Current Projects
AZGS-UA researchers assessing change to novel mitigation structure following postfire flow
A 5% study investigating new opportunities for post-fire flood mitigation in Arizona communities
Description: Post-wildfire flooding and debris flows pose a significant risk to communities downstream of recently burned areas. This project investigates how novel postfire flood mitigation structures downstream of the 2022 Pipeline Fire respond to postfire flows. In addition, researchers are investigating soil recovery in the watershed headwaters, a critical variable in flood and debris flow initiation. The project will help inform future land management decisions.
Location: Flagstaff, Arizona
Funding Source: FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Program
Assessing possible postfire research locations in the 2022 Pipeline Fire burn area near Flagstaff, Arizona
Monitoring the efficacy of novel flood-mitigation structures below the 2022 Pipeline Fire burn area
Description: This project investigates how novel postfire flood mitigation structures downstream of the 2022 Pipeline Fire respond to postfire flows. This project is an extension of the aforementioned “5% study”, allowing us to expand the number of novel mitigation research sites and watershed headwater soil monitoring locations.
Location: Flagstaff, AZ
Funding Source: US Forest Service Rocky Mountain Research Station
Researchers performing rainfall experiments to understand hillslope erosion on reburned hillslope in eastern Arizona
Advancing the understanding of hydrological response of wildfire reburned areas
Description: Landscapes across the southwestern US are increasingly experiencing repeated moderate- to high-severity wildfires over short intervals (<15 years). Contributing to enhanced hillslope erosion. Current watershed erosion models do not account for the effects of repeated burning. This project focuses on data collection at a repeat-burn site to inform model calibration, improving erosion predictions and supporting more effective postfire management in reburned landscapes.
Location: throughout Arizona
Funding Source: US Forest Service Rocky Mountain Research Station
AZGS-UA researchers installing sensor in a channel bed to detect postfire debris flows
Improving post-wildfire debris-flow predictions for Arizona
Description: Post-wildfire debris-flow initiation conditions exhibit substantial spatial and temporal variability that remains poorly constrained. Understanding how these conditions vary across Arizona’s diverse ecosystems and evolve over time is critical for public safety and land management. This study advances that understanding through targeted field investigations, further building upon our existing knowledge-base of initiation conditions across Arizona.
Location: throughout Arizona
Funding Source: FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Program
2024 West Fire burn area in Gila County.
Assessing post-wildfire flow hazards for mitigation, Gila County, AZ
Description: Post-wildfire flow hazard mitigation measures are often implemented following a wildfire, leaving a highly limited construction window before the onset of Arizona’s monsoon and subsequent damaging flows. Prefire modeling can identify watershed with a high likelihood of hazardous postfire flows, enabling land managers to proactively implement mitigation measures (e.g. infrastructure upgrades and fuel treatments) in advance of wildfire.
Location: throughout Arizona
Funding Source: FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Program
Nodal seismometer used to capture seismic signal created by debris flows
Leveraging seismic data to unravel postfire debris flow dynamics
Description: This project will lead to a better understanding of debris flow processes and will enhance tools to study them using seismic data. These data, which will provide a more spatially and temporally complete picture of the lifecycle of post-wildfire debris flows relative to traditional monitoring methods, will enable the investigators to better understand the behavior of these flows. Results will advance fundamental understanding of debris-flow hazards and improve our ability to extract information about environmental phenomena from seismic data.
Location: throughout Arizona
End date: July 2028
Funding Source: National Science Foundation
Landslide Mapping Along the US Route 60 Corridor, Florence Junction to Show Low, AZ
Description: This project includes reconnaissance and field mapping of landslides, debris flows, and rockfall hazards along the US60 corridor from Florence Junction to Show Low, AZ. The study area is approximately 126 miles long and 5 miles wide, centered on the highway. The deliverables include a report and updated landslide mapping which will be available in the AZGS online Natural Hazards in Arizona viewer online. AZGS mapping identified approximately 550 new debris flows and landslide complexes.
Location: Route 60 Corridor, Florence Junction to Show Low, Arizona
Start & end dates: May 2024 - May 2027
Funding Source: Building Resilient Infrastructure in Communities (BRIC) through FEMA and AZDEMA
Earth fissure mapping in 26 study areas throughout south-central Arizona
Description: AZGS maintains earth fissure mapping in 26 study areas throughout south-central Arizona. All fissure mapping is available on the AZGS online Natural Hazards in Arizona viewer online. Funding for mapping to keep this database current comes from AZGS internal funds although we are hopeful funding (AZDEMA and FEMA) will be approved for two new studies which will allow us to update fissure mapping throughout Pinal County and test whether young fissures are detectable using a drone-mounted thermal camera system.
Consulting services in matters related to reconnaissance mapping in the Verde Watershed and Lower and Upper Little Colorado River
Description: AZGS has been assisting the Arizona Department of Water Resources (ADWR) since 2007 in their adjudication efforts regarding surficial water rights in Arizona. Our role is to map the extent of Holocene floodplain alluvium along various perennial and intermittent stream corridors throughout Arizona. The current map area focuses on streams within the upper Little Colorado River watershed near Greer and Springerville.
Location: Upper Little Colorado River watershed, Arizona
Start & end dates: March 2026 - June 2028
Funding Source: Arizona Department of Water Resources
Award amount: $290,000