Jamillah's Guided Lab - Landslides (1) (1)

docx

School

Brigham Young University, Idaho *

*We aren’t endorsed by this school

Course

201

Subject

Geography

Date

Oct 30, 2023

Type

docx

Pages

Uploaded by CorporalRiver11768

GUIDED LAB - LANDSLIDES To receive credit for this guided lab, please type your answers in this document and upload your completed document to the I-Learn assignment. There are boxes for you to include your answers. LEARNING TARGETS At the end of this guided lab, you will be able to  Evaluate landslide hazards for houses and locations. PART I. WHERE DO LANDSLIDES OCCUR? “ Landslides and other "ground failures" cost more lives and more money each year than all other natural disasters combined, and their incidence appears to be rising. Nevertheless, the government devotes few resources to their study — and the foolhardy continue to build and live in places likely to be consumed one day by avalanches of mud .” --Brenda Bell There is an average of 10 landslides every day in the United States and they cost the U.S. $5 billion annually. The events usually are not national disasters, but they are disasters for individuals and families. And sadly, with a little knowledge, many, if not all of these disasters could be avoided. In our text, find the National Landslide Hazards Map, published by the U.S. Geological Survey. Compare it to this map , and use both of them to answer the following questions. On the National Landslide Hazards Map, red denotes areas with a high incidence of landslides (covering greater than 15% of the area). There are three major zones of high incidence – one near the West Coast, one in the Rocky Mountain region, and one in the Appalachian Mountains. Areas of high to moderate susceptibility surround these high-incidence regions. Use the USGS National Landslide Hazards Map and the map legend to help you answer these questions. 1. Write a place of interest to you in the U.S. 2. What color zone is it in? Chicago, Illinois

3. What is the meaning of that color zone from the map legend? 4. All the regions with the highest hazard (red) are mountainous. Why does this make sense? 5. Name two other regions of the world (not the U.S.) where you think topography would likely result in a high incidence of mass wasting. (You may want to use Google Earth to help you identify regions with high topography.) PART II. HOW DO LANDSLIDES AFFECT PEOPLE? Learn about two more recent landslides. One was in New York and the other was in Springhill Utah. Use the articles linked below to help you answer the questions. Article Links: Springhill Articles Do a google search to see if you can find any more recent articles about this landslide. New York Articles Do a google search to see if you can find any more recent articles about this landslide. 1. What do the articles say about insurance coverage for these homes? 2. Do you think the federal, state, and/or local governments have a responsibility to the homeowners in the Springhill, Utah neighborhood? Explain your It is in the red color zone. It means that there is a high risk in more than 15% of the area involved. This makes sense because there are certain elements in that area that increase the risks of landslides to be formed. Mount Kilimanjaro and Mount Everest. The landslides are destroying homes in Salt Lake City, and the residents are not receiving assistance from their insurance companies. A landslide is destroying people's homes in New York, and insurance companies won't pay for it. According to the American Insurance Association, it says that a different insurance will be required for the harm caused to their houses by the landslide

reasoning. (Hint: Be elaborate with your reasoning. This is a big question and your answer should reflect an informed analysis). PART III. RECOGNIZING LANDSLIDES According to Nilson and Brabb (1972), landslide deposits are commonly characterized by one or more of the following features: 1. Small, isolated ponds, lakes, or other closed depressions 2. Abundant natural springs 3. Abrupt and irregular changes in slope and drainage pattern. 4. Hummocky irregular surfaces. 5. Smaller landslide deposits that are commonly younger and form within older and larger landslide deposits. (Once a landslide always a landslide.) 6. Steep arcuate scarps at the upper edge. These may be smoothed by erosion and vegetation but are often still visible. 7. Irregular soil and vegetation patterns. 8. Disturbed vegetation. Using these warning signs of landslides, evaluate the landslide hazards of the following “Dream Homes”. DREAM HOME 1 Your former roommate is purchasing a home. Here is an e-mail and some pictures. Read the e-mail and examine the photos. Then write a response to the e-mail that answers this question: Is DREAM HOME 1 a dream or a nightmare? List all of the reasons that support your opinion. Be thorough and specific! EMAIL: TO: You FROM: former roommate RE: Buying a house!! I think that the federal, state, and/ or local governments have some responsibility to the homeowners in the Springhill, Utah neighborhood because if they are not getting any help from their insurance companies and their houses are destroyed, then what are they going to do? They can’t just move on and go build a brand-new house somewhere, so where are they going to live? They lost everything they owned, including their place to live, so how are they going to make ends meet? Since local governments have the means, I feel that they ought to assist at least in part. Seeing some neighbors assist those impacted by the landslide despite not being affected themselves was pleasant. They raised funds to support them and were incredibly generous. Even though the government might not have the funds available, it should still give the residents somewhere to live rather than doing nothing at all, they ought to at least express some concern.

Your preview ends here

Eager to read complete document? Join bartleby learn and gain access to the full version

Access to all documents
Unlimited textbook solutions
24/7 expert homework help

Hi! I want to share our great news. We’re buying a house! It’s on Spring Hill Drive – and it’s a steal of a deal. Take a look at these pictures. The house is huge, and it has the most incredible views. I can’t believe we can afford it. We are on the edge of a hill and there is a spring at the bottom of it. It’s the perfect resource for our year’s supply of water. The doors inside the house don’t shut quite right – but you know, we can fix just about anything with a hammer. Check out the pictures. Some of the roads around the neighborhood are really falling apart; I’ll have to call the city on that. There are lots of other homes for sale in the area. You should come take a look. It would be great to have you as neighbors. I know you took a college class that helps you think about potential problems with homes. If you see anything that I should think about, let me know. Thanks for your help! WOW! Notice the trees in the back. The yard drops off to the spring below. Do you think this is a problem?

Vacant lot next door. We can buy it for cheap. Should be fun to landscape around this change in topography which seems to line up with our outdoor stairs. Street in front of our new house. I don’t know what’s with the city. They should fix this – and they will once I start talking with them! Always wanted a mailbox! The current owners will fix this before we close. YOUR EVALUATION 1. Is DREAM HOME 1 a dream or a nightmare? Write a response to the e-mail that explains your opinion of the pending purchase. List at least 5 reasons that support your opinion. Be thorough and specific!

DREAM HOME 2 You gave your former roommate such good advice that another friend has asked for your opinion on the property she wants to purchase. Read the e-mail and look at the photos. EMAIL: TO: You FROM: friend RE: Buying a house!! Hey! I think I want to buy this house. I’ve always liked the desert and I love this yard! Our kids will have a blast climbing around on the random boulders when they get a little older. The house is located on Rocky Road Drive – can you believe that? It’s my favorite type of ice cream! That has got to be an omen. We plan to make an ofer tomorrow. Let me know what you think. Thnx. The house is a nightmare. There is evidence of a landslide in each of the displayed pictures. The presence of a spring below is the first indication. The house would be pushed down into the spring and swept away. The massive crack in the grass, which indicates that the other half of the empty lot has sunk, is another significant clue. The fact that the doors don't close all the way is a third red flag. The mailbox is skewed and appears to be ready to fall, which is another indication that this house is a nightmare. The sidewalk, foundation, and street all have significant cracks, which is the final indication that the city will not repair them if they haven't already. The massive crack in the foundation hints that the house might fall at any time. This house has a lot of warning signs before purchasing. There are no big, beautiful houses that are going to be that good of a deal without some issues, so this "steal of a deal" is a serious red flag. The neighborhood is not safe, as evidenced by the large number of houses for sale, and there may be other homes in the area experiencing similar problems. A landslide could erupt at any time and include

Your preview ends here

Eager to read complete document? Join bartleby learn and gain access to the full version

Access to all documents
Unlimited textbook solutions
24/7 expert homework help

Desert home I want to buy. Look at that beautiful blue sky. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION You decide to do a little research on the Internet before you respond. You come across t h is article on the Utah Geological website about the “ Pro vo rock fall 2009 ”. Respond to your friend using information from the above article. YOUR EVALUATION 2. Is DREAM HOME 2 a dream or a nightmare? Write a response to the e-mail that explains your opinion of the pending purchase. List all the reasons that support your opinion. Be thorough and specific! This house is a nightmare. The “Provo Rock Fall 2009” article shows pictures and shares stories of what has happened to homes because they lived right below a rock mountain. The images depict enormous boulders inside of homes, causing destruction as they tumbled down the cliff and struck the buildings squarely. The friend displays a photo of the house she intends to purchase, which is situated directly beneath a cliff that is surrounded by rocks. The house is in danger of being struck by a rock fall at any time, as evidenced by the steep and rocky cliff. The friend also mentions that when her kids get older, they can go rock climbing, which sounds like a risky activity. The kids run the risk of getting hurt because the rocks are loose and could fall at any time, in addition to the possibility that they will cause the rocks to tumble down the cliff and strike the house. It wouldn't be a good idea for the kids to go play on the cliff with all the loose rocks because there won't be many that are stuck in place. Although the rocks don't appear large, they are enormous and have the potential to seriously harm both people and houses. It would be best if the friend thought about how risky it would be for her and her family to live directly below a cliff.

DREAM HOME 3 This time you get an e-mail from a person that you met at a grocery store. EMAIL: TO: You FROM: JER RE: INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITY!! Hi. Remember me? I met you at the grocery store a while ago. Remember how we were talking while we waited in line about investments and places to build a house? Well, have I got a deal for you? I found the perfect place to build a home! My parents’ friends are working on a new housing development – it is in a great area with beautiful views. I’m helping them sell lots so I’m letting all my friends know about it! You really should check this out!!!! This beautiful area is close to the mountain front, is at the mouth of a small canyon (see picture), and is not too far from an LDS temple. There isn’t any water in the canyon most of the time – just a dry stream bed – perfect for hiking. There was a fire up the canyon last summer which is great – it cleared out all the dead wood, so you won’t have to worry about a wildfire destroying your new house. I’m pretty sure that I can get you a sweet deal on a lot. Give me a call and I’ll give you a tour of Alluvial Heights – catchy name don’t you think – I thought of it because it is built on an alluvial fan! Hurry so you can get a lot close to the mouth of the canyon – they have the best views and most open space.

Check it out on Google Earth, at: Latitude 40.539645, Longitude - 111.807099. CALL SOON – JER ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Before you respond to JER, you decide to do some research on the Internet. At a minimum, do the following: 1. Read the following sections at h tt p : / / pu b s.us g s. g ov /f s / f s - 176 - 97 /f s - 17 6 - 97.h t m l : 2. “Dangerous, Fast-Moving Landslides” 3. The pictures and descriptions in “Hazardous Areas” 4. Go to the following website, scroll down, and read “Tips and Clues that May Save Your Life” from https://www.conservation.ca.gov/cgs/Pages/Publications/Note_33.aspx 5. Determine why the USGS monitors burn areas. https://landslides.usgs.gov/hazards/postfire_debrisflow/ 6. Watch the following 20-second video. It shows a debris flow in California, there is no sound. https://ca.water.usgs.gov/flooding/wildfires-debris- flow.html (Or search “debris_flow_ca.wmv site: usgs.gov” to see this video). YOUR EVALUATION 3. Is DREAM HOME 3 a dream or a nightmare? Write a response to the e-mail that explains your opinion. Be thorough! In your response, tell JER the single most important thing he should tell people who build homes in Alluvial Heights. Tell him at least three other things that he should tell the people. Moreover, explain whether the wildfire was a good thing.

Your preview ends here

Eager to read complete document? Join bartleby learn and gain access to the full version

Access to all documents
Unlimited textbook solutions
24/7 expert homework help

This house is a nightmare. Jer, while it sounds like a great location for a building site and that it is very close to an LDS temple, I will have to say no to building a house in that area. The location is directly beneath a mountain and canyon, where a landslide, wildfire, or rock fall could occur at any time. Anything in its path can be carried away by a landslide as it rushes over the edge. The most crucial thing, in my opinion, to emphasize to those planning to build in Alluvial Heights is how dangerous the area is. This area is at the bottom of a canyon where debris flows can happen multiple times at any given time. You should also note that roads adjacent to canyons are especially vulnerable to landslides and debris flows during rainstorms. They can seriously damage any road by covering it. You should also discuss how debris flows can cross gently sloping terrain after beginning on steep slopes. Particularly at the bottom of the canyon, where the houses are supposed to be, this can occur. You should also bring up the possibility of rock falls at the canyon's base as a third point. These rocks have the potential to seriously harm both people and houses. In addition, there's a chance of wildfires nearby, which could cause a landslide in the event of rain. They cause harmful debris flows to occur. Given the weak and low vegetation, a heavy downpour can cause multiple debris flows. The site is undoubtedly lovely, but it would be best if the builders knew what they were getting into so they could weigh the benefits and drawbacks of developing and residing there.