California’s Sierra Nevada

USGS Research Civil Engineer Brian D. Collins of the Landslide Hazards Program will talk about rock falls in California’s Sierra Nevada on Thursday, Oct. 27, at 7:00 pm. The free public lecture will take place at Rambo Auditorium/Bldg. 3, 345 Middlefield Rd, Menlo Park.

Exfoliation is a process by which layers of rock erode from the surface of landscapes. In California’s Sierra Nevada, exfoliation in steep granite cliffs is common, sometimes leading to potentially hazardous rock falls.
New research sheds light on how, where and when rock falls may occur from exfoliation, and the effect daily heating cycles may have on exfoliation itself. Recent rock fall studies by the USGS and National Park Service provide sound basis for risk reduction actions in Yosemite National Park.

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