Project Details

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• Project ID:

  1026

• Nickname/Abbreviation:

  Whittier

• Parent Project:

  Geologic Hazards Section programs and projects

• Status:

  Inactive

• Description:

  This study focuses on the rugged region surrounding the community of Whittier and includes mapping of surficial and bedrock geology and a general assessment of natural hazards. The hazards assessment is in support of informed community planning, mitigation, and emergency response in and around this high-risk community and its associated critical infrastructure. This work was funded by the U.S. Geological Survey National Cooperative Geologic Mapping Program (STATEMAP), grant no. G12AC20187. Fieldwork during the mapping portion of this study was limited to eight days on the ground in 2012. Additional time was spent over two field seasons assessing specific features related to potential hazards.

• Project Date(s):

  2012 - 2024

• Primary Contact:

  Gillis, Robert J.

• DGGS section:

  Energy Resources

• Project Participants:

  Katharine F. Bull, De Anne S. P. Stevens, Robert J. Gillis, Gabriel J. Wolken, Matthew S. Balazs

• Stations/Samples:

  View list

Publications

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PIR 2024-4

Bull, K.F., Stevens, D.S.P., Gillis, R.J., Wolken, G.J., and Balazs, M.S., 2024, Geology and geologic hazards in the Whittier area, Southcentral Alaska: Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys Preliminary Interpretive Report 2024-4, 21 p., 1 sheet, scale 1:50,000. https://doi.org/10.14509/31426

RDF 2024-30

Gillis, R.J., and O'Sullivan, P.B., 2024, Apatite fission-track ages for the Valdez Group and the Passage Canal and the Billings plutons from the Passage Canal area of Prince William Sound, Alaska: Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys Raw Data File 2024-30, 7 p. https://doi.org/10.14509/31428

RDF 2024-29

Gillis, R.J., O'Sullivan, P.B., and Donelick, R.A., 2024, Zircon U-Pb ages of the Valdez Group and the Passage Canal and Billings plutons from the Passage Canal area of Prince William Sound, Alaska: Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys Raw Data File 2024-29, 13 p. https://doi.org/10.14509/31427

PIR 2014-1

Wolken, G.J., and Balazs, M.S., 2014, Inventory and preliminary assessment of geologic hazards in the Passage Canal-Portage Valley area, south-central Alaska: Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys Preliminary Interpretive Report 2014-1, 15 p. https://doi.org/10.14509/27302

Annual Reports

AR 2013-C

DGGS Staff, 2014, Engineering Geology FY14 project descriptions, in DGGS Staff, Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys Annual Report 2013: Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys Annual Report 2013-C, p. 53-65. https://doi.org/10.14509/27003

AR 2012-C

DGGS Staff, 2013, Engineering Geology FY13 project descriptions, in DGGS Staff, Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys Annual Report 2012: Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys Annual Report 2012-C, p. 43-55. https://doi.org/10.14509/24787

Related Publications

RI 2011-7B

Nicolsky, D.J., and Suleimani, E.N., 2018, Potential maximum permanent flooding, Whittier, Alaska, in Nicolsky, D.J., Suleimani, E.N., Combellick, R.A., and Hansen, R.A., Tsunami inundation maps of Whittier and western Passage Canal, Alaska: Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys Report of Investigation 2011-7B, 1 sheet, scale 1:6,500. https://doi.org/10.14509/30110

RDF 2017-12

Freeman, L.K., Montayne, Simone, and Wypych, Alicja, 2017, Major-oxide and trace-element geochemical data from rocks collected near Panorama Mountain, Mile 104 Seward Highway, Crow Pass, and Whittier, Alaska: Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys Raw Data File 2017-12, 4 p. https://doi.org/10.14509/29725

RDF 2017-4

Benowitz, J.A., Layer, P.W., Wypych, Alicja, and Freeman, L.K., 2017, 40Ar/39Ar ages of rocks collected from the Passage Canal area, Seward D-7 Quadrangle, Alaska: Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys Raw Data File 2017-4, 6 p. https://doi.org/10.14509/29721

RDF 2013-3

Hubbard, T.D., Wolken, G.J., Stevens, D.S.P., and Combellick, R.A., 2013, High-resolution lidar data for the Whittier area, Passage Canal, and Portage Lake, Alaska: Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys Raw Data File 2013-3, 5 p. https://doi.org/10.14509/24976

RI 2011-7

Nicolsky, D.J., Suleimani, E.N., Combellick, R.A., and Hansen, R.A., 2011, Tsunami inundation maps of Whittier and western Passage Canal, Alaska: Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys Report of Investigation 2011-7, 65 p., 4 sheets, scale 1:14,000. https://doi.org/10.14509/23244

RI 2011-7A

Nicolsky, D.J., Wolken, G.J., Combellick, R.A., and Hansen, E., 2011, APPENDIX B: Potential rockfall-generated tsunami at Whittier, Alaska, in Nicolsky, D.J., Suleimani, E.N., Combellick, R.A., and Hansen, R.A., Tsunami inundation maps of Whittier and western Passage Canal, Alaska: Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys Report of Investigation 2011-7A, p. 57-65. https://doi.org/10.14509/23283