Landslides Along the Columbia River Valley Northeastern Washington GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 367 Landslides Along the Columbia River Valley Northeastern Washington By FRED O. JONES, DANIEL R. EMBODY, and WARREN L. PETERSON With a section on Seismic Surveys By ROBERT M. HAZLEWOOD GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 367 Descriptions of landslides and statistical analyses of data on some 2OO landslides in Pleistocene sediments UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE, WASHINGTON : 1961 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR STEWART L. UDALL, Secretary GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Thomas B. Nolan, Director The U.S. 'Geological Survey Library has cataloged this publication as follows : Jones, Fred Oscar, 1912- Landslides along the Columbia River valley, northeastern Washington, by Fred O. Jones, Daniel R. Embody, and Warren L. Peterson. With a section on Seismic surveys, by Robert M. Hazlewood. Washington, U.S. Govt. Print. Off., 1961. v, 98 p. illus., maps (part col.) diagrs., tables. 30 cm. (U.S. Geological Survey. Professional paper 367) Part of illustrative matter in pocket. Bibliography: p. 94-95. 1. Landslides Washington (State) Columbia River valley. 2. Seismology Washington (State) I. Embody, Daniel R., joint author. II. Peterson, Warren Lee, 1925- , joint author. III. Hazle­ wood, Robert Merton, 1920-IV. Title. (Series) For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office Washington 25, B.C. CONTENTS Page Statistical studies Continued Abstract _ ________________________________________ 1 Statistical analyses, by Daniel R. Embody and Fred Introduction, by Fred O. Jones___________ ____________ 1 O.Jones _-_-_-_-____-__-___-_-_-- _ _____--- 46 Regional physiographic and geologic setting________ 3 Analysis and interpretation of landslide data_-_ 46 Cultural developments. _ ________________________ 4 Recent slump-earthflow landslides ________ 46 Acknowledgments.. _ _-_--_-__--_______-_____._ 5 Qualitative variables. _ ______________ 47 Landslides, by Fred O. Jones and Warren L. Peterson___ 5 Quantitative variables _ ____________ 48 Topography on the surficial deposits. ______________ 5 Tests of significance for materials and Types of landslides.. ____________________________ 6 ground water____ ________ _________ 49 Slump-earthflow landslides. __________________ 6 Equation for the prediction of HC: VC Multiple-alcove landslides. _ __________________ 6 ratios of landslides. .-_.--__ _._--_---- 50 Slip-off slope landslides. _____________________ 7 Ancient slump-earthflow landslides. _______ 51 Mudflows- __---_____-___________---________ 7 Slip-off slope landslides. _ ________________ 52 Landslides along Franklin D. Roosevelt Lake. _____ 10 Multiple-alcove landslides. _______________ 53 Areas of extensive landsliding ____________________ 12 Landslides off bedrock.. ________________ 53 Reed terrace area ___-_-_-_--____---___-____ 12 Uniformity experiment _.__________---__-_--- 53 Culture __ _____-__-___-__-_-_-________ 13 Summary of analysis of HC: VC ratio of Geology ____-__--_____--_____--________ 13 landslides_____- _-_-_---___-----_----- 54 Geologic history. ____ ___________________ 14 Summary of analysis of original slope. _ _ __ 54 Surface-water and ground-water conditions_ 14 Summary of analysis of submergence Landslides, ____________________________ 14 percentage- ___-_____-_-_____-___-__-- 54 Lake fill in the Reed terrace area _________ 19 Summary of ground- water analysis. _______ 55 Cedonia area. ______________________________ 19 Summary of material analysis ____________ 55 Ninemile area. _ ____________________________ 20 Summary and interpretation of uniformity Geology. ______________________________ 20 experiment results ___________________ 55 Landslides ___-______-----_-_-__________ 21 Slope-stability investigation.- ________-__---_- 55 Seatons Grove-Koontz ville area --___-________ 21 Summary of analysis for the discriminant Seatons landslide (No. 7) ________________ 21 function ___________________-------_- 56 Seatons mudflow (No. 320) _ ___________ 25 Summary of analysis of variance for the Koontzville landslide (No. 5)__-_-_____-_- 26 discriminant function _ ___________---_- 57 Nespelem River area. ____-_____-__-_-__-____ 28 Use of the discriminant f unction __ ________ 57 Geology. ___._________-____--___-_.____ 28 Results of experiment- _---_--_----_----- 58 Glacial history. _-__-_.-_____-__________ 28 Application of landslide and slope stability data, by Landslides _____________________________ 28 Fred O. Jones and Daniel R. Embody. __ ________ 58 Landslides in the Columbia River basalt. __ ________ 29 Recognition of potential landslide areas_ _______ 60 Summary of possible causes of landslides. _ _______ _. 31 Estimation of landslide extent in this and similar Economics. ____________________________________ 31 geologic settings.. _ _______________________ 61 Landslides at Grand Coulee Dam_______ ______ 31 General application of methods _________--__- 61 Costs of landslides.- ________________________ 33 Illustrations of application of landslide and slope Statistical studies _________-_-___-__-___---__-__-___ 33 stability data- ________________-_--___--_- 61 Field observations and methods, by Fred O. Jones. 33 Ninemile area (Franklin D. Roosevelt Lake) _ 61 Landslide type groups. _ _____________________ 35 Geology and landslide classification of the Classification units and measurements of the Alameda Flat area (Lake Rufus Woods) _ 68 geologic environment. _____________________ 39 Statistical techniques, by Daniel R. Embody __________ 69 Material-classification categories.- -__.____ 39 Assumptions made in the analysis of variance ______ 69 Ground water. _ ________________________ 41 Reconciliation of properties of field data and theo­ Terrace height... ______________________ 43 retical requirements for validity _______--____--- 70 Drainage of terrace surface. _ _____________ 43 Experimental logic, tests of significance and precision, 71 Original slope of terrace scarp ____________ 44 Specific methods and sources- ____________________ 71 Submergence. _ _________________________ 44 Summary of reconnaissance seismic surveys, by Robert Culture. --_--_--____-_-_-___-__-__-____ 44 M. Hazlewood. __________...._____-_-_-_---_-___--- 72 Material removal _______________________ 44 Field measurements. ____________--___--____--_-_ 72 45 Results.- ___._______________-__--___-----_---_- 73 Landslide measurements HC: VC ratio_ 45 Reed terrace area_ ______________________________ 73 IV CONTENTS jnnaissance seismic surveys Con. Page Page Ninemile areaea__ 74 _____ _______ 74 Nespelem B iver area 74 _____ _______ 94 Conclusions 74 Index ____-_._-__-_ 97 ILLUSTRATIONS [Plates are in pocket] PLATE 1. Geologic map of the Reed terrace area. 2. Hydrography and landslide fill in Franklin D. Roosevelt Lake. 3. Geologic map and landslide classification of Ninemile area. 4. Sections of Seatons and Koontzville landslides. 5. Geologic map of the Nespelem River area. 6. Geologic map and landslide classification of the Alameda Flat area. Page FIGURE 1. General index map of the Columbia River valley of northeastern Washington ___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _________ - 2 2. Nomenclature of the parts of a landslide _ ___ ______ ______ _______________ 6 3. An ancient slump-earthflow landslide exposed by recent sliding. __ _ _ _ ___ _ _ ___________ _ ______ 7 4. Aerial view of a recent multiple-alcove landslide. __ _ .__. ____ __ ___________----_--_- 8 5. Multiple-alcove landslide and cross section __ _ __ _ ------ ____ ____ ___________________ _. 8 6. Photograph of a typical slip-off landslide... _ _ _ _ __-____. -__-_-____ ______ 9 7. Slip-off slope landslide and cross section. _ _ __._ _ _ _ _.-_ ______________ _ _ _ _ . 9 8. Slip-off slope landslide, Kettle Falls area _ ___--_-___.___-_--_- _______ 10 9. Mudflow in Hopkins Canyon.... __ __ __________ _________ __________ 11 10. Index map of the Columbia River valley of northeastern Washington __ ____ ___ ____ ____ ___________ 12 11. Aerial oblique photograph of the Reed terrace taken May 15, 1951 ---_-_---_- ___ ____ _____-___-__---. 16 12. Aerial oblique photograph of the Reed terrace taken on August 1 , 1 952. __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ____-_.-__ _ _ _ . 17 13. Slump-earthflow landslide, Reed terrace area. _ _ _ _ ... _________ _ - -_-_____ 19 14. Terrace of sand with some interbedded silt and clay. _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ ____-____-___. 20 15. Aerial photograph of Seatons landslide.... __ . __ _ ___ _ _ __ _____ ____ _ _______ 22 16. Diagram of Seatons landslide., ________ ___ _ __ _ _ _____ ______ _ _ _--_____- 23 17. Slickensides showing the upward and riverward movement of the Seatons landslide. __ __ __ ________ 24 18. Mudflow at Seatons Grove - _ _ _ ___ _ _ _ _ ____ ____ __ _ _ ______ _ . 25 19. Photograph showing the Koontzville landslide ____ ____ _ _ ___ ______ 26 20. Diagram of the Koontzville landslide _ _ _ . ____ _ _ _ _____-_. 27 21. Aerial photograph showing landslide in Bailey Basin ___ _ ___ _ _ __ __________ 30 22. Ancient slump-earthflow landslide and cross section. ___ __ _ ___ _____ ______________ 30 23. Histogram showing estimated frequency of all landslides along Franklin D. Roosevelt Lake, 1941 to 1954. __ 31 24. Slump-earthflow landslide in lacustrine silt and clay _ __ _ _ _ ___ _ _ _ _________ 32 25. Great Northern Railway landslide near Marcus, Wash_ _ _ _ _____ ___________ 34 26. Deadman Creek landslide _ __ _ _ ___ _ _____________ 35 27. Landslide data card (front)- _ _ _ __ __ ___________ 36 28. Landslide data card (back)__ ___ ___ _ _ __ ____ _ - _ ----_______ 37 29. Slump-earthflow landslide limited by bedrock- _ _ _ _ __ _____ _ _________ 38 30. Failure of an artificial slope __ _ _______ _____________ 39 31. Dry earthflow ______ ___ _ ___ ____________ 40 32. Sediments included in material category 1, Reed terrace area.. __ _____ _ _____ 41 33. Sediments included in material category 1, Hunters-Nez Perce Creek area ___ _________ 41 34. Sediments included in material category 2, Ninemile area_ _____ _ _ ____ ___ 42 35.