Water and Deep-seated Mass Creeping

2003

S. 55

Artikel aus einem Buch

200107816

Conference on Water and Society - Needs, Challenges, and Restrictions : 19-21 November 2003, 3 days conference and 1 day field trip, S. 55

While relationships between extreme precipitation and floods are visible and relatively easy to understand even for the layman, high precipitation rates (for longer time periods) may trigger dangerous processes which are much less spectacular and which appear only after a few weeks. This is shown by the example of the Deep-Seated Mass Movement of Berchtholdhang/Gradenbach located in the upper Mölltal (Carinthia). Our studies show the dependency of high total water input and rise of the mountains water table, where snow melt plays a major role. A significant correlation was found between the mountain water table and the movement rate of the slope. The highest water tables released a significant fitful slope movement but the findings suggest more influencing variables. The soil creep alone is not particularly dangerous. Only the interdependency with the spating torrent at its base might become a threat. The event combination with the highest exposure is a heavy rain scenario of short duration, preceded by long lasting precipitation events (snow melt, rainfall). This shows the great importance of the water as a triggering factor.