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: 29
Soil moisture monitoring following the 2009 Station Fire, California, USA, 2016-2019 Soil moisture monitoring following the 2009 Station Fire, California, USA, 2016-2019
This data release includes 2016-2019 soil moisture timeseries for two drainage basins ("Arroyo Seco" and "Dunsmore Canyon") that burned during the 2009 Station Fire in Los Angeles County, California, USA. The Arroyo Seco (0.01 km2) and Dunsmore Canyon (0.5 km2) drainages include two soil pits, one located near the drainage divide and another near the basin outlet. Following the naming...
Data supporting an analysis of the recurrence interval of post-fire debris-flow generating rainfall in the southwestern United States Data supporting an analysis of the recurrence interval of post-fire debris-flow generating rainfall in the southwestern United States
This data release supports the analysis of the recurrence interval of post-fire debris-flow generating rainfall in the southwestern United States. We define the recurrence interval of the peak 15-, 30-, and 60-minute rainfall intensities for 316 observations of post-fire debris-flow occurrence in 18 burn areas, 5 U.S. states, and 7 climate types. These data support the analysis described...
Debris-flow monitoring data, Chalk Cliffs, Colorado, USA, 2014 Debris-flow monitoring data, Chalk Cliffs, Colorado, USA, 2014
This data release includes 2014 time-series data from three debris-flow monitoring stations at Chalk Cliffs in Chaffee County, Colorado, USA. The data were collected to help identify the triggering conditions, magnitude, and mobility of debris flows at the site. The three stations are located sequentially along a channel draining the 0.3 km^2 study area. The Upper, Middle, and Lower...
Monitoring environmental controls on debris-flow sediment supply, Chalk Cliffs, Colorado, 2011 to 2015 Monitoring environmental controls on debris-flow sediment supply, Chalk Cliffs, Colorado, 2011 to 2015
This data release includes time-series data of rock temperature, air temperature, wind speed, and humidity at the Chalk Cliffs debris-flow monitoring site in central Colorado (Latitude: 38.73330, Longitude: -106.18704). The data were collected to help identify the environmental controls on rates of rockfall, which is the primary source of debris-flow material at the site. Data were...
Post-wildfire debris-flow monitoring data, Las Lomas, 2016 Fish Fire, Los Angeles County, California, November 2016 to February 2017 Post-wildfire debris-flow monitoring data, Las Lomas, 2016 Fish Fire, Los Angeles County, California, November 2016 to February 2017
This data release includes time-series data from a monitoring site located in a small (0.12 km2) drainage basin in the Las Lomas watershed in Los Angeles County, CA, USA. The site was established after the 2016 Fish Fire and recorded a series debris flows in the first winter after the fire. The station is located along the channel at the outlet of the study area (34 9'18.50"N, 117 56'41...
Debris-flow inundation and damage data from the 9 January 2018 Montecito Debris-Flow Event Debris-flow inundation and damage data from the 9 January 2018 Montecito Debris-Flow Event
On 9 January 2018, intense rain above Montecito, California triggered a series of debris flows from steep catchments in the Santa Ynez Mountains. These catchments were burned three weeks earlier by the 1140 km2 Thomas Fire. After exiting the mountain front, the debris flows traveled over 3 km down a series of alluvial fans, killing 23 people and damaging over 400 homes. To understand the...
Filter Total Items: 97
The influence of large woody debris on post-wildfire debris flow sediment storage The influence of large woody debris on post-wildfire debris flow sediment storage
Debris flows transport large quantities of water and granular material, such as sediment and wood, and this mixture can have devastating impacts on life and infrastructure. The proportion of large woody debris (LWD) incorporated into debris flows can be enhanced in forested areas recently burned by wildfire, because wood recruitment into channels accelerates in burned forests. In this...
Authors
Francis K. Rengers, Luke A. McGuire, Katherine R. Barnhart, Ann Youberg, Daniel Cadol, Alexander Gorr, Olivia J. Hoch, Rebecca Beers, Jason W. Kean
The rainfall intensity-duration control of debris flows after wildfire The rainfall intensity-duration control of debris flows after wildfire
Increased wildfire activity in the western United States has exposed regional gaps in our understanding of postfire debris-flow generation. To address this problem, we characterized flows in an unstudied area to test the rainfall intensity-duration control of the hazard. Our rainfall measurements and field observations from the northern Sierra Nevada (California, USA) show that debris...
Authors
Matthew A. Thomas, Donald N. Lindsay, David B. Cavagnaro, Jason W. Kean, Scott W. McCoy, Andrew Paul Graber
Simulating debris flow and levee formation in the 2D shallow flow model D-Claw: Channelized and unconfined flow Simulating debris flow and levee formation in the 2D shallow flow model D-Claw: Channelized and unconfined flow
Debris flow runout poses a hazard to life and infrastructure. The expansion of human population into mountainous areas and onto alluvial fans increases the need to predict and mitigate debris flow runout hazards. Debris flows on unconfined alluvial fans can exhibit spontaneous self-channelization through levee formation that reduces lateral spreading and extends runout distances compared...
Authors
Ryan P. Jones, Francis K. Rengers, Katherine R. Barnhart, David L. George, Dennis M. Staley, Jason W. Kean
Postfire debris flow hazards—Tips to keep you safe Postfire debris flow hazards—Tips to keep you safe
Often referred to as “mudflows,” debris flows are a type of landslide made up of a rapidly moving mixture of dirt, rocks, trees, and water (and sometimes ash) that start on a hillside and travel downvalley. They can easily overflow channels and severely damage houses, vehicles, or other structures. Areas burned by wildfires are especially susceptible to these hazards, which can be...
Authors
Steven Sobieszczyk, Jason W. Kean
Multi-model comparison of computed debris flow runout for the 9 January 2018 Montecito, California post-wildfire event Multi-model comparison of computed debris flow runout for the 9 January 2018 Montecito, California post-wildfire event
Hazard assessment for post-wildfire debris flows, which are common in the steep terrain of the western United States, has focused on the susceptibility of upstream basins to generate debris flows. However, reducing public exposure to this hazard also requires an assessment of hazards in downstream areas that might be inundated during debris flow runout. Debris flow runout models are...
Authors
Katherine R. Barnhart, Ryan P. Jones, David L. George, Brian W. McArdell, Francis K. Rengers, Dennis M. Staley, Jason W. Kean
Movement of sediment through a burned landscape: Sediment volume observations and model comparisons in the San Gabriel Mountains, California, USA Movement of sediment through a burned landscape: Sediment volume observations and model comparisons in the San Gabriel Mountains, California, USA
Post-wildfire changes to hydrologic and geomorphic systems can lead to widespread sediment redistribution. Understanding how sediment moves through a watershed is crucial for assessing hazards, developing debris flow inundation models, engineering sediment retention solutions, and quantifying the role that disturbances play in landscape evolution. In this study, we used terrestrial and...
Authors
Francis K. Rengers, Luke A. McGuire, Jason W. Kean, Dennis M. Staley, Mariana Dobre, Peter R. Robichaud, Tyson Swetnam
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 29
Soil moisture monitoring following the 2009 Station Fire, California, USA, 2016-2019 Soil moisture monitoring following the 2009 Station Fire, California, USA, 2016-2019
This data release includes 2016-2019 soil moisture timeseries for two drainage basins ("Arroyo Seco" and "Dunsmore Canyon") that burned during the 2009 Station Fire in Los Angeles County, California, USA. The Arroyo Seco (0.01 km2) and Dunsmore Canyon (0.5 km2) drainages include two soil pits, one located near the drainage divide and another near the basin outlet. Following the naming...
Data supporting an analysis of the recurrence interval of post-fire debris-flow generating rainfall in the southwestern United States Data supporting an analysis of the recurrence interval of post-fire debris-flow generating rainfall in the southwestern United States
This data release supports the analysis of the recurrence interval of post-fire debris-flow generating rainfall in the southwestern United States. We define the recurrence interval of the peak 15-, 30-, and 60-minute rainfall intensities for 316 observations of post-fire debris-flow occurrence in 18 burn areas, 5 U.S. states, and 7 climate types. These data support the analysis described...
Debris-flow monitoring data, Chalk Cliffs, Colorado, USA, 2014 Debris-flow monitoring data, Chalk Cliffs, Colorado, USA, 2014
This data release includes 2014 time-series data from three debris-flow monitoring stations at Chalk Cliffs in Chaffee County, Colorado, USA. The data were collected to help identify the triggering conditions, magnitude, and mobility of debris flows at the site. The three stations are located sequentially along a channel draining the 0.3 km^2 study area. The Upper, Middle, and Lower...
Monitoring environmental controls on debris-flow sediment supply, Chalk Cliffs, Colorado, 2011 to 2015 Monitoring environmental controls on debris-flow sediment supply, Chalk Cliffs, Colorado, 2011 to 2015
This data release includes time-series data of rock temperature, air temperature, wind speed, and humidity at the Chalk Cliffs debris-flow monitoring site in central Colorado (Latitude: 38.73330, Longitude: -106.18704). The data were collected to help identify the environmental controls on rates of rockfall, which is the primary source of debris-flow material at the site. Data were...
Post-wildfire debris-flow monitoring data, Las Lomas, 2016 Fish Fire, Los Angeles County, California, November 2016 to February 2017 Post-wildfire debris-flow monitoring data, Las Lomas, 2016 Fish Fire, Los Angeles County, California, November 2016 to February 2017
This data release includes time-series data from a monitoring site located in a small (0.12 km2) drainage basin in the Las Lomas watershed in Los Angeles County, CA, USA. The site was established after the 2016 Fish Fire and recorded a series debris flows in the first winter after the fire. The station is located along the channel at the outlet of the study area (34 9'18.50"N, 117 56'41...
Debris-flow inundation and damage data from the 9 January 2018 Montecito Debris-Flow Event Debris-flow inundation and damage data from the 9 January 2018 Montecito Debris-Flow Event
On 9 January 2018, intense rain above Montecito, California triggered a series of debris flows from steep catchments in the Santa Ynez Mountains. These catchments were burned three weeks earlier by the 1140 km2 Thomas Fire. After exiting the mountain front, the debris flows traveled over 3 km down a series of alluvial fans, killing 23 people and damaging over 400 homes. To understand the...
Filter Total Items: 97
The influence of large woody debris on post-wildfire debris flow sediment storage The influence of large woody debris on post-wildfire debris flow sediment storage
Debris flows transport large quantities of water and granular material, such as sediment and wood, and this mixture can have devastating impacts on life and infrastructure. The proportion of large woody debris (LWD) incorporated into debris flows can be enhanced in forested areas recently burned by wildfire, because wood recruitment into channels accelerates in burned forests. In this...
Authors
Francis K. Rengers, Luke A. McGuire, Katherine R. Barnhart, Ann Youberg, Daniel Cadol, Alexander Gorr, Olivia J. Hoch, Rebecca Beers, Jason W. Kean
The rainfall intensity-duration control of debris flows after wildfire The rainfall intensity-duration control of debris flows after wildfire
Increased wildfire activity in the western United States has exposed regional gaps in our understanding of postfire debris-flow generation. To address this problem, we characterized flows in an unstudied area to test the rainfall intensity-duration control of the hazard. Our rainfall measurements and field observations from the northern Sierra Nevada (California, USA) show that debris...
Authors
Matthew A. Thomas, Donald N. Lindsay, David B. Cavagnaro, Jason W. Kean, Scott W. McCoy, Andrew Paul Graber
Simulating debris flow and levee formation in the 2D shallow flow model D-Claw: Channelized and unconfined flow Simulating debris flow and levee formation in the 2D shallow flow model D-Claw: Channelized and unconfined flow
Debris flow runout poses a hazard to life and infrastructure. The expansion of human population into mountainous areas and onto alluvial fans increases the need to predict and mitigate debris flow runout hazards. Debris flows on unconfined alluvial fans can exhibit spontaneous self-channelization through levee formation that reduces lateral spreading and extends runout distances compared...
Authors
Ryan P. Jones, Francis K. Rengers, Katherine R. Barnhart, David L. George, Dennis M. Staley, Jason W. Kean
Postfire debris flow hazards—Tips to keep you safe Postfire debris flow hazards—Tips to keep you safe
Often referred to as “mudflows,” debris flows are a type of landslide made up of a rapidly moving mixture of dirt, rocks, trees, and water (and sometimes ash) that start on a hillside and travel downvalley. They can easily overflow channels and severely damage houses, vehicles, or other structures. Areas burned by wildfires are especially susceptible to these hazards, which can be...
Authors
Steven Sobieszczyk, Jason W. Kean
Multi-model comparison of computed debris flow runout for the 9 January 2018 Montecito, California post-wildfire event Multi-model comparison of computed debris flow runout for the 9 January 2018 Montecito, California post-wildfire event
Hazard assessment for post-wildfire debris flows, which are common in the steep terrain of the western United States, has focused on the susceptibility of upstream basins to generate debris flows. However, reducing public exposure to this hazard also requires an assessment of hazards in downstream areas that might be inundated during debris flow runout. Debris flow runout models are...
Authors
Katherine R. Barnhart, Ryan P. Jones, David L. George, Brian W. McArdell, Francis K. Rengers, Dennis M. Staley, Jason W. Kean
Movement of sediment through a burned landscape: Sediment volume observations and model comparisons in the San Gabriel Mountains, California, USA Movement of sediment through a burned landscape: Sediment volume observations and model comparisons in the San Gabriel Mountains, California, USA
Post-wildfire changes to hydrologic and geomorphic systems can lead to widespread sediment redistribution. Understanding how sediment moves through a watershed is crucial for assessing hazards, developing debris flow inundation models, engineering sediment retention solutions, and quantifying the role that disturbances play in landscape evolution. In this study, we used terrestrial and...
Authors
Francis K. Rengers, Luke A. McGuire, Jason W. Kean, Dennis M. Staley, Mariana Dobre, Peter R. Robichaud, Tyson Swetnam