Debris slide hazards in the Adirondack Province of New York state

More than 400 debris slide scars have been identified in the Adirondack Province through aerial photographic interpretation. Debris slides are concentrated in the high relief, east-central portion of the province, although some isolated scars occur in the north and southwest. Intense rainfall, relief, slope angle, slope form, and slope exposure are recognized as factors in Adirondack slide formation and distribution. Vegetational, pedological, and geological characteristics also influence slope stability conditions, but complexities in after-the-fact analyses obscure their exact function in slide activity. On the basis of slope angle and slope form, more than 600 major valley systems which exhibit slide potential were identified in the Adirondacks. Approximately 25 percent of these sites of potential slides are on private land. The prospect for higher land-use in these areas warrants serious consideration of the hazards of debris slides. Debris slides cannot be prevented, or even accurately predicted, but certain measures may possibly be taken to avert extensive economic damage or loss of life.