Impact of recent extreme Arizona storms
Heavy rainfall on 27–31 July 2006 led to record flooding and triggered an historically unprecedented number of debris flows in the Santa Catalina Mountains north of Tucson, Ariz. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) documented record floods along four watercourses in the Tucson basin, and at least 250 hillslope failures spawned damaging debris flows in an area where less than 10 small debris flows had been documented in the past 25 years. At least 18 debris flows destroyed infrastructure in the heavily used Sabino Canyon Recreation Area (http://wwwpaztcn.wr.usgs.gov/rsch_highlight/articles/20061 l.html). In four adjacent canyons, debris flows reached the heads of alluvial fans at the boundary of the Tucson metropolitan area. While landuse planners in southeastern Arizona evaluate the potential threat of this previously little recognized hazard to residents along the mountain front, an interdisciplinary group of scientists has collaborated to better understand this extreme event.
Citation Information
Publication Year | 2007 |
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Title | Impact of recent extreme Arizona storms |
DOI | 10.1029/2007EO170003 |
Authors | C. S. Magirl, R. H. Webb, Peter G. Griffiths, M. Schaffner, C. Shoemaker, E. Pytlak, S. Yatheendradas, S. W. Lyon, Peter A. Troch, S. L. E. Desilets, D.C. Goodrich, C.L. Unkrich, Ann Youberg, P. A. Pearthree |
Publication Type | Article |
Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
Series Title | Eos, Transactions, American Geophysical Union |
Index ID | 70030012 |
Record Source | USGS Publications Warehouse |
USGS Organization | Washington Water Science Center; Rocky Mountain Regional Office |