Olancha Debris Flow: An Example of an Isolated Damaging Event

Slosson, J. E.; Slosson, T. L.; ,

Olancha Debris Flow: An Example of an Isolated Damaging Event

by J. E. Slosson, Slosson and Associates, Van Nuys, United States,
T. L. Slosson, Slosson and Associates, Van Nuys, United States,

Document Type: Proceeding Paper

Part of: Hydraulics/Hydrology of Arid Lands (H?AL)

Abstract:

This paper presents the case history of an isolated flood/debris flow that damaged the City of Los Angeles Department of Water and Power Aqueduct and threatened serious damage to U.S. Highway 395, including any vehicles which might have been traversing the highway at the time. The case history represents another example of an isolated meteorologic event typical to arid/semi-arid regions of the American South-west. Had this event occurred in a densely populated geographic location rather than the remote and very sparsely populated area of Olancha, California, both loss of life and property damage could have been very significant. This event again alerts us to the fact that we need to know more about alluvial fan environments and the meteorologic quirks of the arid/semi-arid environs of the Southwestern portion of the United States as well as other similar geographic settings. The authors have studied many such isolated events and have found each to be unique but, in many ways, similar.

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