Late Holocene Sturzstroms in Glacier National Park, Montana, U.S.A.

Hazardous Mass Movements Along the Eastern Front of the Lewis Overthrust Fault
  • David R. Butler
  • George P. Malanson
  • Forrest D. Wilkerson
  • Ginger L. Schmid
Chapter
Part of the The GeoJournal Library book series (GEJL, volume 46)

Abstract

Recent decades have seen population expansion into, and pressure upon, marginal mountain lands. The inevitable disasters associated with such expansion have in many cases forced attention onto the distribution of, and processes associated with, rock avalanches (sturzstroms). Increased attention on rock avalanches has also resulted from the United Nations’ declaration of the 1990s as the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction. In North America, particularly notable efforts directed at identifying and reducing rock-avalanche hazards have taken place in the Canadian Rockies of Alberta, British Columbia, and the Northwest Territories (Eisbacher, 1978, 1979; Cruden, 1982, 1985; Eisbacher and Clague, 1984; Cruden and Hungr, 1986; Evans, 1987, 1989a, 1989b; Evans et al., 1987, 1989; Clague and Evans, 1987; Van Gassen and Cruden, 1989; Jackson and Isobe, 1990; Ryder et al., 1990; Evans and Clague, 1990, 1994; Kaiser and Simmons, 1990; Hungr, 1995). In the U.S.A., the bulk of rock-avalanche-hazard research has been focused on the tectonically active states of Alaska and California (Griggs, 1920; Shreve, 1966, 1968a, 1968b; Eppler et al., 1987). Work in the Rocky Mountain states has also been undertaken (Voight, 1978), but few studies have focused on the distribution and age of rock-avalanche deposits in Montana, a state where the western third is seismically active and mountainous. Exceptions include works by (1964), who described the rockslide avalanche produced by the Madison Canyon earthquake of 1959, near Yellowstone National Park; (1965), who described rockfall-avalanche and rockslide-avalanche deposits of Pleistocene and Holocene age at Sawtooth Ridge, Montana, approximately 100 km southeast of Glacier National Park; and previous papers describing site characteristics and ages associated with two sturzstrom sites in Glacier National Park (Butler, 1983; Butler et al., 1986, 1991; Butler and Schipke, 1992; Butler and Malanson, 1993).

Keywords

Debris Flow Rock Avalanche Open Arrow Snow Avalanche North Fork 
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in to check access.

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  1. 1.
    Anonymous (1992a) Major slide on Chief Mountain threatens to close area to hikers, Waterton and Glacier Park Views 1, 1. Issue of 15 July 1992, Hill Spring, Alberta, Canada.Google Scholar
  2. 2.
    Anonymous (1992b) Big landslide rips Chiefs north face, Hungry Horse News 46, 1, 9. Issue of 16 July 1992, Columbia Falls, Montana, U.S.A.Google Scholar
  3. 3.
    Anonymous (1992c) Chief Mountain area still closed to hikers, Waterton and Glacier Park Views 1,1. Issue of 22 July 1992, Hill Spring, Alberta, Canada.Google Scholar
  4. 4.
    Butler, D.R. (1979) Snow avalanche path terrain and vegetation, Glacier National Park, Montana, Arctic and Alpine Research 11, 17–32.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  5. 5.
    Butler, D.R. (1983) Observations of historic high magnitude mass movements, Glacier National Park, Montana, The Mountain Geologist 20, 59–62.Google Scholar
  6. 6.
    Butler, D.R. (1989) Glacial hazards in Glacier National Park, Montana, Physical Geography 10, 53–71.Google Scholar
  7. 7.
    Butler, D.R. and Malanson, G.P. (1990) Non-equilibrium geomorphic processes and patterns on avalanche paths in the northern Rocky Mountains, U.S.A., Zeitschrift für Geomorphologie 34, 257–270.Google Scholar
  8. 8.
    Butler, D.R. and Malanson, G.P. (1992) Effects of terrain on excessive travel distance by snow avalanches, Northwest Science 66, 77–85.Google Scholar
  9. 9.
    Butler, D.R. and Malanson, G.P. (1993) Characteristics of two landslide-dammed lakes in a glaciated alpine environment, Limnology and Oceanography 38, 441–445.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  10. 10.
    Butler, D.R. and Malanson, G.P. (1996) A major sediment pulse in a subalpine river caused by debris flows, Zeitschrift für Geomorphologie 40, in press.Google Scholar
  11. 11.
    Butler, D.R. and Schipke, K.A. (1992) The strange case of the appearing (and disappearing) lakes: the use of sequential topographic maps of Glacier National Park, Montana, Surveying and Land Information Systems 52, 150–154.Google Scholar
  12. 12.
    Butler, D.R. and Walsh, S.J. (1990) Lithologic, structural, and topographic influences on snow-avalanche path location, eastern Glacier National Park, Montana, Annals of the Association of American Geographers 80, 362–378.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  13. 13.
    Butler, D.R. and Walsh, S.J. (1994) Site characteristics of debris flows and their relationship to alpine treeline, Physical Geography 15, 181–199.Google Scholar
  14. 14.
    Butler, D.R., Malanson, G.P. and Cairns, D.M. (1994) Stability of alpine treeline in Glacier National Park, Montana, U.S.A, Phytocoenologia 22, 485–500.Google Scholar
  15. 15.
    Butler, D.R., Malanson, G.P. and Oelfke, J.G. (1991) Potential catastrophic flooding from landslide-dammed lakes, Glacier National Park, Montana, USA, Zeitschrift für Geomorphologie Supplementband 83, 195–209.Google Scholar
  16. 16.
    Butler, D.R., Malanson, G.P. and Walsh, S.J. (1992) Snow-avalanche paths: conduits from the periglacial-alpine to the subalpine-depositional zone, in Dixon, J.C. and Abrahams, A. (eds.) Periglacial Geomorphology, John Wiley and Sons Ltd., London, 185–202.Google Scholar
  17. 17.
    Butler, D.R., Oelfke, J.G. and Oelfke, L.A. (1986) Historic rockfall avalanches, northeastern Glacier National Park, Montana, U.S.A, Mountain Research and Development 6, 261–271.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  18. 18.
    Carrara, P.E. (1990) Surficial geologic map of Glacier National Park, Montana, U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Investigations Series Map I-1508-D.Google Scholar
  19. 19.
    Clague, J.J. and Evans, S.G. (1987) Canadian landform examples: rock avalanches, The Canadian Geographer 31, 278–282.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  20. 20.
    Cruden, D.M. (1982) The Brazeau Lake slide, Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences 19, 975–981.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  21. 21.
    Cruden, D.M. (1985) Rock slope movements in the Canadian Cordillera, Canadian Geotechnical Journal 22, 528–540.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  22. 22.
    Cruden, D.M. and Hungr, O. (1986) The debris of the Frank Slide and theories of rockslide-avalanche mobility, Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences 23, 425–432.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  23. 23.
    Eisbacher, G.H. (1978) Observations on the streaming mechanism of large rock slides, northern Cordillera, Geological Survey of Canada Paper 78-1A, 49–52.Google Scholar
  24. 24.
    Eisbacher, G.H. (1979) Cliff collapse and rock avalanches (sturzstroms) in the Mackenzie Mountains, northwestern Canada, Canadian Geotechnical Journal 16, 309–334.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  25. 25.
    Eisbacher, G.H. and Clague, J.J. (1984) Destructive mass movements in high mountain terrain, Geological Survey of Canada Paper 84–16, 1–230.Google Scholar
  26. 26.
    Eppler, D.B., Fink, J. and Fletcher, R. (1987) Rheologic properties and kinematics of emplacement of the Chaos Jumbles rockfall avalanches, Lassen Volcanic National Park, California, Journal of Geophysical Research 92, 3623–3633.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  27. 27.
    Evans, S.G. (1987) A rock avalanche from the peak of Mount Meager, British Columbia, Geological Survey of Canada Paper 87-1A, 929–934.Google Scholar
  28. 28.
    Evans, S.G. (1989a) Rock avalanche run-up record, Nature 340, 271.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  29. 29.
    Evans, S.G. (1989b) The 1946 Mount Colonel Foster rock avalanche and associated displacement wave, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canadian Geotechnical Journal 26, 447–452.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  30. 30.
    Evans, S.G. and Clague, J.J. (1990) Reconnaissance observations on the Tim Williams Glacier rock avalanche, near Stewart, British Columbia. Geological Survey of Canada Paper 90-1E, 351–354.Google Scholar
  31. 31.
    Evans, S.G. and Clague, J.J. (1994) Recent climatic change and catastrophic geomorphic processes in mountain environments, Geomorphology 10, 107–128.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  32. 32.
    Evans, S.G., Aitken, J.D., Wetmiller, R.J. and Homer, R.B. (1987) A rock avalanche triggered by the October 1985 North Nahanni earthquake, District of Mackenzie, N.W.T., Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences 24, 176–184.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  33. 33.
    Evans, S.G., Clague, J.J., Woodsworth, G.J. and Hungr, O. (1989) The Pandemonium Creek rock avalanche, British Columbia. Canadian Geotechnical Journal 26, 427–446.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  34. 34.
    Griggs, R.F. (1920) The great Mageik landslide, The Ohio Journal of Science 20, 325–354.Google Scholar
  35. 35.
    Hadley, J.B. (1964) Landslides and related phenomena accompanying the Hebgen Lake earthquake of August 17, 1959, U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 435, 107–138.Google Scholar
  36. 36.
    Hungr, O. (1995) A model for the runout analysis of rapid flow slides, debris flows, and avalanches, Canadian Geotechnical Journal 32, 610–623.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  37. 37.
    Jackson, L.E. and Isobe, J.S. (1990) Rock avalanches in the Pelly Mountains, Yukon Territory, Geological Survey of Canada Paper 90-1E, 263–269.Google Scholar
  38. 38.
    Kaiser, P.K. and Simmons, J.V. (1990) A reassessment of transport mechanisms of some rock avalanches in the Mackenzie Mountains, Yukon and Northwest Territories, Canada, Canadian Geotechnical Journal 27, 129–144.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  39. 39.
    Lee, L. (ed.) (1994) Backcountry Ranger — In Glacier National Park 1910–1913. Leslie Lee, Publisher, Elk Rapids, Michigan, 264 pp.Google Scholar
  40. 40.
    McCarthy, D.P. and Smith, D.J. (1995) Growth curves for calcium-tolerant lichens in the Canadian Rocky Mountains, Arctic and Alpine Research 27, 290–297.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  41. 41.
    Mudge, M.R. (1965) Rockfall-avalanche and rockslide-avalanche deposits at Sawtooth Ridge, Montana, Geological Society of America Bulletin 76, 1003–1014.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  42. 42.
    Oelfke, J.G. and Butler, D.R. (1985a) Landslides along the Lewis Overthrust Fault, Glacier National Park, Montana, The Geographical Bulletin 27, 7–15.Google Scholar
  43. 43.
    Oelfke, J.G. and Butler, D.R. (1985b) Lichenometric dating of calcareous landslide deposits, Glacier National Park, Montana, Northwest Geology 14, 7–10.Google Scholar
  44. 44.
    Ryder, J.M., Bovis, M.J. and Church, M. (1990) Rock avalanches at Texas Creek, British Columbia, Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences 27, 1316–1329.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  45. 45.
    Shreve, R.L. (1966) Sherman landslide, Alaska, Science 154, 1639–1643.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  46. 46.
    Shreve, R.L. (1968a) Leakage and fluidization in air-layer lubricated landslides, Geological Society of America Bulletin 79, 653–658.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  47. 47.
    Shreve, R.L. (1968b) The Blackhawk landslide, Geological Society of America Special Paper 108, 1–47.Google Scholar
  48. 48.
    Van Gassen, W. and Gruden, D.M. (1989) Momentum transfer and friction in the debris of rock avalanches, Canadian Geotechnical Journal 26, 623–628.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  49. 49.
    Voight, B. (1978) Lower Gros Ventre slide, Wyoming, USA, in Voight, B. (ed) Rockslides and Avalanches, Elsevier, Amsterdam, 113–160.Google Scholar
  50. 50.
    Walsh, S.J., Butler, D.R., Allen, T.R. and Malanson, G.P. (1994) Influence of snow patterns and snow avalanches on the alpine treeline ecotone, Journal of Vegetation Science 5, 657–672.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  51. 51.
    Walsh, S.J., Butler, D.R., Brown, D.G. and Bian, L. (1990) Cartographic modeling of snow avalanche path location within Glacier National Park, Montana, Photogrammetric Engineering and Remote Sensing 56, 615–621.Google Scholar
  52. 52.
    Walsh, S.J., Malanson, G.P. and Butler, D.R. (1992) Alpine treeline in Glacier National Park, Montana, in Janelle, D.R. (ed) Geographical Snapshots of North America, Guilford Press, New York, 167–171.Google Scholar

Copyright information

© Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 1998

Authors and Affiliations

  • David R. Butler
    • 1
  • George P. Malanson
    • 2
  • Forrest D. Wilkerson
    • 3
  • Ginger L. Schmid
    • 4
  1. 1.Department of Geography and PlanningSouthwest Texas State UniversitySan MarcosUSA
  2. 2.Department of GeographyUniversity of IowaIowa CityUSA
  3. 3.Department of GeographyUniversity of North Carolina — Chapel HillChapel HillUSA
  4. 4.Department of GeographyNorth Carolina Central UniversityDurhamUSA

Personalised recommendations