Landslide Dams in South-Central China

by Tianchi Li, Acad Sinica, Chengdu, China,
Robert L. Schuster, Acad Sinica, Chengdu, China,
Jishan Wu, Acad Sinica, Chengdu, China,



Document Type: Proceeding Paper

Part of: Landslide Dams: Processes, Risk, and Mitigation

Abstract:

The Yangtze and Yellow Rivers and their tributaries drain mountainous areas of south-central China that are highly susceptible to landslide activity. This paper describes six major cases of landslide damming on these rivers and their tributaries in this century. Five blockages on the Yangtze tributaries overtopped and breached, causing downstream floods of varying magnitudes. The two largest floods, caused by failures of blockages on the Min and Yalong Rivers were 50 m or more deep immediately downstream of the failures and continued downstream for hundreds of kilometers. Much damage was done by both of these floods.

Subject Headings: Rivers and streams | Landslides | Floods | Embankment dams | Mountains | Failure analysis | Dams | China | Asia | Yellow River

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