Recreated credible debris flow runout

Flood and Debris Flow Hazards at Hansen, Kotter, and Waterfall Canyons

Our client’s pipeline runs adjacent to the Wasatch Mountain Range, crossing several debris flow fans including Hansen Canyon, Kotter Canyon, and Waterfall Canyon. To mitigate potential impact to their buried pipe, our client wanted to assess the potential for scour from debris flows, debris floods, and clearwater floods.

Our team was engaged to support the client’s team by recreating credible debris flow runout to determine which portions of the pipeline may be affected and exposed to hazards. We calibrated our DebrisFlow Predictor to an event that occurred in North Ogden City along the same mountain range and included a trenched debris flow study at the site of interest. We were able to recreate a credible debris flow runout, determine the portions of the pipeline that could be exposed to a scour hazard and depth of scour, and provide an estimate of likelihood that such an event would occur.

The results of our study will help our client effectively mitigate potential debris flow hazards and risks for their pipeline.