Prehistoric and Modern Debris Flows in Semi-Arid Watersheds: Implications for Hazard Assessments in a Changing Climate
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Prehistoric and modern debris flows in semi-arid watersheds: Implications for hazard assessments in a changing climate Item Type text; Electronic Dissertation Authors Youberg, Ann M. Publisher The University of Arizona. Rights Copyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the University Libraries, University of Arizona. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation (such as public display or performance) of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author. Download date 10/10/2021 22:25:06 Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/10150/312570 PREHISTORIC AND MODERN DEBRIS FLOWS IN SEMI-ARID WATERSHEDS: IMPLICATIONS FOR HAZARD ASSESSMENTS IN A CHANGING CLIMATE By Ann M. Youberg ________________________________________ A dissertation Submitted to the Faculty of the DEPARTMENT OF HYDROLOGY AND WATER RESOURCES In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For the Degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY with a major in Hydrology In the Graduate College UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA 2013 THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA GRADUATE COLLEGE As members of the Dissertation Committee, we certify that we have read the dissertation prepared by Ann Youberg, Entitled Prehistoric and Modern Debris Flows in Semi-Arid Watersheds: Implications for Hazard Assessments in a Changing Climate and recommend that it be accepted as fulfilling the dissertation requirement for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy. th _______________________________________________________________________ Date: November 25 , 2013 Victor R. Baker th _______________________________________________________________________ Date: November 25 , 2013 Robert H. Webb th _______________________________________________________________________ Date: November 25 , 2013 Peter A. Troch th _______________________________________________________________________ Date: November 25 , 2013 Jon D. Pelletier th _______________________________________________________________________ Date: November 25 , 2013 Philip A. Pearthree Final approval and acceptance of this dissertation is contingent upon the candidate’s submission of the final copies of the dissertation to the Graduate College. I hereby certify that I have read this dissertation prepared under my direction and recommend that it be accepted as fulfilling the dissertation requirement. ________________________________________________ Date: November 25th, 2013 Dissertation Director: Victor R. Baker ________________________________________________ Date: November 25th, 2013 Dissertation Director: Robert H. Webb 2 STATEMENT BY AUTHOR This dissertation has been submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for an advanced degree at the University of Arizona and is deposited in the University Library to be made available to borrowers under rules of the Library. Brief quotations from this dissertation are allowable without special permission, provided that an accurate acknowledgement of the source is made. Requests for permission for extended quotation from or reproduction of this manuscript in whole or in part may be granted by the head of the major department or the Dean of the Graduate College when in his or her judgment the proposed use of the material is in the interests of scholarship. In all other instances, however, permission must be obtained from the author. SIGNED: Ann M Youberg 3 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS As with all projects this large and complex, there are many people to thank. First, I would like to thank all of my committee and especially my co-advisors, Vic Baker and Bob Webb, for their guidance, insights and mentoring. Bob Webb and Phil Pearthree did their best to keep me on track. I particularly want to thank Phil, who has been my Section Chief and mentor for the past 14 years at the Arizona Geological Survey. Phil planted the idea of this dissertation when we were surveying the post-Aspen Fire flood damage in Romero Canyon. Everyone at the Arizona Geological Survey has supported or encouraged me in some way. I particularly want to thank Lee Allison, director of the AZGS, for his continued support throughout this process, and for his ongoing encouragement and support for exploring new research opportunities that haven’t traditionally been part of the Survey’s program. Joe Cook is a most excellent field partner and has taught me how to better tell the geomorphic story. Janel Day, Steve Richard, and Adrian Sonnenschein helped me with GIS and data problems, and Jeri Young and Brian Gootee provided encouragement and perspective. I have been very fortunate to have worked with, and be mentored by, many wonderful people not associated with the University or the AZGS. I particularly want thank Sue Cannon for her mentoring, and also for her financial support. Sue’s knowledge of post-wildfire debris flows is unsurpassed and I appreciate her sharing her knowledge with me. Deb Martin, John Moody, Jason Kean, and Dennis Staley have provided countless hours of guidance and feedback. I look forward to continued collaborations. Many people US Forest Service have contributed, supported or encouraged this work in some way. In particular I want to thank Bob Lefevre and Randal Smith, both now retired, for their encouragement and for providing early opportunities for me to learn about post-wildfire erosion. Jennifer Ruyle has provided much appreciated support for this work. Salak Shafiquillah, Marc Stamer, Michele Girard, Dan Neary, Karen Koestner, Kyle Wright, Kit MacDonald, Polly Haessig, Chris Stewart, Jalyn Cummings, Adam Springer, and Peter Koestner all helped me in some way to learn about assessing the impacts from wildfires and what the important questions are. Erica Bigio has been a good friend, an excellent field partner and a collaborator throughout this process. I value her perspective and appreciate her help in solving problems. Steve DeLong provided guidance, encouragement and, by example, taught me how to approach problems. Finally, I particularly want to thank my husband, Bob Czaja, who was not keen on the idea of me pursuing a PhD but nevertheless supported me throughout. Thank you. 4 DEDICATION I dedicate this dissertation to Dave Youberg, Bob Czaja, and Francis Sutherland. In memory of my mother Kathryn Margaret Myers Youberg. March 3, 1931 – February 13, 2010 5 TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT .................................................................................................................................. 10 CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................. 14 1.1 Statement of problem .......................................................................................................... 14 1.2 Background ......................................................................................................................... 17 1.2.1 Debris flows in Arizona ........................................................................................ 21 1.2.2 Post-wildfire debris flows ..................................................................................... 24 CHAPTER 2: THE PRESENT STUDY ....................................................................................... 29 2.1 Appendix A: Increased debris-flow activity and magnitude during the Pleistocene- Holocene climatic transition, Santa Catalina Mountains, Pima County, Arizona; implications for modern debris-flow hazards. ............................................................................................... 29 2.1.2 Abstract ................................................................................................................. 30 2.2 Appendix B: Rainfall intensity-duration thresholds and the predictive strengths of three post-wildfire debris-flow models for use in Arizona. ............................................................... 31 2.2.1 Abstract ................................................................................................................. 31 2.3 Appendix C: Basin physiographic and soil burn severity factors influencing the generation of post-wildfire debris flows. .................................................................................................... 32 2.3.1 Abstract ................................................................................................................. 33 CHAPTER 3: CONCLUSIONS ................................................................................................... 34 3.1 Summary ............................................................................................................................. 34 3.2 Implications for future post-wildfire debris-flow hazard assessments ............................... 36 3.1 Rainfall assessments ................................................................................................ 37 3.2 Basin assessments .................................................................................................... 39 3.3 Conclusions ......................................................................................................................... 43 APPENDIX A: INCREASED DEBRIS-FLOW ACTIVITY AT THE PLEISTOCENE- HOLOCENE CLIMATIC TRANSITION, SANTA CATALINA MOUNTINS, PIMA COUNTY, ARIZONA; IMPLICATIONS FOR MODERN DEBRIS-FLOW HAZARDS ....................................................................................................................................................... 45 A.1 Abstract .............................................................................................................................