Systematic, Oregon-coast-wide sets of modeled tsunami inundation zones; the basis for Oregon tsunami evacuation brochures and signage.

TIM index map
Publications in TIM series

Are you looking for tsunami evacuation maps/brochures based on these TIM maps?

The TIM index map shows the extents of released maps in this series. Click on the index map to see a tabloid-size PDF | 34.5- x 45.25-inch PDF.

The Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries (DOGAMI) has been identifying and mapping the tsunami inundation hazard along the Oregon coast since 1994. In Oregon, DOGAMI manages the National Tsunami Hazard Mitigation Program, which has been administered by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) since 1995. DOGAMI’s work is designed to help cities, counties, and other sites in coastal areas reduce the potential for disastrous tsunami-related consequences by understanding and mitigating this geologic hazard. Using federal funding awarded by NOAA, DOGAMI has developed a new generation of tsunami inundation maps to help residents and visitors along the entire Oregon coast prepare for the next Cascadia Subduction Zone (CSZ) earthquake and tsunami.

TIM series inundation maps incorporate all the best tsunami science that is available today, including recent publications by colleagues studying the Cascadia Subduction Zone, updated computer simulation models using high-resolution lidar topographic data, and knowledge gained from the 2004 Sumatra, 2010 Chile, and 2011 Tōhoku earthquakes and tsunamis.

Each publication includes two plates: one showing local-source (Cascadia Subduction Zone) and one showing distant-source (Alaska-Aleutian Subduction Zone) tsunami inundation scenarios.

	TIM Plate 1 displays five scenarios, labeled as “T-shirt sizes” (S, M, L, XL, and XXL), of the impact of Cascadia Subduction Zone tsunamis that reflect the full range of what was experienced in the past and will be encountered in the future. The geologic record shows that the amount of time that has passed since the last great Cascadia earthquake (312 years since January 26, 1700) is not a reliable indicator of the size of the next one, so the size ranges are intended to fully bracket what might happen next.
	TIM Plate 2 shows tsunami inundation scenarios for two distant-source tsunamis that were modeled and originate in Alaska. These distant tsunamis are not nearly as dangerous as the local ones, as Oregonians will have several hours instead of only minutes to evacuate and the tsunamis themselves are much smaller. For these reasons DOGAMI’s focus is on the big Cascadia events. If the ground shakes for an extended period of time, don’t wait for more warning, evacuate to high ground as fast as possible.
	After the inundation maps have been created, the tsunami inundation zones derived from the Cascadia XXL tsunami scenario (yellow area, top figure, left) and the hypothetical maximum Alaska tsunami (orange area, middle figure, left) are put together on one map to create a tsunami evacuation map. Green on the evacuation map shows typically higher elevation areas that lie outside the zones prone to tsunami hazard. The purpose of the evacuation map is to help people identify safe evacuation routes, as developed by local emergency authorities. All tsunami evacuation maps

TIM maps include a wealth of information, including projected tsunami wave height time series charts and a measurement of the exposure each community has to the various tsunami scenarios: we count the number of buildings that are inundated by each scenario.

The public, planners, emergency managers and first responders, elected officials, and other local decision makers can use these detailed and innovative map products to mitigate risk and to reduce the loss of life and property.

Publications in TIM series:

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All DOGAMI tsunami EVACUATION brochures

(last updated 06/10/2021)