Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Multiple-occurrence regional landslide events in New Zealand: Hazard management issues

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Landslides Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Landsliding in New Zealand most commonly occurs in the form of multiple-occurrence landslide events, simultaneously involving thousands to ten thousands of landslides over areas extending up to 20,000 km2. The scale of these events, together with their multiple-hazard character, provide a unique set of management issues that stretch the capabilities of available emergency management services. Several measures for characterising the magnitude and impact potential of these events are presented and compared. While the median density of landsliding is approximately 30 landslides/km2, over 100 landslides/km2 have been recorded in some events. Specific soil displacement volumes vary widely between events—New Zealand events yield a median value of approximately 140 m3/ha. Measured Ratios of runout length to scar length are commonly about 3:1. However, comparison between events is constrained by lack of standardisation in methods of measurement and recording. Agricultural production loss, damage to road and rail infrastructure and increased flooding are the main consequences of these events. Treatment options involve loss sharing, resource management legislation, and various forms of bio-engineering.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
$34.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Brooks SM, Crozier MJ, Preston NJ, Anderson MG (2002) Regolith evolution and the control of shallow translational hillslope failure: application of a 2-dimensional coupled soil hydrology-slope stability model, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand. Geomorphology 45(3–4):165–179

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Crozier MJ (1986) Landslides: Causes, Consequences and Environment. Croom Helm, England, reprinted 1989, Routledge, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Crozier MJ (1996) Runout behaviour of shallow, rapid earthflows. Zeitschrift fur Geomorphology. Suppl.-Bd, 105:35–48

    Google Scholar 

  • Crozier MJ (1997) The climate-landslide couple: a southern hemisphere perspective. In: Matthews JA, Brunsden D, Frenzel B, Gläser B, Weiß MM (eds) Rapid mass movement as a source of climatic evidence for the Holocene 19, Gustav Fischer, Stuttgart, pp 333–354

    Google Scholar 

  • Crozier MJ (2005) Management frameworks for landslide hazard and risk. In: Glade T, Anderson MG, Crozier MJ (eds) Landslide Hazard and Risk. Wiley, London, pp 331–350

    Google Scholar 

  • Crozier MJ, Howorth R, Grant IJ (1981) Landslide activity during cyclone Wally, Fiji: a case study of the Wainitubatolu catchment. Pacific Westpoint, 22(1):69–80, also published in Water Resources Journal, United Nations, ESCAP Natural Resources Division

    Google Scholar 

  • Crozier MJ, McConchie JA, Owen RC, Eyles RJ (1982) Mass Movement Erosion, Wairarapa, Wellington, p 151

    Google Scholar 

  • Crozier MJ, Preston NJ (1999) Modelling changes in terrain resistance as a component of landform evolution in unstable hillcountry. In: Hergarten S, Neugebauer HJ (eds) Process Modelling and Landform Evolution, Lecture Notes in Earth Sciences 78, Springer Verlag, pp 267–284

  • Cruden DM, Varnes DJ (1996) Landslide types and processes. In: Turner AK, Schuster RL (eds) Landslides Investigation and Mitigation, Special report 247 National Academy Press, Washington, DC, pp 36–75

    Google Scholar 

  • Dymond JR, Gaelle-Ausseil J, Shepherd JD (2004) Validation of a region-wide model of landslide risk in the Manawatu/Wanganui region of New Zealand. Draft report, Landcare Research, Palmerston North, New Zealand

  • Eyles RJ (1971) Mass movement in Tangoio Conservation Reserve, Hawkes Bay. Earth Sci J, 5(2):79–91

    Google Scholar 

  • Eyles RJ (1979) Slip-triggering rainfalls in Wellington City, New Zealand. NZ J Sci, 22:117–121

    Google Scholar 

  • Eyles RJ, Crozier MJ, Wheeler RH (1978) Landslips in Wellington City. NZ Geogr, 34(2):58–74

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Eyles RJ, Eyles GO (1982) Recognition of storm damage envelopes. In: Proceedings of the 11th New Zealand geography Conference 1981, Wellington, pp 118–123

  • Fell R, Hartford D (1997) Landslide risk management. In: Cruden DM, Fell R (eds) Landslide risk assessment–Proceedings of the Workshop on Landslide risk assessment, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA 19–21 February 1997, A A Balkema, Rotterdam, pp 51–109

    Google Scholar 

  • Glade T (2000) Modelling landslide triggering rainfall thresholds at a range of complexities. In: Bromhead E, Dixon N, Ibsen M-L (eds) Landslides in research, theory and practice, Thomas Telford, Cardiff, pp 633–640

    Google Scholar 

  • Glade T, Anderson MG, Crozier MJ (eds) (2005) Landslide Hazard and Risk. Wiley, London

  • Hancox GT, Wright K (2005) Analysis of terrain and landsliding caused by the 15–17 February 2004 rainstorm in the Wanganui-Manawatu hill country, southern North Island, New Zealand. Institute of Geological & Nuclear Sciences Science Report 2005/11.

  • Hancox GT, Perrin ND, Dellow GD (1997) Earthquake induced landsliding in New Zealand and implications for MM intensity and seismic hazard assessment. New Zealand Institute of Geological and Nuclear Sciences, Client Report 43601B

  • Hancox GT, Beetham D, Perrin N, Wright K, Dellow G (2004) Landsliding caused by the 15–20 February 2004 floods in the lower North Island, New Zealand. New Zealand Institute of Geological and Nuclear Sciences Immediate report File LD 3 and 5/942

  • Hicks DL (1995) Control of soil erosion on farmland. New Zealand Ministry of Agriculture an Fisheries Policy technical paper 95/4

  • Horizons Regional Council (2004) Storm-Civil Emergency. Storm and Flood Report February 2004, Horizons Regional Council. Palmerston North, New Zealand

  • Keefer D (1984) Landslides caused by earthquakes. Geol Soc Am Bull 95(4):406–421

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Krausse M, Eastwood C, Alexander RR (2001) Muddied waters: estimating the national economic cost of soil erosion and sedimentation in New Zealand. Palmerston North, p 41

  • Lambert MG, Trustrum NA, Costall DA (1984) Effect of soil slip erosion on seasonally dry Wairarapa hill pastures. NZ J Agric Res 27:57–64

    Google Scholar 

  • McConchie JA (1977) The geomorphological and hydrological response to the 20 December 1976 storm, Stokes Valley. BSc Hons thesis Victoria University of Wellington, p 65

  • O'Loughlin CL, Pearce AJ (1976) Influence of Cenozoic geology on mass movement and sediment yield response to forest removal, north Westland, New Zealand. Bull Int Assoc Eng Geol, 14:41–46

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Omura H, Hicks D (1991) Probability of landslides in hillcountry. In: Bell DH (ed) Landslides, Balkema, Rotterdam, pp 1045–1049

    Google Scholar 

  • Page M, Trustrum N, Dymond JR (1994) Sediment budget to assess the geomorphic effect of a cyclonic storm, New Zealand. Geomorphology, 9:169–188

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Page M, Trustrum N, Gomez B (2000) Implications of a century of anthropogenic erosion in Gisborne-East Coast region of New Zealand. NZ Geogr, 56(2):13–24

    Google Scholar 

  • Pain CF, Bowler JM (1973) Denudation following the November 1970 earthquake at Madang, Papua New Guinea. Zeitschrift fuer Geomorphologie, 18:92–104

    Google Scholar 

  • Rice RM, Corbett ES, Bailey RG (1969) Soil slips related to vegetation, topography, and soils in southern California. Water Res Res, 5(3):647–659

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rice RM, Foggin GT (1971) Effect of high intensity storms on soil slippage on mountainous watersheds in southern California. Water Res Res, 7(6):1485–1496

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schneider P (2002) The distribution of sediment resulting from a major landslide event. BSc (Hons) Research Project in Physical Geography, Victoria University of Wellington

  • Selby MJ (1976) Slope erosion due to extreme rainfall: A case study from New Zealand. Geografiska Annaler, 3A:131–138

  • Smith RD, Hicks BG (1982) Ashland Creek drainage basin sediment budgets. In: Swanson FJ, Janda RJ, Dunne T and Swanston DN (eds) Sediment budgets and routing in forested drainage basins, General Technical Report PNW–141, United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, pp 112–113

  • Wieczorek GF, Guzzetti F (2000) A review of rainfall thresholds for triggering landslides Mediterranean Storms. In: Proceedings of the EGS Plinius Conference, Maratea, Italy, October 1999, pp 407–14

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Geography, School of Earth Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, P.O. Box 600, Wellington, New Zealand

    M. J. Crozier

Authors
  1. M. J. Crozier
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to M. J. Crozier.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Crozier, M.J. Multiple-occurrence regional landslide events in New Zealand: Hazard management issues. Landslides 2, 247–256 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10346-005-0019-7

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10346-005-0019-7

Keywords

Search

Navigation