Debris slides and related flood damage resulting from Hurricane Camille, 19-20 August, and subsequent storm, 5-6 September 1969 in the Spring Creek Drainage Basin, Greenbrier County, West Virginia. Schneider, Raymond H.

Author

Raymond H. Schneider

Date of Award

8-1973

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

Major

Geology

Major Professor

G. Michael Clark

Abstract

Two storms, the first associated with Hurricane Camille on 19-20 August, the second on 5-6 September 1969, which struck the Spring Creek Drainage Basin of Greenbrier County, West Virginia resulted in 1,534 observed debris slides, the loss of two lives, and extensive property damage.
The debris slide movement is thought to have been initiated by sliding at the head of the scar, with the mass of moving rock, soil, forest debris and water developing into a debris flow as it progressed downslope. The major volume of material was carried entirely out of the area as the debris emptied into the stream channels.

Slide dimensions vary from tens of square feet (1 sq. m)of material removed at the slide scar head to approximately 65,000 square feet (19,820 sq. m). Volume of material removed by an individual slide ranges from less than 10 cubic feet (0.3 cu. m) to approximately 860,500 cubic feet (24,366 cu. m).
Slide scar heads range in elevation from 2,150 feet (655.3 m) to 3,960 feet (1,207 m). They lie at elevations where the amount of precipitation is greatly influenced by orographic lifting. The mean slope on which slides occurred is 34.97 degrees, with a minimum slope of 18.89 degrees on clear land and 16.67 degrees in timberland. The influence of land use is apparent in the frequency of slide occurrence and also in the thickness of soil removed by individual slides.

Intense summer rainstorms are the major cause of debris slides in the Appalachian Highlands south of the glacial border. Complex cultural and physical factors interact to affect an individual slide location.
Precipitation is a critical localizing factor, as well as the rate of water infiltration which may increase soil pore pressure very rapidly during intense storms, such that soil and regolith fail by sudden reduction in their shearing strength.

Careful field investigation was the method of obtaining detailed data on each slide. All slides were plotted on a large map of the entire area. Two tributary valleys were surveyed and mapped in detail. Evaluation of several types of imagery indicated the Ektachrome Infrared Aero film to be the most useful. The timing of the photographic mission with respect to the regency of slope failure, vegetational foliage, and the altitude at which it is flown are important.

Accumulation of Meteorological data for longer time intervals will be of significant value to improve recurrence intervals projections. It is doubtful whether meaningful improvement as to the cause of individual slides can be expected until continuous monitoring of possible debris slide sites and model studies are better established.

Comments

Additional maps in back require oversize scanner.

Recommended Citation

Schneider, Raymond H., "Debris slides and related flood damage resulting from Hurricane Camille, 19-20 August, and subsequent storm, 5-6 September 1969 in the Spring Creek Drainage Basin, Greenbrier County, West Virginia. Schneider, Raymond H.. " PhD diss., University of Tennessee, 1973.
https://trace.tennessee.edu/utk_graddiss/7062