RELATION BETWEEN PRECIPITATION AND INITIATION OF DEBRIS FLOWS IN THE JIANGJIA RAVINE, YUNNAN PROVINCE, SOUTHWEST CHINA

1 INTRODUCTION In the watershed of the Jiangjia Ravine, the frequency of occurrence of rainstorms which can mobilize debris flows is high, and there are abundant unconsolidated materials deposited in the upstream area, these resulted in frequent eruption …

RELATION BETWEEN PRECIPITATION AND INITIATION OF DEBRIS FLOWS IN THE JIANGJIA RAVINE,YUNNAN PROVINCE, SOUTHWEST CHINA

In the Jiangjia Ravine, debris flows are often triggered by short-duration rainstorms frequently. To reveal the unique initiation process of debris flows, rainfall and debris flow initiation in an upstream area was continually observed. It is concluded that flash floods resulting from short-duration rainstorms play a key role in the initiation of debris flows. Surface runoff forms flash floods due to special topographic conditions. The flash floods mobilize the sediment deposits in the upper section of the branch gullies,hence, high density viscous debris flows initiate. The initiation of debris flows in the Jiangjia Ravine has a close relation with precipitation. Applying the Takahashi model of debris flow initiation, it is concluded that: to mobilize cohesive deposits in the gully bed the depth of flash floods must exceed a critical depth. This critical depth of floods makes the definition of thresholds of rainfall intensity possible. Considering the change in the initial infiltration rate at different initial water content of bank slopes, and the influence of antecedent precipitation on the initial water content, the relation between the thresholds of rainfall intensity and the antecedent precipitation show good agreement with the empirical relation established by previous research.