ResiliencePreparing the Pacific Northwest for the Big One
More than three hundred years ago this week, the geologic fault off Washington and Oregon’s coast lurched and caused a massive earthquake. The resulting tsunami sent ocean water surging far inland, and generated waves felt across the Pacific Ocean in Japan. Now, on the quake’s 315th anniversary, scientists are helping prepare the region for a repeat event that could come at any time. Efforts include helping design the first tsunami evacuation structure in the United States, a campus-wide research project on major earthquakes, and an upcoming rollout of early earthquake alerts.
More than three hundred years ago this week, the geologic fault off Washington and Oregon’s coast lurched and caused a massive earthquake. The resulting tsunami sent ocean water surging far inland, and generated waves felt across the Pacific Ocean in Japan.
While no local written records exist, University of Washington research helped show that the quake occurred on the evening of 26 January 1700. UW geology and forestry work was central to discovering the evidence in tree rings, layers of sand and shipwrecks that proved the Pacific Northwest has had its fair share of shakes. That story is now well known and underpins efforts to better understand, predict and prepare for huge earthquakes off our shores.
Now, on the quake’s 315th anniversary, UW scientists are helping prepare the region for a repeat event that could come at any time. Efforts include helping design the first tsunami evacuation structure in the United States, a campus-wide research project on major earthquakes and an upcoming rollout of early earthquake alerts.
Modeling tsunami risk
A UW release reports that earlier this month, two UW mathematicians attended the groundbreaking ceremony for the first tsunami refuge structure in the country, which will be on the roof of the new Ocosta Elementary School in Westport, Washington.
A UW tsunami model simulated the water’s movement in that area to help design the structure.
“We did a number of simulations, with a bigger tsunami than the 1700 earthquake was thought to have caused, and confirmed that there generally would be little flooding at the school site,” said Randy LeVeque, a UW professor of applied mathematics.
LeVeque was modeling waves when the 2004 earthquake and tsunami in Sumatra inspired him to focus on tsunamis. A few years ago the GeoClaw model developed by his group was approved by a federal program for use in hazard assessment.
The effort to design more vertical evacuation structures, Project Safe Haven, is led by the Washington State Emergency Management Division, working with the Washington State Department of Natural Resources and the UW’s Institute for Hazards Mitigation Planning and Research.
LeVeque, Loyce Adams, a UW professor of applied mathematics, and Frank Gonzalez, a UW affiliate professor in Earth and space sciences, are creating more detailed tsunami maps for Washington’s northwest coast. Communities can use those maps to prioritize preparedness efforts. After finishing the models for Neah Bay, La Push, and the Makah and Hoh tribal
