A hacker's guide to catching a debris flow: Lessons learned from four years of chasing mud in Colorado and southern California
Abstract
Direct measurements of natural debris flows provide valuable insights into debris-flow processes and hazards. Yet debris flows are difficult to "catch" because they live in rugged terrain, appear infrequently, and have an appetite for destroying monitoring equipment. We present an overview of some successful (and failed) techniques we have used over the past four years to obtain direct measurements of 40+ debris flows in Colorado and southern California. Following the "MacGyver" theme of the session, we focus on the improvised equipment and methods we use in our hunt for quality data. These include an inexpensive erosion sensor to measure rates of debris-flow entrainment, a custom load cell enclosure for measuring debris-flow normal force, tracer rocks implanted with passive integrated transponders, basic pressure transducers to measure debris-flow timing, and standard digital cameras adapted to obtain high-resolution (1936 x 1288 pixels) video footage of debris flows. These techniques are also suitable for catching data on elusive flash floods. In addition, we also share some practical solutions to the logistical problems associated with installing monitoring equipment in rugged debris-flow terrain, such as suspension of non-contact stage gages high above channels.
- Publication:
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AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2012
- Bibcode:
- 2012AGUFM.H11I1296K
- Keywords:
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- 1810 HYDROLOGY / Debris flow and landslides;
- 1821 HYDROLOGY / Floods;
- 1895 HYDROLOGY / Instruments and techniques: monitoring