peak flow of 3100 m (super 3) /s (72 year record) where the Deerfield enters the Connecticut River. Approximately 1.6x10 (super 8) m (super 3) of water was discharged through the Deerfield during the event indicating that approximately 112 mm of Irene{\textquoteright}s rainfall was converted directly to runoff, a yield of between 45\% and 62\%. Clays and silts locked in storage in the glacial sediments within the watershed were mobilized resulting in record-breaking sediment loads 5-times greater than predicted from the pre-existing rating curve. Approximately 1.2 Mtonnes of sediment was discharged by the river during Irene. Where the Deerfield and Connecticut Rivers meet, the Deerfield watershed area is one tenth the size of the Connecticut River, yet the Deerfield produced as much as 40\% of the total sediment observed on the lower Connecticut.}, keywords = {$\#$Landslides, $\#$NaturalHazards, $\#$StaffPubs, Cold River, Deerfield Watershed, effects, Environmental geology, geologic hazards, Irene, landslide, landslides, mass movements, massachusetts, natural hazards, storms, Tropical Storm Irene, United States, western Massachusetts}, isbn = {00167592}, url = {https://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2013NE/webprogram/Paper215998.html}, author = {Stephen B Mabee and Jonathan D Woodruff and Fellows, John and Joseph P Kopera} } @article {304, title = {Improving seismic hazard assessment in New England through the use of surficial geologic maps and expert analysis}, journal = {Special Paper - Geological Society of America}, volume = {493}, year = {2012}, note = {Accession Number: 2013-034008; Conference Name: Geological Society of America, 2010 annual meeting; Denver, CO, United States; Conference Date: 20101031; Language: English; Coden: GSAPAZ; Collation: 22; Collation: 221-242; Publication Types: Serial; Conference document; Updated Code: 201321; Illustration(s): illus. incl. 6 tables, geol. sketch maps; Number of References: 36; Monograph Title: Recent advances in North American paleoseismology and neotectonics east of the Rockies; Monograph Author(s): Cox, Randel Tom [editor]; Tuttle, Martitia P. [editor]; Boyd, Oliver S. [editor]; Locat, Jacques [editor]; Reviewed Item: Analytic}, month = {2012/01/01/}, pages = {221 - 242}, publisher = {Geological Society of America (GSA) : Boulder, CO, United States}, address = {United States}, abstract = {(GSA Special Paper) In New England, earthquakes pose a risk to the built environment. Emergency preparedness and mitigation planning are prudent in this region as older unreinforced masonry buildings and numerous critical facilities are common. New England state geological surveys cooperate with the Northeast States Emergency Consortium (NESEC) to improve risk communication with emergency managers. To that end, Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, and Vermont employed surficial geologic maps, deglaciation history, knowledge of the glacial stratigraphy, and professional judgment to reclassify surficial geologic material units into one of the five National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP) site classifications (A, B, C, D, and E). These new classifications were used as a substitute for the HAZards U.S. Multi-Hazard (HAZUS-MH) site class value of "D," which is used throughout New England as a default value. In addition, coding of surficial geologic materials for the five NEHRP site classifications was compared with classifications using the Wald methodology, a method that uses a slope analysis as a proxy for shear-wave velocity estimates. Comparisons show that coding to site classes using the Wald methodology underestimates categories A (high-velocity shear-wave materials, least relative hazard) and E (lowest-velocity shear-wave materials, greatest relative hazard) when evaluated side by side with coding done with the aid of surficial geologic maps. North of the glacial limit, derangement of drainage resulted in extensive ponding of meltwaters and the subsequent deposition of thick sequences of lacustrine mud. Inundation by the sea immediately following deglaciation in New England resulted in the deposition of spatially extensive and locally thick sequences of glacial marine mud. Surficial geologic maps better capture this circumstance when compared with the Wald topographic slope analysis. Without the use of surficial geologic maps, significant areas of New England will be incorrectly classified as being more stable than the site conditions that actually exist. By employing surficial geologic information, we project an improved accuracy for HAZUS-MH earthquake loss estimations, providing local and regional emergency managers with more accurate information for locating and prioritizing earthquake planning, preparedness, and mitigation projects to reduce future losses.}, keywords = {$\#$StaffPubs, civil engineering, earthquakes, Eastern U.S., Engineering geology 30, Environmental geology 22, geologic hazards, mitigation, natural hazards, New England, Northeastern U.S., risk assessment, risk management, safety, seismic risk, seismicity, United States}, isbn = {007210779780813724935}, url = {http://specialpapers.gsapubs.org/content/493/221.abstract}, author = {Becker, Laurence R. and Patriarco, Steven P. and Marvinney, Robert G. and Thomas, Margaret A. and Stephen B Mabee and Fratto, Edward S.} } @techreport {254, title = {Preliminary field report on the November 13th-14th, 2011 landslide near Steam Mill Road, Deerfield, Massachusetts}, year = {2011}, pages = {19}, institution = {Massachusetts Geological Survey}, abstract = {On November 13th and 14th, 2011, residents and business owners in the area of Wapping Road in Deerfield, Massachusetts, began to notice light-gray, clay-rich mud appearing in the streams and wetlands east of State Route 5/10. The mud quickly clogged culverts under Wapping Road, Route 5/10, and the Pan Am Southern Railway tracks, partially filled in wetlands on both sides of Route 5/10, and partially filled in drainage ditches upgradient of these wetlands. This resulted in localized flooding of property along the east side of Route 5/10. Prepared for the Deerfield Board of Selectman and Board of Public Health 19 pages. A NEPR radio interview with Joe Kopera about the landslide can be found at http://nepr.net/news/2011/12/02/fallout-2011s-extreme-weather-landslides-ice-jams/.}, keywords = {$\#$Deerfield, $\#$Landslides, $\#$MGSPub, $\#$NaturalHazards, $\#$Reports, flooding, hazards, Irene, landslide, mudslide, natural hazards, swamp}, url = {http://www.geo.umass.edu/stategeologist/Products/reports/Deerfield_LS_Report_final.pdf}, author = {Joseph P Kopera and Stephen B Mabee} } @techreport {255, title = {Preliminary field report on the Route 2 landslides of tropical storm Irene, August 28, 2011}, year = {2011}, pages = {18}, institution = {Massachusetts Geological Survey}, abstract = {The Massachusetts Geological Survey accompanied Massachusetts Department of Transportation personnel in the field on Tuesday, September 6, 2011, to observe the landslide and flooding damage along the Route 2 corridor caused by Hurricane, which struck the area on August 28, 2011. The purpose of the visit was to: 1) identify the type of slides that occurred; 2) estimate the dimensions and volume of material moved; 2) estimate the geological and environmental conditions leading to the slope failures; and, 4) determine the propensity for future occurrence. Four landslides were observed. Slide 1 is immediately east of the confluence of Trout Brook with the Cold River and Slides 2, 3, and 4 are clustered together on a north- facing slope about 1850 feet east of the confluence of Black Brook with the Cold River. Report prepared for Massachusetts Department of Transportation.}, keywords = {$\#$Landslides, $\#$MGSPub, $\#$NaturalHazards, $\#$Reports, Cold River, hazards, Irene, landslide, Mohawk State Forest, natural hazards, Rt 2, Savoy}, url = {http://www.geo.umass.edu/stategeologist/Products/reports/Rt2_Irene_FieldReport.pdf}, author = {Stephen B Mabee and Joseph P Kopera} }