Earth Sciences
   

State Trust Lands Habitat Conservation Plan
 

Earth Sciences

The Earth Sciences Program (ESP) was established in 2007 to provide geologic, geomorphic, and hydrologic consulting services to support State Trust Land management. ESP staff provide technical and scientific support for the DNR’s trust land timber sales program, rock and mineral leasing activities, and large scale forest land planning efforts.
 
ESP staff also conduct research and monitoring aimed at evaluating the effects of forestland management activities on watersheds. This includes groundwater monitoring and the study of slides of sediments, rock and debris after a storm. Studying these water quality processes helps DNR staff better understand the dynamics of water and geology in a given landscape and design activities better able to protect streams and wildlife habitat.
 
Two of these research projects, the Kalaloch Groundwater Monitoring Project and the Loomis Snowmelt Hydrology Project, are designed to address the effects of timber harvesting on hydrologic processes. ESP staff currently are developing a GIS-based tool that will use high-resolution digital elevation models LiDAR to predict the location of shallow landslides. The tool, known by the acronym “SLIPS” (Shallow Landslide Initiation Point Screen), is showing promise in helping geologists and land managers to better recognize and define sites that have a high potential for shallow instability. This will then be used to develop mitigation measures that help prevent management-related landslides.
 
Recent and Current Projects