Professional Paper 1671: Debris Flows -- Geologic Process and Hazard, Illustrated by a Surge Sequence at Jiangjia Ravine, Yunnan, China

Debris Flows -- Geologic Process and Hazard, Illustrated by a Surge Sequence at Jiangjia Ravine, Yunnan, China

By Kevin M. Scott and Wang Yuyi

Abstract

Debris flows are slurries of sediment and water that are both an important geologic process and a major hazard. They present large risks to those living in mountainous areas, as well as downstream from volcanoes in the case of the flows known as lahars that may travel 100-200 kilometers (62-124 miles). The accompanying video records a series of debris flow surges at Jiangjia Ravine, in Yunnan Province in southern China. This rugged and remote site is famous for the annual occurrence of debris flows triggered each summer by monsoonal rains. The video illustrates the unique characteristics of debris flows, how they behave, and why they cause large losses of life and property in China and many other parts of the world. This report is a summary for those wishing more information than is presented in the video, and for the specialist we include dynamical data on the flows and textural data on their deposits.

First posted February 2, 2007

Report PDF (12.7 MB)

This report is available only on the Web

For additional information, contact:
CVO, Volcano Science Center,
Cascades Volcano Observatory
U.S. Geological Survey
1300 SE Cardinal Court, Building 10, Suite 100
Vancouver, WA 98683-9589
http://vulcan.wr.usgs.gov/

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Suggested citation:

Scott, Kevin M., Yuyi, Wang, 2004, Debris flows: geologic process and hazard; illustrated by a surge sequence at Jiangjia Ravine, Yunnan, China: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1671, 26 pp., https://pubs.usgs.gov/pp/1671.

Contents

Abstract

Introduction–why study debris flows?

What can we learn from the video?

Acknowledgments

References cited, and for further study