Landslide Hazards
Home
The primary objective of the National Landslide Hazards Program is to reduce long-term losses from landslide hazards by improving our understanding of the causes of ground failure and suggesting mitigation strategies.
Bond Fire Debris Flows, California: January 25 & 28: a geonarrative
A new geonarrative (Esri Story Map) summarizes the debris flows in January 2021 that were caused by a rainstorm following the Bond Fire in California in December of 2020.
Learn MoreHow Often Do Rainstorms Cause Debris Flows in Burned Areas...
In the SW U.S., wildfires and intense rainfall are both common occurrences. In burned areas, heavy rain over steep terrain can produce debris flows more so than in unburned areas due to changes in ground surface. How often do these events occur?
Read the storyQuick Links
Here is where to find some of our most popular content:
Emergency Assessment of Post-Fire Debris-Flow Hazards
Earthquake-Triggered Ground-Failure Inventories
All Research TopicsNews
How Often Do Rainstorms Cause Debris Flows in Burned Areas of the Southwestern U.S.?
In the SW U.S., wildfires and intense rainfall are both common occurrences. In burned areas, short bursts of heavy rain over steep terrain can produce debris flows more so than in unburned areas due to changes in ground surface. How often do these events tend to occur?
Read the new Science for Everyone article: ...
Bond Fire Debris Flows, California: January 25 and 28, 2021
A new geonarrative (Esri Story Map) summarizes the debris flows that were caused by a rainstorm following the Bond Fire in California.
Post-Wildfire Debris Flow Awareness
Post-wildfire hazards in Colorado can be as dangerous as the fires themselves.
Publications
Modeling hydrologic processes associated with soil saturation and debris flow initiation during the September 2013 storm, Colorado Front Range
Seven days of extreme rainfall during September 2013 produced more than 1100 debris flows in the Colorado Front Range, about 78% of which occurred on south-facing slopes (SFS). Previously published soil moisture (volumetric water content) observations suggest that SFS were wetter than north-facing slopes (NFS) during the event, which contrasts...
Timilsina, Sujana; Niemann, Jeffrey D.; Rathburn, Sara L.; Rengers, Francis K.; Nelson, Peter A. Rapid sensitivity analysis for reducing uncertainty in landslide hazard assessments
One of the challenges in assessing temporal and spatial aspects of landslide hazard using process-based models is estimating model input parameters, especially in areas where limited measurements of soil and rock properties are available. In an effort to simplify and streamline parameter estimation, development of a simple, rapid approach to...
Baum, Rex L. Wildfire and landscape change
Wildfire is a worldwide phenomenon that is expected to increase in extent and severity in the future, due to fuel accumulations, shifting land management practices, and climate change. It immediately affects the landscape by removing vegetation, depositing ash, influencing water-repellent soil formation, and physically weathering boulders and...
Santi, Paul M.; Rengers, Francis K.