Debris flows in Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona: magnitude, frequency and effects on the Colorado River
By: Theodre S. Melis and Robert H. Webb
Edited by: Shen Hsieh WenSu S.T.Wen Feng
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Abstract
Debris flows are recurrent sediment-transport processes in 525 tributaries of the Colorado River in Grand Canyon. Arizona. Initiated by slope failures in bedrock and (or) colluvium during intense rainfall, Grand Canyon debris flows are high-magnitude, short-duration floods. Debris flows in these tributaries transport very large boulders into the river where they accumulate on debris fans and form rapids. The frequency of debris flows range from less than 1 per century to 10 or more per century in these tributaries. Before regulation by Glen Canyon Dam in 1963, high-magnitude floods on the Colorado River reworked debris fans by eroding all particles except large boulders. Because flow regulation has substantially decreased the river's competence, debris flows occurring after 1963 have increased accumulation of finer-grained sediments on debris fans and in rapids.
Suggested Citation
Melis, T.S., Webb, R., 1993, Debris flows in Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona: magnitude, frequency and effects on the Colorado River, in Proceedings - National Conference on Hydraulic Engineering, no. pt 2, San Francisco, CA, USA, 25 July 1993 through 30 July 1993, p. 1290-1295.
| Publication type | Conference Paper |
|---|---|
| Publication Subtype | Conference Paper |
| Title | Debris flows in Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona: magnitude, frequency and effects on the Colorado River |
| ISBN | 0872629201 |
| Issue | pt 2 |
| Year Published | 1993 |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | Publ by ASCE |
| Publisher location | New York, NY, United States |
| Larger Work Title | Proceedings - National Conference on Hydraulic Engineering |
| First page | 1290 |
| Last page | 1295 |
| Conference Title | Proceedings of the National Conference on Hydraulic Engineering |
| Conference Location | San Francisco, CA, USA |
| Conference Date | 25 July 1993 through 30 July 1993 |