Postfire Landslide Monitoring Station: “Arroyo Seco” (2009 Station Fire) near La Cañada Flintridge, CA
Wildfire can increase landslide susceptibility in mountainous terrain. The USGS maintains postfire landslide monitoring stations to track hillslope hydrologic conditions in the years following fire.
Recent Conditions
Instrumentation was installed within the footprint of the 2009 Station Fire in the San Gabriel Mountains of southern California. The surface and subsurface data are used to monitor and detect changes in local hillslope hydrologic conditions. Soil-water content, soil suction, soil temperature, and groundwater level are measured in a single nest on the same hillslope. Telemetered data for the site include:
- Rainfall
- Air temperature and relative humidity
- Soil-water content, soil suction, soil temperature, and groundwater level
- Battery voltage
Data are recorded every minute and updated on the graphs every 60 minutes.
Project Background
Soon after the 2009 Station Fire, the U.S. Geological Survey observed runoff-generated debris flows in the “Arroyo Seco” catchment. To resolve process-based controls on landslide-generated debris flows and to contribute to the development of antecedent soil moisture and rainfall thresholds for the region, a monitoring station is maintained in the Arroyo Seco drainage area within the Angeles National Forest. The surface and near-surface hydrologic monitoring will provide valuable constraints on the conditions leading up to, and during, rainstorms that produce landslides.
Relevant Publications
Kean JW, Staley DM, & Cannon SH (2011) In situ measurements of post-fire debris flows in southern California: Comparisons of the timing and magnitude of 24 debris-flow events with rainfall and soil moisture conditions. Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface, 116(F4), 1-211. https://doi.org/10.1029/2011JF002005
Kean JW, Staley DM, & Cannon SH (2017) Post-wildfire debris-flow monitoring data, Arroyo Seco, 2009 Station Fire, Los Angeles County, California, November 2009 to March 2010: U.S. Geological Survey data release. https://doi.org/10.5066/F7CJ8CC2
Smith JB, Kean JW. Mirus, BB, Staley DM, Rengers FK, & McGuire LA (2019) Hillslope hydrologic monitoring data following the 2009 Station Fire, Los Angeles County, California, November 2015 to June 2017: U.S. Geological Survey data release. https://doi.org/10.5066/P98G0FS2.
Thomas MA, Rengers FK, Kean JW, McGuire LA, Staley DM, Barnhart KR, & Ebel BA (2021) Postwildfire soil-hydraulic recovery and the persistence of debris-flow hazards. Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface, 126(6), 1-25. https://doi.org/10.1029/2021JF006091
Thomas, MA, Smith JB, Kean JW, Mirus BB, Staley DM, Rengers FK, & McGuire LA (2021). Soil moisture monitoring following the 2009 Station Fire, California, USA, 2016-2019: U.S. Geological Survey data release. https://doi.org/10.5066/P9QLP6XG
Wildfire can increase landslide susceptibility in mountainous terrain. The USGS maintains postfire landslide monitoring stations to track hillslope hydrologic conditions in the years following fire.
Recent Conditions
Instrumentation was installed within the footprint of the 2009 Station Fire in the San Gabriel Mountains of southern California. The surface and subsurface data are used to monitor and detect changes in local hillslope hydrologic conditions. Soil-water content, soil suction, soil temperature, and groundwater level are measured in a single nest on the same hillslope. Telemetered data for the site include:
- Rainfall
- Air temperature and relative humidity
- Soil-water content, soil suction, soil temperature, and groundwater level
- Battery voltage
Data are recorded every minute and updated on the graphs every 60 minutes.
Project Background
Soon after the 2009 Station Fire, the U.S. Geological Survey observed runoff-generated debris flows in the “Arroyo Seco” catchment. To resolve process-based controls on landslide-generated debris flows and to contribute to the development of antecedent soil moisture and rainfall thresholds for the region, a monitoring station is maintained in the Arroyo Seco drainage area within the Angeles National Forest. The surface and near-surface hydrologic monitoring will provide valuable constraints on the conditions leading up to, and during, rainstorms that produce landslides.
Relevant Publications
Kean JW, Staley DM, & Cannon SH (2011) In situ measurements of post-fire debris flows in southern California: Comparisons of the timing and magnitude of 24 debris-flow events with rainfall and soil moisture conditions. Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface, 116(F4), 1-211. https://doi.org/10.1029/2011JF002005
Kean JW, Staley DM, & Cannon SH (2017) Post-wildfire debris-flow monitoring data, Arroyo Seco, 2009 Station Fire, Los Angeles County, California, November 2009 to March 2010: U.S. Geological Survey data release. https://doi.org/10.5066/F7CJ8CC2
Smith JB, Kean JW. Mirus, BB, Staley DM, Rengers FK, & McGuire LA (2019) Hillslope hydrologic monitoring data following the 2009 Station Fire, Los Angeles County, California, November 2015 to June 2017: U.S. Geological Survey data release. https://doi.org/10.5066/P98G0FS2.
Thomas MA, Rengers FK, Kean JW, McGuire LA, Staley DM, Barnhart KR, & Ebel BA (2021) Postwildfire soil-hydraulic recovery and the persistence of debris-flow hazards. Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface, 126(6), 1-25. https://doi.org/10.1029/2021JF006091
Thomas, MA, Smith JB, Kean JW, Mirus BB, Staley DM, Rengers FK, & McGuire LA (2021). Soil moisture monitoring following the 2009 Station Fire, California, USA, 2016-2019: U.S. Geological Survey data release. https://doi.org/10.5066/P9QLP6XG