Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries (DOGAMI) scientists have been nationally honored for a paper detailing a multi-year study of a large landslide on the Oregon coast. The Geological Society of America (GSA) has announced that DOGAMI’s George R. Priest and Jonathan C. Allan and co-authors are recipients of the 2015 E.B. Burwell Jr. Award for their paper on physical processes affecting the Johnson Creek landslide north of Newport.

“This is well-deserved recognition of a study that advances Oregon’s understanding of coastal landslide hazards,” says Ian Madin, interim State Geologist. “Congratulations to George, Jonathan and all the authors.” Priest, a geologist, and Allan, a coastal geomorphologist, work in DOGAMI’s Newport field office. The two, along with co-authors William H. Schulz and William L. Ellis of the U.S. Geological Survey and Alan R. Niem and Wendy A. Niem of Pacific Geology Northwest, studied the Johnson Creek landslide as part of an ODOT-funded research project on the landslide, which has a long history of impacting Highway 101.

The paper, titled “Landslide stability: Role of rainfall-induced, laterally propagating, pore-pressure waves,” appeared in Environmental & Engineering Geoscience. The Burwell Award is the top honor of the GSA’s Engineering Geology Division. The award recognizes a published paper of distinction that advances knowledge of principles or practice of engineering geology, or of related fields of applied soil or rock mechanics where the role of geology is emphasized. Established in 1968, the award honors the memory of Edward Burwell Jr., a founding member of the Engineering Geology Division and the first chief geologist of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

The honorees will be recognized during the GSA Annual Meeting November 1-4 in Baltimore.