Debris flooding magnitude estimation based on relation between dendrogeomorphological and meteorological records

• Published in: Geomorphology (Amsterdam, Netherlands) Vol. 367; p. 107303
• Main Authors: Novak, Andrej, Popit, Tomislav, Levanič, Tom, Šmuc, Andrej, Kaczka, Ryszard J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 15-10-2020
• Subjects: Debris flood; Dendrogeomorphology; Magnitude estimation; Precipitation records; Magnitude estimation; Debris flood; Dendrogeomorphology; Precipitation records
• ISSN: 0169-555X; 1872-695X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.geomorph.2020.107303

Debris floods are mass movement events which are usually triggered by intense short duration rainfall events. They often occur on alluvial fans in an alpine environment. Due to their sever geohazard potential they pose a serious threat to infrastructure and human life. To minimize their threat understanding of their past magnitude occurrence is crucial. Dendrogeomorphology has proven to be a highly useful method in studies of past slope mass movements. However, establishing magnitudes of past events has so far been based on indirect indicators, such as: spatial distribution of affected trees, characteristics of tree injures and sedimentological records. In this study we present a method that directly estimates the magnitudes of past debris flood events on an alluvial fan using dendrogeomorphological and meteorological data sets. The studied dendrogeomorphological data set is based on tree-ring series from 105 sampled trees (Picea abies, Abies alba and Larix decidua) growing on an active alluvial fan in a typical alpine environment of the Julian Alps in NW Slovenia. Based on sudden growth suppression thirteen debris flood events since 1903 were dated. Meteorological data from a nearby meteorological station was used to determine the exact triggering meteorological event for ten events. Comparing the It index of affected trees and calculated return period of an individual triggering meteorological event established the magnitude of debris flooding. We showed that more trees are affected at high return period/intensity of the triggering meteorological event and therefore higher magnitudes of debris floods. This research presents the first combined use of dendrogeomorphological and meteorological data sets for magnitude estimation of historic debris flood events which could be successfully applied in similar environments.
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•Dating of debris flooding (DFL) events is based on partially buried trees.•DFLs are linked to precipitation records to pinpoint the most likely triggering meteorological event with daily precision.•Return periods of triggering meteorological events relate well with It index of affected trees.•The DFL magnitude is estimated based on relation between It index and return periods of triggering meteorological events.•DFL events triggered by rainfall events of larger return period affect larger number of trees.