Geologic Information Portal

The Washington Geologic Information Portal puts complex geologic and hazards information into the hands of everyone, including you. This application allows you to quickly compare and synthesize data of different types to help solve a variety of problems. Enter the Portal by clicking the icon below.

Subscribe to our blog to receive announcements of new additions to the Portal and notification of our publication releases.

Direct downloads for GIS data layers can be found on our GIS Data and Databases page. Layer descriptions and citation information can be found in the metadata for each layer in the download package or on the Portal. If you are unable to locate the citation for a data layer, please contact the Portal Manager at susan.schnur@dnr.wa.gov.

Getting help using the Geologic Information Portal

Visit our Portal Help for information about portal navigation and tools.

Can't find something and wonder where it is? Contact the Portal Manager at susan.schnur@dnr.wa.gov.

Portal Frequently Asked Questions

What the Portal Can and Can’t Do
The Washington Geologic Information Portal (“The Portal”) is designed as a tool to view and explore the geologic information the Washington Geological Survey produces. It is not intended to replace full-function GIS software. If you would like to do more advanced work, such as clipping, spatial querying, custom symbology, complex print layouts, or other tasks, you will need to download our geodatabases and open them in Esri ArcGIS Pro or QGIS. QGIS is a free and open-source GIS software. We aren’t able to provide you training on how to use QGIS, but there are many training videos and guides online that will get you started.

Once I'm in the Portal, how do I get to the Help section?
From the main Portal view, look at the blue bar at the top of the screen. You will see a white circle with a question mark symbol. Click on this to open the Help.

I’m not familiar with the science behind all these maps. How do I understand what I’m looking at?
To help you better understand what you’re looking at, we’ve prepared a Glossary that explains every layer on the Portal. The button to open the Glossary is located to the left of the Help button at the top of the screen.

There are so many layers! How do I focus on just the information I’m interested in?
Some Portal users like to explore all the different geologic data we offer. If you’re only interested in something specific and are feeling overwhelmed by all the choices, you can use our pre-set Topics. To see the available Topics, look to the top right of the Table of Contents for a brown button labeled TOPICS. When you click on this you’ll have the option to choose a specific area of interest, such as Tsunami Evacuation or Natural Hazards. When you choose a Topic, the Table of Contents will show only the layers relevant to that Topic. To get back to the full list of layers, go back to the TOPICS button and choose ‘All layers’.

How do I turn layers on and off?
In the Table of Contents, just click the square check box to the left of a given bucket. That bucket will then expand, and you can use the same step to turn on sub-buckets and individual layers. If you can’t see the Table of Contents, click the brown arrow at the top left corner of the screen to slide it back out.

How do I turn on labels?
The Portal allows you to turn on text labels for features in certain layers. To turn on labels, find your layer of interest in the Table of Contents and click the blue button to the right of the layer name, with the three horizontal white lines. In the menu that pops up you’ll see the option to Turn Labels On. If you don’t see this option, labels are not available for that layer. Follow the same steps to turn the labels off.

How do I change the transparency of the layers?
As with turning on labels in the question above, find your layer of interest and click the blue button with the three white lines to the right of the layer name. You’ll now see a slider that you can move back and forth to increase or decrease transparency.

How do I rearrange the order of layers to move something to the top?
Look at the top right corner of the Table of Contents and click the Active Layers tab. You’ll now see a list of all the layers you currently have turned on. To move things around, simply click and drag the layers up and down. When you hover over each layer you’ll see your cursor change to a hand symbol, which indicates you can now grab that layer.

When I click on an object to get information about it, why do I see so many different options instead of just the one thing I clicked on?
In many GIS tools it isn’t practical for the user to click exactly on a very specific and tiny point of interest. Therefore, when you click on the map, the Portal is selecting all the features in a given limited radius of your click. When you click somewhere with lots of different objects nearby, the Portal will offer you a pop-up list of all these objects and ask you to choose which one you are interested in. If you’re unsure which one to choose, you can either zoom in to reduce the number of nearby features and click again, or you can just choose one option, then cycle through all of them using the left/right arrows at the top left corner of the Identify pop-up.

How do I export entries from the Data Table so I can load them into Excel?
Use the Tools drop-down at the top right corner of the screen to access the Data Table. Choose your layer of interest. Once all the records show up in the table, click the check boxes at the left side of each record to choose which ones you want to export. At the top right corner of the table you can then click on the button with three dots. Choose ‘Export selection to CSV’ and you’ll be able to save a ‘comma-separated values’ file. You can open this easily in Microsoft Excel.

How do I download the data shown on the Portal?
Currently the way to download our data is to navigate to the Washington Geological Survey’s Data and Databases webpage where you can access all of our datasets in the form of zip files containing a geodatabase and supporting information. To get to our downloads webpage click the Download Data button at the top of the Portal screen, in the blue bar, next to the Help and Glossary buttons. The Data and Databases webpage also provides information about other ways to access our databases, such as through loading REST Services.

How do I cite the data shown on the Portal?
Each of our geodatabases is considered an official Washington Geological Survey publication. Our suggested citation is available in the metadata for each layer. To access the metadata, go to your layer of interest and click on the blue button to the right of the layer name with the three white lines. Click on Metadata in the drop-down list. Look for ‘Other Citation Details’ near the top of the screen. Here is an example of one of our citations: Washington Geological Survey, 2025, Tsunami hazard--GIS data: Washington Geological Survey Digital Data Series 22, version 2.2, July 2025. Previously released October 2024 https://fortress.wa.gov/dnr/geologydata/publications/data_download/ger_portal_tsunami_hazard.zip

How do I clip and export just the data within a selected area of my choosing?
This ‘clip-and-ship’ function is not available on the Portal. To do this you’ll need to download our geodatabases and open them in GIS software. QGIS is a free and open-source GIS software with plenty of training videos and tutorials online.

Tell us what you think of the Portal

Help us make the Portal even better by filling out our feedback survey. Click here to take the survey.

You can also contact the Portal Manager at susan.schnur@dnr.wa.gov.

THE NEW PORTAL IS HERE!

As of Tuesday Feb 24, 2026, the redesigned and greatly improved Geologic Information Portal is here!

Based on extensive user feedback gathered over the past 2 years, we have been working to make our Portal more powerful and easier to use. Here are some of the main changes that have been made to the Portal:

• User Interface Design—The new Portal features a redesigned graphical user interface. All of the tools that were previously icons at the bottom of the screen are now available in a menu at the top right corner of the screen, with each tool clearly labeled with text.

• Docking—The Table of Contents is now docked at the left-hand side of the screen rather than a moveable box. The Legend is also much easier to find. It is in the dock with the Table of Contents. A new Active Layers tab in the dock lets you see only those layers you have currently turned on. Other tools are now also docked at the bottom of the screen to make them easier to manage. All docks can be easily snapped open and shut to maximize map size.

• Tools—The Query tool has returned and has been improved. This tool allows you to search for features meeting certain criteria. The Identify window, which pops up when you click on a feature, has a new streamlined look and feel.

We have improved our Help section to support all your questions around using the new Portal. We are developing training videos to help walk you through the new features and how to accomplish common tasks, and will be posting those on this webpage as they become available.

Note that this update only impacts the graphic design and function of the Portal. The data contained in the Portal are managed separately and will be updated on their own schedule.

If you have any questions or concerns about the new Portal, please reach out to the Portal Manager (Susan Schnur, susan.schnur@dnr.wa.gov).

Single-Topic Maps

The Portal can be complex! With so many different data layers to choose from, it can be hard to focus on just the information you need. To help make things easier, we offer several 'Topics'. These are views of the Portal that limit the number of layers you'll see in the Table of Contents. For example, choosing the Natural Hazards topic will only show you information about natural hazards. All of the available Topics and their contents are shown below. Click the colored map graphics to go to each topic. If you would like to see all of the layers again once you're in the Portal, look at the Table of Contents to the left and find the brown TOPICS button at top right. Click this and choose 'All layers'.

Natural Hazards

Are you interested in seeing which natural hazards might impact your home or property? This Natural Hazards view shows information relating to landslides, tsunamis, volcanoes, earthquakes, and faults.

 

Layers include:

• Landslide hazards
• Tsunami hazards
• Volcanic hazards and vents
• Earthquake ground response (liquefaction, seismic site class, seismic design categories)
• Earthquakes and faults (historical earthquake damage, faults, folds, earthquake locations)
• Cascadia, Seattle, and Tacoma earthquake scenarios (note that all other seismic scenarios are no longer on the Portal. They are now available for download).
• Hazardous minerals (mercury, asbestos, arsenic, radon hazard)

 

 

Tsunami Evacuation

Do you spend time along Washington's outer and inner coast and are curious about how you might be impacted by a tsunami in the event of an earthquake? This Tsunami Evacuation view provides information about tsunami hazards and evacuation for areas along the Pacific Coast, Strait of Juan de Fuca, and northern Puget Sound communities.

 

Layers include:

• Evacuation maps and brochures
• Tsunami siren locations
• Evacuation points of interest (assembly areas, shelters, police stations, hospitals, clinics, fire stations, stairs)
• Evacuation routes
• Tsunami hazard publications
• Tsunami hazard areas for the entire coast
• Tsunami hazard areas and wave arrival times for tsunamis triggered along the Cascadia subduction zone, Seattle Fault, and Tacoma fault

 

Geothermal Resources

Are you interested in learning more about geothermal energy in Washington, and how it is related to the state's geology? This Geothermal Resources view shows statewide geothermal favorability modeling and other geothermal data, alongside surface geologic mapping and the locations of relevant geologic features.

 

Layers include:

• Surface geology at a variety of scales
• Locations of volcanic vents
• Geothermal direct-use data
• Thermal and mineral springs
• Geothermal permit locations
• Geothermal gradient, potential, and favorability

 

Subsurface Geology

Do you need to access geologic borehole logs for your work or do you have a general interest in the geology deep beneath your feet? This Subsurface Geology view provides a variety of information about the subsurface rather than just surficial geology. It includes our extensive Subsurface Database, which contains geotechnical boring logs, test pit logs, and water well records, with lithology information and links to original source documentation.

 

Layers include:

• Geotechnical borings
• Water wells
• Geophysical shear wave data
• Locations of coal mines and other inactive and abandoned mine sites
• Geothermal gradient
• Locations of oil and gas wells
• Groundwater chemistry information

 

Active Surface Mine Locations

Would you like to know where in Washington there are active surface mines? The Washington Geological Survey's Surface Mine Reclamation Program maintains a database of currently permitted sites. Mines in Washington focus primarily on aggregate (sand and gravel, rock and stone), though other resources are mined too, such as limestone and diatomite.

 

Layers include:

• Locations of active surface mine permit sites

 

Coal Mine Maps

Are you a history buff with an interest in the locations of historic coal mines in Washington or a homeowner wondering whether there are any coal mines near your property? This Coal Mine Maps view shows our collection of historic coal mine locations, including links to scanned mine maps. If you are interested in learning more about our Coal Mine Maps collection, visit our Data Preservation Website.

 

Layers include:

• Surface geology at a scale of 1:500,000
• Historic coal mine locations

 

Other Earth Science Interactive Maps

 

 

The National Geologic Map Database (NGMDB) is a congressionally mandated project led by the U.S. Geological Survey and Association of American State Geologists. The purpose is to build a national archive of maps and related data about geology, hazards, earth resources, geophysics, geochemistry, geochronology, paleontology, and marine geology. You can access it through a searchable catalog that contains information on over 88,000 geoscience maps and reports dating back to the 1800s, with links to hundreds of publishers.

 

The U.S. Geological Survey topoView portal allows you to interactively view the evolution of historical topographic maps stretching back in time to 1880, at a variety of scales ranging from 24k to 250k.

U.S. Geological Survey National Map Viewer

A U.S. Geological Survey site that allows you to interactively view "The National Map" data as a map, customize the view, and print a map.

U.S Geological Survey Earth Explorer

Allows you to search, download, and order U.S. Geological Survey products from many datasets.

U.S. Geological Survey 3D Hydrogeologic Framework Model of the Columbia Plateau Regional Aquifer System

Web interface allows users to explore a 3-D geologic framework model developed for the Columbia Plateau regional aquifer system as part of a USGS assessment of groundwater availability.

Washington Department of Ecology GIS Applications

Access to GIS applications that the Washington Department of Ecology uses in accomplishing its mission of protecting the land, air, and waters of the state. Topics include shoreline aerial photos, regulated facilities, coastal atlas, well log viewer, environmental data, and water quality information.

U.S. Department of Agriculture Web Soil Survey

Provides soil data and information produced by the National Cooperative Soil Survey. NRCS has soil maps and data available online for more than 95 percent of the nation's counties. The site is updated and maintained online as the single authoritative source of soil survey information.