Bill Burns,
Engineering Geologist,
Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries, Portland Office
800 NE Oregon St., Suite 965
Portland OR 97232
phone: (971) 673-1538
fax: (971) 673-1562

bill.burns@dogami.state.or.us


Current Projects

• Geologic Hazards, Earthquake and Landslide Hazard Maps, and Future Earthquake Damage Estimates for Six Counties in the Mid-Willamette Valley Including Yamhill, Marion, Polk, Benton, Linn, and Lane Counties and the City of Albany, Oregon
• Comparison of Remote Sensing Techniques for Landslide Mapping in Oregon
• Landslide map of the Portland Hills, Portland, Oregon
• Landslide Indirect Lossess: Methods and Case Studies from Oregon
• Geologic Hazards, Earthquake and Landslide Hazard Maps, and Future Earthquake Damage Estimates for Seven Counties in the Mid-Columbia Including Hood River, Wasco, Sherman, Gilliam, Morrow, Umatilla, and Wheeler, Oregon
• Geologic Hazards, Earthquake and Landslide Hazard Maps, and Future Earthquake Damage Estimates for Four Counties in the Southeast Region Including Harney, Malheur, and Lake Counties, Oregon
• Senate Bill 2: Needs Assessment of Oregon’s Public Schools, Fire Stations, Police Stations, Hospitals

Background Information

Education:
1999 MS Geology with Emphasis in Engineering Geology, Portland State University
(Thesis Title: “Engineering Geology and Relative Stability of The Southern Half of Newell Creek Canyon, Oregon City, Oregon”)
1994 BS Geology Florida State University.

Professional Societies:
Association of Engineering Geologists (AEG) - Program Co-Chair 2005-2007
Geological Society of America (GSA)
Oregon Academy of Science (OAS)
Sigma XI Scientific Research Society

Registration:
Registered Professional Geologist (RPG), Oregon & Washington
Certified Engineering Geologist (CEG), Oregon & Washington.

Publications:
Burns, W. J., Madin, I. P., Ma, L., 2008. Statewide Landslide Information Database of Oregon (SLIDO) Release 1, Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries.

Burns, W. J., Hofmeister, R.J., and Wang, Y., 2008. Geologic Hazards, Earthquake and Landslide Hazard Maps, and Future Earthquake Damage Estimates for Six Counties in the Mid-Willamette Valley Including Yamhill, Marion, Polk, Benton, Linn, and Lane Counties and the City of Albany, Oregon, Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries, IMS-24.

Burns, B., Hinkle, J., Hay, S., 2008, The Woodson Debris Flow, Woodson, Oregon, Association of Engineering Geologist NEWS, March 2008, v. 51, no.1.

Burns, W. J. and Wang, Y., 2007. 2007 Landslide Symposium Proceedings and Field Trip Guide. Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries, Open-FIle Report O-07-04.

Burns, W. J. and Madin, I. P., 2007. A New Landslide Database of Oregon. 2007 Landslide Symposium Proceedings and Field Trip Guide. Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries, Open-FIle Report O-07-04.

Burns, W. J., and Wang, Y., 2007, A new working group in Oregon: The Oregon Landslide Workgroup (OLW), 2007 Landslide Symposium Proceedings and Field Trip Guide, Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries, Open-FIle Report O-07-04.

Burns, W. J., 2007 Comparison of mapping techniques in the Portland hills pilot study area. 2007 Landslide Symposium Proceedings and Field Trip Guide, Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries, Open-FIle Report O-07-04.

Burns, W. J., Wang, Y., Hofmeister, R.J., Watzig, R., 2007. Relative earthquake induced hazard maps and identified landslide hazard maps for six counties in the Mid-Willamette Valley including Yamhill, Marion, Polk, Bentron, Linn, and Lane Counties, Oregon, 2007 Landslide Symposium Proceedings and Field Trip Guide. Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries, Open-FIle Report O-07-04.

Madin, I. P., Burns, W. J., Sanchez, M., 2007. Producing the Oregon City LIDAR Map. 2007 Landslide Symposium Proceedings and Field Trip Guide, Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries, Open-FIle Report O-07-04.

Madin, I. P. and Burns, W. J., 2007. Earthquake and landslide hazards at the far ends of the Portland Hills Fault zone, Geologic Society of America, Abstracts with Programs Vol. 39, No. 4.

Madin, I. P. and Burns, W. J., 2006. Map of Landslide Geomorphology of Oregon City, Oregon and Vicinity Interpreted from LIDAR Imagery and Aerial Photographs. Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries Open-FIle Report O-06-27.

Burns, W. J., 2006. USGS Debris Flow Flume at H.J. Andrews Experimental Forest. Oregon Geology, Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries, Fall 2006, Volume 67, Number 1.

Madin, I. P. and Burns, W. J., 2006. Pilot Study, Mapping Portland Landslides with LIDAR. Cascadia from the Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries, Fall 2006, Volume 4, Number 2.

Burns, W. J., 2006. Landslide Hazards in Oregon. Oregon Geology Fact Sheet. Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries.

Burns, W. J., 2007. Comparison of Remote sensing datasets for the establishment of a landslide mapping protocol in Oregon. AEG Special Publication 23. Conference Presentations, 1st North American Landslide Conference, Vail, CO.

Wang, Y. and Burns, W. J., 2006. Rapid Visual Screening Program in Oregon, Earthquake Engineering Research Institute Newsletter Volume 40, Number 8.

Wang, Y. and Burns, W. J., 2006. Oregon's Recipe for Mitigating Earthquakes. Geotimes, August 2006.

Wang, Y., and Burns, W. J., 2006. Facilities Statewide to be Assessed for Seismic Safety. Local Focus, Leagie of Oregon Cities, April 2006.

Wang, Y. and Burns, W. J., 2006. New Earthquake Safety Laws: Oregon's Public Schools and Emergency Facilities. Association of Engineering Geologist News, March 2006, V. 49, No. 1.

Burns, W. J. and Wang, Y., 2006. New Earthquake Safety Legislation. Partnerships In Action, Partners for Disaster Resistance and Resilience: Oregon Showcase State Program. Winter 2006.

Burns, W. J., Hofmeister, R.J., Wang, Y., LeDuc, A., Sigrist, D., 2006. Geologic Hazard Maps and Risk Assessments in Oregon: FEMA Natural Hazards Mitigation Plans for Six Counties in the Mid/Southern Willamette Valley, Oregon. 100 Anniversary Earthquake Conference: Commemorating the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake. Oral Presentation, Program, p. 79.

Wang, Y., Burns, W. J., 2006. Case History on the Oregon GO Bond Task Force: Promoting Earthquake Safety in Publics Schools and Emergency Facilities. 100 Anniversary Earthquake Conference: Commemorating the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake. Oral Presentation, Program, p. 134.

Wang, Y. and Burns, W. J., 2005. Earthquake Oregon Performs Seismic Needs Assessment., Engineering Research Institute Newsletter, Volume 39, Number 12.

Wang, Y., Burns, W. J., 2005. 2004 Sumatra Earthquake and Tsunami Versus Cascadia Subduction Zone Models. 2005 UNAVCO / IRIS JOINT WORKSHOP, June 9 - 11, 2005. Poster Presentation. http://www.unavco.net/community/meetings/2005/viewabstract.asp?id=6930.

Wang, Y, Burns, W. 2005. Seismic Site Specific Hazard Studies: DOGAMI's Regulatory Role. ATC-35 Seminar on New Knowledge of Earthquake Hazard in Oregon and Implications for Seismic Design Practice, April 7, 2005, Portland, OR.

Burns, W. J., 1999. Engineering Geology and Relative Stability of the Southern Half of Newell Creek Canyon, Oregon City, Oregon: Portland State University, Masters Thesis, 147 p. Also available at http://nwdata.geol.pdx.edu/Thesis/FullText/1999/BurnsW/.

Burns, S. F., W. Burns, D. James, and J. Hinkle, (1999) Reactivation of ancient landslides in Northwest Oregon from 1996 to 1999. GSA Abstracts with Programs, p. A287.

Burns, S. F., Burns, W. J., James, D. H., and Hinkle, J. C., 1998. Landslides in Portland, Oregon: Metropolitan Area Resulting from the Storm of February 1996: Inventory Map, Database, and Evaluation. METRO Natural Hazards Publication 905828, p. 1-65..

Burns, S. F., Burns, W. J., James, D. H., and Hinkle, J. C., 1998. Landslides in Portland, Oregon: Processes, Damages, Remediation, and Resulting Land Use Planning. Association of Engineering Geologists, Programs with Abstracts, 41st Annual Meeting, p. 81.

Burns, S. F., Burns, W. J., James, D. H., and Hinkle, J. C., 1998. Landslide Mapping in Portland, Oregon: Processes, Causes, Damages, Remediation, and Resulting Land Use Planning. Geological Society of America, Abstracts with Programs, v. 30, n. 5, p. 7.

Burns, S. F., Burns, W. J., James, D. H., and Hinkle, J. C., 1998. Landslide Mapping in Portland, Oregon: Processes, Causes, Damages, Remediation, and Resulting Land Use Planning: Proceedings of the Oregon Academy of Science, v.34, p.26.

Burns, W. J., Fiedorowicz, B. K., 1997. Landslides Inventory and Slope Susceptibility of Forest Park, Portland, Oregon: Proceedings of the Oregon Academy of Science, v.33, p.35.

Burns, W. J., 1996, Soil Chronosequence on Stream Terraces of the Sandy River at Oxbow Park, OR: Proceedings of the Oregon Academy of Science, v.32, p.28-29.