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Distribution of Large Boulders on the Deposit of the West Salt Creek Rock Avalanche, Western Colorado

Data Report 1178
By: , , and 
https://doi.org/10.3133/dr1178

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Abstract

On May 25, 2014, a 54.5-million cubic meter rock avalanche in the West Salt Creek valley, Mesa County, Colorado, traveled 4.6 kilometers, leaving a deposit that covers about 2.2 square kilometers. To check the particle-size distribution of the deposit for information about the high mobility of the avalanche, we estimated boulder distribution density for the entire deposit by counting 1-meter (m) or larger diameter boulders of sedimentary rock derived from the Green River Formation that are visible in high-resolution imagery collected from the area in July 2014. Basalt boulders were excluded from the count because field observations indicated that they generally stayed intact as the avalanche moved downslope, whereas sedimentary boulders showed evidence of fragmentation during downslope movement. Variable clarity, contrast, and resolution of the imagery precluded mapping smaller boulders. Experimentation with 5-, 10-, and 20-m resolution grids indicated that a 20-m resolution grid showed the spatial pattern of boulder density across the deposit at a scale that allowed statistically meaningful variations to be determined. In addition to counting the boulders in each 20×20-m grid cell, six categories of successively increasing boulder distribution density were created to help visualize variations in the distribution of 1 meter or larger boulders across the avalanche deposit. Analysis indicates that boulder distribution density gradually decreases with increasing distance from the avalanche source.

Suggested Citation

Lewis, A.C., Baum, R.L., and Coe, J.A., 2023, Distribution of large boulders on the deposit of the West Salt Creek rock avalanche, western Colorado: U.S. Geological Survey Data Report 1178, 6 p., https://doi.org/10.3133/dr1178.

ISSN: 2771-9448 (online)

Study Area

Table of Contents

  • Abstract
  • Introduction  
  • Methods
  • Results
  • Discussion
  • Conclusion
  • References Cited
Publication type Report
Publication Subtype USGS Numbered Series
Title Distribution of large boulders on the deposit of the West Salt Creek rock avalanche, western Colorado
Series title Data Report
Series number 1178
DOI 10.3133/dr1178
Year Published 2023
Language English
Publisher U.S. Geological Survey
Publisher location Reston, VA
Contributing office(s) Geologic Hazards Science Center
Description Report: iv, 6 p.; Data Release
Country United States
State Colorado
Online Only (Y/N) Y
Google Analytic Metrics Metrics page
Additional publication details