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Lahar Ready: Enhancing Communication of Lahar Hazard around Mt Rainier, USA

James Christie1, Holly Weiss-Racine2, Jessica Ghent3

  • Affiliations: 1School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, United Kingdom 2Cascades Volcano Observatory, United States Geological Survey, Vancouver, WA, USA 3Department of Earth and Space Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA

  • Presentation type: Poster

  • Presentation time: Monday 16:30 - 18:30, Room Poster Hall

  • Poster Board Number: 110

  • Programme No: 7.2.22

  • Theme 7 > Session 2

Abstract

The rugged, unstable, and ice-capped summit of Mt Rainier, Washington State (WA), USA, is a stark reminder of what has come before. Over the last ten thousand years the landscape around Mt Rainier has been dramatically modified by major (107-108 m3) lahars at least sixty times. Caused by syn-eruptive sector collapses and pyroclast-ice interactions, or, perhaps, large non-eruptive slope failures, these lahars have been among the largest known to have occurred on Earth. Today, approximately 150,000 people live on the valley floors made up of the deposits of previous lahars.  Engagement with at-risk communities in potentially affected valleys has revealed a broad lack of awareness with respect to both active volcanism at Mt Rainier and the possibility of catastrophic lahars. The Lahar Ready initiative is a collaboration between scientists (USGS/University of Washington) and emergency managers in Pierce County, WA. Our aim was to co-produce new, accessible lahar hazard communication materials designed to engage and educate the public about lahar hazard, preparedness measures, and evacuations more effectively. In this presentation, we will share: 1) the insights we gained from collaboration with emergency managers and the public, 2) the designs of our new lahar hazard communication materials, and 3) results of pre- and post- intervention surveys assessing the effectiveness of these materials for increasing lahar hazard awareness and preparedness within at-risk communities.