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Prepared in cooperation with Onondaga Lake Partnership and
Onondaga Environmental Institute

Causes and Movement of Landslides at Rainbow Creek and Rattlesnake Gulf in the Tully Valley, Onondaga County, New York

By Kathryn Tamulonis, William Kappel, and Stephen Shaw

ABSTRACT Two landslides in the Tully Valley of central New York are moving slowly toward their respective streams (Rainbow Creek and Rattlesnake Gulf). Data on soil displacement (landslide movement), groundwater levels in both landslide areas, and precipitation on the Tully Valley floor were collected from June 2006 through June 2008. Analyses of the data indicate the displacement of shallow, weathered soils in upslope areas is related to heavy rainstorms and the associated rise in groundwater levels above the unweathered soil layer, whereas shallow-soil displacement on the lower, steepest parts of these landslide areas is due to stream-generated erosion of the landslide toe and to decreased stability of the soil through saturation by groundwater. The upslope progression of soil displacement results in slope failure, which in turn undermines small landmasses in the shallow zone and causes further slope failure.

Report PDF (4.89 MB) For additional information contact: Director U.S. Geological Survey New York Water Science Center 425 Jordan Road Troy, NY 12180 (518)285-5600 http://ny.water.usgs.gov Part or all of this report is presented in Portable Document Format (PDF); the latest version of Adobe Reader or similar software is required to view it. Download the latest version of Adobe Reader, free of charge.

Suggested citation:

Tamulonis, K.L., Kappel, W.M., and Shaw, S.B., 2009, Causes and movement of landslides at Rainbow Creek and Rattlesnake Gulf in the Tully Valley, Onondaga County, New York: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2009–5114, 18 p.

Contents

Abstract

Introduction

Tully Valley Study Area

Landslides in the Tully Valley

Rainbow Creek Landslide

Rattlesnake Gulf Landslide

Landslide Monitoring

Measurement of Precipitation and Groundwater Levels

Creepmeters

Tree Displacement Transects

Rainbow Creek Landslide

Rattlesnake Gulf Landslide

Precipitation

Groundwater Level

Rainbow Creek Landslide Photographs

Rattlesnake Gulf Photographs

Rainbow Creek Landslide

Rattlesnake Creek Landslide

Landslide Activity in the Tully Valley Since the Late 1930s

Landslides in Relation to Precipitation and Groundwater Levels

Rainbow Creek Landslide

Rattlesnake Gulf Landslide

Summary and Conclusions

Geotechnical Properties of Rainbow Creek and Rattlesnake Gulf Landslide Soils

References Cited