AEG News December 2019, Vol. 62, No. 5

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Vol. 62, No. 5 – December 2019

Recapping

AEG 2019

Asheville

Marriott Portland Downtown Waterfront • 25 minutes from the Portland Airport.

• Located on the Waterfront.

• Walking distance to 60 breweries, restaurants and shops

Field Courses • Landslides and Engineering Geology in the Columbia River Gorge

Join us for the 63rd AEG Annual Meeting in Portland, Oregon, September 15-20, 2020 at the Marriott Portland Downtown Waterfront!

• Mt St. Helens - Highlights of the 1980 Eruption and Engineering Geology after the Event

Symposia and Technical Sessions • Dams • Landslides

The 2020 Annual Meeting Planning Committee has arranged a variety of unbelievable and unique Field Courses, Guests Tours, Technical Sessions, Symposia and Special Events that are sure to attract geologists from around the country for this memorable event.

Don’t miss this great opportunity to network with industry professionals.

• Coastal Processes & Hazards • Tunneling • Transportation & Infrastructure Projects • Joint Hazards • NOA and more…

Special Event A night at the Oswego Hills Winery with special guest speaker, Scott Burns.

Guest Tours • Johnston Ridge Observatory • Willamette Valley Wine Tour • Evergreen Museum • Tour of the Columbia Gorge

aegannualmeeting.org

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Vol. 62, No. 5 – December 2019

AEG News (ISSN 0899-5788; USPS 954-380) is published five times a year by the Association of Environmental & Engineering Geologists (AEG). This includes three regular issues published in April (#2), July (#3) and December (#5) and two special issues: the Annual Report and Directory (#1) in March and the Annual Meeting Program with Abstracts (#4) in September (digital publication only). Digital copies of the Program with Abstracts are distributed at the AEG Annual Meeting. Association members receive an electronic copy of all five issues of the AEG News as part of their dues. Print subscription for Association members, which includes all three regular issues of the AEG News, is $30 in addition to annual membership dues. Nonmember annual subscription is $40 and includes only the three regular issues; the Annual Report and Directory issue is priced separately. Back copies of AEG News regular issues are $12 each. Inquiries should be sent to AEG Headquarters: Association Manager, 201 East Main St., Suite 1405, Lexington, KY 40507 859-469-5800.

Table of Contents

Periodical Postage paid at Lexington, KY, and additional mailing offices: POSTMASTER: Send address changes to AEG News, 201 East Main St., Suite 1405, Lexington, KY 40507, USA. AEG News is printed by Allen Press, Lawrence, KS, 66044, USA.

News of the Profession . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27 News from MEDGEO2019 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27

© 2019 Association of Environmental & Engineering Geologists—All Rights Reserved Views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those officially representing the Association of Environmental & Engineering Geologists except where expressly stated.

AEG News 2020 Co-Editors Acquisitions EditorAnna Acquisitions Editor: Saindon Geotechnology, Inc. Visty Dalal 11816 Lackland Road, Suite 150 visty.dalal@maryland.gov St. Louis, MO 63146 Content Editor: 314-581-6286 Kara Jacobacci news@aegweb.org kjacobacci@hotmail.com

Managing Editor/Production Andrea Leigh Ptak Communicating Words & Images 6542 52nd Ave. So. Seattle, WA 98118 206-300-2067 www.andrealeighptak.com andrealeighptak@me.com

News of the Association

Special Section: AEG 62nd Annual Meeting Recap

Professional Contributions

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Searles Valley California Earthquakes Spur Seismic Hazard Investigations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28 Review: Munsell Capsure Soil Color Matching Tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33 Field Trips

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Experiencing the Grand Canyon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34 Examining the Effects of the Ridgecrest Earthquake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37 The HomeFront

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On the Cover The sun sets on Asheville, North Carolina, the site of AEG’s 62nd Annual Meeting. This issue features a 16-page recap and photo essay featuring the highlights and festivities of AEG’s premier event beginning on page 12.

Submission Information In order of preference: 1. Send files via email, preferably as attachments, to both email addresses above. Optimum file format is MSWord. Users of other software programs should convert their file to ASCII or text only. Photos and other images, charts, graphs, etc.) should be sent as separate images but may be included in the Word.doc for placement purposes.

2. Images should be sent as high-resolution (250dpi at 4” wide or larger) jpeg or tiff files and should be named with a strong identifier such as HF-Texas-John Jones —NOT P204679.jpg. Corresponding photo captions should be included in the text along with an attribution of the source/photographer.

3. The policy of AEG News editorial staff is to limit the credentials of an individual to two. No effort will be made by the AEG News editorial staff to determine if individuals whose credentials are missing from the submitted copy actually have academic or professional credentials, nor will the staff verify the existence or correctness of the credentials submitted.

For detailed guidelines visit: www.aegweb.org/?page=SubmitToAEGNEWS

Advertising in the News

The association 2019–20 Officers President: CYNTHIA PALOMARES Texas Engineering Extension Service, Texas A&M University, president@aegweb.org Vice President/President Elect: WILLIAM GODWIN Consulting Geologist, VP@aegweb.org Treasurer: MADDIE GERMAN Geologist, Municipal Engineering, treasurer@aegweb.org Secretary: NATHAN SARACENO Senior Geologist, DiGioia Grey and Associates, secretary@aegweb.org Past President: DAVID FENSTER Retired, PP@aegweb.org

Association Contacts

Submission Deadlines

Headquarters: Association Manager: KRISTY HOWARD AMR Management Services 201 East Main St., Suite 1405, Lexington, KY 40507 859-469-5800, manager@aegweb.org

www.aegweb.org/?page=SubmitToAEGNEWS

AEG Foundation—President: WILLIAM FLANIGAN, president@aegfoundation.org

Canada Agreement number: PM40063731; Return Undeliverable Canadian Addresses to: Station A, PO Box 54; Windsor, ON N9A 6J5; Email: returnsil@imex.pb.com

Communications Director: BILL ROMAN, wroman@gfnet.com

Contact AEG Headquarters at advertising@aegweb.org.

December 2019

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The President’s Message . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Vice President’s Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 Treasurer’s Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Secretary’s Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 Headquarters’ Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 Foundation Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 Women of AEG: Cynthia Palomares, AEG 2019–20 President . . . . . . . . . .10 Short Courses Benefit Attendees and Budgets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11

AEG NEWS 62(5)

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NEWS OF THE ASSOCIATION – THE PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Our Volunteers Make AEG Successful!

Cynthia Palomares, AEG 2019–20 President

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s I begin my tenure as AEG President, I’m impressed with the passion and commitment displayed by our Association’s volunteers! I had the opportunity to attend the Hydrogeo Workshop at Cave without a Name near Boerne, Texas, in early October. The AEG Texas Chapter managed an informational booth at the workshop and recruited approximately 40 new student members. I had the opportunity to visit with both the new students and the committed Texas Chapter officers. Thank you to all AEG Chapter officers for your commitment to AEG! Student membership is still free and our plans are that it will stay that way for many years to come! Students are the future of our organization, and our intent, of course, is for students to become full members when they graduate and find gainful employment (hopefully in the geosciences profession). In addition, students make great volunteers, since they are at the forefront of the latest technology, trends, AND ways to communicate among their peers. I encourage every member to invite students to your next Chapter event and I encourage students to get involved and volunteer!

Thank you to everyone that helped make the 2019 Annual Meeting in Asheville, North Carolina, a complete success! The event was well attended and we expect to make a profit.

(Please see Maddie German’s Treasurer’s report for more information.) One of AEG’s strengths is hosting technical meetings and forums. Our Strategic Plan mandates that AEG host two technical forums each year, in addition to our Annual Meeting.

There were two forums held in 2019—a dams workshop and a debris flow hazards forum—and both were highly attended and very successful. Currently, there are no technical forums planned for 2020; if you have an idea, please contact AEG Past President Dave Fenster at PP@aegweb.org.

As AEG Vice-President last year, I worked with the Strategic Initiative Coordinators and Operational Committees to help implement individual committee initiatives and the updated Strategic Plan. Yes, AEG does have a Strategic Plan! It is a roadmap to help our Association move forward and make us the premier professional society for applied geoscientists. VicePresident Bill Godwin will be stepping into this role, and yes, there is still a lot of work to be done.

The Strategic Plan identifies three major goals for the Association: 1) Expand communication both within and outside the Association, 2) Benefit the profession by promoting the value of applied geology for the public good, and 3) Increase membership benefits by providing applied geology professionals a forum in which to thrive both personally and professionally.

Expanding communication both within and outside the Association is the first focus of the Strategic Plan. The Advocacy Committee (AC) has been working on several tactics to advance this goal. A press release protocol has been developed and is now part of AEG’s operating policy. The 4

intent of a press release is to communicate geologic information to the general public in both a reactive and proactive way. For example, if a geologic event (like an earthquake) occurs, a press release can be distributed to news media explaining the importance of geologic predictions and planning in this type of event. In addition, the AC has been working on development of promotional materials with which to recruit new members to AEG. Currently, a tri-fold brochure is available targeting students and young professionals on the value of AEG membership.

It is important to promote the value of applied geology for the public good. This is relevant when threats to our professional geoscientists licensure occur (as happened in Texas earlier this year). At the AEG 2019 Mid-year Board of Directors meeting, the board approved budgeting for a Legislative Tracking System. Available to AEG representatives across the U.S., it will track proposed legislative bills in all 50 states that may have some potential effect on geosciences licensure. The goal is to make our members aware of any potentially damaging bills early in the process, so that counterattack plans can be implemented quickly. The AEG Licensure Committee is working on implementing the tracking system, and it should be up and running by the end of this year. In addition, AEG is soliciting other organizations that are interested in licensure to help fund this system. If you wish to receive information on your state’s proposed legislative bills, please send your contact information to secretary@aegweb.org.

While we have progressed with our strategic initiatives, we still have a lot to accomplish. Implementation of these tactics within the Strategic Plan will help AEG entice new members and provide a robust set of benefits to our existing members.

If you are interested in joining us in any of these efforts, please contact manager@aegweb.org.

L to R: AEG Leaders, Texas Chapter Chair Pat Frost, President Cynthia Palomares, and South Central Region Director Jeff Neathery at the Hydrogeo Workshop at Cave without a Name near Boerne, Texas.

AEG NEWS 62(5)

December 2019

NEWS OF THE ASSOCIATION – THE VICE PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Implementing the Strategic Plan William Godwin, AEG 2019–20 Vice-President

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major role of the Vice-President is to work with the Operational Committees to help implement AEG’s Strategic Plan. As I begin my role as Vice-President, I’m very pleased with the work that the AEG Board of Directors (BOD) has done with developing our Strategic Plan. It is my responsibility to facilitate the operational committees to engage AEG members in taking ownership of their Association.

Accompanying this article is a star wheel that shows the spokes of each of the key operational committees. Some are self-engaging, some are not and need energy, direction and structure.

If you are interested in being involved with any of these committees, please contact me or one of the Strategic Initiative Coordinators.

In my role, I also provide support to AEG President, Cynthia Palomares, who has a huge responsibility this year to move the Strategic Plan beyond the implementation stage and to show measurable success. Please support her by attending your Chapter meetings this year and next.

I personally feel that AEG should provide benefits to all members, whether a sophomore in college, a ten-year professional, or a retired geoscientist. We have an obligation to teach respect of good science, educate and mentor those who don’t understand the geologic sciences, and to be a conduit and vocal voice of the profession.

AEG Operational Committees* K–12 Education Support Educators and Education of the Earth Sciences

Governance Review and Advise Changes in Bylaws, Structure and Process

Finance

Communication

Review Financial Reports and Budgets, Recommend Action to B of D

Voice for the Association via Website, Publications and Social Media

Licensure

Advocacy

Tracking Trends and Providing Resources for Existing or New Professional Licensure

Advocate for the Profession of Applied Geology

Chapter Support

Student and Young Professionals

Resources and Support for Existing and New Chapters

Support Strategies to Increase Younger Memberhip

Meeting Advisory * Inactive or limited: Continuing Education, Awards, Nominations, Honorary Member

Plan and Implement Annual Meetings

Strategic Initiative Coordination Support Vision and Future of AEG

AEG News Disclaimer Authors alone are responsible for views expressed in signed articles.

Advertisers and their agencies are solely responsible for the content of all advertisements printed and also assume responsibility for any claims arising therefrom against the publisher. AEG and AEG News reserve the right to reject any advertising copy.

December 2019

AEG NEWS 62(5)

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HEADER NEWS OFHERE THE ASSOCIATION – TREASURER’S REPORT

It is Not All About the Numbers Maddie German, AEG 2019–20 Treasurer

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irst and foremost, as I step into the role of AEG Treasurer, I want to thank each of you for your support, I appreciate your confidence. I intend to be conscientious about the numbers and ensuring the long-term health of this great organization to which we all belong.

At the Board of Directors (BOD) meeting in September, there were several significant discussions that resulted in difficult decisions related to the financial future of AEG. The operating budget passed by the BOD has a proposed, total revenue of $575,530 and proposed total expenses of $630,558 for a net deficit of $55,028 for the 2020 year. Unfortunately, due to the nature and timing of the budget planning process, some big-ticket items are subject to change and these numbers have the potential to fluctuate.

These proposed 2020 budget numbers are similar to both the 2018 and 2019 budgets.

AEG has arrived in this situation in several ways. Membership has been steadily decreasing and one way that AEG has combatted this decline was by changing the structure of our organization from being exclusively dues-based to one that also includes Association-level meetings in the base revenue.

Additionally, over time, various fees and service prices have increased with inflation or with additional service scope. This has resulted in AEG expending more funds, overall, to provide the same level of service to our membership.

One disappointing fact is that no Chapter, Region, nor Technical Working Group has yet volunteered to host a conference or symposium in support of AEG and the profession in 2020. However, forums/symposiums and workshops have never been easier to host, thanks to the Meetings Advisory Committee (MAC) and Meeting Manager Heather Clark. These events may not only bring members and new geoscientists into the door for your local Chapter but they can, and should, become a part of the AEG Association overall. These efforts will add to the wealth of knowledge geoscientists provide to their communities.

Fortunately, we have our Annual Meetings that contribute significantly to the revenue side of our operations budget and the health of AEG. The Annual Meeting in Asheville was successful, with over 500 attendees from the United States and around the world. The finances for this event have not been finalized, but we are confident the required $25,000 surplus was obtained. It was a wonderful experience for everyone who attended and we are looking forward to another exciting meeting in Portland next September.

In 2018, the Board directed $100,000 be transferred from AEGs operations account into a higher yield investment CD account. As of the August 2019 Financial Report, this account (through UBS) is currently around $105,417. Our Treasurer’s Reserve fund is approaching one year of operating expenses with $352,841, as of the August 2019 Financial Report. The 6

Treasurer’s Reserve fund is invested in conservative funds to avoid extreme market fluctuations. The UBS account is currently in three-month CDs set to renew this November.

Be on the lookout for a slight accounting change that will directly impact Chapters. The Executive Committee and headquarters are working on an additional reporting form that Chapter treasurers will need to submit with their quarterly bank statements. You should be receiving a version of this form in time for year-end financials.

Following the 2019 Board Meeting in Asheville, I made an attempt to connect with all the Chapter treasurers. I have not yet made contact with 100%. I believe it is important that we have an open dialogue between the local Chapter officers and the Association officers for the health of the Chapters and organization as a whole. If we haven’t corresponded yet, feel free to reach out, I would love to hear from you about your time as an AEG officer, as well as, any questions you might have about your role.

AEG is projected to have a lean, yet successful year in 2020, but as they say in the NFL, it is a rebuilding year. We are assembling the team, streamlining our strategy, and decidedly moving forward with a calculated plan for the long-term success of AEG.

Two Chapters Receive Top Honor in 2019 Congratulations to the Outstanding Chapter of the Year awardees for 2019—Texas and Puget Sound. Both Chapters excelled at hosting great meetings, getting students involved, and advocating for the geosciences profession! The “Chapter on the Rise” award went to New York-Philadelphia (pictured in their HomeFront report) for improving their overall activities over the last year. Thank you to these and to all AEG Chapters for your commitment to the Association and the geosciences profession!

AEG NEWS 62(5)

December 2019

NEWS OF THE ASSOCIATION – SECRETARY’S HEADER REPORT HERE

Volunteers (Like You!) Drive AEG Forward Nathan Saraceno, AEG 2019–20 Secretary

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s I begin my term as the newest member of the AEG Executive Council, I am thankful for your trust in electing me as the incoming Secretary. In this role, I have the responsibility of accurately documenting the discussions, motions, votes, and action items that occur during the Executive Council and Board of Directors’ (BOD) meetings. While taking meeting minutes seems simple enough, AEG is fortunate to have an engaged and energetic group of volunteers that make up the BOD, which also means there is lots of discussion to keep up with!

At the BOD meeting following the Annual Meeting in Asheville, your BOD discussed numerous topics, many of which were related to our Strategic Plan, which has now been in place for over a year. As a former Strategic Initiative Coordinator, I am excited to see the progress we’ve made implementing the plan. One item of note is the new Legislative Tracking System that is now up and running. This new system will allow AEG to proactively identify and respond to potential threats to geoscience licensure. In order for this system to work, we need volunteers in every state to receive and review email notifications generated by the tracking service, and to help act upon those bills which appear to be a threat to licensure and/or the geoprofessional practice. We have over fifty volunteers already, but the more willing to participate, the more effective we can be! If you are interested in learning more about the Legislative Tracking System, or would like to volunteer, please reach out to me at secretary@aegweb.org. A special “Thank You!” to the Licensure Committee and all the volunteers that helped to make this system a reality!

There are several other tactics from our Strategic Plan that have also been completed or are nearing completion.

Some things are more tangible, such the press release protocol that AEG President Cynthia Palomares mentions in her report, launching of the new AEG E-Store with more desirable and affordable apparel, and the development of a new AEG website (anticipated to launch soon, if not already) to create a more intuitive resource for our members. Other completed tactics provide great value, but you may not have noticed them directly, such as a review of the prior Needs Assessment for member benefits, and the generation of a roster of nonrenewing members to whom our Chapter Chairs can personally reach out. We’ve also revised our student membership forms to provide us with better contact information so we can continue to communicate with our student and recently graduated members, and have provided an auto-renewal option for your AEG membership.

In completing the tactics mentioned above, there are still plenty that are in progress or have not yet started. AEG Vice President Bill Godwin will be working closely with the Strategic Initiative Coordinators and the Operational Committees to continue the successful implementation of the Strategic Plan over the next year. If you’re interested in supporting this effort by volunteering some of your time, please contact VP@aegweb.org.

I have been an active AEG volunteer for ten years and look forward to the opportunity to serve you and the Association in my new role. Thank you for instilling your confidence in me and— most importantly—thank you to all the volunteers (especially you!) who drive AEG forward and make our organization a meaningful one. This is going to be an exciting and productive year!

AEG’s 2019–20 Executive Committee L to R: President Cynthia Palomares, Past President Dave Fenster, Vice President Bill Godwin, Secretary Nate Saraceno and Treasurer Maddie German

December 2019

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HEADER NEWS OFHERE THE ASSOCIATION – HEADQUARTER’S REPORT

A Series of Accomplishments

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Kristy Howard, AEG Association Manager

EG leadership and volunteers have been working tirelessly this year to move the Association forward and provide members with increased value for their membership. The Strategic Initiative Coordinators and Board of Directors have been implementing several new initaitves that we hope will serve as great ressources for AEG members. Listed below are just a few of the initiatives tackled in 2019.

Rollout of a New Legislative Tracking Service AEG has purchased a legislative tracking system to keep on eye on member concerns throughout the various states. We are still in the process of identifying interested individuals to serve as key contacts for sharing this legislative information to members in every state. If you are interested please email secretary@aegweb.org.

Streamlining the Member Renewal Process With the help of the Website Task Force, AMR has been working on tranistioning to a new database software for the membership renewal process. As part of the transition, new and renewing members receive a more customized renewal process based on their membership type. If you have questions regarding the renewal process please reach out to contact@aegweb.org. The renewal process also now includes the option to auto-renew your membership for future years.

New AEG Apparel Store Launched After receiving feedback from several members, an Apparel Task Force was created to take a look at the current e-store and research ways to make it more efficient and less expensive for members. A new e-store was launched in August that allows members to order AEG logo apparel and merchandise directly from a third-party vendor and even provides bulk discounts for chapters that may want to buy larger quantities. Those that were in attendance at the Annual Meeting were able to purchase select apparel at the conference. The new apparel store can be accessed at aegweb.org/apparel.

Press Release Protocol The Advocacy Committee has been working hard to develop a press release protocol to help chapters and members send out timely press releases when newsworthy events happen in their area. This protocol has been approved by the Board of Directors and is now included in the AEG Operating Policies for member reference.

This is just a small sampling of the work that your Board of Directors and Strategic Intiative Coordinators have accomplished in 2019. Volunteers are needed to assist with similar projects in 2020. If you are interested in helping to move AEG forward and create additional value for the AEG membership, please let us know at headquarters (manager@aegweb.org) and we’ll help find a place for you to get involved.

Keep a Lookout for…

Ridgecrest Earthquake: A Reminder to All of Earthquake Country AEG has recently issued a press release in the wake of the Ridgecrest, California, earthquakes. The purpose of the release is twofold: to raise awareness of the value of preparing for a large earthquake and to raise awareness of the value of engineering geologists.

The AEG Advocacy Committee has prepared and implemented an updated press-release protocol that was used for this press release. In this case, members of the committee wrote the 700-word press release quickly. It was then reviewed by the entire committee and the AEG Executive Board. That entire writing and review process took only about 36 hours. AEG Association Manager Kristy Howard took the lead on getting it out to various mainstream, industry, business, and regional media outlets. It was sent to National Public Radio, American City Business Journals, Business Wire, Association Press, USA Today, Wall Street Journal and major 8

regional print and broadcast media throughout the U.S. It was also sent to industry associations that have an interest in earthquake hazards and earthquake risks: Risk and Insurance Management Society (RIMS), Casualty Actuarial Society (CAS), American Property-Casualty Insurance Association (APCIA), and others.

The gist of the press release: “Ridgecrest was prepared and lucky. It could have been much worse. If you live in earthquake country, get prepared now. Don’t depend on luck. Engineering geologists can help.”

Once a press release is “out there,” AEG may not know when or where it is used. If you run across such an article that was initiated by AEG, please send it (hard copy or digital) to AEG Association Manager Kristy Howard (manager@aegweb.org) or Phyllis Steckel, AEG Advocacy Committee Chair (psteckel@charter.net).

AEG NEWS 62(5)

December 2019

NEWS OF THE ASSOCIATION – FOUNDATION REPORT

Fundraising Success In Asheville

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Nichole Vetter, Director, AEG Foundation

he AEG Foundation would like to thank everyone that participated in the golf outing and the Silent Auction held during the Annual Meeting in Asheville. The golf outing raised $6,099, which was donated to the Johnston Operations Fund. The Silent Auction raised $3,029 for the Carolinas Scholarship Fund.

The AEG Foundation was proud to select and present eight students with Lemke Awards to help them present their research and defray the costs of attending AEG’s Annual Meeting in Asheville. The following are this year’s recipients:

Erin Bessett-Kirton, University of Utah Erin is a first year PhD student. She enjoys mountain biking, trail running, and skiing.

Andrew Graber, Colorado School of Mines Andrew is a PhD student in his third year.

His favorite hobby is digital photography; some favorite subjects are mountain landscapes and songbirds. Andrew currently has research projects going on in masswasting recurrence and in finite element modeling of large landslides.

Katelyn Kring, Michigan Technological University Katie is currently in the first year of her master’s degree and is from Kalamazoo. She enjoys rock and mineral collecting in Michigan’s Keweenaw Peninsula.

Ashton Krajnovich, Colorado School of Mines Ashton is a PhD candidate who loves travelling and experiencing the vast range (and surprising similarities) of cultures, landscapes, food, and rocks from around the world.

Ashton’s picture is from a recent trip to study geology in the arctic at the University Centre in Svalbard.

Raja Das, Eastern Tennessee State University.

Raja just completed his master’s in geosciences with concentration in geospatial analysis. He’s originally from India and loves to play cricket, watch movies, listen to music, and outdoor activities (cycling, running, hiking). Raja is aiming to persue his doctoral studies in the United States and wants to continue his research on landslide hazard and risk modelling.

Jordan Ewing, Michigan Technological University Jordan is a computational science and engineering PhD student. His favorite hobby is hiking and photography/drone photography; he really enjoys doing both at the same time.

Jordan’s favorite winter activity is enjoying a cup of warm tea and a good book.

December 2019

Kyle Radach, Colorado School of Mines Kyle is a master’s student studying geological engineering. He’s a huge fan of most activities related to the mountains, especially backpacking and mountaineering.

AEG NEWS 62(5)

Brian Rogers, Missouri University of Science and Technology Brian is a senior and plans to get a PhD in Earth system science and pursue a career in research.

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NEWS OF THE ASSOCIATION – WOMEN IN AEG

Cynthia Palomares

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AEG 2019–20 President

ecoming AEG President this year has been a tremendous honor and has given me a sincere appreciation for the path that was blazed before me.

AEG began as an Association in 1958. There have been many presidents before me, including four other women, and I thank each and every one of them for their work and passion. There are many paths to this position and every president has a unique story. Here is mine…

I never expected to be a geologist. When I was young, I thought I would follow in my mother’s footsteps and become a registered nurse. In high school, I took a nurse’s aid class and worked in housekeeping at a local hospital. I realized then that I probably wouldn’t be very good at it and began to see other opportunities in the world around me.

After high school, I didn’t have the resources to attend college immediately so I took a job as a file clerk at Mitchell Energy, an oil and gas company in Houston. I worked in a large room, filing oil and gas leases all day long, day in and day out. After doing this for about two years, I noticed that there was an opening in the exploration geology department for a clerk typist. I applied for the job and got it. This position entailed typing boring logs for exploration wells that were being drilled in Texas, and I worked with the exploration geologists to generate these logs and other documents from the ongoing drilling operations. The work was interesting, and the geologists with whom I worked seemed to enjoy their jobs.

They weren’t much older than I was and they were making great money, getting a per diem, AND a company car. I thought, well, that doesn’t seem too hard, and I decided I could do it too.

I saved money over the next few years, and after five years with Mitchell Energy, I packed up my U-Haul and headed up to Texas A&M University in College Station. I never looked back after that!

In 1986, at the age of 23, I started in the Texas A&M Petroleum Geology Program. Since I was good at math, my advisor suggested that I take an engineering geology class. I enjoyed it so much that I switched to the Engineering Geology Program, and took Dr. Chris Mathewson, head of the Center for Engineering Geosciences, as my advisor. He handed me an AEG application and told me to fill it out. I became active as an AEG student member, and upon receiving my Master’s degree I became a full member.

Over the many years since, I have volunteered in a wide variety of positions with AEG, including various Section and Chapter officer positions, and in operational committee positions. I became the AEG Strategic Initiative Coordinator (SIC) in 2013. In this position, I worked with the Executive Council (EC) to implement the goals of the Strategic Plan. After holding the position of SIC for about two years, I was nominated to the Executive Council and have worked my way through the officer positions to President.

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Having spent so much time with AEG, at so many different levels, I know the Association from the inside out and I am passionate about our mission, goals, and the fun we have along the way. I have learned so much about AEG, my profession, and myself, and I am honored beyond words to be in this position. I truly look forward to working with all of you in implementing the mission and goals of AEG, and helping this wonderful society grow and thrive.

Cynthia takes mentoring girls in the STEM fields seriously. She’s shown here at the Sally Ride Festival in Houston.

Cynthia with her friend and mentor Dr. Chris Mathewson at the Texas Chapter’s exhibit booth at the Texas Hydro-Geo Workshop

AEG NEWS 62(5)

December 2019

NEWS OF THEHEADER ASSOCIATION HERE

Short Courses Benefit Attendees and Budgets Ken Neal and Trevor Contreras

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n August 8 and 9, the Nisqually Chapter held a two-day short course, The Field Developed Cross-Section: A Systematic Method of Portraying Dimensional Subsurface Information and Modeling for Geotechnical Interpretation and Analysis, taught by Ken Neal. Ken was assisted by Trevor Contreras from the Washington Geologic Survey, who helped sponsor the course. The field-developed cross-section (FDCS) methodology was developed by the late AEG Honorary Member Doug Williamson. In addition to the FDCS, the short course included the Unified Soil Classification visual-manual procedure (ASTM D2488) and the Unified Rock Classification System, which was also developed by Doug Williamson.

The first day, held at St Martins University, which provided us a lab in their engineering department, consisted of lectures on soil and rock classification, and the FDCS methodology. The second day was spent measuring cross-sectional relationships along a marine bluff with numerous unstable slopes.

The fourteen attendees were a mix of professional geologists and engineers, and geology students. Most had not received any instruction on the ASTM visual-manual procedure, since it is not taught in most universities and not applied at many geotechnical firms. The Unified Rock Classification System was also new to most attendees. Based on evaluation forms submitted after the short course, all benefitted from the class, and, as a result two attendees became AEG members, and the Nisqually Chapter deposited $1,050 in their account.

It is important to note here that when Ken asked the Nisqually Chapter Board whether there would be any interest in holding the FDCS class, there was an immediate, enthusiastic positive reaction. This suggests that there are likely many opportunities for holding short courses at the Chapter level.

The FDCS is but one of 40 short courses that are listed on AEG’s website as being available https://www.aegweb.org/page/ AEGShortCourseDesc. Most are available nationally to the various chapters and universities. The Nisqually Chapter sees short courses, in addition to improving technical knowledge of attendees, as a means of increasing membership and providing needed income to the Chapter.

ABOVE: Course participants Kara Jacobacci, AEG member and past-chair of the Nisqually Chapter (left) and Susie Wiseheart measure the slope at Tolmie State Park in Lacey, Washington.

AT LEFT: Ken Neal teaching the classroom portion of the short course.

December 2019

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AEG 62ND ANNUAL MEETING RECAP

AEG 2019 62nd Annual Meeting

Old Mountains, New Beginnings – Using the Past to Map the Future

Paul Weaver and Briget Doyle, AEG 2019 Annual Meeting Co-Chairs

AEG’s 62nd Annual Meeting, “Old Mountains, New Beginnings,” was held at the Renaissance Hotel in downtown Asheville, North Carolina, from September 17–22. Over 500 participants from across the U.S. and from nine other countries were in attendance.

The meeting kicked-off on Tuesday with three field courses: North Fork Dam Improvements – Making Asheville’s Water Supply More Resilient, Breweries & Brownfields: The Environmental History of Asheville’s River Arts District, and Debris Flows, Rock Slides, Rock Falls, & Big Slow Movers: Who Could Ask for More?. The North Fork Dam Improvements field course was led by Alex Rutledge, Mark Landis, Aaron Collins, and Zach Ostrum. The participants were shown various aspects of the dam and rehabilitation work performed on the dam. Bart Cattanach, of the NC Geological Survey, also discussed the geology of the North Fork area. The Breweries & Brownfields field course was led by Susan Avritt and Chuck Pippin. It included a tour of Brownfields sites in the River Arts District near downtown Asheville, starting and ending at Wedge Brewing. The Debris Flows field course was led by Jenn Bauer, Rick Wooten, and Jody Kuhne. It included stops at five different

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locations in the Asheville area that have experienced unstable slope issues.

The Icebreaker was held Tuesday evening in the Exhibit Hall, followed by the Young at Heart Student/Professional gathering at Pack’s Tavern.

The General Session opened Wednesday morning and featured Kenneth Taylor (North Carolina State Geologist) and Bart Cattanach (NC Geological Survey) as the keynote speakers. Kenneth Taylor spoke on Natural Hazards – A Perspective from a Former State Emergency Planner, Emergency Manager, Director and State Geologist, while Bart Cattanach presented an overview of the Geology of Western North Carolina. Following the keynote addresses, the AEG Outstanding Environmental & Engineering Geology (OEEG) Project Award was presented to the Tennessee Valley Authority Boone Dam Internal Erosion Remediation Project.

Key personnel with the Boone Dam Project gave presentations about the project in a technical session on Wednesday afternoon. The General Session was wrapped up by presentations from the 2018–19 AEG/GSA Richard H. Jahns Distinguished

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AEG 62ND ANNUAL MEETING RECAP

Lecturer in Applied Geology, Deborah Green, and the incoming 2019–20 Jahns Lecturer, Scott Lindvall.

Our Special Event was “A Night in the Mountains” which was held Wednesday evening at the Taylor Ranch outside of Asheville. Close to 90 people were treated to an evening of good southern food, beverages, bluegrass and mountain music, and stories about the area. There was even fishing, cornhole, and a campfire!

More than 180 oral presentations and 22 posters were presented Wednesday through Friday afternoon. Technical sessions included Rockfall Mitigation, the Profession of Geology, Hydrology/Groundway/Karst, Environmental Characterization & Remediation, 3D Modeling & Risk-Based Methodology, Environmental Remediation & Geochemistry, Geophysics, Transportation & Infrastructure, Drones for Geologic Applications, Geologic and Site Characterization, and Geologic Hazard Mapping. Symposiums included Climate Resilience, PFAS/GenX, Engineering Geology at Dams & Levees, Communicating Science with Non-Scientists, NOA, Tunneling, Forum on The Geology of Industrial Minerals, and Landslides.

Guest tours were offered Tuesday through Friday of the meeting. The guest tours included trips to Biltmore House, Chimney Rock & Lake Lure, the Blue Ridge Parkway & Linville Caverns, and concluded with the Apple Country Wine Tour.

December 2019

Two short courses were held on Saturday. Geologic Mapping in the Digital Era: Data Collection and Rock Slope Stability Analysis was hosted by Arthur Merschat. It included both classroom and field components. The field course These Rocks are Mined, But You Can Look at Them: Mining & Geology was led

by Bart Cattanach and Rick Wooten of the NC Geological Survey and included stops at six locations to look at mining operations, a local mineral museum, and stops to view local geological features, including the Linville Falls fault.

Other highlights of the Annual Meeting included the Women in AEG/AWG Luncheon featuring Sarah Evans, Assistant Professor in the Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences at Appalachian State University, “Get a Job & Make It Your Own” presented by Greg Hempen, various meetings of AEG working groups and committees, and meetings by the Executive Council and Board of Directors.

Thank you to our 31 exhibitors and numerous generous sponsors! An additional thank you to Field Fourse Chair Susan Avritt, Finance Chair Brian Smith, Guest Tours Chair Sarah Montgomery, OEEG Project Chair Gary Rogers, Poster Sessions Chair Maddie German, Publicity Chair Rohit Warrier, Short Courses Chair Cyrus Parker, Special Event Chair Jenn Bauer, Sponsors and Exhibitors Co-chairs Rick Kolb and Eric Cross, Student Coordination Chair Arpita Nandi, Technical Program Chair Alex Rutledge, Nate Saraceno for the Guidebook meeting app and updates to the app throughout the meeting, Kristy Howard and all of the people at AMR for all their work both prior to and during the meeting, and all of the planning committee LEFT: AMR’s Kristy members. A Howard special “Thank BELOW: AEG’s Meetings You” to AEG’s Manager Heather Clark meetings manager Heather Clark, whose exceptional efforts over six years of planning made the meeting a resounding success!

BELOW: AMR Staff and Student Volunteers at check-in

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AEG 62ND ANNUAL MEETING RECAP

TVA Boone Dam Project Earns Nation’s Top Award for Geology in Engineering

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he Tennessee Valley Authority’s Boone Dam Boone Dam Internal Erosion Remediation Project was named the 2019 Outstanding Environmental and Engineering Geologic Project by the Association of Environmental & Engineering Geologists. It is the highest honor presented

by AEG and distinguishes projects based on select criteria, including: application of environmental and engineering geologic principles, advancement of public understanding of geology and engineering geology, protection of the environment, and enhancement of cultural understanding.

The Boone Dam project was specifically noted for its innovative use of georeferenced data, risk-informed decisionmaking, and contributions to the practice of underground construction in dams.

“TVA is honored by this prestigious AEG recognition, and we are extremely proud of our Boone Dam Remediation Project team,” said David Bowling, TVA vice president of River & Resources Stewardship. “This award recognizes the knowledge, skill, and execution of the engineering geologists and other team members who have worked together to successfully manage this project.”

Bowling accepted the award on behalf of TVA from AEG President David Fenster at the Opening Session. The event also featured an overview by Boone Dam Technical Project Manager Chris Saucier.

“As contributors to the Boone Dam Remediation Project, our collective achievements are advancing the practice of our

Boone Dam Remediation Project team

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Dave Fenster and Gary Rogers present the OEEG Award to TVA’s David Bowling

profession, as well as our everyday work to provide a higher quality of life for citizens of the Tennessee Valley,” Saucier said.

The Tennessee Valley Authority is a corporate agency of the United States that provides electricity for business customers and local power companies serving nearly ten million people in parts of seven southeastern states. TVA receives no taxpayer funding, deriving virtually all of its revenues from sales of electricity. In addition to operating and investing its revenues in its electric system, TVA provides flood control, navigation and land management for the Tennessee River system and assists local power companies and state and local governments with economic development and job creation.

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AEG 62ND ANNUAL MEETING RECAP

GenX/PFAS Symposium Loren Lasky, Environmental Technical Working Group

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t the AEG Annual Meeting in Asheville, scientists from all over the state presented the latest on the GenX contamination found in North Carolina’s Cape Fear River area. The GenX/PFAS Symposium was organized and moderated by North Carolina’s own Rick Kolb, recipient of AEG’s 2019 Floyd T. Johnston Service Award.

GenX was created by DuPont spinoff company Chemours as a supposedly safer, shorter-chain “replacement chemical” for the early generation of tough, “forever” PFAS chemicals, but now GenX has also been associated with negative environmental impacts and health effects. GenX was released as industrial waste into the Cape Fear River for decades, and has since been detected in the drinking water supplies of the nearby city of Wilmington.

State and federal representatives, including Michael Scott, Director of the Division of Waste Management at North Carolina’s Department of Environmental Quality (NCDEQ); Mike Abraczinskas, NCDEQ’s Division of Air Quality; and Aaryn Jones, US EPA Region 4’s RCRA Programs and Cleanup Branch, outlined the groundwater impact—and secondary air deposition impact—of this “Emerging Contaminant.” Harry Behzadi, SGS, discussed the primary routes of human exposure to GenX and related fluorochemicals via ingestion of contaminated food and water.

The scientific talks logically culminated with a summary of all the legal battles waged to date, presented by Kelly Moser of the Southern Poverty Law Center. A Consent Order was finally signed in February 2019 requiring Chemours to pay a $12 million-dollar fine and stop polluting the Cape Fear River. The Consent Order also requires Chemours to accelerate the removal of contaminants from the air, groundwater and surface water of the Cape Fear River.

PFAS Molecule

Topics for next year’s Environmental Symposium in Portland are under discussion.

Please contact us at the Environmental Technical Working Group (Patty Bryan, Loren Lasky and Rick Kolb) with your suggestions.

Speaker Aaryn Jones from USEPA 4

Symposium (L to R): Moderator Rick Kolb, NCDEQ Director Michael Scott, Harry Behzadi (SGS), Kelly Moser (Southern Poverty Law Center) and Mike Abraczinskas (NCDEQ)

December 2019

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AEG 62ND ANNUAL MEETING RECAP

The Meeting in Photos…

Field Courses

North Fork Dam Improvements – Making Asheville’s Water Supply More Resilient

Debris Flow, Rock Slides, Rock Falls and Big Slow Movers: Who Could Ask for More?

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December 2019

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AEG 62ND ANNUAL MEETING RECAP

The Meeting in Photos… Tuesday Evening Welcome

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December 2019

AEG 62ND ANNUAL MEETING RECAP

Opening Session Speakers

Meeting Co-Chairs Briget Doyle and Paul Weaver

North Carolina Geological Survey’s Bart Cattanach

December 2019

North Carolina State Geologist Kenneth Taylor

2019–20 Jahns Lecturer Scott Lindvall

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AEG President Dave Fenster

2018–19 Jahns Lecturer Deb Green

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AEG 62ND ANNUAL MEETING RECAP

Speakers & Sessions

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Networking, Food, Friends, & Fun

December 2019

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AEG 62ND ANNUAL MEETING RECAP

Poster Sessions

Women in AEG/AWG Luncheon

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AEG Presidents’ Reception

December 2019

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AEG 62ND ANNUAL MEETING RECAP

“A Night in the Mountains” Special Event

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AEG 62ND ANNUAL MEETING RECAP

The Meeting in Photos… Annual Banquet

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AEG 62ND ANNUAL MEETING RECAP

AEG Volunteer Recognition Awards These special awards were given to several active members of AEG Operational Committees. These worthy recipients have helped move the AEG Strategic Plan forward are shown below with 2019–20 AEG President Cynthia Palomares: Kara Jacobacci (Website Workgroup), Phyllis Steckel (Advocacy Committee), Sarah Kalika (Meetings Advisory Committee), and Renee Wawczak (Strategic Initiative Coordinator).

Kara Jacobacci

Phyllis Steckel

Sarah Kalika

Renee Wawczak

NEWS OF THE PROFESSION

News from MEDGEO2019

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EG Member Dr. Syed E. Hasan, professor emeritus of geology, Department of Earth & Environmental Sciences, University of Missouri-Kansas City, attended the eighth international conference– MEDGEO2019–held at Guiyang, Guizhou Province, China, August 12–15. The conference was hosted by the Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and the International Medical Geology Association. Dr. Hasan gave a keynote lecture entitled Health Impacts of Waste Management and

Medical Geology. He also conducted a one-day short course on medical geology that was attended by over 50 people representing several countries.

In addition to his role at the U of M, Syed E. Hasan, PhD, RG, is also the Associate Editor of GeoHealth, a member of the Editorial Board of Environmental & Engineering Geoscience, Chair of AEG’s Environmental Characterization and Remediation Technical Working Group, and Chair of GSA’s Publications Committee, Environmental & Engineering Geology Division.

Syed Hasan (L) with invited speakers at the opening session of the eighth IMGA meeting in Guiyang, China, August 13, 2019

Syed (L) with IMGA officers and medical geology short course instructors

December 2019

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PROFESSIONAL CONTRIBUTIONS

Searles Valley California Earthquakes Spur Seismic Hazard Investigations Robert Anderson1, CEG & Lisa S. Schleicher2, PhD

Introduction The July 5, 2019, moment magnitude (Mw) 7.1 Searles Valley earthquake, and its July 4, 2019, Mw 6.4 foreshock, originated east of Ridgecrest, reawakening awareness of the potential for seismic hazards in southern California. This article was prepared three months after the mainshock. During this time a number of field teams have worked in the area collecting and assimilating data. In addition, the Earthquake Engineering Research Institute established a virtual clearinghouse allowing teams to share information (EERI, 2019). This article does not discuss in detail field conditions at the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division (NAWS) in China Lake, California.

The largest previously observed earthquake in the area had a magnitude of 5.8, but no significant damage was reported.

For comparison, the Mw 7.1 earthquake was about the same size as the Loma Prieta earthquake in 1989 while the Mw 6.4 earthquake was as large as the highly damaging Sylmar (San Fernando) earthquake in 1971. This earthquake was the largest to have occurred in southern California since the Mw 7.1 Hector Mine earthquake in 1999. Damage in the town of Ridgecrest, CA, was estimated to be $119 million using ShakeMap information from the Mw 7.1 event.

Geologic and Tectonic Setting of the Area Affected by the Earthquake The Searles Valley earthquakes occurred near the town of Ridgecrest and NAWS within the Eastern California Shear Zone – Walker Lane Belt, an area that is known for large, right-lateral strike-slip earthquakes (Figure 1). The geology of the Ridgecrest area is complex and contains many Quaternary faults, however only a few of these faults had been studied in depth prior to the Searles Valley earthquakes.

Local geology in the region includes alluvial basins with granitic outcrops. A playa formed over a part of the alluvial fan in the basin. Two large faults, the Garlock fault to the south and the Sierra Nevada fault to the west, bound the region where these earthquakes occurred. The Airport Lake fault and the Wilson Canyon fault form a conjugate fault pair, a similar crosscutting set of fault planes, as observed by the aftershockdelineated rupture planes, earthquake focal mechanisms, preliminary field-mapped surface rupture from the Mw 7.1 Searles Valley mainshock and its Mw 6.4 foreshock (Figure 2).

Although many Quaternary age faults have been mapped in the local area, the State of California only has identified the Little Lake fault in Ridgecrest as an active fault. This means that the state imposed certain development restrictions for building over the trace of an active fault. The Little Lake fault is not known to have ruptured during the Searles Valley earthquakes, but ruptured multiple sequences with events greater 28

than Mw 5.0 in 1982 and 1996 (Hauksson et al., 1995).

California is investigating and evaluating the faults to determine if it will designate the faults as active and place them in the Alquist-Priolo Special Studies Zone Program.

There appears to be an overall trend of large-scale earthquakes that starts near Mexicali, Mexico, and propagates towards the Owens Valley, California. Geoscientists are currently researching potential interactions between the fault systems in southern California to improve their understanding of seismic hazard on these faults.

Ground Motions The area affected by the earthquake had been known to be seismically active, but no strong ground motions had been recorded in Ridgecrest. Strong ground shaking from the Mw 6.4 and 7.1 Searles Valley earthquakes was felt broadly across southern California and observed in both the cities of Los Angeles and Las Vegas (Figure 3). The strong motion seismographs near NAWS measured peak ground accelerations of approximately 0.511 to 0.567 g and the station at the Ridgecrest – Hwy 395/Brown Road Bridge had a peak ground acceleration of approximately 0.243 g (CESMD, 2019).

Some researchers are working to compare observed damage to the tufa pinnacles at Searles Lake (Figure 4) to modeled peak horizontal ground acceleration to try to constrain a minimal level of ground motion. These data may be able to constrain ground motions where there were no ground motion instruments near the tufa pinnacles.

Observed and Modeled Surface Rupture Mapping of the surface rupture features from these earthquakes was broken into two teams: One led by the USGS focused on NAWS and another led by University of Nevada Reno and the Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology focused on the second area was to the south of NAWS (GEER, 2019).

Primary surface rupture, was most prevalent on NAWS, where the offsets were up to 5.2 meters, while offsets south of NAWS were only up to 1.7 meters.

The most prominent secondary rupture feature outside the NAWS boundary was a left lateral offset of Highway 178. In some places, the rupture spreads over a width of up to 30 meters. Mole tracks have been observed in numerous places indicating localized areas of compression. Geoscientists observed structural geology textbook en echelon right-lateral (left-stepping) and left-lateral (right-stepping) fault rupture patterns during the October 2019 AEG Southern Nevada Chapter field trip to the epicentral region (Figure 5).

Geoscientists flew unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to gather aerial imagery and light detection and ranging (lidar)

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December 2019

PROFESSIONAL CONTRIBUTIONS

Airport Fault Zone

NAWS

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ry

_ ^

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AT LEFT: Figure 2. Aftershocks (orange dots) that occurred between July 4, 2019 and August 31, 2019 following the Searles Valley earthquakes (SCEDC, 2019) compared to USGS/CGS delineation of surface faulting (red lines) (EERI, 2019) and previously mapped Quaternary faults (purple lines) (USGS/CGS, 2006).

Mw 7.1 Mw 6.4

S NAW

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Ridgecrest

Mapped Surface Rupture ult NAWS

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10 km

December 2019

ABOVE: Figure 1. Local geology (CGS, 2003; USGS/CGS, 2006) and preliminary field observations of surface faulting in the epicentral region (EERI, 2019).

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PROFESSIONAL CONTRIBUTIONS elevation data, offering one of the first opportunities for geoscientists to investigate surface deformation from an earthquake in high-resolution detail (Brandenberg and Stewart, 2019; Willis et al., 2019). Preliminary field and remote sensing-based observations of the Searles Valley earthquakes suggest that the Mw 6.4 event may have triggered the Mw 7.1 event (Figure 6).

Geoscientists have observed conjugate fault pairing in other earthquakes in southern California such as the 1987 Superstition Hills and Elmore earthquakes as well as the 1992 Landers-Big Bear earthquakes. Review of fault maps in southern California indicates that other faults appear to form conjugate pairs. Research on earthquake triggering mechanisms continues (Toda and Stein, 2019; Rollins et al., 2019; Barnhart et al., 2019; Ross et al., 2019).

Damage and Losses from the Earthquakes Several houses, businesses, schools, and the local hospital have been reported damaged as a result of the earthquakes.

Limited damage in the Trona area was been reported due to liquefaction. In addition, Trona was without water service for several days due to damage to the waterline from Ridgecrest.

Locally, deformation of gas lines was found and quickly repaired.

The gas lines did not leak. Damage assessments of the NAWS facilities have not been released to the general public.

A Hazards United States (HAZUS) report was generated for the mainshock based on the fifth version of the ShakeMap. The direct loss estimate was $119 million. No estimate of indirect losses was determined during the HAZUS run. Furthermore, the authors have not been able to find a HAZUS loss estimate for the NAWS. It is the authors’ experience that reported damage for earthquakes of this magnitude near cities may be low. Three Figure 3. Instrumental Intensity ShakeMap version 7 for the Searles Valley mainfactors that may help explain the low estimate are that the city shock (USGS/California Integrated Seismic Network, 2019) was small and built over a time where seismic safety improvements building codes steadily became more stringent. Some A B building damage may have been limited since a large portion of Ridgecrest was built after a revision to the Uniform Building Code in the 1970s when revisions were added to strengthening requirements that enhance seismic safety.

The third factor is that the city of Ridgecrest may not have experienced highly damaging strong ground motion since Ridgecrest was not located on or near the ends of the two largest earthquakes (Figure 6a). It is noted though Figure 4. A) Panoramic view of tufa pinnacles at Searles Lake. B) A tufa pinnacle at Searles Lake that was likely damaged that the strong ground from earthquake ground motions. Note the evidence of recent fracturing demonstrated by the freshly broken white faces motions values for the ends on the displaced boulders. of the faults and in Ridgecrest are unknown.

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PROFESSIONAL CONTRIBUTIONS

A

B

Figure 5. A) Rich Koehler, Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology, explaining surface rupture features during a October AEG Southern Nevada Section field trip to Ridgecrest. B) Bill Godwin, AEG Vice-President, pointing to surface cracking associated with the July 5, 2019 Mw 7.1 earthquake rupture.

Figure 6. A) Co-seismic Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) map showing surface displacement caused by the Searles Valley earthquakes. Each color cycle represents 4.8 in (12 cm) of displacement (Ross et al., 2019; NASA/JPL, 2019). B) Static stress transfer map from the Searles Valley earthquakes (Stein et al, 2019a; Stein et al., 2019b).

The GEER report (2019) provides additional preliminary information on engineering and geological effects of the July 2019 Searles Valley earthquake sequence. In addition, the Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America plans to release a special volume in Summer 2020 on these earthquakes and the American Geophysical Union plans to hold a special session at its 2019 annual meeting.

December 2019

Acknowledgements We thank Jason Patton from the California Geological Survey for helping secure a geologic map of the area, Ross Stein from Temblor for the Stress Change Map, and Thecla Fabian for technical editing. We also thank Nick Saines from the AEG Southern Nevada Chapter for organizing and Rich Koehler for

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PROFESSIONAL CONTRIBUTIONS leading the AEG field trip to the rupture zone of the Searles Valley earthquakes.

Authors’ Information 1

California Seismic Safety Commission, Sacramento, CA 96007 Robert.Anderson@ssc.ca.gov 2

Geophysicist, Washington, DC 20004 isasschleicher@gmail.com

The views expressed herein are solely those of the authors, and no official support or endorsement by the California Seismic Safety Commission, Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board, or the U.S. Government is intended or should be inferred.

References Barnhart, W., Hayes, G., and Gold, R., 2019, The July 2019 Ridgecrest, California Earthquake Sequence: Kinematics of Slip and Stressing in CrossFault Ruptures, Geophysical Research Letters, doi: 10.1029/2019GL084741.

Brandenberg, S., and Stewart, J., 2019, Ridgecrest, CA earthquake sequence, July 4 and 5, 2019, DesignSafe-CI, https://doi.org/10.17603/ds2-4thkd514.

Center for Engineering Strong Motion Data (CESMD), 2019, https://strongmotioncenter.org/cgi-bin/CESMD/iqr_dist_DM2.pl?iqrid=ci38457511.

California Geological Survey (CGS), 2003, Bedford, David R., Ludington, Steve, Nutt, Constance M., Stone, Paul A., Miller, David M., Miller, Robert J., Wagner, David L., and Saucedo, George J., 2003, Geologic database for digital geology of California, Nevada, and Utah—An application of the North American Data Model, U.S. Geological Survey Open-file Report 03-135, http://geopubs.wr.usgs.gov/open-file/of03-135/.

Earthquake Engineering Research Institute (EERI), 2019, Searles Valley California Earthquake Clearinghouse, http://www.learningfromearthquakes.org/201907-04-searles-valley/.

GEER, 2019, Stewart, J.P., Brandenberg, S.J., Wang, P., Nweke, C.C., Hudson, K., Mazzoni, S., Bozorgnia, Y., Goulet, C.A., Hudnut, K.W., Davis, C.A., Ahdi, S.K., Zareian, F., Fayaz, J., Koehler, R., Chupik, C., Pierce, I., Williams, A., Akciz, S., Hudson, M., and Kishida, T., Preliminary Report on Earthquake Engineering and Geological Effects of the July 2019 Ridgecrest Earthquake Sequence, Report GEER-064: https://doi.org/10.18118/G6H66K.

Hauksson, E., Hutton, K., Kanamori, H., Jones, L., Mori, J., Hough, S., and Roquemore, G., 1995, Preliminary Report on the 1995 Ridgecrest Earthquake Sequences in Eastern California, Seismological Research Letters, 66, 54–60, doi: 10.1785/gssrl.66.6.54.

NASA/JPL-Caltech, 2019, NASA’s ARIA Maps Southern California Quake Damage, https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/spaceimages/details.php?id=PIA23150.

Rollins, C., Stein, R.S., Lin, G., and Kilb, D. (2019), The Ridgecrest earthquakes: Torn ground, nested foreshocks, Garlock shocks, and Temblor’s forecast, Temblor, http://doi.org/10.32858/temblor.039.

Ross, Z.E., Idini, B., Jia, Z., Stephenson, O., Zhong, M., Wang, X., Zhan, Z., Simons, M., Fielding, E.J., Yun S., Hauksson, E., Moore, A., Liu, Z., and Jung, J., 2019, Hierarchical interlocked orthagonal faulting in the 2019 Ridgecrest earthquake sequence, Science, 366 (6463), 346-351, doi: 10.1126/science.aaz0109.

SCEDC, Data are available from the Southern California Seismic Network (https://doi.org/10.7914/SN/CI), operated by the California Institute of Technology and the United States Geological Survey (2019).

Stein, R.S., Hobbs, T., Rollins, C., Ely, E., Sevilgen, V., and Toda, S., 2019a, Magnitude 7.1 earthquake rips northwest from the M6.4 just 34 hours later, Temblor, http://doi.org/10.32858/temblor.037.

Stein, R.S., Rollins, C., Sevilgen, V., and Hobbs, T., 2019b, M 7.1 SoCal earthquake triggers aftershocks up to 100 mi away: What’s next?, Temblor, http://doi.org/10.32858/temblor.038.

Toda, S., and Stein, R. (2019), Ridgecrest earthquake shut down cross-fault aftershocks, Temblor, http://doi.org/10.32858/temblor.043.

USGS/CGS, 2006, Quaternary fault and fold database for the United States, accessed October 27, 2019, from USGS web site: http//earthquake.usgs.gov/hazards/qfaults/.

USGS/California Integrated Seismic Network, 2019, ShakeMap for the 7.1 July 5, 2019 Earthquake near Ridgecrest, https://www.usgs.gov/media/images/shakemap-m71-july-5-2019-earthquake-near-ridgecrest.

USGS earthquake report, July 4, 2019 Searles valley event, https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/ci38443183/executive.

USGS earthquake report, July 5, 2019 Ridgecrest earthquake sequence, https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/ci38457511/executive.

Willis, M.J., Barnhart, W.D. , Cassotto, R. , Klassen, J. , Corcoran, J. , Host, T. , Huberty, B., Pelletier, K., Knight, J.F., 2019, CaliDEM: Ridgecrest, CA Region 2m Digital Surface Elevation Model. Funding by NSF and USGS. Data collection by DigitalGlobe. Distributed by OpenTopography. https://doi.org/10.5069/G998854C.

Call for Papers: AEG Members are encouraged to submit papers on interesting case histories, original research or other projects to its journal on the following topics: • Environmental geology • Engineering geology • Feasibility studies • Geotechnical engineering • Geomorphology • Low-temperature geochemistry • Applied hydrogeology • Near-surface processes • Review papers in applied geosciences and technical notes (< 6 pages)

Benefits Include: • 4 Issues Per Year • Papers Are Peer Reviewed • Best Student Paper Award • Best Paper Award

Instructions for Authors: https://www.editorialmanager.com/EEG/default.aspx 32

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PROFESSIONAL CONTRIBUTIONS

Review of the

Munsell Capsure Soil Color Matching Tool Glenn Borchardt, CPSS, Soil Tectonics, Berkeley, California

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any soil scientists laboriously determine thousands of soil colors each year by using Munsell Soil Color harts. All professional descriptions of soil profiles must include Munsell color designations for each horizon. Under proper lighting and moisture conditions the results appear fairly reproducible despite some subjectivity. According to the USDA, “Under field conditions, measurements of color are reproducible by different individuals within 2.5 units of hue (one page in the Munsell soil-color book) and 1 unit of value and chroma.” Not much has changed since the USDA adopted Munsell as the official color system for soil research in the thirties. Finally, this activity has come into the digital age with the recent release of the Munsell Capsure colorimeter, a hand-held device for soil color matching. I am normally dubious about such new, untested gadgets promising increased productivity and, in this case, decreased subjectivity.

The Capsure is not cheap (MRSP is $845), so before springing for the Capsure, I quizzed the tech at forestry-suppliers.com about whether it really worked and if it could be returned if it did not. The fellow there assured me it was the product of five years of testing by Munsell, that it definitely worked, and that you could return it in good shape if it did not.

Much of the variation in determining soil colors is due to the vagaries of field conditions as opposed to laboratory conditions (Post and others, 1993). In the field, colors are supposed to be measured at noon in bright sunlight. Anything else related to sun angle, time of day, cloudiness, smoke, or other pollution tends to produce redder hues (SánchezMarañón and others, 2011). Those variations are virtually eliminated by the Capsure tool, which supplies its own light source. This works as long as the surface being examined is perfectly flat. Otherwise, ambient light can interfere. Users are cautioned to avoid dropping the instrument in water and to keep the optics free of dust and dirt for the best accuracy.

The operating temperature is between 0oC and 40oC, although response and accuracy diminishes at low temperatures. The maximum altitude is listed as 2,000 m (6,600 ft).

The instrument should not be stored at temperatures below 20oC (-4oF), above 60oC (140oF), or in direct sunlight. In other words, avoid keeping it in the garage or on the dashboard. There is considerable ambivalence about the Capsure’s suitability for the field. The manual recommends “indoor use only,” while the retail literature says: “The instrument allows users to make accurate soil color evaluations in the field quickly and easily.” Take your pick, but be careful.

Here is my initial impression of the device: Dry peds work fine, but moist peds can present problems. Wet smectitic soils tend to stick to the outside of the 1-cm lens opening, which may require frequent cleaning. Field moist samples, which should be used instead, give much less trouble.

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The manual is here: https://go.glennborchardt.com/Capsure A good review of how to determine soil color is here: https://go.glennborchardt.com/Soil-Color-dtn. Also, remember that Munsell chips tend to fade in the light, resulting in mostly lower chromas. I have an old Munsell Soil Color Book in which the most used chips (7.5YR and 10YR pages) have faded by one chroma unit. For instance, the popular 10YR4/4 chip (dark yellowish brown) has faded to 10YR4/3 (brown). Munsell recommends that charts be replaced every two–four years. They sell the 7.5YR and 10YR pages separately. The Capsure gives you a choice of three aperture widths (2 mm, 4 mm, and 8 mm), which allows one to get separate colors for mottles. It has a handy voice recorder for storing and retrieving up to 100 measurements. I tested the colorimeter on brand new 7.5YR and 10YR Munsell charts and found exact color matches with the colorimeter. Looks like the Capsure is a winner.

References F. Post, Donald, Bryant, Ross, Batchily, A. K., Huete, Alfredo, Levine, S. J., Mays, M. D., and Escadafal, R., 1993, Correlations Between Field and Laboratory Measurements of Soil Color, 35-49 p. [10.2136/sssaspecpub31.c3].

Sánchez-Marañón, Manuel, A. García, Pedro, Huertas, Rafael, Hernández-Andrés, Javier, and Melgosa, Manuel, 2011, Influence of Natural Daylight on Soil Color Description: Assessment Using a Color-Appearance Model, v. 75, 984 p. [10.2136/sssaj2010.0336].

Soil Science Division Staff, ed., 2017, Soil survey manual: Washington, DC, USDA Handbook 18. Government Printing Office, p. 150 [https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/soils/ref/?cid=nrcs142 p2_054262].

Munsell Capsure being used in the field (courtesy Forestry-Suppliers, Inc.).

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Experiencing the Grand Canyon Ken Fergason

The Grand Canyon is a place of superlatives and contrast.

It is indeed grand, even grandiose. It is sacred to the people who have lived there for millennia and for the first-time visitor awestruck at the view. However, to truly experience what the Grand Canyon is, you cannot only stand upon its rim and wave your arms. You must venture down and experience its verticality. Even then, one cannot really know the canyon until you know the river.

The Colorado River in the Grand Canyon has a motto: no barriers allowed.

Yes, when it’s 110 degrees out, you can feel hypothermic.

In a seemingly barren expanse, waterfalls and lush oasis abound. Tarantula hawks and velvet ants haunt, and even a turkey can make an appearance. Sunburn, frigid water, and sand—oh, the sand is everywhere. Then the stars come out as the moon fades, the dawn erupts with fire on the canyon walls illuminating signs of people through the millennia in a supposedly lightly touched wilderness. It really is a geologist’s dream, a pilgrimage, not just a Grand Canyon, or a Great Unconformity, but a journey through geologic time where no obstacles are allowed.

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For seven days and six nights in June, twenty-three AEG members, family, and friends journeyed with four river guides to crew the boats and an additional geologic guide down the Colorado River and through the Grand Canyon. We celebrated the 100-year anniversary of Grand Canyon National Park and the 150-year anniversary of the famous journey of John Wesley Powell and his crew down the river. Sure, that was a happy accident, but every moment was a celebration of geologic wonder for all. Ages of our crew ranged from 83 years young to the youthful enthusiasm of an 11-year-old. We ran the rapids, hiked slot canyons, and wore our life jackets like diapers as we floated down the Little Colorado River. We slept under the stars, discussed all things geology, awoke to the cry of ‘Coffee Time!,’ and enjoyed our daily geologic briefing before heading out in the morning.

Geologist, author, and all-around good guy Wayne Ranney taught us about the canyon. He guided us down the river, into side-canyons, and offered wonderful tips for making the best of our experience on the river. Our four boatmen from Colorado River & Trail Expeditions (CRATE) kept us well fed, always safe, and gave us a nice splash of refreshing river water when needed. They entertained, worked tirelessly, and made the trip that much better.

We braved the river, the 110-degree heat, and the hypothermic waters with our microfiber hiking towels, GoPro cameras, sleeping cots, mineral-based sunscreen, and professional guides who cooked for us. Did I mention that we traveled by boat, by plane, by helicopter, and van. Mules were seen, if not ridden. Curse the river for corrupting my SD card; I was sure I sealed my bag well enough. How on earth did sand get in there?

The Grand Canyon is a geologist’s dream come true.

It is the Greatest Angular Unconformity, The Great Unconformity, rivers super-saturated in calcium carbonate, caves, hanging gardens, brachiopods, crinoids, Paleozoic reptile

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tracks on an ancient sand dune, a volcano in the Colorado River, dams, lava dams, landslides, slot canyons, cavitation, and more. Is the Grand Canyon four million years old or did it form in the Cretaceous? Which way did it flow? A river was probably here tens of millions of years ago, but when can you call it the Colorado River? Where did all that sediment go? Is that fault active? How can there be a young volcanic dike in the canyon wall so high above the river? How did travertine that is less than 500-hundred thousand years old get deposited there? Why is the river parallel to that fault? Why did it turn here and not there? There are at least six different limestone formations in this canyon, each representing a separate sea/ocean in geologic history.

For me, I loved the quiet moments, those when I could just enjoy the tranquil beauty that surrounded us as I contemplated what geologic time really meansâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;the hikes up to those hard to reach places, often canyons narrower than my outstretched arms. Lovely places, places that were cool on a hot day, like literal oases in an unforgiving landscape. These contrasted with the other moments I loved bestâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;the enthusiasm my 11-year-old son exuded as a rapid approached, the way he navigated all the people around us, learning new skills: whittling, scrabble, how to drive the boat, and of course, the geology. It is an experience I get to live with for the rest of my life.

Others of course have their own lasting memories: perhaps a quiet moment with an amazing view, or the stars at night, or December 2019

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a thirsty moment at the end of the trip when sand had scoured all identification from the can in the drag bag. Maybe it was poetry performed in front of the group, a refreshing swim in a creek, a leap of faith in Elves’ Chasm, or mysterious garments that would appear in the bag line. We all brought back treasures for the ages.

e t a r o p r o C r o s n o p S Kilauea HomeAdvisor 877-800-3177 https://www.homeadvisor.com/c.Lexington.KY.html An investment in AEG is an investment in the future of engineering and environmental geology. For information on sponsorship opportunities: www.aegweb.org/?page=BecomeASponsor

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It was the trip of a lifetime, a bucket list achieved. Many of us are geologists. Six of us were father-son pairs. All of us will remember. The Grand Canyon is a destination like no other and a river trip is an amazing way to experience it. I even have a few thousand photos that prove it—and a few videos.

So…if AEG does another river trip through the Grand Canyon, do you want to come?

Call for Professional Contributions…

AEG News is looking for professional contributions on a variety of topics, especially engineering and environmental geology. We would like the articles to be 4–6 pages in length. Examples of previous published work include research, case studies, and industry innovations. See page 3 for details.

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Examining the Effects of the Ridgecrest Earthquake

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William Godwin, CEG, Lisa Schleicher and Bob Anderson

he Southern Nevada Chapter of the Association of Environmental and Engineering Geologists sponsored a field trip to Searles Valley, California, to examine the surface rupture and other effects of the July 4â&#x20AC;&#x201C;5, 2019, M6.4 earthquakes. Professor Richard Koehler of the University of Nevada, Reno led the two-day field trip to present geologic and geotechnical observations on the damage associated with surface rupture and ground motions and describe the geomorphic characteristics of the surface ruptures.

The Ridgecrest earthquake sequence included a 15-kmlong M6.4 foreshock along a northeast oriented sinstral fault and a 50-km-long M7.1 mainshock along a northwest trending dextral fault on July 4 and 5, 2019, respectively. The events occurred in the southern Walker Lane tectonic province in the vicinity of China Lake, between Indian Wells and Searless

valleys including segments of the Little Lake and Airport Lake fault zones and unnamed faults in the Coso Basin and Spangler Hills. Rapid reconnaissance of the events included acquisition of over 25,000 low altitude, aerial drone photographs south of CA 178, field measurement of offsets, and documentation of damage to infrastructure. The observations are currently being combined with observations collected by others north of CA 178 on the China Lake Naval Air Weapons Station (NAWS) to develop a comprehensive fault map and slip distribution.

The kinematics of the ruptures were discussed as they relate to the occurrence of earthquakes and the development of the Walker Lane. Geotechnical effects included damage to transportation, gas, water, and electrical infrastructure as well as liquefaction and lateral spreading. The maximum observed right-lateral displacement along the M7.1 rupture was >5 m

Pinnacles near Trona, CA AEG Field trip, Day 1 near M7.1 rupture area

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and the surface rupture pattern is characterized by prominent mole tracks, and left-stepping en-echelon faults. The M6.4 rupture is characterized by similar tectonic geomorphic features and had observed left-lateral offsets of up to 1.7 m, and right-stepping en echelon surface breaks. The presence of subtle geomorphic features indicative of progressive offset indicates that the M7.1 rupture did not occur along a new fault, but rather along a previously unrecognized section of a through-going fault system, highlighting the importance of continued fault mapping in the Walker Lane.

After four months the M7.1 surface rupture was still deep enough for Dr. Koehler to enter.

Time to renew your AEG Membership Did you know AEG is working to support our profession through fighting off threats to professional licensure? This is just one of the many ways your association is advocating on your behalf. To continue this important work and offer valuable benefits, WE NEED YOUR HELP through renewal of your AEG membership. Also, AEG grows primarily through word of mouth and the excellent local and regional programs offered by AEG chapters. Please invite your coworkers and professional colleagues to a chapter event and encourage them to join you as an AEG member. Visit our website today to renew.

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Carolinas Chapter

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Susan Avritt, Chair The AEG Carolinas Chapter hosted the 2019 AEG Association 62nd Annual Meeting in beautiful Asheville, North Carolina, in September. As other meeting planners are aware, organizing the event was a significant effort, so we were very pleased with the outstanding turnout. Check out Paul Weaver and Briget Doyle’s recap of the meeting on Page 12.

At the meeting, our very own Rick Kolb, Southeast Regional Director and longtime member, received the Floyd T. Johnston Service Award. Rick works tirelessly for our Chapter and is an advocate for our profession, so this award was definitely well deserved!

Bald Head Island Field Trip In coordination with the University of North Carolina at Wilmington and the Bald Head Island (BHI) Conservancy, we hosted a field trip to the island in June. The island is only accessible via ferry and travel around the island is via golf carts, making transportation for the trip a little more unique than most of our field trips. UNC-Wilmington’s Dr. Roger Shew and Dr. Peter Zamora discussed depositional history, stratigraphy, and hydrogeologic processes at various stops on the island. BHI Conservancy Executive Director Chris Shank discussed ongoing conservation projects and concerns about the island’s freshwater resources.

Dr. Shew of UNC-Wilmington discussing the installation of the rock-filled terminal groin at Bald Head Island

We had our fall dinner meeting on October 24 at Kau Restaurant in Greensboro, NC. Jonathan Gerst of Peak Hydrogeologic presented Hydrogeological Characterization of The Nature Conservancy’s McClure’s Bog in Etowah, NC to Support the Design of Stormwater Management Controls and Wetland Remediation. He discussed the hydrogeologic testing and analysis he recently conducted in collaboration with the University of North Carolina at Asheville. There were approximately 35 professionals and students in attendance.

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Enviro-Equipment, a longtime Chapter sponsor, generously provided drink tickets for attendees.

In November, Chapter members Paul Weaver and Jane GillShaler handed out AGI earth science toolkits to teachers who attended the North Carolina Science Teachers Association conference in Winston-Salem, NC. The teachers as always were thrilled to receive the toolkits for use in their classrooms!

We are looking forward to a busy spring, with dinner meetings in Charlotte and Raleigh. We are also planning a field trip to the Tennessee Valley Authority Boone Dam in Johnson City.

At the Annual Meeting, the TVA Boone dam project received the Outstanding Environmental and Engineering Geologic Project Award. We will also likely visit the nearby Gray Fossil Museum on the trip.

If you are looking for more information on happenings in the Carolinas, Check out the Carolinas Chapter website for more news and events.

Inland Empire Chapter James Burns, Secretary In July and August, AEG Inland held field trips to the sites of the July 4th (M6.4) “Salt Wells Valley Fault” and the July 5th (M7.1) “China Lake/Paxton Ranch Fault” in the Trona/Ridgecrest area to field map faults, fissures, ground lurches, lateral spreads and liquefaction effects created by these first two earthquakes that ultimately created a series of has resulted in over 20,000 earthquakes aftershocks in that area, so far. The field trip was led by Miles Wagner, San Bernardino County Office of Emergency Services, San Bernardino County and AEG Inland Empire Chapter Chair, Frank Jordan, San Bernardino County Geologist. Geologists of all skill levels were welcomed to take part in the event and about ten joined this mapping effort. Several previously unmapped faults were recognized during these expeditions.

In August, AEG Inland Empire held a special half-day long debriefing regarding the Trona-Ridgecrest earthquakes, and this event was again led by the Wagner-Jordan duo. Then in late August and early September, the Chapter held additional field trips to the Searles Valley area for more field mapping, as well as to the nearby towns of Trona and Argus to map distress. Continuing fault creep was documented along several of the faults.

On November 7, AEG Inland Empire and the Southern California Chapters held a joint Chapters meeting at the Cal Poly Pomona University Campus where Janis Hernandez of the California Geological Survey (CGS) described her State Agency’s mapping in the Ridgecrest-Trona area and well, as in coordination with efforts by the US Geological Survey.

A week later, on November 16, AEG Inland Empire conducted another element in their session of the Chapter’s Continuing Education series. This session was a workshop on updates to the 2019 California Building Code (CBC). The oneday course, held at the Sheraton Fairplex Hotel & Conference

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Center in Pomona, CA, included a variety of presentations and discussions by CGS and Seismic Safety Commission personnel that included perspectives on recent changes to seismic design calculations, structural engineering, and geotechnical engineering advancements for the design and construction of Essential and Critical facilities, elements as well as advanced ground motion issues and time history analyses.

Nashville Chapter

Solutions for the hospitality and use of their beautiful downtown Nashville office.

Our continuing mission at AEG Nashville is to provide a forum for the exchange of technology and fellowship for both professional and aspiring engineering and environmental geologists in our region, regardless of the stage of their career. The Chapter has been very busy the past few months producing great success with these very goals!

AEG Annual Meeting

A. Bruce Rogers, PG, Vice Chair In August, we elected Laurel Robison as Chapter Secretary, Thomas Ballard as Chapter Chair, yours truly as Vice Chair and Mark Elson remained as Treasurer. Our past Chair, Mike Arles, is now on the Chapter Board of Directors. This was our first “changing of the guard” and this structure provides us both opportunity and continuity among our membership.

The AEG Nashville Chapter was well represented at the AEG Annual Meeting in Ashville including all of the current Nashville Chapter officers and with four of our members giving presentations. One of our student members—Jennifer McLean from Austin Peay State University—was one of the winners of the Beardsley-Kuper Field Camp Scholarship. Jennifer completed her degree at field camp this past summer and has been instrumental in the development of the AEG Student Chapter at APSU. Congratulations Jennifer! Mike Arles, Laurel Robison, Mark Elson and myself all presented at the AEG national conference and were honored to be chosen to do so along with some of the best and brightest of our fellow geologists.

August 2019 AEG Nashville Chapter Meeting, Founding Officers, L to R: Bruce Rogers, Mark Elson, 2018–19 AEG President Dave Fenster, Tom Ballard and Mike Arles

We are continuing our efforts to recruit members, pursue grants for our students, interact with other organizations, and provide presentations throughout the geologic community.

Thomas Ballard recently helped organize a geo-professional networking event with several organizations that had 70 geologists from every industry sector attend. I am currently working with two K–12 schools in rural Kentucky to provide “Careers in Geology” presentations and helping them apply for educational grants.

Our August chapter meeting was held on at the office of Barge Design Solutions here in Nashville. Our speaker was the 2018–19 AEG President Dave Fenster, PG, who presented Why is Applied Geology Important for Nuclear Plant Siting? The presentation was a very informative insight on the importance of detailed geologic site characterizations as they apply to nuclear power plants and was well received by our members. We really appreciated Dave taking the time to visit our Chapter and give us a great presentation from his impressive 44-year career as a consulting engineering geologist. We also took the opportunity to get a group picture with Dave and the founding officers of the Nashville Chapter. The meeting was very well attended and we really appreciate Tom McComb, PG, of Barge Design 40

Jennifer McLean of Nashville AEG Chapter accepting the BeardsleyKuper Field Camp Scholarship Award from Dorian Kuper and William Flanigan at the 2019 AEG Annual Meeting in Asheville, NC

For our USACE members, one of the highpoints (literally!) was to have our former USACE Engineering Branch Chief, Vanessa Bateman, meet us upon arrival and go hike to the top of Mount Mitchell, the highest peak east of the Mississippi.

Vanessa is now the Geotechnical, Geology and Materials CoP Lead at USACE Headwaters in Washington, DC., and also serves as the official AEG liaison for USACE. The shear scope of the presentations given at the national conference was tremendous, with topics on every discipline of engineering and environmental geology being given. The only hard part was deciding which ones to attend. The various committee meetings and social events provided were also very enjoyable. All of us that attended the AEG conference gained professional knowledge, contacts and references within the science of geology— exactly what you should hope for in a conference. Well done, AEG Annual Meeting Planning Committee! We are already looking forward to next year’s conference in Portland, OR.

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AEG Nashville Chapter Members at the top of Mt. Mitchell, NC during the AEG Annual Meeting, L to R: Mike Arles, Bruce Rogers, Nathan Williams, Laurel Robison, and Vanessa Bateman

Fall Field Trip, October 5–6, 2019 The AEG Nashville fall field trip was held at the Bandy Creek Center in the Big South Fork National Recreation Area. The National Park Service was kind enough to lend us their visitor center for our presentations and park service employees also attended the lectures. A big Thank You to Niki Nicholas, Park Superintendent for their hospitality.

Big South Fork is truly one of the best kept secrets in Tennessee, with miles of scenic river, recreational trails, and a very nice campground. Thomas Ballard and I gave presentations respectively entitled The Hydrogeology of the Big South Fork NRRA and The Hydrogeology of Underground Coal Mines. Both lectures were well received and the National Park Service folks really appreciated the insight to the hydrogeology of their area.

Several of our students also attended, making the trip a big success from a Chapter development, public outreach, and AEG Nashville Chair Thomas Ballard presenting at the Fall Field Trip at The National Park Service - Bandy Creek Visitor Center

recreational perspective. The scenery, weather, cookout, and camping made for a great time. Our thanks to Mike Arles and Tom McComb for doing all the cooking. We are already planning a joint field trip next April in conjunction with the Carolina Chapter to the fossil beds location near Johnson City, Tennessee. This will also be a great opportunity to recruit members in the Eastern Tennessee area.

Our annual Student Night was held on November 14, 2019 at the office of Barge Design Solutions in Nashville. We had students from Austin Peay State University give presentations and we loved being able to provide assistance in the career development of our future geologists. In December, we will have our annual holiday social, with open forum discussions and a gift swap. Interested visitors are always welcome to attend our monthly meetings. We have some new members coming on board that have expressed a desire to serve as committee chairs and on the board of directors. We are also thankful to have Laurel Robison come on board as our new Chapter Secretary, with all we have going on this help could not have come at a better time. We are really looking forward to expanding chapter membership, increasing student participation, professional development and performing more educational outreach in 2020. And finally, Season’s Greetings to Everyone from the Nashville AEG Chapter, what a year it has been!

New York-Philadelphia Chapter Loren Lasky, Newsletter Editor Rose DeLorenzo, past Chair of the New York-Philadelphia (NY-P) Chapter, beamed with pride as she accepted the 2019 “Chapter on the Rise” award from new AEG President Cynthia Palomares and past President Dave Fenster at the Annual Meeting in Asheville, North Carolina. It’s a vote of confidence in our Chapter, in recognition for how hard we have worked to broaden our outreach, particularly to students.

AEG Nashville Chapter mascot Stigger enjoying a bath in the Big South Fork of the Cumberland River at the Fall Field Trip

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THE HOMEFRONT HEADER HERE for the best undergrad poster presentations from colleges throughout the tristate area—New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.

NYP Membership Chair Tom Cumello (Dewberry) and Tom Langdon (Terracon)

New York Philadelphia Members in Asheville, L to R: Bharat Patel, Loren Lasky, Rose DeLorenzo, Northeast Regional Director Curt Schmidt, new AEG Member Kathryn Murdock from Boston (Exponent) representing the New England Chapter, and NYP’s Joe Torlucci

Landslides were the topic as we kicked off our fall season of technical talks planned by Program Chair Mike Newtown (PS and S) with a presentation by Francis Ashland of the USGS on October 1. His talk on storm-related shallow slope failure in New Jersey’s Coastal Atlantic Highlands was well received, and brought out a lot of our geotechnical members.

USGS Scientists at NYP Landslide Talk, L to R: Speaker Francis Ashland (Reston, Virginia), and USGS Hydrologists Alex Fiore, Zoltan Szabo and Manny Charles (New Jersey Water Science Center)

On November 2, participants visited the former Pahaquarry Copper Mine to see the site of the proposed, but never built, USACE Tocks Island Dam. Field Trip Chair Ricky Chenenko (CDM Smith) planned the trip to the beautiful and scenic Delaware River Water Gap—perfect at this time of year.

The sixth version of our popular Student Night was on November 14, and as always, geologic prizes were awarded 42

Nisqually Chapter Ken Neal The Nisqually Chapter introduced our new Board of Directors. Members include Trevor Contreras, Chair; Gabe Taylor, Vice-Chair; Ashley Cabibbo, Secretary; and Samantha Denham, Treasurer. Kate Mickelson will continue to serve as Newsletter and Technology Chair, and Cat Samson is our Field Trip Chair. We thank Kara Jacobacci for her leadership as Chair this past year. Through her leadership, we won the Best Up-and-Coming Chapter Award, gained new members, recruited student members, and led and facilitated the various activities listed below.

We had a productive summer. In May, we co-hosted a field trip with the Puget Sound Chapter to Mount Saint Helens.

We also held a short course, The Field-Developed Cross-Section, taught by Ken Neal and sponsored by the Washington Geologic Survey. Fourteen people attended the two-day course on August 7 and 8, which covered soil and rock classification as well as measuring and developing cross-sections in the field to scale.

This past spring we had great meetings and speakers.

On April 17, we held a joint meeting with the ASCE TacomaOlympia Section. Megan Anderson spoke on the Doty Fault and Willapa Hills. On May 23, we held a joint meeting with the Puget Sound Chapter, which highlighted student poster presentations.

We have had some exciting talks and have more planned for this winter. Peter Davis, Chair of Geosciences at Pacific Lutheran University, spoke at our September meeting on New insights Into Igneous and Metamorphic Rocks near Cle Elum, Washington. Dave Williams, geologist writer, spoke at our October meeting about his book Stories in Stone.

Our November meeting included three short talks, billed as Micro-talks. Will Gallin of the Washington Geological Survey talked about a new carbon sequestration project at the survey.

Pat Pringle gave an overview of volcanic hazards in the Pacific Northwest—hazard assessments and volcano monitoring. Kevin Hanson talked about identifying hidden stratigraphic changes based on water level data from Hawks Prairie. The “micro talk” format proves to be a popular series. It’s easy to get speakers to commit to a 15-minute talk, and attendees enjoy hearing about many topics.

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Nisqually Chapter fossil hunters

In honor of National Fossil Day, Cat Samson led a group to collect Eocene fossil crabs in southwest Washington. This free, Saturday event was open to members and nonmembers, including children, and everyone came away with crab fossils.

Oregon Chapter Aine Mines, Secretary Greetings from Portland, Oregon! We hope everyone had a fantastic time at the AEG Annual Meeting in Asheville, North Carolina, and is now eagerly counting down the days to the 2020 Annual Meeting here in Portland. It sounds like Asheville set a high bar, and we’re hard at work getting ready!

After input from the geologist/engineering geologist community, the Oregon legislature passed two bills relating to professional geology licensure near the close of the 2019 legislative session, both of which have been signed by Governor Kate Brown. These bills allow the Oregon State Board of Geologist Examiners (OSBGE) to develop continuing education requirements for registered geologists and to revise the existing requirements for Certified Engineering Geologist. Neither bill makes explicit changes to current requirements, but allows the Board to move forward with making changes starting in January 2020. The Board encourages public involvement during this process, as these changes will be important to professional practice in the state for years to come.

In the meantime, regular business continues to move forward in the Oregon Chapter. We started off the year at Old Market Pub with a fascinating talk from Dave Scofield (USACE, retired) on the construction of the Bonneville Dam, founded on the toe of an ancient landslide that once dammed the Columbia River. There isn’t a better way to kick off fall that sitting down among about forty other geologists, with a slice of pizza and a chilled beverage to enjoy some photos of big excavations— enhanced by a brand-new projector!

In October, we welcomed Dr. Kevin Scott (USGS) for a presentation on applying lessons from past volcanic disasters to improve public safety in the future. Given Portland’s proximity to active volcanoes, this talk was much appreciated by chapter members.

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Also in October, Portland hosted the annual Highway Geology Symposium (HGS), which was attended by many AEG members. Events included a terrific slate of engineering geology presentations, a field trip to the Columbia River Gorge, and an Oregon Terroir Wine Tasting arranged by AEG member Scott Burns. As an added benefit, HGS was a great chance to visit with some members of other AEG Chapters, and do some soft marketing for the 2020 AEG Annual Meeting!

In November, we had another talk before our Thanksgiving feasts. We are also excited to host AEG President Cynthia Palomares at our upcoming December meeting, which will allow everyone to take a break from holiday preparations to talk about something much more fun—rocks!

We’re looking forward to welcoming all of you to the Rose City next fall!

St. Louis Chapter Jessie Goodwin, Chapter Editor On Friday evening, August 2, members and friends of AEG gathered at the Muny Theatre in St. Louis’ Forest Park to enjoy a picnic on the grounds of this landmark outdoor theatre. This was the first season after the renovation of the entire stage over the fall, winter, and spring of 2018–19. The production, Paint Your Wagon, transported the group from a pleasant evening in the Gateway to the West to a rousing mining town in the Old West. A special thanks to Phyllis Steckel for organizing this excellent event!

PHOTO BY RICHARD STECKEL

On September 24, 2019, John Osetrhage, Chief of Emergency Management for the St. Louis District of USACE, shared a timely presentation with the St. Louis Chapter discussing the 2019 Flood Response and Levee Performance. John explained how the cumulative precipitation this year lead to flooding that was unusual in its long timeframe, how improvements to flood control structures since historic flooding events protected communities and agricultural areas, and some of the emergency measures taken during flooding events to prevent failure of levees.

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Chair Julien Cohen-Waeber in action at the Chapter Bay Area Science Festival Discovery Day exhibit

Missouri S&T Student Chapter members at the October meeting of AEG St. Louis PHOTO BY EMY YOUNG

Sierra Shields, Vice President of the Missouri S&T Chapter of Engineers without Borders, presented at the October Chapter meeting. In Geological Challenges Facing Engineers without Borders, Sierra discussed the four projects that her Chapter is working on in Bolivia, Guatemala, and Ecuador, ranging from water sources (wells and glacial melt) and erosion control to construction of a school. Sierra focused on the difficulties of working in areas where geologic data is hard to come by as well as the importance of building a project that is not only effective, but is sustainable for the communities into the future.

we held a Student Scholarship Fundraiser and Happy Hour event. Students and professionals attended with the opportunity to network and learn more about the future student scholarship fund. We are grateful for everyone’s contributions; this was a fun event that we look forward to holding again!

A one-day rock mechanics short course and workshop— Courtney Johnson, Secretary Introduction to Block Theory and Discontinuous Deformation Analysis (DDA)—was held at UC Berkeley in June. Professor In May, the Chapter welcomed 2018–19 Jahns Lecturer Yossef Hatzor from the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Deborah Green for a great presentation on diversity in the geoIsrael, taught the course. A past student of Professor Richard sciences profession. Deborah presented to a captivated audiE. Goodman, Professor Hatzor is a leading expert in the block ence at a sold-out meeting in Walnut Creek, California. Using theory analytics application to geotechnical engineering projher experience as a geologist along with statistics on students ects. Professor Hatzor is heavily involved in numerous rock and young professionals, she challenged presuppositions and mechanics groups and associations, namely as the founding stereotypes that are entrenched in our profession yet go unadpresident of the Israel Rock Mechanics Association that is an dressed. Deborah is an invaluable resource for AEG members International Society for Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering and we enjoyed having her with us for an evening! national group. Attendees of the short course were provided In an effort to boost membership and encourage student with a review of underlying principles, descriptions of internaparticipation, the Chapter Board has been working to establish tional case studies, and participated in demonstrations of appliand commit to a long-lasting student scholarship fund. In June cations using basic block theory and DDA computer modeling programs developed by Rock mechanics short course attendees with Professor Yossef Hatzor (3rd from right) Gen-Hua Shi. At the beginning of November, the Chapter hosted an exhibitor’s booth at the Bay Area Science Festival “Discovery Day” at San Francisco Oracle Park! The event is a great opportunity for children and families to interact with scientists and engineers and to learn more about STEM programs in an interactive environment. Several Chapter board members volunteered at the booth and contributed materials for the hands-on exhibit, including numerous hand samples, geology field tools, Dr. Tanya

San Francisco Bay Area Chapter

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AEG NEWS 62(5)

December 2019

THE HOMEFRONT

Shake table demonstration by Justin Lindeman at the Bay Area Science Festival Discovery Day exhibit

Pat Frost and Leigh Grover talk to prospective student members at the information booth.

AEG Member Steven Follmer and other attendees learn to build 3D geologic models with Legos!

Atwater’s Pangea Breakup and Continental Drift Puzzle, and two shake tables! We always look forward to this event each fall and love seeing the excitement of young, inquisitive minds!

Our Chapter held several board meetings over the summer to refocus on the future and to get a few new hands involved with leadership. We are looking forward to a full year of monthly meetings and presentations! Keep up with us at www.aegsf.org.

We want to give a big thank you to our 2019 San Francisco Bay Area Chapter/Sacramento Chapter sponsor Gregg Drilling. And continued thanks to our other Chapter sponsors: ConeTec and Cal Engineering & Geology.

Texas Chapter Pat Frost Fall 2019 Meeting, Boerne, Texas – October 4–6 The AEG Texas Chapter was a sponsor of the sixth annual Texas Hydro-Geo Workshop held at Cave without a Name in Boerne, Texas. The workshop consisted of a well-organized series of training sessions led by knowledgeable professionals in their field for a range of topics covering the collection, processing, analysis and evaluation of hydrologic and geologic field data. Participants included college students and professionals. This year, over 40 modules were presented and as many as 250 people attended with participants from as far away as Kentucky and West Virginia.

The AEG Texas Board and members participated at the AEG booth and engaged with students, professors, and professionals. Pat Frost and Melissa Cordell, our Chair and Vice-Chair, organized us and ensured that we had AEG swag for students, December 2019

Pat Frost, Cynthia Palomares, and Jeff Neathery all attended the Hydro-Geo Workshop this fall, where AEG was a sponsor.

including stress ROCKS, pens, key fobs, and a covered booth with an AEG banner. In addition to water and snacks, a raffle for

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Attendees gear up to head out on a wild cave tour.

Jeff Neathery and Leigh Grover work on rock identification with other attendees.

New and current AEG student members!

AEG portable power banks for new members was held.

During the event, the AEG Texas Chapter received a record 43 AEG student membership applications. Additionally, AEG Texas issued PDHs to AEG members who attended workshop modules. AEG members in attendance were AEG Texas Treasurer Leigh Grover, Trudy Hasan, Dr. Chris Mathewson, AEG Regional Director Jeff Neathery, AEG President Cynthia Palomares, James Eblen, and Steven Follmer.

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Setup began Friday afternoon with selection of tent sites and raising of the AEG canopy and banners. “Lightning Talks” were held both Friday and Saturday evenings. Our own Cynthia Palomares and Steven Follmer gave talks on Friday night. On Saturday night, we went down into Cave without a Name to hear the keynote speaker Ralph Ewers, PhD, president and senior hydrogeologist for Ewers Water Consultants, Inc., of Richmond, Kentucky. Dr. Ewers spoke on some of the problems of research related to hazardous waste releases and karst. The afternoons were a bit hot but everyone stayed hydrated and pushed on. Both Leigh Grover and Cynthia Palomares braved the cave darkness and participated in a wet and wild cave tour.

The workshop ended on Sunday morning after which we took down tents and canopy and packed our gear back into our cars and headed home.

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Ask your Chapter Offiers to be sure to submit something for the December issue of AEG News.

AEG NEWS 62(5)

December 2019

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