Missouri Geological Survey awarded USGS grant to study landslides

JEFFERSON CITY, MO JULY 24, 2026. - The Missouri Geological Survey, a division of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, will identify and map the location of historic landslides in southeastern Missouri through a grant recently awarded by the U.S. Geological Survey. The study area will be along the Interstate 55 corridor through the Benton Hills area of Scott and Cape Girardeau counties. MoDNR’s Missouri Geological Survey will release maps and other data generated through the study to the public in the fall of 2027.

“In this region, we know landslides have been caused by seismic activity, such as along the Chickasaw Bluffs area of Tennessee after the New Madrid Earthquakes of 1811-1812,” said Fletcher Bone, the geohazards geologist with the Missouri Geological Survey. “To better understand this potential threat, our first step is to know where landslides have occurred in the past. This study will be the first in the state to map historic landslides in this area of southeastern Missouri using modern mapping methods, including 1-meter, LiDAR-derived digital elevation models.”

Bone said future goals of the effort include building on this project with available funding to conduct additional landslide studies in other areas of Missouri.

“By documenting and investigating historical or existing landslides, the Missouri Geological Survey will provide emergency managers, planners and citizens with a better understanding of potential landslide locations and occurrences,” Bone said. “This information will give local community planners and first responders the tools they need to make informed and timely decisions in the face of adverse conditions, especially if a substantial earthquake were to occur in the New Madrid Seismic Zone. Ultimately, these maps will increase awareness of landslide risks and improve community preparedness through better risk assessment and mapping.”

The study’s funding, in the amount of $39,106, comes from the U.S. Geological Survey Cooperative Landslide Hazard Mapping and Assessment Program. MoDNR’s Missouri Geological Survey proposal was titled, “Mapping Landslides Along the Interstate 55 (I-55) Corridor in Scott City and Morley 7.5’ Quadrangles of the Benton Hills, Scott and Cape Girardeau Counties, Missouri.”

Visit MoDNR’s Geologic Hazards webpage to learn more information about landslides and other geohazards in Missouri.