Geology 101
Final Project:  Geologic Hazards and Disaster Management in King County

 

The capstone project in Geology 101 will require you to familiarize yourself with the geologic hazards present in King County and then analyze King County's level of preparedness for dealing with those hazards.

You will conduct this project with your cohort members.  Each member should choose one of the following topics:

Once each group member has selected a topic, he or she should refer to their textbook and the following website to garner an expertise for their specific hazard.  Other web resources should also be investigated in order to develop a thorough understanding.

http://www.metrokc.gov/prepare/hiva/landslide.htm

The next step is to review the following resources in order to understand how jurisdictions can prepare for and mitigate these hazards.  The following sites will provide such information.

 
http://www.metrokc.gov/prepare/RDPTFLink.htm

http://www.metrokc.gov/prepare/

Continue to conduct research on your own.  Information is available online and at the library.

On project day, bring a carefully written set of notes in outline form.  These notes should contain information you may use in the discussions.  Your job will be to summarize to your group 1) the nature of the specific hazard and its potential as a disaster in the region, and 2) the region's level of preparedness for such disasters.  Once each individual has reported, the group then enters discussions on 1) how the potential for the disaster can be mitigated, and 2) how the level of preparedness currently in place could be improved.  The results of these discussions will be a written set of recommendations.

Your grade will reflect:

  1. Your research and level of preparation as evidenced by your notes and what you verbaly reveal;
  2. Your active and constructive participation in the group;
  3. The quality and creativity of your group's recommendations.

 

Additional Links:

King County Earthquakes -http://wrgis.wr.usgs.gov/docs/wgmt/pacnw/lifeline/aboutmap.html

Landslide Regulations - http://www.planning.org/landslides/docs/SummaryJurisdictions.pdf

King Co. Flood Management - http://www.metrokc.gov/exec/news/2001/102301.htm

King Co. Flood Hazard Management - http://dnr.metrokc.gov/wlr/flood/fhrpupdate.htm

Historical Tsunamis - http://www.nature.com/nsu/021021/021021-10.html

City of Seattle - Disaster Management -http://www.cityofseattle.net/emergency_mgt/hazards/naturalDisasters.htm

Tsunami Research - http://www.pmel.noaa.gov/tsunami/

Washington Volcano Hazards - http://vulcan.wr.usgs.gov/Hazards/DataSets/Washington/download.html

Volcano and Hydrologic Hazards - http://vulcan.wr.usgs.gov/Hazards/framework.html

Washington Earthquake Hazards - http://www.geophys.washington.edu/SEIS/PNSN/INFO_GENERAL/NQT/welcome.html