Debris Flow from 2006 Floods in Southern Arizona

This photograph shows the snout of a debris flow that stopped in the channel of Rattlesnake Creek during the floods of July 31, 2006. This snout is several miles upstream from the confluence of Rattlesnake and Sabino Creeks, and the large boulders are typical of the largest particles transported during debris flows in the southern Santa Catalina Mountains. Most of these boulders likely were transported from debris-flow initiation zones, although some may have been entrained from the bed of Rattlesnake Creek. For more information on this event please see the online U.S. Geological Survey publication.