JMU expert available to discuss flooding impacts in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene

James Madison University Geomorphology professor L. Scott Eaton is available to discuss flooding impacts in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.  

More than 100 people have died across six states and hundreds of roads remain closed, especially in the Carolinas. In addition, the remnants of the hurricane are still causing dangerous situations across the impacted region.  

Eaton’s expertise is on the following: 

• The frequency of landslides and catastrophic storms in the Appalachians 
• Sediment transport in river systems 
• The role of geology in controlling the availability of groundwater resources 

“The geologic record throughout the southern and central Appalachians shows evidence of large scale (in both magnitude and geography) flooding similar to what we're seeing today in western North Carolina,” said Eaton.  

“As geologists, we can examine the soils and determine if areas have been flooded or received landslide deposits in the past, suggesting the frequency of future activity. Hurricane Helene is much larger than anything we witnessed in the last century from what the data are showing,” added Eaton. 

To schedule interviews with this expert, contact Chad Saylor in the JMU media relations office at saylorcx@jmu.edu or by calling 540-568-5325.