Topographic Signature Of Debris Flow
Dominated Channels:
Implications For Hazard Assessment
Author(s)
R. Santos & R. Menéndez Duarte
Abstract
Debris flows constitute an important transport mechanism in mountain
headwaters, which results in a topographic signature that is significantly different
from that of fluvial valleys. This signature is readily visible in drainage
area-slope diagrams, where fluvial reaches follow a power law distribution
described by the equation S=KA -n , where S is channel slope, A drainage area and
K and n are constants. On the other hand, headwater channels with evidences of
debris-flow activity clearly depart from this trend. This paper provides additional
evidences for this phenomenon with data from a headwater basin on the northern
slope of the Cantabrian Cordillera (Spain), where channels with evidences of
debris-flow activity significantly depart from the power law function defined by
reaches where fluvial processes are dominant; the transition between these two
domains is analogous to those described in other humid, mountainous regions.
Identification of dominant processes in headwater channels is based on field
recognition of debris flow evidences. This paper also explores the implications
of this topographic signature for the analysis of debris flow hazard at a regional
scale. A significant percentage of the drainage network in the study area is
characterized by the morphometric attributes of debris flow dominated channels.
As a result, numerous infrastructures are potentially affected by this process,
mainly roads and buildings. Additionally, the analysis suggests that some
settlements may also be threatened by debris flows. This work shows that a
morphometric analysis based on the drainage area-slope relation may be a useful
criterion for a preliminary identification of channels where debris flows are
likely to occur.
Keywords: debris flow, hazard, morphometry, headwater channels, GIS.
Keywords
debris flow, hazard, morphometry, headwater channels, GIS.
Related Book
Other papers in this volume
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