Jason Kean
My research focuses on the processes controlling debris-flow initiation and growth, particularly after wildfire, but also in unburned areas.
This research includes a field component that obtains direct measurements of debris flows in natural settings, a modeling component that seeks to explain the observations, and an applied component that focuses on assessment of debris-flow hazards. My previous research at the USGS focused on river mechanics, including bank erosion and the development of model-based approaches to gage streams and rivers.
Education and Certifications
University of Colorado, Ph.D., 2003, Civil Engineering
University of Colorado, M.S., 1998, Civil Engineering
Cornell University, B.S., 1994, Civil Engineering
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 18
No Result Found
Filter Total Items: 85
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
Debris flows often occur in burned steeplands of southern California, sometimes causing property damage and loss of life. In an effort to better understand the hydrologic controls on post-fire debris-flow initiation, timing and magnitude, we measured the flow stage, rainfall, channel bed pore fluid pressure and hillslope soil-moisture accompanying 24 debris flows recorded in five different watersh
Authors
J. W. Kean, D.M. Staley, S.H. Cannon
Rainfall intensity-duration thresholds for postfire debris-flow emergency-response planning
Following wildfires, emergency-response and public-safety agencies can be faced with evacuation and resource-deployment decisions well in advance of coming winter storms and during storms themselves. Information critical to these decisions is provided for recently burned areas in the San Gabriel Mountains of southern California. A compilation of information on the hydrologic response to winter sto
Authors
S.H. Cannon, E.M. Boldt, J.L. Laber, J. W. Kean, D.M. Staley
Relations Between Rainfall and Postfire Debris-Flow and Flood Magnitudes for Emergency-Response Planning, San Gabriel Mountains, Southern California
Following wildfires, emergency-response and public-safety agencies are faced often with making evacuation decisions and deploying resources both well in advance of each coming winter storm and during storms themselves. Information critical to this process is provided for recently burned areas in the San Gabriel Mountains of southern California. The National Weather Service (NWS) issues Quantitativ
Authors
Susan H. Cannon, Eric M. Boldt, Jason W. Kean, Jayme Laber, Dennis M. Staley
Establishing a Multi-scale Stream Gaging Network in the Whitewater River Basin, Kansas, USA
Investigating the routing of streamflow through a large drainage basin requires the determination of discharge at numerous locations in the channel network. Establishing a dense network of stream gages using conventional methods is both cost-prohibitive and functionally impractical for many research projects. We employ herein a previously tested, fluid-mechanically based model for generating ratin
Authors
J.A. Clayton, J. W. Kean
Evolution of a natural debris flow: In situ measurements of flow dynamics, video imagery, and terrestrial laser scanning
Many theoretical and laboratory studies have been undertaken to understand debris-flow processes and their associated hazards. However, complete and quantitative data sets from natural debris flows needed for confirmation of these results are limited. We used a novel combination of in situ measurements of debris-flow dynamics, video imagery, and pre- and postflow 2-cm-resolution digital terrain mo
Authors
S.W. McCoy, J. W. Kean, J. A. Coe, D.M. Staley, T.A. Wasklewicz, G.E. Tucker
Landslide movement in southwest Colorado triggered by atmospheric tides
Landslides are among the most hazardous of geological processes, causing thousands of casualties and damage on the order of billions of dollars annually. The movement of most landslides occurs along a discrete shear surface, and is triggered by a reduction in the frictional strength of the surface. Infiltration of water into the landslide from rainfall and snowmelt and ground motion from earthquak
Authors
W.H. Schulz, J. W. Kean, G. Wang
Test of a method to calculate near-bank velocity and boundary shear stress
No abstract available.
Authors
Jason W. Kean, Roger A. Kuhnle, J. Dungan Smith, Carlos V. Alonso, Eddy J. Langendoen
Modeling the evolution of channel shape: Balancing computational efficiency with hydraulic fidelity
The cross-sectional shape of a natural river channel controls the capacity of the system to carry water off a landscape, to convey sediment derived from hillslopes, and to erode its bed and banks. Numerical models that describe the response of a landscape to changes in climate or tectonics therefore require formulations that can accommodate evolution of channel cross-sectional geometry. However, f
Authors
C.W. Wobus, J. W. Kean, G.E. Tucker, R. Scott Anderson
Field Reconnaissance of Debris Flows Triggered by a July 21, 2007, Thunderstorm in Alpine, Colorado, and Vicinity
On the evening of July 21, 2007, a slow-moving thunderstorm triggered about 45 debris flows on steep mountainsides near the community of Alpine, Colorado. Most of the debris flows were initiated by surface-water runoff that eroded and entrained loose sediment in previously existing channels. About 12 of the debris-flow channels were located in the lower half of Weldon Gulch upslope from Alpine, wh
Authors
Jeffrey A. Coe, Jonathan W. Godt, T.C. Wait, Jason W. Kean
Form drag in rivers due to small-scale natural topographic features: 2. Irregular sequences
The size, shape, and spacing of small-scale topographic features found on the boundaries of natural streams, rivers, and floodplains can be quite variable. Consequently, a procedure for determining the form drag on irregular sequences of different-sized topographic features is essential for calculating near-boundary flows and sediment transport. A method for carrying out such calculations is devel
Authors
J. W. Kean, J.D. Smith
Form drag in rivers due to small-scale natural topographic features: 1. Regular sequences
Small-scale topographic features are commonly found on the boundaries of natural rivers, streams, and floodplains. A simple method for determining the form drag on these features is presented, and the results of this model are compared to laboratory measurements. The roughness elements are modeled as Gaussian-shaped features defined in terms of three parameters: a protrusion height, H; a streamwis
Authors
J. W. Kean, J.D. Smith
Generation and verification of theoretical rating curves in the Whitewater River basin, Kansas
[1] A new method for generating stage-discharge relations (rating curves) for geomorphically stable channels is presented and applied to two streams in the Whitewater River basin, Kansas. The approach converts measurements of stage into discharge using a fluid mechanically based model. The model does not use empirical roughness coefficients, such as Manning coefficients, but rather determines chan
Authors
J. W. Kean, J.D. Smith
Science and Products
- Science
- Data
Filter Total Items: 18No Result Found
- Multimedia
- Publications
Filter Total Items: 85
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
Debris flows often occur in burned steeplands of southern California, sometimes causing property damage and loss of life. In an effort to better understand the hydrologic controls on post-fire debris-flow initiation, timing and magnitude, we measured the flow stage, rainfall, channel bed pore fluid pressure and hillslope soil-moisture accompanying 24 debris flows recorded in five different watershAuthorsJ. W. Kean, D.M. Staley, S.H. CannonRainfall intensity-duration thresholds for postfire debris-flow emergency-response planning
Following wildfires, emergency-response and public-safety agencies can be faced with evacuation and resource-deployment decisions well in advance of coming winter storms and during storms themselves. Information critical to these decisions is provided for recently burned areas in the San Gabriel Mountains of southern California. A compilation of information on the hydrologic response to winter stoAuthorsS.H. Cannon, E.M. Boldt, J.L. Laber, J. W. Kean, D.M. StaleyRelations Between Rainfall and Postfire Debris-Flow and Flood Magnitudes for Emergency-Response Planning, San Gabriel Mountains, Southern California
Following wildfires, emergency-response and public-safety agencies are faced often with making evacuation decisions and deploying resources both well in advance of each coming winter storm and during storms themselves. Information critical to this process is provided for recently burned areas in the San Gabriel Mountains of southern California. The National Weather Service (NWS) issues QuantitativAuthorsSusan H. Cannon, Eric M. Boldt, Jason W. Kean, Jayme Laber, Dennis M. StaleyEstablishing a Multi-scale Stream Gaging Network in the Whitewater River Basin, Kansas, USA
Investigating the routing of streamflow through a large drainage basin requires the determination of discharge at numerous locations in the channel network. Establishing a dense network of stream gages using conventional methods is both cost-prohibitive and functionally impractical for many research projects. We employ herein a previously tested, fluid-mechanically based model for generating ratinAuthorsJ.A. Clayton, J. W. KeanEvolution of a natural debris flow: In situ measurements of flow dynamics, video imagery, and terrestrial laser scanning
Many theoretical and laboratory studies have been undertaken to understand debris-flow processes and their associated hazards. However, complete and quantitative data sets from natural debris flows needed for confirmation of these results are limited. We used a novel combination of in situ measurements of debris-flow dynamics, video imagery, and pre- and postflow 2-cm-resolution digital terrain moAuthorsS.W. McCoy, J. W. Kean, J. A. Coe, D.M. Staley, T.A. Wasklewicz, G.E. TuckerLandslide movement in southwest Colorado triggered by atmospheric tides
Landslides are among the most hazardous of geological processes, causing thousands of casualties and damage on the order of billions of dollars annually. The movement of most landslides occurs along a discrete shear surface, and is triggered by a reduction in the frictional strength of the surface. Infiltration of water into the landslide from rainfall and snowmelt and ground motion from earthquakAuthorsW.H. Schulz, J. W. Kean, G. WangTest of a method to calculate near-bank velocity and boundary shear stress
No abstract available.AuthorsJason W. Kean, Roger A. Kuhnle, J. Dungan Smith, Carlos V. Alonso, Eddy J. LangendoenModeling the evolution of channel shape: Balancing computational efficiency with hydraulic fidelity
The cross-sectional shape of a natural river channel controls the capacity of the system to carry water off a landscape, to convey sediment derived from hillslopes, and to erode its bed and banks. Numerical models that describe the response of a landscape to changes in climate or tectonics therefore require formulations that can accommodate evolution of channel cross-sectional geometry. However, fAuthorsC.W. Wobus, J. W. Kean, G.E. Tucker, R. Scott AndersonField Reconnaissance of Debris Flows Triggered by a July 21, 2007, Thunderstorm in Alpine, Colorado, and Vicinity
On the evening of July 21, 2007, a slow-moving thunderstorm triggered about 45 debris flows on steep mountainsides near the community of Alpine, Colorado. Most of the debris flows were initiated by surface-water runoff that eroded and entrained loose sediment in previously existing channels. About 12 of the debris-flow channels were located in the lower half of Weldon Gulch upslope from Alpine, whAuthorsJeffrey A. Coe, Jonathan W. Godt, T.C. Wait, Jason W. KeanForm drag in rivers due to small-scale natural topographic features: 2. Irregular sequences
The size, shape, and spacing of small-scale topographic features found on the boundaries of natural streams, rivers, and floodplains can be quite variable. Consequently, a procedure for determining the form drag on irregular sequences of different-sized topographic features is essential for calculating near-boundary flows and sediment transport. A method for carrying out such calculations is develAuthorsJ. W. Kean, J.D. SmithForm drag in rivers due to small-scale natural topographic features: 1. Regular sequences
Small-scale topographic features are commonly found on the boundaries of natural rivers, streams, and floodplains. A simple method for determining the form drag on these features is presented, and the results of this model are compared to laboratory measurements. The roughness elements are modeled as Gaussian-shaped features defined in terms of three parameters: a protrusion height, H; a streamwisAuthorsJ. W. Kean, J.D. SmithGeneration and verification of theoretical rating curves in the Whitewater River basin, Kansas
[1] A new method for generating stage-discharge relations (rating curves) for geomorphically stable channels is presented and applied to two streams in the Whitewater River basin, Kansas. The approach converts measurements of stage into discharge using a fluid mechanically based model. The model does not use empirical roughness coefficients, such as Manning coefficients, but rather determines chanAuthorsJ. W. Kean, J.D. Smith - News