Oregon’s Changing Shoreline: Sea Level Rise and Tsunamis

Originally recorded 11/21/24

Join geologist Jonathan Allan for “Oregon’s Changing Shoreline: Sea Level Rise and Tsunamis.” His talk, sponsored by Oregon Shores, Surfrider, and the Oregon King Tides Project, will set the geological scene for the Oregon shoreline, and explore the current state of knowledge about sea level rise and tsunami inundation as they would affect Oregon. Jonathan Allan is a geologist with the Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries (DOGAMI). Jon completed his PhD at the University of Canterbury, New Zealand. Between July 1999 and December 2000, he worked as a post-doc at Oregon State University, in the College of Earth Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences, working on the effects of extreme storms on Oregon beaches. He joined DOGAMI in January, 2001 and has undertaken research on a variety of topics including coastal change mapping, coastal flooding and the effects of tsunami. Jon established the Oregon Beach Shoreline Mapping and Analysis Program (OBSMAP) and currently leads the tsunami modeling and mapping program for the State of Oregon.

The presentation will describe mapping efforts that reveal present sea level rise and flooding on the Oregon coast, and explain what we can project as to how future sea levels and storm surges (as well as tsunamis) will interact with the landforms of the coastline, and what this means for infrastructure and other development. Dr. Allan will discuss how this information can be utilized in coastal planning, such as the update of the Clatsop County comprehensive plan that is currently underway.

This webinar is sponsored by the Oregon Beaches Forever campaign, a partnership between Oregon Shores and the Surfrider Foundation, and by the King Tides Project, a collaboration between Oregon Shores’ CoastWatch program and the state government’s Oregon Coastal Management Program.