MBMG - Geohazards

Geohazards

The MBMG Geohazards Program has a mission to catalog, assess, and monitor geologic hazards across the State of Montana. The Geohazards Program strives to provide information on active faults, earthquakes, and landslides, and makes these data available to the scientific community, policy makers, and the public.

For information about the Montana Earthquake Hazards Workshop 2026 click here.
To register for this event, please email us at ygavillot@mtech.edu with the subject 'Montana Geohazards Workshop 2026'

Explore the GIS Data Hub in Montana

Montana Geohazards Portal

Montana Earthquake Working Group

The Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology is a member of the Montana Earthquake Working Group which is a partnership of core group members from the Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology (MBMG), Earthquake Engineering Research Institute (EERI), and Montana Disaster and Emergency Services (MT—DES). Click here to learn more.

Contact Information

Program Information

Yann Gavillot, Research Geologist
(406) 496-4890 | Email

Andres Felipe Peña Castro, Research Seismologist
(406) 496-4332 | Email

Mandy Willingham, Geologist
(406) 496-4226 | Email

Active Faults

The MBMG provides research and information on Montana’s active faults that demonstrate fault activity during recent geologic time (Quaternary faults) and have the potential to generate damaging earthquakes.

Earthquake Studies

The Earthquake Studies Office monitors, analyzes, and reports on Montana earthquakes and makes these data available to the scientific community and the public.

Landslides

The Landslide Hazards Program aims to identify, map, and categorize landslide areas across the State of Montana.

Related Publications

Montana Geologic Map 102

Gavillot, Yann G., 2025, Quaternary fault map of Deer Lodge County, southwest Montana.

Montana Geologic Map 104

Gavillot, Yann G., 2025, Landslide inventory and slope map of Deer Lodge County, southwest Montana.

Bulletin 142

Gavillot, Y.G., Lonn, J., Stickney, M., and Hidy, A., 2023, Late Quaternary slip rates and most recent surface rupture of the Bitterroot fault, western Montana.

Geologic Map 83

Lonn, J.D. and Gavillot, Y.G, 2022, Geologic map of the southern Bitterroot fault, Bitterroot Valley, western Montana: Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology Geologic Map 83.

Special Publication 122

Stickney, Michael C., 2022, Earthquakes and seismographic monitoring in Montana, in Metesh, J.J., and Gammons, C.H., eds., Geology of Montana-Special Topics.

MBMG Open-File Report 753

Stickney, M.C., 2022, MBMG earthquake catalog, January 1982-August 2015.

Geologic Map 85

Gavillot, Y.G., 2022, Landslide inventory and slope map of Jefferson County, southwest Montana.

Geologic Map 84

Gavillot, Y.G., 2022, Quaternary fault map of Jefferson County, southwest Montana.

Montana Geohazards Workshops

2026 Montana Geohazards Workshop

The Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology (MBMG) is organizing the 2026 Montana Geohazards Workshop to be held at Montana State University, Bozeman, MT October 20-21, 2026. See agenda for more information.

2025 Montana Geohazards Workshop

The Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology (MBMG) is organizing the 2025 Montana Geohazards Workshop to be held at the Flathead Valley Community College, Arts and Technology Center, 745 Grandview Drive, Kalispell, MT May 8-9, 2025. See agenda for more information.

2024 Montana Geohazards Workshop

The Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology (MBMG) is organizing the 2024 Montana Geohazards Workshop to be held in partnership with the Missoula Disaster and Emergency Services office at the University Center, Room 330/331, University of Montana, in Missoula May 1-2, 2024. See agenda for more information.

2023 Montana Geohazards Workshop

The Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology (MBMG) organized the 2023 Montana Geohazards Workshop held by the Disaster and Emergency Services office in Fort Harrison on April 26-27, 2023. In addition, FEMA training courses were provided following the workshop in Fort Harrison on April 27-28, 2023.
See agenda and directions for more information.