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Hydrogeologic evidence for a continuous basal shear zone within a deep-seated gravitational slope deformation (Eastern Alps, Tyrol, Austria)

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Abstract

The currently inactive deep-seated gravitational slope deformation (DGSD) Sagspitz in Tyrol, Austria, covers an area of 3 km2 and originated along a glacially over-steepened slope composed mainly of phyllites belonging to the Innsbruck Quartzphyllite Complex. Past mass movement processes caused the formation of fracture systems and slump bodies which consequently form the aquifers of relatively large springs in a rock type with generally very low permeability and poor porosity. Analysis of water chemistry, oxygen isotope, and field parameters of the springs emerging from the DGSD imply that multilevel aquifers exist and enabled the detection of continuous deep flow paths through the entire length of the mass movement from the main scarp to the toe of the slope. It is shown that the aquifer boundaries and spring emergences throughout the loosened rock mass can be correlated to the internal and basal shear zones of the DGSD so that this hydrogeological approach proved to be useful for evaluating the mass movement structure.

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Acknowledgement

The authors are in debt to G. Poscher, K. Krainer, and L. Pergher for their scientific advice and help during the early stages of the manuscript. We would also like to thank C. Spötl for his later input and advice. Thanks also go to the reviewers of this paper for their helpful corrections and suggestions. Furthermore, we are grateful for the financial aid of the ILF Consulting Engineers and the Austrian Geological Survey (M. Rockenschaub); the Department of Hygiene, Microbiology, and Social Medicine, University of Medicine Innsbruck (I. Jenewein) for carrying out the hydrochemical and δ18O measurements, as well as the Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Leopold Franzens University, Innsbruck (C. Spötl), for the δ18O measurements.

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  1. Herfried Madritsch

    Present address: Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, University of Basel, Bernoullistrasse 32, 4056, Basel, Switzerland

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  1. Institute of Geology and Paleontology, Leopold Franzens University, Innrain 52, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria

    Herfried Madritsch & Bernard M. J. Millen

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Correspondence to Herfried Madritsch.

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Madritsch, H., Millen, B.M.J. Hydrogeologic evidence for a continuous basal shear zone within a deep-seated gravitational slope deformation (Eastern Alps, Tyrol, Austria). Landslides 4, 149–162 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10346-006-0072-x

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