Landslide Susceptibility Map for Oakland, California

A 1:50,000-scale map estimates relative slope failure likelihood across 872 square kilometers at 30-meter resolution. Prepared in a GIS from a statistical model, it combines 120 geologic-map units, slope data, and inventories of 6,714 old landslide deposits and 1,192 post-1970 landslides. The model was developed to aid land-use and zoning decisions for metropolitan Oakland, California.

Use Cases

• Model landslide susceptibility using the derived index of likelihood as a continuous variable across 30-meter cells.
• Validate geological risk models by comparing predicted susceptibility against the inventory of 1,192 post-1970 landslide locations.
• Analyze the relationship between ground slope (calculated from a 30-m DEM) and failure likelihood for each of the 120 geologic-map units.
• Assess risk within old landslide deposits using the adjusted susceptibility multiplier of 1.33 derived from recent failure frequency.

Strengths

• Covers a large area of 872 square kilometers at a fine 30-meter spatial resolution.
• Model integrates four distinct spatial data layers, including inventories of 6,714 old landslide deposits and 1,192 recent landslides.
• Susceptibility is computed as a continuous variable, allowing for granular risk gradation.

Limitations

• Landslide inventory does not distinguish deposits by age or specific type of movement, and excludes debris flows.
• Model is specific to the geology and terrain of the Oakland area, limiting direct applicability elsewhere without local data.
• Predictive power may be limited as attributes like seismic shaking or terrain curvature are noted as unexplored in the current model.

Provenance

Source

CEOS_EXTRA via NASA Earthdata.

Collection Method

Prepared in a geographic information system from a statistical model combining geologic maps, digital elevation models, and landslide inventories.

Time Range

Landslide inventory includes events post-1970; specific creation date of the map is unknown.

Geography

Metropolitan Oakland area, California, USA.