Amy Sebring: Welcome to the EIIP Virtual Classroom! Amy Sebring: For the benefit of any first-timers, when you see a blue web address, you can click on it and the referenced Web page should appear in a browser window. Amy Sebring: After the first one, the browser window may not automatically come to the top, so you may need to bring it forward by clicking on a button at the status bar at the bottom of your screen. Then you will need to bring your chat window back to the top in the same way. Amy Sebring: We will start with a presentation, and then follow with a Q&A session for your questions and comments. Right before we begin the Q&A portion we will review the procedure. Amy Sebring: Please do NOT send direct messages to the speakers or moderator as it makes it difficult for us to follow the discussion. Amy Sebring: Our session today is titled "USGS Information: Before, During, and After a Disaster." Background information for today's session may be found at http://www.emforum.org/vclass/000503.htm ... Amy Sebring: We are very pleased to welcome Dr. Timothy Cohn and Kathleen Gohn from the USGS Office of the Director to tell us about USGS activities in the area of natural hazards. Amy Sebring: Tim currently serves as Science Advisor for Hazards, and in his previous position as a staff scientist, co-authored more than 25 papers on methods for estimating flood hazards and other topics. Amy Sebring: Kathleen serves as Public Affairs Specialist, focusing on communications issues related to natural hazards. She was a principal organizer of the Public Private Partnership 2000 forum series. Amy Sebring: Welcome to you both, and Kathleen, I understand you will start us off. Kathleen Gohn: Thanks, Amy; Tim and I are glad to be here today. Kathleen Gohn: The USGS is the Nation's natural science agency, covering a range of disciplines- geology, hydrology, cartography, geography, and biology. The USGS is committed to providing the scientific information the Nation needs so we can live more safely on our beautiful but sometimes dangerous planet. Kathleen Gohn: A recent USGS map shows the geographic distribution of some of the major hazards. Natural hazards really are ubiquitous. Amy, slide 1, please. Amy Sebring: http://www.emforum.org/vclass/USGS/Slide01.htm Kathleen Gohn: Before we go any further, I want to define some terms and make an important distinction. We define a natural hazard as a geophysical event, like a flood, earthquake, hurricane, or landslide. A natural disaster is what happens when people and structures get in the way. Kathleen Gohn: That is, the hazard is what Mother Nature does; the disaster is how people experience it. Kathleen Gohn: Other people define these terms differently. But the essential idea here is to differentiate the natural processes, many of which are crucial parts of how our world works, from the consequences to people who live and build in harm's way. Kathleen Gohn: As many of you know, people are paying a lot of attention to natural disasters these days. The costs are skyrocketing; the "CNN syndrome" means we hear about disasters practically all the time. Kathleen Gohn: As far as we can tell, the frequency of most hazards has not been increasing. It's the disasters that have gotten worse - much worse, when you look at dollar losses. Amy, slide 2, please. Amy Sebring: http://www.emforum.org/vclass/USGS/Slide02.htm Kathleen Gohn: In the past, governments often tried to deal with hazards by controlling nature û through dams and levees, for example. But that approach has too often turned out to be costly to our wallets and to the environment. Kathleen Gohn: So we are now looking for better ways to live on our planet. Tim and I talked about this in a recent article in Geotimes (http://www.geotimes.org). Kathleen Gohn: This brings up an increasing role for the USGS: To provide scientific information - before, during and after a disaster -so people can make better decisions and reduce the human and economic costs of natural disasters. Kathleen Gohn: Of course, the USGS works with many partners- FEMA, the National Weather Service, other federal agencies; state agencies, local officials, and private sector organizations- to achieve this goal. Kathleen Gohn: In a few weeks, we'll be releasing a report on Natural Disaster Information Systems, prepared by a working group under the Subcommittee on Natural Disaster Reduction; Peter Ward, now retired from USGS, was the chair of the Working Group. The report will be on the web and will be linked from the USGS Hazards Theme page (http://www.usgs.gov/themes/hazard.html). Kathleen Gohn: Many people know the USGS best for our maps, particularly the 7.5 minute topo quads. These quadrangle maps cover the entire United States, generally at a scale of 1:24,000, which provides much of the detail needed by emergency response officials and organizations. Kathleen Gohn: The maps and digital data are available on the web or from our business partners (http://mapping.usgs.gov/mac/findmaps.html). Kathleen Gohn: Another program, which may be even better known to this group, is the national streamgaging program. The USGS operates more than 7,000 streamgages around the Nation. Kathleen Gohn: Flood data collected at the USGS streamgaging stations are transmitted to State and local water managers and emergency managers, the NWS, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The NWS has the responsibility for forecasting floods and issuing warnings. Kathleen Gohn: The USGS currently operates streamgaging stations at 2,124 of the 2,929 NWS service locations on major streams and rivers in the conterminous United States. (http://water.usgs.gov/). Kathleen Gohn: Streamgage data also provide the long-term records needed for floodplain mapping and management. Kathleen Gohn: However, funding for the streamgages has been a perennial problem. The President's budget will allow the USGS to build 25 new streamgaging stations, to reactivate 25 former stations, and to upgrade 100 existing streamgaging stations (http://water.usgs.gov/hazards_initiative/). Kathleen Gohn: The USGS earthquake-monitoring network, like the streamgaging network, is a national program providing real-time data for engineers, land use planners, emergency managers, and others. The President's 2001 budget calls for a small increase to begin funding the Advanced National Seismic System. Kathleen Gohn: In the first part of the system, 150 new seismometers will be installed in the San Francisco Bay area, Seattle, Anchorage, and Salt Lake City. The new instruments will enable nearly instantaneous estimates of earthquake location, magnitude, and assessment of damage and will allow emergency responders to target their efforts to areas that suffered the greatest shaking. Amy, slide 3, please. Amy Sebring: http://www.emforum.org/vclass/USGS/Slide03.htm Kathleen Gohn: We could also talk about USGS activities related to volcanoes, landslides, geomagnetic storms, coastal erosion, wildland fire, wildlife disease - it's a long list! Perhaps it's best to stop now and go to your questions. Kathleen Gohn: But first, let me tell you about the USGS's listservers for news releases. The water and geologic hazards lists may be of particular interest. To sign up, go to the USGS news releases page at http://www.usgs.gov/public/press/public_affairs/press_releases/index .html and click on the USGS Listservers link. Amy Sebring: Thank you for that introduction Kathleen, and we can get into some more detail in response to questions. Kathleen Gohn: Now, let's have your questions. Amy Sebring: Audience please enter a question mark (?) to indicate you wish to be recognized, go ahead and compose your comment or question, but wait for recognition before hitting the enter key or clicking on Send. Amy Sebring: We now invite your questions/comments. Amy Sebring: While we are waiting, please note that all the links that Kathleen ... Daniel Stowers: ? Amy Sebring: provided will be in the transcript ... Amy Sebring: which will be posted to the site for future reference. Amy Sebring: Dan please. Alan Choutka: ? Daniel Stowers: Kathleen does the USGS have any links that deal strictly with hurricane storm surge mapping? Kathleen Gohn: Dan, I don't know the answer but I will find out for you; maybe Tim can field the next few... Kathleen Gohn: while I check. Tim Cohn: Dan: I think FEMA has responsibility for maintaining the maps. Amy Sebring: Tim or Kathleen, can you mention the flood mapping at this point perhaps. Daniel Stowers: Thank you. Tim Cohn: In general, flood plain mapping is coordinated by the Federal Emergency ... Tim Cohn: Management Agency. We provide streamgage data and topographic... Tim Cohn: data that are used by FEMA and local communities to produce the maps. Amy Sebring: Kathleen, did you want to add about the flood tracking charts? Tim Cohn: I'll take that one. Kathie Grant: ? Amy Sebring: Ok Tim, thanks. Tim Cohn: The USGS has also been preparing flood tracking charts. Tim Cohn: These allow individuals and communities to track a flood as it moves.. Tim Cohn: downstream, and provide information about how high the water is likely... Tim Cohn: to go (and when). Amy Sebring: I understand there is a link to samples from the Flood theme on the hazards page? Tim Cohn: Yes, there is! Thanks, Amy. Kathleen Gohn: Dan, check the link for coastal storms at http://coastal.er.usgs.gov/products Amy Sebring: Thank you, Alan next please. Kathleen Gohn: There will be information there on products. Alan Choutka: Tim or Kathleen - is there a list of the new/reactivated stream gage locations available on the web? and will the upgrades include rainfall data? Tim Cohn: Yes. It is in one of the links Kathleen provided above. Tim Cohn: Just a minute... Kathleen Gohn: http://water.usgs.gov/hazards_initiative Galeeb FOCUS: ? Amy Sebring: Rainfall data Tim? Tim Cohn: Raingages may be part of the upgrade, but I'm not sure. Amy Sebring: Ok, Kathie is next please. OBrien Daniel: F.Y.I : The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has produced the hurricane storm surge maps and are in the process of updating them. The contact is Alan McDuffie 910 251-4724 Kathie Grant: What can Emergency Management do to help encourage funding for the streamgage program ? I find invaluable, especially the rain gages at remote locations. Tim Cohn: Our funding comes from the US Congress... Sheena Vivian: ? Tim Cohn: and the Administration. If you find our information useful, it won't hurt to let people know. Amy Sebring: Galeeb next please. Galeeb FOCUS: To add an international dimension here...the USGS provides me with an excellent resource: the NEIC Near Real Time Earthquake List (http://gldss7.cr.usgs.gov/neis/bulletin/bulletin.html). Keep it up! I use it daily to monitor earthquakes in Central Asia. Are there any plans to include other international monitoring for other types of hazards? Tim Cohn: The USGS provides volcano monitoring on request... Tim Cohn: through the Volcano Disaster Assistance program... Tim Cohn: the USGS is working on landslide issues in Central America ... Tim Cohn: connected with hurricane Mitch... Tim Cohn: The USGS also monitors volcanic ash plumes (US and Russian volcanoes)... Tim Cohn: that pose a hazard to aviation. Amy Sebring: Sheena next please. Sheena Vivian: In the first slide 'Disaster losses are rising' the figures for those years are worldwide, correct ?? Tim Cohn: Yes, the figures are global. Munich Reinsurance is the source. Amy Sebring: More questions? Galeeb FOCUS: ? Kathleen Gohn: It turns out to be very difficult to track the amounts of disaster losses. Steve Norfleet: ? Amy Sebring: Galeeb please when you are ready. Galeeb FOCUS: One thing that has come up in my area of work in Northern Pakistan is Glacier Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF). Has the USGS done any research on prevention or mitigation of these floods? This type of situation also exists in North America - I found reference to a situation in Canada (http://www.for.gov.bc.ca/pgeorge/geomorphology/outburst.htm) Tim Cohn: The USGS has studied some pre-historic GLOFs... Tim Cohn: I'm not aware of any current monitoring or mitigation . Amy Sebring: Steve next please. Steve Norfleet: Tim, Do you have any comments on the natural disaster implications associated with anticipated rise in sea level over the next century? Amy Sebring: ? Tim Cohn: Steve. It's a difficult question to answer. If you live near sea level,.. Tim Cohn: and some of our cities are near or below sea level (New Orleans is... Tim Cohn: the example), then it clearly is a major concern. Amy Sebring: (Steve, please see our schedule, we will devote an entire session to related issues later this month, May 24th.) Kathleen Gohn: Our Director has been quoted as saying that New Orleans will be underwater... Kathleen Gohn: in a century or so. So visit now! Amy Sebring: Kathleen, I am interested in your work on the PPP 2000 effort. Is this ongoing, and are you aware of any US involvement with the successor to the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction, the ISDR? Kathleen Gohn: The PPP 2000 forum series has ended... Kathleen Gohn: and Tim and I, along with other members of the working group... Kathleen Gohn: are preparing a book that includes an overview and ... Kathleen Gohn: summaries of the 14 forums.... Kathleen Gohn: For those who don't know the acronym... Kathleen Gohn: PPP 2000 was a joint effort between the US Subcommittee on Natural Disaster Reduction... Kathleen Gohn: which is about 20 Federal agencies.... Kathleen Gohn: and the insurance industry, through the Institute for Business and Home Safety Kathleen Gohn: to look for ... Kathleen Gohn: ways to reduce disaster losses here in the US and worldwide. Kathleen Gohn: The ISDR is a fairly new organization... Kathleen Gohn: that will continue the efforts, probably through the National Research Council... Avagene Moore: ? Kathleen Gohn: although SNDR may well be involved in a supporting role. Amy Sebring: Thank you. Avagene please. Avagene Moore: Kathleen, when will the overview and summaries of the PPP Forums be available and how/where? ray pena: ? Tim Cohn: I'll take this one: The summaries are available on the web at:... Tim Cohn: http://www.usgs.gov/ppp2000/ Tim Cohn: The book will also be on the web later this year. Avagene Moore: Thank you. Amy Sebring: Ray next please. ray pena: In you article, near the end, when you refer to the US government ... ray pena: do you mean the federal govt. or all govts. (including state and local)? Tim Cohn: If you are referring to the recommendations, I think they apply to ... Tim Cohn: all levels of government. Kathleen Gohn: That was the point of the PPP 2000 series.... Kathleen Gohn: that individual efforts weren't adequate... Kathleen Gohn: and many levels of government as well as the private sector... Kathleen Gohn: need to coordinate our efforts to resolve these increasing problems. ray pena: I ask because your chief recommendation - "...providing information people need to protect themselves..." - is where a lot of us already spend a lot of our time. Kathleen Gohn: At the Federal level, this information would include earthquake-shaking maps etc... Kathleen Gohn: but clearly there is a critical need at the local and State level for more targeted information... Kathleen Gohn: to help people help themselves. Amy Sebring: ? Amy Sebring: Kathleen, just a suggestion to consider ... Amy Sebring: I am subscribed to at least 3 of the press release list serves ... Amy Sebring: you might consider doing a consolidated list ... Amy Sebring: with a target audience for those who are interested in ... Amy Sebring: disaster info in particular perhaps. Kathleen Gohn: That's a great idea, Amy... Kathleen Gohn: We'll look into combining the lists or offering a disaster list... Kathleen Gohn: It would be useful for us internally, as well! Amy Sebring: Thanks. Other questions/comments? Kathie Grant: ? Amy Sebring: Kathie, when you are ready please. Amy Sebring: ? Kathleen Gohn: Just FYI, the 20th anniversary of the Mount St Helens eruption is in a few weeks... Kathleen Gohn: We'll be using this opportunity to remind people of the progress that has been made... Kathleen Gohn: in understanding volcanic processes. Just a little chance for educating the public. Kathie Grant: I see the USGS very involved with Emg. Mgmt. at a local level, in some areas. But little involvement at other levels, even though I see lots of common ground. Kathie Grant: Comment please? Tim Cohn: I'm not sure exactly what you mean; but we're always looking for ... Tim Cohn: new partners to work with. Kathleen Gohn: We do have good working relationships with lots of people at FEMA... Kathleen Gohn: in the earthquake mitigation area as well as floods. Amy Sebring: Speaking of funding, I see that there is a funding request in one of the fire bills for a "Hazard Support System." Is this a new system and what is the purpose of that system generally Tim? Tim Cohn: The Hazard Support System would involve using satellites... Tim Cohn: to locate wildland fires, and possible volcanic eruptions... Tim Cohn: from above. Tim Cohn: It's not yet operational, but it raises some interesting possibilities for ... Avagene Moore: ? Tim Cohn: future monitoring of hazards. Amy Sebring: Thank you. Avagene please. Avagene Moore: Will the USGS be involved with future efforts of the GDIN effort? Tim Cohn: The USGS has been closely involved with GDIN -- the Global Disaster Christopher Effgen: ? Tim Cohn: Information Network. We'll see where it goes after the election. Amy Sebring: Christopher please. Amy Sebring: ? Christopher Effgen: I do wish that you develop some kind of relationship with this forum, and other permanent public / private efforts regarding the development of USGS and it's capacity to provide information of importance to the public. Tim Cohn: We'd love to! Kathleen Gohn: We were very glad to join you today and hope for more interactions in future. Amy Sebring: Tim, do you expect there will be increased emphasis on tsunamis now that the East Coast is perhaps threatened? Tim Cohn: This has certainly gotten a lot of press in the last few days.... Kathleen Gohn: The scientific issues are still really up in the air (so to speak)... Kathleen Gohn: and more work is needed even to determine whether the seafloor cracks that were found... Kathleen Gohn: are active or are perhaps ancient features. Tim Cohn: We have not studied Atlantic tsunamis much. Tim Cohn: I expect we'll doing more field work in this area over the next few years. Tim Cohn: We need to gain some idea of how serious this threat is. Kathleen Gohn: As one of our scientists pointed out, we know more about... Kathleen Gohn: the back side of the Moon than about the ocean floor... Kathleen Gohn: and the potential hazards there. Patrick Metts: How will you go about that? Tim Cohn: Sonar mapping of the Continental Shelf... Patrick Metts: sonar mapping?? Tim Cohn: evidence of tsunamis on land... Kathleen Gohn: We can map the ocean floor using acoustic technology... Kathleen Gohn: that has been done in great detail on the West Coast ... Kathleen Gohn: and around Hawaii, where we have found evidence of major landslides... Kathleen Gohn: Now we need to move those technologies to the Atlantic. Kathleen Gohn: There is more information at the coastal website that I gave earlier. Amy Sebring: Thank you very much for being with us today Tim and Kathleen. We very much appreciate your time and effort. Please stand by a moment if you can while we take care of some announcements. Kathleen Gohn: It was great--thanks! Tim Cohn: Enjoyed it! Amy Sebring: Avagene, can you tell us what's on for next week please? Avagene Moore: Thanks, Amy. Kathleen and Tim, my personal appreciation for the session today. Thank you both! Avagene Moore: Next Wednesday May 10, the Virtual Library features Mitch Cooper, State of Texas, Department of Health. Mitch will be talking about "Emergency Planning for Special Needs Facilities," a discussion that will benefit us all. Avagene Moore: Plan to join us next week and participate with any questions you may have for Mitch. That's all for now, Amy. Amy Sebring: Thank you Ava and thanks to all our participants today. We will adjourn the session for now, but you are welcome to remain for open discussion. You no longer need to use question marks.